The Luna Queen - Chapter 34: Chapter 34

_Leah's POV_
My mind drifted to Tariq and Susan. What had happened to them? I had counted on their help but they hadn’t come for me. A memory flashed before my eyes; Tariq, back in the temple, licking my blood off the moonstone crystal. Did that really happen? Or was it just my mind playing tricks? I couldn’t be sure anymore. The stress of everything could have caused me to imagine things. But the image lingered, vivid and disturbing. Why had Tariq acted so strangely that night?
The absence of my wolf made me feel more isolated than ever. Normally, my wolf would have given me the clarity I needed. Without her, doubt gnawed at me. Had Tariq and his mother abandoned me after all? But no, I quickly dismissed that thought. Kayden’s pack territory was heavily guarded. It would have been nearly impossible for Tariq to break in without being caught. Maybe they hadn’t come for me because it was too dangerous. Maybe they had no choice. And besides, if it hadn’t been for them, I never would have regained my powers, even if they were temporarily suppressed by wolfsbane. I owed them my gratitude, not my suspicion.
My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door creaking open. Kayden entered, carrying a tray of food. He walked over to me with a purposeful stride. There was an unreadable expression on his face.
“You need to eat,” he said, sitting beside me on the bed.
My first instinct was to turn away. “I’m not hungry,” I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.
Kayden, however, wasn’t about to give up that easily. He picked up a spoonful of soup and brought it to my lips, his expression hard. “You will eat,” he ordered.
I glared at him, a wave of anger rising inside me. “Why are you doing this?” I demanded, my voice sharper now. “I’m a prisoner. You’re going to execute me soon, right? So why bother?”
Kayden’s eyes narrowed, and he set the spoon down, his patience thinning. “Shut up and eat,” he growled, his tone leaving no room for argument.
I bit my lip, torn between refusing out of spite and the very real gnawing hunger that had started to make itself known. I hated this, hated the feeling of helplessness, of being at his mercy. But, after a few moments of tense silence, I relented and took a small sip of the soup. The warmth of the food felt foreign in my mouth, but I forced myself to eat a few more bites. Kayden said nothing more as he fed me, only watching me intently, as if he were gauging my every move.
When I had eaten enough, he brought a glass of water to my lips. I drank without protest, the cool liquid soothing my parched throat. Once finished, Kayden stood abruptly. He collected the tray and walked to the door. He paused for a moment, looking back at me, his expression unreadable once again, then left without a word.
I was alone once more, but not for long.
Minutes passed, maybe more, it was hard to tell but then I heard it. A faint, screeching sound that made me pause. I held my breath, listening intently. The noise grew louder, and then, suddenly, the window creaked open.
My heart leapt into my throat as I saw a figure slip inside, moving with fluid grace. At first, I didn’t recognize him, but when he stepped into the dim light, my breath caught.
“Tariq?” I gasped, my voice barely a whisper.
It was him, but he looked different. His once blonde hair was now jet black, his eyes dark and intense, nothing like the bright blue I remembered.
Tariq wasted no time. He crossed the room quickly, kneeling beside me to untie the ropes binding my wrists. His movements were precise, his face tight with concentration.
“I am sorry I didn’t come sooner,” Tariq said. “It wasn’t safe. Kayden’s territory is crawling with guards. I had to make a plan.”
I stared at him, still in shock. “What happened to your hair? Your eyes?”
Tariq sighed, briefly glancing away as he continued working on the ropes. “When Susan threw that powder in the air to distract the guards, it had... unintended side effects. The powder was toxic. It changed me. My hair, my eyes.” He finished untying my wrists and sat back, rubbing his neck. “Susan made an ointment to heal my eyes, but the color didn’t go back to normal. Same with my hair.”
I felt a pang of guilt. “I’m so sorry, Tariq. This is all my fault.”
“No,” Tariq said firmly. “None of this is your fault. Don’t blame yourself. We need to go now, before Kayden comes back.”
I nodded, my heart racing. We hurried to the window, and I peered out, my stomach lurching at the sight of the drop. It was a long way down, and I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me.
“I can’t,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “I’ll fall.”
“You can,” Tariq urged, his tone calm. “I’ll help you. Just trust me.”
With no other choice, I steeled myself and began my descent. The cold night air bit into my skin as I gripped the rough surface of the wall, inching my way down. I tried not to look down, but my foot slipped on a loose stone, and I let out a small cry as I lost my balance.
Before I could fall, Tariq was there, his arms wrapping around me securely. He helped me down the last few feet, his strength surprising me. He seemed... stronger, somehow. More powerful than before.
“You’ve changed,” I murmured as we reached the ground, my legs trembling slightly from the adrenaline.
Tariq gave me a small smile but didn’t reply. He motioned for me to follow him, and we moved quickly through the shadows, heading toward the southern border of Kayden’s territory. Twice we had to duck behind bushes as patrolling guards passed by, their footsteps heavy in the night.
When we finally reached the woods, I was relieved to see two familiar faces waiting for us. It was Jason and Kale.
My stomach twisted in anger. “Them?” I hissed at Tariq. “They ran away the other day. They didn’t help us when we needed them. They’re cowards.”
Tariq placed a hand on my shoulder, his voice calm. “They’re not cowards. They knew they couldn’t fight all of Kayden’s guards. They did what was best at the time. Trust me, Leah.”
I bit my lip, my anger simmering down slightly, but I still didn’t like the idea of trusting Jason and Kale. Still, I had no choice now.
“Where’s the car?” Tariq asked the two men.
Jason pointed toward a dirt road in the distance. “It’s parked up ahead. We’ll lead the way.”
I blinked in confusion. “A car?” I asked, turning to Tariq.
Tariq nodded. “I didn’t tell you, but a friend of mine, an Alpha, died recently. He had no family, no heirs. He left everything to me. His pack, his possessions. I’m the Alpha of the Fireblood pack now, Leah. I... I want you to be my Luna.”
My mind reeled at the news. It was overwhelming, and for a moment, I didn’t know what to say. I stayed silent as we walked, my thoughts swirling in confusion.
Tariq must have sensed my hesitation because he stopped, gently lifting my chin so I had no choice but to meet his gaze. “Don’t you want to stay with me, Leah?” he asked softly. “Aren’t you happy?”
My heart twisted at the sincerity in his voice. I swallowed hard and then nodded slowly. “I am happy, Tariq,” I whispered.
Tariq smiled. There was a rare softness in his dark eyes as he leaned down and kissed me. It was a kiss filled with promise and warmth, but as much as I wanted to lose myself in the moment, the weight of everything still hung over me.