The Banished Shy Luna Chapter 80

Steam still curled through the bathroom when I pushed myself up from the tub. My body ached in places I didn’t even know could hurt—sore, heavy, spent—but adrenaline burned through it like fire. Something deep inside me pulled, sharp and urgent, pushing me to move.

I grabbed the white robe hanging on the wall, slipping it over my damp skin. The fabric clung to me, the tie wrapping tightly around my waist as if to keep me from unraveling. My bare feet were silent on the tile as I opened the door.

The moment I stepped out, three heads turned.

Toren’s golden eyes locked on me instantly, his expression dark and unreadable. Tyson’s jaw flexed, a warning flashing in his gaze. Talon just looked torn—caught between concern and exhaustion.

Tyson was the first to speak, his tone low but commanding. “Kira. Back in the bathroom. Now.”

I ignored him.

Something propelled me forward—a feeling I couldn’t explain, something beyond instinct. My gaze shifted to the Council guard standing rigid near the door, his hands clasped behind his back. He looked nervous, eyes darting between the alphas and me as I stopped a few feet away.

“Who was it?” I asked, my voice calm but edged with something sharp. “Who escaped?”

The guard hesitated. I could see the conflict in his eyes—duty warring with fear. Finally, he swallowed hard and lowered his gaze.

“Ex-Alpha Lucas,” he said quietly.

The words hit like a punch to the chest.

He continued quickly, as though speaking faster would soften the blow. “We’re investigating, Luna. There’s no sign of forced entry or tampering. No evidence of who might’ve helped him, but… he’s gone.”

My heart dropped to my stomach.

The guard bowed his head, voice trembling slightly. “We’ll keep you updated. I swear it.”

He turned on his heel and left before anyone could say another word, the door shutting softly behind him.

Silence filled the room like smoke.

Talon crossed the floor and turned the lock, his shoulders tense. When he faced me again, his expression was tight with frustration and worry. Toren, though, didn’t wait.

He was in front of me in two strides, his voice sharp as a blade. “Why can’t you just listen? For one moment, Starlight. One.”

I flinched at the nickname this time—not because it was harsh, but because there was hurt behind it.

Talon’s growl broke the air, low and warning. “Back off, Toren.”

But Tyson’s voice came right after, calm but firm, every word clipped. “No. Toren’s right.” He stepped closer, crossing his arms. “When we tell you to stay put, you stay put. That’s not up for debate. We give orders for a reason.”

Something inside me snapped.

“Orders?” I hissed, disbelief and anger curling around the word like fire. “You think this is about orders? You think standing here, hiding in a bathroom, solves anything?”

Tyson’s eyes darkened. “It’s not your problem to worry about, Moon. We’re the males. The Alphas. It’s our job to take care of it.”

I laughed—a bitter, broken sound that didn’t sound like me at all. “Your job? You think this is just another task to check off?”

“Kira—” Toren started, but I cut him off, words tumbling out faster, sharper.

“You don’t know him!” I shouted, tears burning hot in my eyes. “You don’t know the kind of man Lucas is or what he’s capable of. You don’t know how his pack operates—how vengeful they are, how far they’ll go for revenge! My parents are part of that pack, Toren! My parents! Do you understand what that means?”

No one spoke.

I could feel their shock, their confusion, their anger simmering beneath the surface—but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. It just kept coming.

“Everything’s falling apart,” I said, my voice cracking. “We can’t leave this hotel. We can’t make a plan. We’re trapped while everything outside just keeps unraveling, and no one—no one—is doing anything about it!”

“Kira,” Talon said softly, stepping forward. “Please. Calm down—”

“Don’t,” I whispered, my throat tight as tears spilled down my cheeks. “Don’t tell me to calm down.”

They froze.

I wiped at my face angrily, my voice breaking as I kept talking. “I didn’t ask for any of this. I didn’t ask for the bond, or for the titles, or for three Alphas who can’t stop fighting each other long enough to see what’s really happening.” My breath hitched, the sob finally breaking through. “I just wanted to find my mate,” I continued, the words spilling out between sobs. “That’s all. I just wanted to leave that horrible pack behind and finally—finally—breathe. To live. To stop fighting for once.” My voice broke completely then. “And now… I’m grateful for you. For all of you. But I didn’t ask for this.”

Toren’s face softened, but I didn’t let him speak. I turned away before any of them could stop me and walked back into the bathroom. The robe clung to my damp skin as I closed the door and locked it with a firm click.

The silence on the other side was heavy—shocked, maybe even guilty—but I couldn’t deal with it anymore.

The tub was still wet from before, but I didn’t care. I grabbed a hand towel, wiped it down just enough, then crawled in, curling into the porcelain like it was a refuge.

The cool surface against my flushed skin grounded me. The cold against my skin made me shiver, but it also numbed everything—the ache in my chest, the pounding in my head, the tears that wouldn’t stop. I pulled my knees to my chest and rested my forehead on them, trying to breathe.

“I’m done,” I whispered to no one. “Just for tonight… I’m done.”

I was done—for tonight, at least. Done fighting, done explaining, done trying to hold together a world that wouldn’t stop breaking apart.

I rested my head against my knees and let the tears fall freely, silent and endless, until exhaustion finally pulled me under.