The Banished Shy Luna Chapter 100

The room filled with silence so thick it pressed against my chest.

Toren’s words still hung in the air like smoke.

“They know where we are,” he said again, his tone rough and final. “We can’t stay here.”

Tyson scrubbed a hand over his face, exhaling hard. “And go where, Toren? Everyone’s running on fumes. Half the warriors couldn’t fight off a housecat right now.”

“Then they rest in shifts,” Toren snapped. “We move in an hour.”

“No,” Tyson shot back, his eyes flashing. “You don’t get it. We can’t. We’ve been driving for eighteen hours straight. If we get back on the road like this, someone’s going to crash before we even make it to the next state line.”

Talon, sprawled on the bed with his boots still on, muttered, “Pretty sure I already died three times somewhere around hour sixteen.”

Nobody laughed.

Toren turned toward Tyson, his whole body vibrating with restrained anger. “You think I care about the damn warriors? You think I’m worried about who’s tired?”

Tyson’s voice went flat. “Yeah, Toren, that’s exactly the problem.”

The tension between them crackled—Alpha against Alpha, dominance colliding like thunderheads.

Toren stepped closer, his shadow swallowing the space between them. “She’s our Luna,” he growled. “If Lucas’s scouts are already in this area, every second we stay here puts her at risk.”

“And she’s my mate too,” Tyson snapped, baring his teeth. “But I’m not about to kill off half the pack just to make you feel like you’re protecting her!”

The words hit like a slap, and for a heartbeat, nobody moved.

Talon groaned quietly, dragging a pillow over his face. “And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why I don’t do relationships.”

“Not helping,” I muttered.

Toren’s hand flexed at his side, claws threatening to break through. “You’d risk her—”

“Don’t start that with me,” Tyson interrupted sharply. “You might be the head Alpha, but don’t pretend like you’re the only one who gives a damn. You just get tunnel vision when it comes to her.”

“And you don’t get focused enough!” Toren barked.

“Enough!” I yelled, the power in my voice rippling through the room before I could stop it.

Both of them froze.

I could feel my wolf pressing forward, irritated and fierce. My pulse thundered in my ears as I stood. “If we’re done comparing dominance, maybe we can talk like adults.”

Toren blinked, his anger softening just slightly at my tone. “Kira…”

“No, listen,” I said, stepping between them. “You’re both right. The warriors are exhausted, and we can’t afford another incident. But we also can’t stay here long enough for Moonshade to track us.”

“So what do you suggest?” Tyson asked, crossing his arms. “Because unless you can magically erase eight hours of fatigue, we’re stuck here till morning.”

“I’ll stay up,” I said simply.

That shut them both up real quick.

“What?” Toren’s voice went sharp.

“I’ll stay up. I’ll take watch. That gives everyone a few hours of sleep.”

“No,” Toren said immediately. “Absolutely not. You need rest.”

“I’ll have the twins with me,” I countered. “Shyanne and Marianne can take shifts. We’ll make sure no one gets near the rooms.”

Toren’s jaw clenched. “You think I’m going to let my Luna stand guard like a warrior?”

“Yes,” I said, meeting his gaze evenly. “Because you’re the Alpha. The proper Alpha of this pack. They follow you. They need to see you rested and in control tomorrow, not half-dead from paranoia.”

Tyson raised a brow, glancing at Toren. “She’s got you there, big guy.”

Toren glared at him. “Not. Helping.”

Talon peeked from under his pillow. “I think I like it when she bosses you around. It’s hot.”

I groaned. “Talon.”

“Sorry, sorry,” he said, hands raised, smirking. “Continue, Luna in Charge.”

Toren turned back to me, eyes burning gold in the low motel light. “You shouldn’t have to do this.”

“I can do this,” I said softly. “You forget, Toren—I wasn’t raised to sit in a corner and look pretty. I’ve survived worse than babysitting a pack of sleeping Alphas.”

He sighed heavily, rubbing a hand down his face. The fight drained out of him as fast as it had risen. “You’re going to drive me insane.”

I smiled faintly. “Good. Keeps you on your toes.”

After another minute of back and forth—and plenty of growled threats from Toren that I ignored—he finally relented.

“Fine,” he said tightly. “You get three hours. Then I’m taking over.”

“Deal.”

Shyanne stretched, cracking her knuckles. “I’ll take the first watch with her.”

Marianne yawned from the couch. “I’ll wake up for the second.”

Talon mumbled something about “snuggle duty” and promptly passed out again.

Tyson gave me one last look, a mixture of frustration and reluctant admiration. “You’re gonna give me a heart attack one of these days, Luna.”

“Only if you’re lucky,” I said dryly.

The corner of his mouth lifted despite himself. “You’re terrifying.”

“Good. Go to sleep.”

Within minutes, the room was quiet again. The twins and I sat near the back, Shyanne perched on the windowsill with her knife glinting faintly in the light from outside, and Marianne snoring softly on the couch.

The faint sound of the highway filled the silence—cars passing in the distance, the occasional hoot of an owl. I stared out the window, tracing the moonlight across the cracked parking lot.

After a few minutes, Shyanne broke the silence. “Can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

She tilted her head, studying me. “Is there anything from your past—anything at all—that might help us when it comes to Alpha Lucas? Something he’s afraid of? Someone? Some weakness we can use?”

I hesitated, fingers tightening around the curtain edge. Memories flickered unbidden—silver chains, whispered commands, the scent of burning herbs and blood.

“Maybe,” I whispered. “But the thing about Lucas…” I swallowed hard, meeting her gaze. “…he doesn’t fear anything he can control. And he controls everyone.”

Shyanne frowned. “Then we’ll just have to teach him what it means to lose control.”

Her grin was sharp in the dim light—feral, loyal, and ready for war.

I smiled faintly back, though something cold twisted deep in my stomach. Because if I was right about Lucas… control wasn’t the only thing he wanted.

He wanted revenge.