The True Luna's Forbidden Temptation - Chapter 1: Chapter 1

Analise.
‘I’m going to die tonight!’
This is the thought that runs inside my mind as my heel snaps and I stumble on the pavement.
The neon glow of Rosie’s Diner flickers ahead, like a beacon of hope, of salvation.
With trembling hands, I fish my phone from my pocket. My heart pounds wildly inside my chest as I try to not let panic overtake me.
I call a number that I didn't even realize I had memorized.
"Come on, come on," I mutter, willing the call to connect.
I don’t want to make this call. He’s the person I hate the most in this world—yet weirdly enough, he’s also the only person I would trust with my life.
Sebastian. My stepbrother.
To say that our relationship is complicated is a huge understatement. He would torment me one moment, but defend me the next. He tries his damnedest to avoid me, but in spite of that, he also makes me feel like he would go to hell and back for me. I feel safest when I’m with him.
As my phone rings, I glance over my shoulder, checking if Joshua Miller, my pervert date, had caught up with me, eyes red and swelling from the pepper spray I had used on him. The swelling will take time to subside, but recalling the feel of his rough hands on my skin, I regret not spraying more.
“What is it, Ana? I’m in the middle of something,” Sebastian retorts on the other end of the line.
“Sebastian!" Relief crashes over me at the sound of his voice. "I…" But my throat tightens, the words dying before I can speak.
“What? I haven’t got all day, princess!” he snaps.
I try to speak, but a choked sob escapes my lips instead. “Sebastian… h-help me…”
"Hey… What's wrong? Are you okay? Where are you?” His voice instantly transforms. Soft. Panic-driven.
“I… n-need your help,” I croak, unable to disguise the fear in my voice. “My… my date. He tried to…” I trail off, unable to say exactly what Joshua did. “Can you just pick me up? I’m headed over to Rosie’s Diner on 8th Street.”
"Stay there." The edge in his voice is sharp and protective. “I’m coming to get you.”
He hangs up, and I increase my pace, trying to get to Rosie’s as fast as I can.
I walk faster, rushing across the parking lot. Then suddenly, I hear the sound of screeching tires. I stop short on my tracks, spinning around in time to see a pair of headlights. The car halts merely inches away from where I’m standing.
The door flies open and Joshua Miller stumbles out, his eyes red and swollen.
"You fucking bitch," he snarls, advancing on me. "You're going to pay for what you did."
I back away. “You deserve it! You…”
Before I can finish my sentence, my head flies to the side as Joshua slaps me across the cheek. I hit the ground hard.
“You rich bitches think you can do anything you want, huh! You fucking cock tease, I’m going to teach you a lesson you will never forget.”
He looms over me, his fist up in the air. I cover my face, bracing myself for another blow. But it never comes.
I open my eyes and see a familiar figure, who seems to have come out of nowhere. He catches Joshua’s arm mid-swing.
“Sebastian…” My voice is barely a whisper.
Suddenly, relief washes over me. Now, I know I’m safe.
A low, guttural growl erupts from Sebastian's throat, a sound so primal and inhuman it sends chills down my spine. Whatever bravado that Joshua had a few seconds ago instantly evaporates as he stares back at Sebastian in terror.
"Who the fuck gave you the idea that you can hurt a hair on her body?” Sebastian snarls, his voice dripping with barely-contained fury. He squeezes Joshua’s arm tighter, making Joshua howl in pain.
"Please," Joshua whimpers, "I'm sorry, I—"
Sebastian’s claws dig deeper into Joshua’s flesh—yes, claws! Not metaphorical ones. But real, literal wolf-like claws.
I blink twice. I feel like my eyes are playing tricks on me.
Joshua's face contorts in agony, his pleas growing more desperate by the second.
“No one touches what’s mine!” Sebastian growls, his voice sounds more beast than boy.
I knew then—something is definitely dangerous about Sebastian now. And if I don’t stop him, he might murder Joshua right before my eyes. And I can’t allow that to happen. Sebastian cannot get into trouble because of me.
I get up on my feet, tugging at Sebastian’s shirt.
"Sebastian, please stop!" I croak. "He's not worth the trouble.”
But Sebastian seems lost in his rage, his eyes wild and unfocused. For a moment, I swear I see a flash of something beneath his glance. Something that does not feel… HUMAN.
"Sebastian," I whisper, gripping his arm. "Look at me."
Slowly, he turns to me, then at my swollen lip.
A fresh wave of anger washes over his features, his grip on Joshua tightening further.
