Chapter 132: Chapter 132: Torn by Moon and Blood
RAMON’S POV
I made it back to the house where I had asked Ivy to stay with Sonia. My wolf form melted away as I shifted into my human shape right outside the door. Stark naked under the moonlight, I pushed inside without hesitation. The cool night air still clung to my skin, but the fire from the full moon burned hotter than ever in my blood.
I went straight to one of the side rooms and grabbed the first piece of clothing I saw, loose black pants. I pulled them on quickly, the fabric rough against my heated skin, then walked back to the living room.
"Ivy!" I called out, my voice echoing through the quiet house.
Instead of Ivy, Sonia stepped out of her room. Her eyes met mine, wide and uncertain. She glanced toward the door, confusion clear on her face.
"Where’s Ivy?" I asked immediately.
She looked at me, then back at the door again.
"I said, where’s Ivy!" I growled, my patience already thin.
"Behind you."
I turned around fast. There she was—Ivy, standing healthy and unharmed, not a single scratch on her body. Relief flooded through me so strongly that I took a step toward her, arms already opening to pull her into a hug. I caught myself just in time and stopped.
"Do you want something, Alpha?" Ivy asked, watching me with curious eyes.
"Later," I mouthed silently to her. Then aloud, "I need you to come with me."
"I have to help prepare for the full moon celebration. Is it very important, Alpha?"
"Yes. It’s very important."
I could feel Sonia’s burning stare on my back, heavy and questioning. Not wanting to raise any more suspicion, I turned to face her.
"I thought you were supposed to be healing Ruby?" I asked.
"Yes, I was. But something came up. I had to return to the house to pick up something."
"Good. No need to return to the pack. I’ll send someone to bring Ruby to you. Stay with her too, Ivy."
"Alpha Ramon, you know I always help with—"
"I’m not making a suggestion, Ivy. This is an order!"
She swallowed the rest of her words and nodded instead. I didn’t need to look directly at her to sense the tension in her body, the way her shoulders tightened. Satisfied that my plan would keep her safe for now, I turned and headed for the door.
"Later, I promise," I told Ivy with my eyes, unable to explain everything out loud.
I walked past both of them and stepped outside. The night air wrapped around me again, thick with the scent of pine and distant rain. I had only gone a short distance when I heard soft footsteps behind me. Someone was following.
I spun around swiftly and nearly crashed into Sonia. She stood too close, her warmth brushing against me in the cool darkness.
"What do you think you’re doing?" I screamed at her in frustration. "I told you to stay with Ivy. What is wrong with you?"
"I wanted to talk to you about the cursed land," she said quietly. "I didn’t know when I’d have your attention again."
"Who cares about the land right now? There are far more important things th—"
"Yeah, like the safety of Ivy. I got that." Her voice was steady, but her eyes held something deeper. "I just need to tell you something about the land."
"Ivy? Why would I be concerned about the safety of Ivy?" I asked, studying her face. How much did she actually know?
"I’m not a fool, Alpha Ramon. I see how you care about Ivy, a lot. It’s a good thing, because she’s a good person."
"Or there’s something more. You know something you’re not telling me."
I watched her closely. Her mouth hung open slightly in confusion. She could be pretending. Acting again. How else could one of her father’s messengers slip into my pack undetected? My mind raced.
My head shot up as realization hit. There was a secret route that passed through this very house. Almost no one knew about it except me, Daniel, and Blane. It led straight outside the pack borders without guards. She could have discovered it and passed the information to her father.
"What have you done?" My eyes began to darken with rage.
She took a fearful step back, her body starting to shiver.
"I didn’t do anything. I just wanted to talk about the—"
"Liar!" I grabbed her by the neck and pushed her against the nearest wall. My grip was firm, fueled by betrayal and fear. "Tell me what you did! How did you betray me?!"
"I di-didn’t," she struggled to say, her voice barely a whisper.
"I don’t believe you."
I applied a little more pressure. Her eyes began to roll back. She was losing her breath, but anger and the terrifying thought of losing my only surviving family blinded me. I didn’t care in that moment.
A single tear rolled down her cheek as her eyes started to close.
"What are you doing, Ramon!" I screamed at myself inside my head. The sound of my own voice snapped me out of it. I let go instantly.
As she fell, my hands shot underneath her, catching her before she hit the ground. She landed against my chest. "I’m sorry," I whispered, dropping to the ground with her. I pulled her tightly into my body. "So sorry."
"Why?" she asked, followed by a series of harsh coughs.
I held her through the coughing fit, my arms locked around her small frame until her breathing steadied again.
"Why?" she repeated, weaker this time.
"Don’t speak. Not just yet. You’ll hurt yourself."
"You hurt me enough. Just tell me what I did this time."
I looked down. Her eyes were open now, staring straight into mine. The moonlight caught in them, making them shine with pain and something softer I didn’t want to name.
"You’re not supposed to be you," I said, my words tumbling out. "You’re supposed to be different. I want to believe you’re lying, but I really think you’re being honest."
I was rambling and I knew it. I couldn’t stop the flood of thoughts. She had turned my entire world upside down. Nothing was the same anymore. It used to be so easy to hurt her, even to enjoy it. Now the sight of her in pain made my chest ache in ways I couldn’t explain.
"Why don’t you let me go? Or better yet, kill me?"
"And risk the curse of the moon goddess? You’re my fated mate."
"No, Ramon. There’s already a curse at play. I don’t know what it is yet, but it exists, and it’s all connected to that land."
"The land!" My eyes widened. "You wanted to talk to me about the land."
She smiled painfully. Lifting a trembling hand, she touched my face, her fingers soft against my jaw. "The first time I saw your face, I was fascinated by how beautiful you were. I had never seen a man that good looking. Not even Seth, and he’s all the girls rave about back in Silverpaw."
"Why are you telling me this, Sonia?" My voice cracked with frustration. "It’s not going to stop me from hurting you another time. I can’t help the anger that consumes me when I connect you to your father. Don’t you understand?!"
"Yes, you can. You can, and I’ll teach you. Even if it’s the last thing I do."
Her hand dropped from my face. Her eyes closed slowly.
"Sonia!" I screamed, looking up into the heavens as if they could give me answers.
The full moon watched silently above us, its pull stronger than ever, twisting the bond between us tighter while my past screamed for revenge. I held her closer, my heart pounding against hers, lost in the storm I had no idea how to escape.
