The Lunar Queen Chapter 80

Lyric POV

After David walks out of the clinic, my eyes snap open and I get up as quickly as I can to check on Lydia. My body protests immediately—sharp, dragging—but I push through it anyway. Slowing down isn’t an option right now.

When I step out of the exam room, Jonathan is helping her up. He looks up at me.

“Go. He’s already suspicious of you,” I say to him, voice low as I move to help Lydia.

I don’t look at him again—I can’t afford to. If David reads anything off him, we’re done.

“I’m so sorry, Lydia. I didn’t think he would do that,” I say, checking her neck and back.

“It's fine, Luna. My wolf is already healing the worst of it,” she says.

My tears fall before I can stop them. I blink hard, annoyed with myself more than anything. Not now. Not here.

“Ugh, I’m sorry. I’m usually not this emotional, but this pregnancy and captivity has me on the edge of my sanity,” I say.

She walks over and hugs me.

“It’s okay, Luna. You are allowed to cry. A Queen can’t always be strong—and considering your circumstances, you have a right to cry,” she says.

I nod because I know she’s right… but right now, all I want is to hear my mate’s voice and drown in his scent for days.

I want to breathe without thinking. Without calculating. Without pretending.

I just want the comfort of my mate.

Soon after, Rhea and Seraphina walk in with two men. One is Josh, the boy I met earlier.

“So since we bought you the night here in the infirmary, now what?” Rhea asks.

I look over at the guy, and she smacks her forehead.

“I’m sorry, Luna. I know trust is vital right now. This is Henry. He is a warrior and usually patrols the area,” she says.

I raise a brow at her.

“Tell her what you told me, Henry,” she says.

“I was running my patrol a little while ago, and I saw wolves about 30 miles out. Some were moving in. They didn’t see me because I stayed in the area of the spell, but I think they are watching the settlement,” he says.

My heart flutters at that.

Not fear—recognition.

My love is really working to get me back.

“Good. Which means my mate is making moves on his end. Seraphina, when you meet with him tonight, find out what his plans are and tell him I’m fighting… and we miss him,” I say.

My voice almost breaks on that last part—I tighten it before anyone can hear it slip.

“Yes, Luna,” she says.

“Also, David is becoming more paranoid, so we have to be even more careful and try to work without Jonathan. David is watching him even more now,” I say.

And if he breaks Jonathan, everything we’ve built collapses with him.

“Seraphina, how long until the magic blocker wears off?” I ask.

“It’s been about five hours, so your magic and wolf should be coming back soon,” she says.

I nod slowly, thinking about my next move.

Everything has to line up. Timing. Movement. People. There’s no room for mistakes. Not with my pups this close.

“I need to be able to get into that tunnel. That is the best way to escape without being seen,” I say.

“We can find a way to make stairs and use a spell to make it still look like the hole,” Seraphina says.

“We can help with that, Luna,” Josh says.

“I need a list of David’s trusted guards and those who are loyal out of fear, because if too many people are involved, things go wrong—and for the sake of my pups, nothing can go wrong,” I say.

Nothing. Not this time.

“No list needed. Aside from the people in this room, we only need three more people to make this work,” Rhea says.

We all look at her.

“Okay… who is the third person?” I ask.

“Backup in the event David is here. Ivana,” she says.

I shiver at the name. My stomach turns before I can stop it. My body remembers before my mind does.

“Why her?” I ask, skin crawling.

“Because she is his mate, and even though he hasn’t accepted her, he can never turn her away,” she says.

“Wait… Ivana is Agnes’s daughter?” I ask, surprised—and conflicted all at the same time.

“Yes,” Rhea says.

“How are you so sure she will help us and not him? How sure are you that we can trust her?” I ask.

Because trust is the one thing that gets people killed in situations like this.

“Because she is trapped. She isn’t here because she wants to be—he won’t let her reject him. The witch put a spell on her,” she says.

Nova growls low in my head at that.

“Nova… you’re back,” I say, relief hitting me so fast it almost makes me dizzy.

“Yes—and I’m going to kill that fucker David the next time I’m out,” she snarls.