CRAP! I think I only made him more furious.
"Sebastian, I’m fine," I insist, blinking back tears. "Please, just let him go. I don't want you to get in trouble because of me."
That is true. Sebastian has got a lot of things going for him. He’s about to graduate at least magna cum laude. He is being groomed to take over Blackwood Corp, one of the biggest firms in the country. If Joshua files a lawsuit against him, it will jeopardize his future.
He can’t lose everything he worked hard for just because of me.
I throw my arms around Sebastian, burying my face in his chest. His body is stiff, but I feel a slight tremor run through him as I give him a squeeze.
"Please, Sebastian. He’s not worth it." I meet his gaze, my voice barely above a whisper. "I’M not worth it."
He draws his brows together, and slowly he looks down at me. I cannot read the expression on his face.
"Please," I whisper. "Let him go. For me."
Sebastian's grip loosens, and I feel the tension in his body start to ebb. He takes deep breaths as if he’s trying to control his anger.
Finally, he releases Joshua.
“You’re lucky, she’s here. If she hadn’t asked me to stop, that arm of yours will be useless for a very long time.” The coldness on his face matches the coldness in his voice. “You messed with the wrong girl, asshole!”
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” Joshua turns to me. I can see the tears rolling down his cheeks. “I’m sorry!” he says to me. And then he scrambles towards his car, quickly driving away.
I close my eyes, not pulling away from Sebastian just yet. I try to calm my nerves. Sebastian’s presence is both comforting and unsettling. That fury that he showed Joshua… I haven’t seen him like that before. It’s like he was ready to crush Joshua’s arm for me. And yet, I have no doubt in my mind that he will not hurt me.
I look up at him, meeting his piercing blue eyes. I can still see traces of anger on his face. But slowly, his expression begins to soften, like ice gradually melting.
Gently, he touches my swollen lip with his thumb. “I’m sorry I came too late.”
I laugh humorlessly, gently pulling away from him. “What do you mean you’re too late? You have impeccable timing. If you’d been a second later, he would have given me a shiner or two.”
Sebastian shakes his head. “No. If I came earlier, he would never have been able to lay a finger on you. And for that… I’m sorry, princess.”
Sebastian reaches up, his fingers gently brushing a tear from my cheek. The touch sends a shiver through me, and I realize I'm trembling. From fear? Relief? Something else entirely?
"You're shaking," Sebastian murmurs. He shrugs off his jacket and gently wraps it around my shoulders.
"Well…" I swallow, my pulse still unsteady. "You can be terrifying when you want to be."
His brow furrows, a mix of confusion and concern etched on his face. "Analise, you know that I would never hurt you, right?”
“Of course.” I reply. I bite my lip, tasting the metallic hint of blood where Joshua had struck me. "Were you really going to break his arm?"
He snorts, gently pulling me towards his car. “He’s lucky if that’s all I do.”
He opens the car door for me. As soon as I get in, he bends and pulls the seatbelt.
“I can do it, Sebastian,” I protest.
“I know,” he says. But still, he continues putting on my seatbelt for me.
We drive in complete silence for a while, both of us lost in our own thoughts. I try to calm my nerves, but still, I have to admit that remembering Joshua’s slap and Sebastian’s growl still sends shivers down my spine.
"Why were you so angry?" I ask. "I've never seen you like that before."
He doesn’t answer for a long moment, keeping his eyes on the road. Then he sighs. "Because," he says, his voice barely above a whisper, "no one can hurt you and get away with it."
The look on his face is a contradiction—yearning and heartbroken at the same time. It’s as if he wants to say something to me, but he cannot bring himself to… or… he’s not allowed to.
There’s so much I don’t get about Sebastian. Most days, he ignores me. I would even think that he’s trying his best to avoid me. Other days, he annoys me… and now… he makes me feel like I’m the most precious thing in the world.
Wait! ‘Me? Precious to Sebastian?’ Ha! Impossible.
He parks the car in front of our house.
“Well, thank you for saving me again. I owe you one.” Without waiting for him to say anything, I get out of the car and hurry up the steps.
“Analise!” he calls. I turn around, raising a brow at him. “You’re wrong, you know.”
“Wrong about what?”
He stares at me for a long moment. Then he takes a heavy breath. "You said I shouldn’t get into trouble for you because you’re not worth it?" He exhales, shaking his head. "You’re wrong." I can see yearning, confusion, and anger crossing his face. “You are, you know. You’re totally worth it.”