The Banished Shy Luna Chapter 88

Her nails came up fast, sharp as talons, raking across my forearms. Blood welled, but I didn’t flinch. I tightened.

Her lips curled, even as her face flushed red. “Because I can feel it,” she rasped. “The pull— it’s there, it’s real! He’s mine!”

I laughed, a dark, humorless sound that made her eyes flash. “You feel it?” I snarled. “You feel a pull? Maybe that’s your delusion tugging on what’s left of your sanity.”

Her blue eyes blazed. “You think you’re so special because you have three?!” she spat, voice cracking. “Because the Goddess favored you? You’re nothing but a mistake! The Council will see it soon enough.”

“Careful,” I growled, my wolf rumbling through my chest. “The only mistake here is you thinking you could touch what’s mine.”

She gasped, fighting against my hold, her legs kicking. “You don’t deserve him!” she choked out. “You don’t deserve any of them! You’re weak— spoiled— a broken little half-breed that lucked her way into something she can’t control!”

The words hit like arrows, but instead of piercing, they fueled the fire already tearing through me.

I slammed her harder against the wall, lifting her higher. “Weak?” I snapped. “You call this weak?” My arm trembled from the pressure I was using, but she didn’t stop.

“Pathetic!” she wheezed, clawing deeper. “You think dominance makes you strong? I was training while you were probably crying in some corner waiting for a man to save you!”

Behind me, Tyson’s voice cut in, low and amused. “Is it weird that this is kinda hot?”

Toren chuckled darkly. “Nah. Seeing our mate take down a warrior? That’s about the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Their voices barely reached me through the blood pounding in my ears.

Nicole’s face had turned crimson, her breathing ragged, but even through the gasps, she kept talking.

“You don’t scare me,” she spat. “Talon’s mine. He chose me.”

Something inside me snapped.

I leaned closer, my voice dropping to a whisper sharp enough to cut. “Then tell me, right now— is the bond real?”

Her body tensed. Her wolf flickered behind her eyes, reaching for something— anything— but there was nothing there.

Nothing but my power pressing down on her like a weight she couldn’t bear.

Her face twisted, her breath coming in ragged bursts, and then— “No.”

It was barely a whisper, but it was enough.

Behind me, Talon exhaled sharply, his shoulders dropping. Toren clapped him on the back, muttering, “Told you it wasn’t real, brother.”

I dropped her.

Nicole hit the floor hard, landing in a crumpled heap. She coughed violently, clutching her throat, her glare burning holes through me.

“You’ll regret that,” she rasped. “You’ll be weak now. You’ll never heal right. And when you fall, I’ll be there to watch.”

I tilted my head, holding up my arm where her claws had shredded my skin. Blood dripped onto the floor.

“You sure about that?”

Her eyes narrowed.

I focused — calling that strange, golden warmth from deep inside me. My veins hummed, glowing faintly under my skin. Slowly, deliberately, the wounds sealed over. Blood vanished. Flesh smoothed.

Nicole’s expression broke into shock.

“What— what are you?” she whispered.

I smiled, cold and sure. “Something you’ll never be.”

Toren nodded once at Jake, who had been standing tensely by the door. “Get her out.”

Jake stepped forward, grabbing Nicole by the arm and hauling her up. She staggered, refusing to look at any of us as he dragged her out.

The door slammed shut behind them.

Silence.

The air was thick with the scent of blood, dominance, and something else— power.

My power.

For the first time in my life, I didn’t feel like I was pretending to be strong.

I was strong.

I wasn’t prey.

I wasn’t the victim.

I wasn’t little miss shy wolf anymore.

I was the storm they should’ve never tried to contain.

And I would never— ever— share what was mine.

The door had barely closed behind Jake and Nicole when silence settled thick and heavy over the room.

Toren’s golden eyes stayed fixed on the door for a long moment before he finally exhaled, his broad shoulders rising and falling as if the air itself was heavier than it should’ve been. Tyson leaned against the wall, running a hand through his dark hair, while Talon sank onto the edge of the bed, his head bowed.

No one spoke.

Not until Toren finally did.

“You were right,” he said quietly, breaking the silence.

I turned toward him, still catching my breath, the adrenaline fading from my veins. “About what?”

He looked at me then — really looked — and there was something raw in his expression. “About this,” he said, motioning vaguely to the room, to all of it. “About the hotel. About being trapped here while everything outside falls apart.” His jaw clenched. “We’ve been reacting instead of leading. I’m done with that.”

Tyson pushed off the wall, brows lifting. “What are you saying?”

Toren met his brother’s gaze evenly. “I’m saying that tomorrow, we’re leaving. Everyone. We’re going home.”

That hit like a spark in the room — sudden and bright.

Talon glanced up from where he sat. “Back to the estate?”

“Yes,” Toren said firmly. “Once we’re there, things will change. No more uncertainty, no more waiting for the Council to tell us what to do. We take control of our own.”

Tyson crossed his arms, the movement deliberate. “What kind of changes are we talking about?”

“Every kind,” Toren said. “New pack boundaries, new command structure, and tighter security. The moment Alpha Lucas escaped, every Council-bound rule we’ve been following went out the window. I won’t have us playing defense anymore.”

Tyson nodded slowly, a dangerous smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Finally.”

I could feel the energy building between them — the kind that always preceded something reckless.

And then, right on cue, Talon cleared his throat. “That’s all fine,” he said, “but… what about sleeping arrangements?”

I groaned out loud. “You’re kidding.”