Chapter 344: Chapter 344

I stumbled into my quarters after the battle, my body aching, my mind spinning. The weight of the fight still weakened me, the poison strongly coursing through my veins, and the knowledge of what I had done all churned in my chest. The creaking open of the door behind me didn’t require me to look; her presence would not be denied.

She said nothing for a while then, only pressed closer to me, quietly, hands firm yet sure, pressing a cold compress against my forehead. The touch was soothing, but her voice wasn’t.

“How did you manage to recover so fast?” she asked, the tone kind of accusing, with each word speaking of suspicion. I didn’t answer right away; my eyes stared into the wall. “I managed,” I muttered.

“Managed?” she repeated, the pitch rising. “You were knocking on death’s door, so weak, and then you’re wrestling with us like nothing happened. Quit playing stupid with me.”

Her eyes nailed mine without a quarter. I exhaled; I couldn’t evade her questions much longer.

“There was someone,” I began to say, the words bitter in my mouth. “Kaida.”

Her hands stilled, the cloth still pressed to my skin. “What about her?”

“I made a deal,” I said, the weight of it all too heavy to bear. “She had the antidote. She offered to save me, but the price.”

Her eyes narrowed, her voice very low. “What price?” she looked up at me as if to scream ‘No, you didn’t!!‘

“She wanted a child,” I forced myself to say. “And a promise that one day, she’d become Luna.” Her hand fell, the cloth falling to the floor with a wet thud. “You agreed to that?” she hissed, her voice trembling with anger and disbelief.

“I didn’t have a choice!” I snarled, pushing myself to a sitting position despite the hurt. “I was dying, and the pack needed me. I did what I had to do.”

“And did you?” she let her voice trail off, not finishing the question, as her eyes trailed my body.

I gritted my teeth. “No. I lied to her. I got her to give me the antidote first, then bound her up before she had the chance to make me uphold my end of the bargain… I and a few warriors. brought her to the cell… another reason we had the upper hand in the battle.”

The room fell into a tight silence, her breathing shallow.

“Did you lie to her, or did you truly do it? You tell me,” she said at last, the tone unreadable in her voice.

“I did what was necessary,” I replied. “For us. For the pack.”

“For you,” she spat, her eyes afire, “This was about your pride, your refusal to listen to anyone but yourself!”

Words to cut deep. I refused to back down. “And if I hadn’t? I’d be dead, and you’d be fighting alone!”

“We’re a team!” she screamed, her voice cracking. “No more. secrets, no more reckless decisions, no more placing yourself above everyone else!”

Her voice fired again, and in my chest, mine leapt to its echo.

“And what of you? You make decisions all the time concerning the pack, without ever so much as asking for my opinion. What’s different?”

She stared up at me. For one moment, all the anger slipped away, like armor she no longer needed, something softer, a little vulnerable bleeding through.

“Because,” she said quietly, “I did until now, and I don’t know if I can again.”

These words hurt more than any blow I had taken on a battlefield. The resulting silence was suffocating.

Finally, I broke it. “I’m sorry,” I said, my voice low. “I’ll do better. No more secrets.”

She didn’t say anything but turned toward the door, saying

softly as she went, “You better mean that,” leaving me alone with my thoughts.

The packhouse was silent; then Kaida’s shrill scream rent the air, a sound full of fury and defiance.

I jumped upright, wincing as my still recovering body protested the sudden movement. Another scream followed, this one. louder, laced with venom.

“What the hell is going on?” I muttered, swinging my legs over the side of the bed.

Aurora burst into the room, her face contorted in anger and worry. “It’s Kaida,” she whispered.

“She’s being loud in her cell.”

I pushed myself to my feet, ignoring the throb in my chest. “I can handle this.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “You are in no condition to handle anything right now.”

I gave her glare for glare, straight back. “This is my business. Let me take care of it.”

A second from an all–out fight breaking out, another scream echoing throughout the packhouse was quickly followed by the sounds of heavy furniture against a wall.

“I promise you,” I growled, pushing past her, “Chain me to the

bed now; later on, you would wish you had let me free.”

Chaos erupted in the hall, as wolves had gathered, growling restlessly. Warrick and Piper stood at the holding area entrance, their faces set with curiosity mingled with caution.

“Luna,” Warrick said, his voice sharp, “She’s threatening to bring the whole packhouse down.” I nodded grimly and surged forward.

I reached the cell, and Kaida’s voice cut through the air like venom, razor sharp, as if she’d heard me: “Do you think these. walls can hold me? Do you think you’ve won?”

Aurora came right up to the cell door, leaning upon the wall for support. “Kaida,” I called, my voice even from the turmoil inside me. Her eyes flashed to mine, and in those instants, something was flickering there–a surprised flicker. Then a sneer twisted on her lips as she turned to Aurora. “Ah, the mighty Luna. Come to gloat, have you?”

“No,” she replied, moving closer. “I came to remind you that your games are over.”

She laughed, one of those bitter, pained sounds. “You think this is a game? You think I’ll go quietly?”

Aurora leaned against the doorframe and met her glare. “I think you need to realize that your time’s come and gone. If you’ve more to say, though, then I’ll listen.”

Kaida smirked, her eyes flashing bright with defiance. “Oh, I

have a lot to say. But by the end of it all, you’ll not be able to ignore me anymore.”