The Banished Shy Luna Chapter 114

By the time we made it back to the estate, the night air felt heavier — too still, too quiet, like even the forest was holding its breath.

Toren didn’t waste a second. The moment the door slammed behind us, his Alpha command rolled through the hall like thunder.

“Lock it down,” he growled. His voice was deep, cold, absolute. The kind of tone that no one dared to question.

Immediately, warriors began moving — sliding heavy bolts into place, securing windows, checking entry points. The atmosphere shifted from confusion to raw, organized focus.

Toren turned toward the gathered crowd of wolves, his gold eyes blazing. “All mothers and unmated females — take the cubs and go below. Now. I want everyone under warrior age in the lower level. No exceptions.”

One of the mothers hesitated. “Alpha, what’s happening—”

“Now!” he barked, the sound so sharp it made the walls tremble.

That got them moving. The hallway filled with hurried footsteps, soft murmurs, the faint crying of frightened cubs as their mothers ushered them toward the basement stairwell.

Toren didn’t stop. “Sentinels — standby positions. I want you circling the interior perimeter, no more than two hundred feet from the estate. Eyes sharp, ears open. You hear anything strange, you howl.”

A group of lean, agile wolves broke off from the main crowd — the Sentinels. They weren’t full warriors, but they were fast and alert, trained for observation and silent movement. Every pack had them — the watchers, the runners, the first line of defense before the fighters were called.

“Yes, Alpha,” the lead Sentinel answered, bowing before disappearing into the night.

Toren turned next to the warriors, his voice dropping into something darker. “The rest of you — gear up. Armor, blades, trackers, comms. We find Talon tonight, or we don’t see sunrise.”

The room buzzed to life — the sound of boots on wood, weapons being unsheathed, orders being shouted between units.

Marianne guided me toward one of the smaller sitting rooms near the kitchen, her expression calm but her grip steady. She eased me into a chair and crouched in front of me.

“You’re pale,” she said quietly. “And shaking. Sit. Breathe.”

“I’m fine,” I started, but she gave me a look that could’ve silenced an Alpha.

“You’re not fine.” She pushed a glass of water into my hand and then placed a small plate of bread and stew in front of me. “Eat something. Drink. Now.”

I sighed, but my body was too weak to argue. The moment the warm broth touched my tongue, I realized how empty I was — how drained.

Marianne moved around the room, her movements brisk and efficient. She came back with a small bottle and set two pills on the table beside me. “Pain meds. I can see you rubbing your throat — it’s from the healing, isn’t it?”

I swallowed hard. My fingers went instinctively to my neck. The skin wasn’t broken, but the ache beneath it was deep, throbbing. “Yeah,” I admitted softly. “When I healed Tyson, I took his pain with it. It’s… lingering.”

She frowned. “You shouldn’t push yourself like that.”

“Tell that to the dying Alpha on the ground next time,” I muttered, trying to smile. It came out crooked.

Tyson walked in just then, his presence filling the room even before I saw him. His shirt was stained with dried blood, but he was standing tall — strong, determined. Still, I could feel it — the faint weakness humming through our bond. The healing had closed the wound, but it hadn’t fully restored him.

“You should be resting,” I said, setting the bowl down.

He shook his head. “I’ll rest when Talon’s back.”

Toren entered right behind him, his expression unreadable. “That may not be as simple as you think.”

Tyson looked at him sharply. “You think he’s gone rogue?”

“I think,” Toren said slowly, “whatever that was out there wasn’t our brother. At least, not entirely.”

The silence that followed was heavy.

I could still smell the blood on Toren’s hands. It made my stomach twist. “So what’s the plan?” I asked.

Toren ran a hand through his hair, the motion tight, controlled. “We divide. Tyson will take a small search party west. I’ll take another north. We’ll sweep the perimeter and meet at the eastern ridge behind the estate. If we can’t find his scent by dawn…” He hesitated, his jaw flexing. “We wait until the wind shifts.”

Tyson’s eyes flashed. “You’re talking like he’s already gone.”

Toren met his gaze, unflinching. “I’m talking like we don’t have time to lose.”

The tension between them crackled like static, but this time it wasn’t dominance — it was grief, anger, guilt all tangled together.

Marianne stood, her hand resting lightly on my shoulder. “He’s right. Whatever’s wrong with Talon… it’s spreading. His energy felt—off. Like it wasn’t his.”

Tyson sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Then we find him before it spreads further.” He turned to me, his tone softening. “Moon, you stay here. No arguments. The pack needs you in one piece.”

“I wasn’t planning on running into the woods again,” I muttered.

He smiled faintly, but there was no humor in it. “Good.”

Outside, I could hear the wolves moving — boots pounding, metal clinking, engines roaring to life as two convoys began to split in opposite directions.

Toren gave one final command before heading for the door. “No one opens the gates until I return. If anything happens—if he shows up—lock it down again and protect the Luna at all costs.”

I stood, ignoring the ache in my legs. “Toren.”

He paused, glancing back.

“Bring him home,” I said softly.

His expression softened, just a fraction. “I will, Starlight.”

Then he was gone.

Tyson followed, stopping only long enough to brush his fingers across my cheek. “Stay safe, Moon. Don’t do anything reckless.”

I tried to smile. “No promises.”

He huffed a quiet laugh, then disappeared through the door.

When the sound of engines faded into the night, the house fell into silence again. The only sounds left were the muffled whimpers of cubs below and the soft creak of the old walls as if the house itself was listening.

Shyanne appeared beside me, her eyes wide. “Luna,” she whispered, “do you think they’ll find him?”

I looked out the window into the forest — dark, endless, alive with unseen things.

“I don’t know,” I said honestly.