“Wait—let me get this straight. He destroyed her pack, killed her father, and then put a spell on her to stop her from rejecting him just so he can use her as a sex slave while trying to make me his mate?” I ask, anger rising.

“Yes, Luna,” Rhea says, neck bared.

“Lyric… your eyes are glowing purple, and you’re hurting them with your aura. Even I am struggling,” Seraphina says softly.

I gasp. “Oh shit, I’m sorry, guys,” I say when I notice everyone dropped to their knees.

I force it down—push the power back under control like a lid snapping shut. Not here. Not yet.

“Okay… do you think she will talk to me one-on-one?” I ask Rhea as she stands.

“Yes, she will. I know it may not seem like it, but she probably wants him dead more than you,” she says.

“Okay… we are really running out of time. My belly has dropped, and I feel my body getting ready, so we need to find a way to have a meeting with everyone involved. We only get one chance at this, and if it fails, I’m stuck here—and I would have been the reason for all of your deaths. And that is absolutely not an option,” I say.

I don’t say I’m scared. I don’t have to. They can hear it in the way I don’t pause.

“Even if someone has to mind link so they can hear the conversation, this has to happen today or tomorrow. Seraphina, tell my mate we have maybe days before the pups come—we are cutting it close,” I say.

“Okay, will do. Now we all need to go before he decides to come back,” Seraphina says.

“How many days do you think we have, Nova?” I ask.

“Three… maybe four,” she says.

Too close. Way too close.

“Okay, everyone go. Tomorrow morning we meet back here,” I say before everyone files out, waiting a while before leaving after the person before them.

“Luna, if I may ask a question?” Lydia says.

“You can call me Lyric. I’m not your Luna,” I say.

She shakes her head. “You are not the Luna of this pack, but you are indeed my Luna. As I am a loyal subject of the Eastern Kingdom, you are still Luna Queen,” she says, bowing slightly.

I smirk. “Clever. Okay, you got me there. Ask away—I’m an open book,” I say.

“Why does David want you so bad? I mean, besides you being his cousin’s mate,” she says.

“I am the first Queen Eloise, daughter of Selene reborn, and I am also the last living descendant of the most powerful witch bloodline to ever exist. My blood is the only thing that can unlock the magic of the supernatural faction that was locked away after their leader was killed by Lucian Blackwood,” I say.

Her eyes go wide—fear, awe… and something else. Recognition of what I am, not just who.

“No wonder why you are mated to Cole,” she says.

I raise a brow. “You know my mate?”

She lifts her hands. “We went to high school together. My father was his father’s beta,” she says.

Now my eyes go wide.

“Wait—so you’re Dom’s sister? I didn’t even know he had a sister. That jerk—wait until I get back, I will kick his ass,” I say.

She laughs—real, deep, bending over laughter.

For a second… it almost feels normal.

She wipes her eyes. “Yes, I am his sister. And yes, I am a lone wolf, but I am still a member of the Hidden Moon pack. I went to school to be a pack doctor in the North, and when I came back, I met my mate. He was a rogue here in this settlement,” she says, her eyes getting sad.

“What happened to him?” I ask.

“David killed him when he asked to be released so we could join a real pack,” she says.

Nova growls low. He will die painfully and slowly.

“I’m sorry that happened. I can see why you didn’t leave after,” I say.

“Yeah… but I can see why you are mated to Cole. I never saw him do anything blessed, but growing up, my mom used to always say he was blessed by Selene, and his wolf was strong,” she says.

I smile, thinking about him.

“You go lay down. Agnes will be bringing your food in a moment. Those pups are taking their toll on you, and I know you are trying to look strong—but for now, relax just a little,” she says.

“I can’t relax until I am back in the safety of my pack with my mate,” I say.

She nods and helps me back onto the bed.

“David is going to wish he never met us,” Nova growls in my head.

David thinks he is winning…

but I can see it now—the cracks. The hesitation. The way everyone moves when he’s not looking.

His paranoia is showing.

He’s scared he’s losing control.

And he is.

And when I finally take all of his control…

when I walk out of here on my own two feet—

he will learn

I was the wrong Queen

to fuck with.