The Luna Queen - Chapter 13: Chapter 13

_Leah's POV_
As the movie went on, Tariq kept up his light-hearted banter, throwing in teasing comments every now and then. When the couple on-screen shared a passionate kiss, Tariq leaned in closer.
"That could be us, you know," he said in a low, flirtatious tone.
I blushed and laughed nervously. "You’re incorrigible."
"Is that a bad thing?" he asked, his eyes gleaming with amusement.
I shook my head, unable to stop the smile that spread across my face. "Maybe not."
For the rest of the movie, we exchanged more playful remarks, and despite myself, I felt more relaxed than I had in days. Tariq had a way of making everything seem lighter and easier.
When the movie finally ended, I let out a contented sigh. "That was nice," I admitted.
Tariq turned to face me, his expression softer now. "Yeah," he agreed. "It was."
For a moment, we just sat there, the silence between us filled with a different kind of tension, one that wasn’t about training or power or danger. It was about us, and the feelings that were starting to grow between us, even if I wasn’t ready to fully acknowledge them yet.
"I had fun today," I said softly while meeting his gaze.
Tariq smiled, his eyes warm. "Me too, Leah. Me too."
As night fell, we gathered in the kitchen for dinner. Susan had made a simple meal of stew and bread, and the comforting aroma filled the room. The day had been long but surprisingly relaxing after training and the movie. I was still thinking about everything that had happened; about Tariq, the ritual Susan mentioned, and the strange feelings stirring inside me. But just as I started to take a bite, there was a sudden knock at the door.
Tariq immediately stood up, his expression tightening. “Stay here,” he said softly before heading toward the door.
I exchanged a worried glance with Susan, who remained calm but watchful. My heart pounded in my chest as I listened to the low voices at the entrance.
"No, I haven’t seen anyone like her," Tariq said. "I don’t know who you’re talking about."
The stranger’s voice was gruff and insistent. "I have orders from Alpha Kayden to search every house. He wants the girl, and anyone harboring her will face punishment."
There was a tense silence, and I felt my blood run cold. They were looking for me. Kayden was looking for me.
"This is my house," Tariq said, his voice sharper now. "I don’t give you permission to search it."
I could hear the authority in his voice, but the man on the other side of the door wasn’t backing down. "If you refuse to cooperate, you’ll be answering to Kayden himself."
I started to panic, but before I could say anything, Susan touched my arm and motioned for me to follow her quietly into the next room. We slipped into a small sitting room, where a large fireplace took up most of one wall. The room was cozy, with soft couches and thick curtains drawn over the windows. But Susan wasn’t focused on the furniture. She was already pulling back the large rug that covered the floor.
“What are you doing?” I whispered.
She didn’t answer right away, but as she lifted the rug, I saw a wooden flap underneath. She pulled it open, revealing a narrow staircase that led down into darkness.
“Go,” Susan whispered urgently. “Hide in there. Don’t make a sound.”
I nodded. I quickly climbed down into the hidden compartment, and Susan lowered the wooden flap back into place, leaving me in complete darkness. I could hear her moving the rug back into position, muffling any sound from the room above.
I held my breath, crouching in the darkness, my heart pounding in my ears. Footsteps echoed from above. They were inside the house now. I heard voices, low and sharp.
"Search the whole house," one of them said. "She has to be here."
My stomach twisted in fear. I squeezed my eyes shut and prayed that they wouldn’t find me. The footsteps grew louder, coming closer to the room I was hiding under. I held my breath, every muscle in my body tense. The floorboards creaked as someone walked just above me. I bit my lip to keep from making a sound. My whole body was trembling.
For a moment, the footsteps stopped. I could hear them speaking, but their voices were too muffled to make out. Then, the footsteps moved away, heading upstairs. A few moments later, I heard someone say, "There’s nothing here. Let’s move on."
I felt relieved but I didn’t move. I stayed perfectly still, waiting until I was sure that they were gone. After what felt like forever, I heard Susan’s footsteps above me, and then the wooden flap opened. Dim light flooded the small space, and I saw her face.
“They have left,” she whispered. “Come on, Leah. It’s safe now.”
I crawled out of the hiding spot. Susan helped me to my feet and gave me a reassuring nod. “They didn’t suspect anything,” she said softly. “Everything is fine now.”
I let out a shaky breath, but my hands were still trembling. “What if they come back?”
Just then, Tariq entered the room. “They’re gone,” he said and locked the door behind him. He looked at me, his expression softening. “Are you okay?”
I nodded, but the fear still clung to me. “Tariq, what if Kayden keeps searching? He’s looking for me everywhere. I don’t know how long I can hide.”
Tariq walked over and took my hands in his. “We will figure it out,” he said firmly. “But for now, you need to stay indoors. It’s safer if you don’t go outside for the next few days.”
I swallowed hard and nodded. I didn’t want to put anyone in danger, but I had no choice. Kayden was hunting me, and I had no idea what he would do if he found me.
“You’re safe here,” Tariq said gently. “We’ll protect you. I won’t let anything happen to you, Leah.”
His words were reassuring, but deep down, I knew that this was only the beginning. Kayden wasn’t going to stop until he found me, and I wasn’t sure how long we could keep hiding. But for now, I had no choice but to trust Tariq and Susan.