Rebirth of the Broken Luna A Second Chance at Luna's Heart novel Chapter 354

Chapter 354

LUMINA

Lazarus looked even more dangerous in person than he had earlier. His dark eyes tracked our approach with predatory intelligence,

and despite the fact that he was imprisoned and powerless, there was something about his presence that screamed threat. Age and power

and barely contained violence, all wrapped up in a form that looked deceptively human.

I heard one of the elders-I think it was Elder Chen-gasp softly. Elder Harriet had gone pale, her usual composure cracking. Even

Elder Johnson looked shaken, though he tried to hide it behind a mask of stern authority.

“This is Lazarus,” Xenois said, his voice carrying throughout the basement. “A nightwalker of the old blood, over five hundred years old according to his own claims. He and several others attacked our home approximately two hours ago. They ransacked the house searching for something specific, and when they tried to flee, Riley and Lake trapped this one using a light prison they’d constructed as a

precautionary measure.”

“Impossible,” Elder Morrison breathed, staring at the cell. “Nightwalkers can’t be captured. They’re smoke, they’re shadow, they can

slip through any prison.”

“Not one made entirely of light,” Lazarus said, his voice rough with suppressed rage. His accent was thick, carrying hints of languages

that had probably died out centuries ago.

“The whelps knew exactly what they were doing. They understood our weaknesses better than most supernatural scholars. Which

means someone taught them well.”

“Andy, Thorne said quietly, understanding dawning in his expression.

‘She would have made sure they knew how to fight every possible threat. Made them study supernatural creatures the way other

children study mathematics.”

“Who are you working for?” Elder Johnson demanded, stepping closer to the cell with more bravado than sense.

‘Who sent you here? What do you want with those children?”

Lazarus smiled, and there was nothing human in that expression. I am working for myself, old wolf. Following my own interests. As for what I want? His gaze shifted to Xenois and me, and I felt a chill run down my spine. “That’s between me and the alpha. Not pack politics for elders to meddle in.”

“Everything that affects this pack is our business,” Elder Harriet said, though she kept her distance from the cell unlike Johnson. “If you’re targeting members of our pack-especially children-then we have every right to know why.”

‘Rights, Lazarus laughed, the sound bitter and mocking. “You speak of rights while holding me prisoner in a cage of burning light. You speak of justice while protecting the very children who destroyed one of my kind’s greatest achievements. The hypocrisy is almost

impressive.”

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Chapter 354

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“What achievement?” I asked sharply, latching onto that detail. “What are you talking about?”

But Lazarus just smiled again and turned away, presenting his back to us in a gesture of dismissal that was probably meant to be

insulting.

“We need to question him properly,” Marcus said, his professional security instincts clearly engaged. “With truth serums or compulsion magic. Find out what he knows about other threats, other facilities, who else might be coming for the boys.”

“Agreed,” Thorne said. “But that will take time and proper preparation. Nightwalkers are notoriously resistant to standard interrogation methods. We’ll need specialists.”

‘Or we could simply eliminate the problem,” Elder Johnson said coldly. “Kill the creature and be done with it. Send a message to any others who might consider targeting our pack.”

I saw Xenois tense beside me, and I knew he was thinking about what Riley and Lake had witnessed earlier-about Lake pulling out that scalpel, about the casual way these boys approached violence because it was all they’d ever known.

“We’re not executing a prisoner without due process,” Xenois said firmly. “That’s not who we are as a pack. We’ll question him, gather intelligence, and then decide on appropriate consequences through proper channels.”

“Proper channels,” Elder Johnson scoffed. “While more nightwalkers are potentially planning their next attack? While these children continue to draw danger to our pack like magnets? Alpha Xenois, I respect your authority, but you’re letting sentiment cloud your judgment. These boys-these werewitches-are a liability. Today proved that conclusively.”

“Today proved they’re valuable assets,” Thorne countered before I could respond. “They identified a threat, neutralized it, and provided us with a prisoner we can extract information from. Most adult warriors couldn’t have accomplished what they did.”

“Most adult warriors wouldn’t have been targeted in the first place!” Elder Johnson shot back. “The entire reason this happened is because we accepted these children into our pack. Their presence is what brought nightwalkers to our doorstep, what put our families at

risk.’

“That’s not fair and you know it,” I said, my voice sharp enough to cut.

‘Riley and Lake didn’t choose to be experimented on. They didn’t choose to be weapons. They didn’t choose any of this. They’re victims, and you’re trying to punish them for it.”

“I’m trying to protect this pack, Elder Johnson said, turning his hostile gaze on me. “Something you seem more interested in protecting your new pet projects than our actual safety. My son came home from school today telling me about how these children threatened him, used alpha authority to intimidate him, made him feel unsafe in his own classroom.”

“Your son,’ I said, my voice dropping into something dangerous, “spent the day spreading prejudiced garbage about werewitches and trying to ostracize Lake for something he can’t control. Riley shut that down using pack law-which he apparently understands better than Derek does. If your son felt intimidated, perhaps you should examine what attitudes you’ve been teaching him at home.”

Elder Johnson’s face flushed red with anger. ‘How dare you question my parenting-*

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Chapter 354

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“How dare you question mine, I interrupted, and I let my luna authority flow through the words, making them resonate with power that had nothing to do with physical strength and everything to do with my position as mother and protector of this pack.

“You come into my home, after my children have been attacked, after they’ve successfully defended themselves and this pack, and you have the audacity to suggest they should be cast out? That they’re somehow responsible for being victimized?’

“Luna Lumina- Elder Harriet started, but I was just getting started.

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18:58 Fri, Jan 30

Reborn From Regret A Second Chance at Luna’s Heart