The Abandoned Luna's Journey to Power (by Emily Reed) novel Chapter 60

Chapter 60 The Truth Behind the Fall

Chapter 60 The Truth Behind the Fall

Prince Adam’s POV:

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“I’m going to kill her!” Cindy’s eyes burned red as she spun toward the exit. “I’m going to end that bitch.”

“Stop!” I grabbed her shoulder and held her back. “Where do you think you’re going? She’s in the marshlands. If you leave now, who guards Southreach? Who leads the 4,000 soldiers behind you?”

Cindy fought me with shocking strength. “Let go of me! My family … my parents … a few hundred lives! All of that, for such a sick reason!”

“Cindy!” I wrapped my arms around her and shouted into her ear. “I know you hate her. I hate her too. But the enemy is at our gates. Franklin’s army is right outside. If you lose control now, Southreach will fall. And then your parents’ sacrifice and Silverpeak Pack’s honor will truly be wasted.”

Her struggle slowly stopped.

She collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. She covered her face and cried, the sound crushed and broken.

It was the cry of a lone wolf pushed to the edge, with nowhere left to run.

Franklin’s POV:

All the light was blocked out inside the massive black command tent.

Vampires do not need light. Darkness is where we thrive.

I sat on a throne made of stacked white bones. My pale fingers brushed the pendant hanging on my chest.

Inside it was a strand of golden hair, the last thing my nephew left in this world.

“Franklin.”

A hoarse voice broke the silence.

That was Victor Aguilar, the leader of Uclela’s hyenas.

A foul stench clung to him. He leaned over the table, eyes greedy as he stared at the map.

“We’ve already lost 20,000 cannon fodder,” he growled. “Those cursed Wolfguard are tougher than expected. My sons are starting to complain. If they don’t get the land and the promised bloodfeed soon-

“Why the rush?” I lifted my eyes coldly, hiding my disgust for this stray dog. “Cannon fodder exists to be spent. Our real forces haven’t even sent out.”

Victor snorted through his nose. “What, are the vampires scared of the werewolves now? I hear that she- wolf who beat you into surrender in the north is coming too. When you see her, don’t submit to her again.”

I ignored him. His foolish words couldn’t spark my rage.

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18:06 Sat, Jan 10

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Chapter 60 The Truth Behind the Fall

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Victor grew more arrogant with my silence. “If you’re afraid, just keep hiding in your castle like cowards,” he sneered. “Either way, the lands of Southreach are mine.”

With that he left my tent, dragging his stench with him.

After he was gone, I stood and walked to the map. My finger traced a dark region marked Deadmarsh.

“Afraid?” I said softly. “No. I’m just waiting for all my prey to arrive.”

A cruel smile curved my lips.

According to the reports, that woman named Evelyn was struggling through the marsh with her reinforcements.

Good.

I wanted her alive when she reached me.

I wanted her to taste the pain my nephew had suffered, a thousand times over, ten thousand times over, and still it would not be enough.

“Send the order,” I said, straightening the red gem at my collar. “Keep the attacks small. Let those foolish dogs wear down the werewolves.” I paused, then smiled. “When that woman arrives, we begin the real plan.”

18:06 Sat, Jan 10 G R

Chapter 61 Old Wounds, New Hatred

Chapter 61 Old Wounds, New Hatred

Cindy’s POV:

When I returned to our five-person tent, my hands were still shaking.

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Viola and the others were sitting together, cleaning their weapons. The air smelled of pine oil and dried blood. The moment they saw me, everything went quiet. They knew me too well. No matter how hard I tried to control my face, the grief and emptiness coming from deep inside me could not be hidden.

“What happened?” Viola dropped her whip and stepped in front of me in two long strides. “Did Adam that -hmm-His Highness scold you? Or did they mess up your battle credit again?”

I shook my head and walked to the camp cot. I sat down and locked my fingers tightly around my knees.

“I saw the secret report,” I said after a deep breath. My voice was dry and rough. “About … why my pack was wiped out.”

All four of them moved closer at once.

“Then say it!” Forrest slammed his axe into the ground, making the tent shake. “Who was the piece of trash that did it?”

I closed my eyes and forced the truth back down my throat.

I couldn’t say

If I told Viola that it was Evelyn’s torture and killing of a prisoner of war that caused this disaster, she would rush into the swamp tonight to kill her.

Evelyn dying would not matter much, but it would tear Southreach apart from the inside when we were already short on soldiers. It would give Franklin exactly what he wanted-a good laugh.

“It was Franklin,” I said as I opened my eyes. They felt hollow and empty. “The vampires did it to get revenge on the werewolves and weaken Southreach’s defenses. They believed my pack was our strongest shield. So, they struck when my father was off guard. They used forbidden blood magic and killed the entire pack.

I left Evelyn’s name out and pushed all the hatred toward an enemy we already could never make peace with.

“Franklin!” Viola growled. She punched the wooden support pole of the tent. It creaked under the blow. “That blood-sucking pest! I’ll pull out his fangs one by one!”

“Cindy.” Sterling, who had been silent until now, steppeil forward. He knelt on one knee in front of me and took my cold hand in his. “Don’t be afraid. Your pack is gone, but we are your family now. Your enemies

are our enemies.”

“Yeah!” Tyrone stopped chewing on his usual piece of grass. His face turned hard and sharp. “From today on, this squad hunts vampire nobles only. We won’t stop until there’s not a single one left.”

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