Chapter 295: Chapter 295

Lanie Alternating waves of hot and cold rushed over me. Shudders wracked me. My teeth chattered, and the burger I'd been gobbling now weighed like a rock in my gut.

now?

If Charlotte had been able to betray others in the past, what was to say she wasn’t doing it again, right “Are you working for the Council still, Charlotte?” | demanded. “So help me, by the Moon, if you are-”

She held up both her hands in a placating gesture and waited for me to calm down. Not that | could, really. But | took in a few deep breaths and sipped some more water.

“Hey,” she said kindly. “I get it. If | were you, | wouldn’t trust me, either. All this cloak and dagger b ulls hit? You have to understand, it’s all been for my protection. You can’t talk about the things | was discussing without someone, somewhere wanting to come after you for it.””

“The Council, maybe? The same Council you just admitted to me that you were working with? Why shouldn’t | assume you still are?”

“I'm not. That was long ago, and I’ve regretted my involvement ever since. Even back then, | knew they weren't going to use any of the information | gave them for good, but honestly, | was ashamed of being a hybrid. Of being different. | had no answers. All | knew was that | was not like anyone else....| was lost. | had nobody to help me. And, until you, Lanie, | had nobody | really needed to help.”

“| can’t really be the first one since the Great Wars to need you. I’m not that special.” | frowned.

“Oh, but you are. Don’t be falsely modest. You feel it. You know it.”

| thought of the Moon Goddess murmuring to me. Guiding me. I’d spent my entire life shield hybrid self as a result of a witch’s spell. I'd grown up never thinking | was anything other than nor “Like me, you're strong. Like me, you can call upon powers that go beyond what regular Lunas access.”

| closed my eyes against a sting of tears. “But...why me?”

“Why? | have no idea, and | think it would be arrogant to try and figure it out. Only the Moon Goddess c say why she chooses who she chooses. Everything in your life that has led you to this point comes from her would never presume to guess her reasons, and | don’t think you should, either.”

| swiped at my eyes, dashing away the tears.

“Are you you saying the Moon Goddess made my Ancient vampire grandfather fall in love with my grandmother wolf shifter just so they could have my mother, who paid a witch to use a spell that would keep my vampire self hidden? Only to later need a different spell that made me forget who | was, forget my mates, flee to Stillwood, where | met my third mate?” | laughed harshly and shook my head. “That’s all very convoluted, isn’t it?”

Charlotte’s lips twitched. “But it’s how you ended up sitting here across the table from me. The person. who can answer your questions. But who knows? Maybe none of this is about you at all. Maybe it’s all about me and my journey. Did you ever think of that?”

| wasn’t sure what to say.

Her laughter caused a swirl of Lufia energy to whirl around us in wisps. It was the first obvious show of her Luna power since I'd arrived. She was no longer mated to an Alpha, though. How and why did she still have it?

“Everyone is the hero of their own story,” Charlotte told me matter-of-factly. “Why should yours be any more important than mine?”

“| guess that’s true,” | admitted begrudgingly. “But it doesn’t really explain to me why you’re helping me, then. If this is all about you.”

Her expression rippled with a flurry of emotions, one after the other. Grief. Fear. Shame.

“| started posting about my experiences on the dark web because I'd lived with my guilt for so long, I’d almost stopped believing |

could ever atone for what I’d done. For a long time, | had convinced myself that what I’d endured from my Alpha was the price |

had to pay”

“What happened to him?” | tried to be gentle in my tone, but there didn’t seem to be any good way to ask the question.

Charlotte’s expression darkened. “That’s a story for another time. What you need to know is that I’ve been waiting for you, Lanie, for a long time. And while | can’t be sure you've been sent to redeem me, | ama thousand percent convinced that the Moon Goddess sent you to me so | could help you.”

I sat up straight and boldly said, “So stop beating around the bush. Help me. Tell me what | need to know.”