(Azaria's Point of View)
I awoke to a sensation I had become all too familiar with—a crushing migraine that pounded against my skull as though someone had driven a spike through my temples. The pain was sharp and unrelenting, radiating from the base of my neck and crawling its way up like the talons of some monstrous creature. Every throb was a reminder of something I still couldn't quite grasp but knew was sinister.
"Not again," I groaned, whispering the words into the darkness of the early morning. The heaviness of fatigue lay over me, pinning me to the bed, yet I fought to sit up, careful not to disturb Lilly, who was still sleeping soundly beside me. She had been my anchor through all of this—my only constant source of support.
As I shifted, trying to rise without waking her, the motion was too much, and Lilly stirred, blinking sleep from her eyes. She rubbed her face, one of her long, neat braids slipping out from beneath her bonnet, a reminder of how much she had sacrificed to remain by my side, even when she didn't have to.
"What are you doing?" she mumbled, her voice still thick with sleep. "It's not even time for the morning run yet."
I winced at the effort it took to sit fully upright. "I have a fucking migraine, again," I replied, my voice laced with more than just the frustration of the physical pain. There was something deeper, something unsettling about how frequently these migraines had been hitting me lately.
Lilly sat up now, concern etching itself across her face. She knew what these migraines meant. She knew it wasn't just stress or exhaustion, and she had been quietly piecing together her own suspicions. "I've been thinking about it more," she said slowly, choosing her words carefully as she rubbed the back of her neck. "I'm almost certain they're linked to them somehow… Ethan and whoever else is pulling the strings. I just don't know exactly how yet."
The words settled in the air between us, heavy and loaded with meaning. I had suspected it too, but hearing Lilly voice it gave it more weight. This wasn't just a guess anymore; it was becoming a certainty. Ethan is doing this to me hurt me, using our bond to weaken me, to keep me in line.
"I think you're right," I murmured, pressing the heels of my hands into my temples in a futile attempt to dull the throbbing pain. "And that's why we need to start putting a plan in motion. Today."
Lilly shifted closer, concern deepening in her eyes. "Are you sure? You're barely standing. What if he decides to do something during the run? You know how unpredictable things get when everyone's on edge, especially with you looking like this."
I shook my head, ignoring the jolt of pain the motion sent through my skull. "I'll be fine. It's the perfect opportunity. People are relaxed during the run; they let things slip. I just need to watch, listen, and provoke in the right ways. Besides, I need answers, and I'm not getting them lying in bed."
She sighed, knowing I wouldn't back down once my mind was made up. Lilly's loyalty had always been unwavering, but so had her protectiveness. She had stood by me through so much—through every hidden bruise, through the years of abuse at the hands of my stepmother, through my tumultuous relationship with Ethan. And now, she would stand by me as I untangled this latest web of deceit.
"I'll talk to Gamma Theo and Beta Marcus," she said, her tone resigned but supportive. "I'll make sure everything's in place. I know you want to stay with the Omegas for a while."
The mere mention of Marcus's name sent a shiver down my spine. He had been watching me closely ever since my migraines had started—too closely. His gaze always lingered just a little too long, and his questions about my health were always laced with something more. Suspicion. Knowledge. He knew something, but he was careful. Beta Marcus was a tactician, and if I wasn't careful, he'd see through any plan I set in motion today.
"Thank you, Lilly," I said, meeting her eyes with a seriousness that matched the gravity of the situation. "We need to be subtle. I can't afford any mistakes."
She gave me a small nod before slipping out of the room, her posture tense with the weight of the task ahead. Lilly wasn't just my best friend; she was my protector, my sister. She is the only person I can trust now. After marrying Ethan, I tried writing to Marcellus and Lolani but never heard back from either of them. I worried for them for a while, asking about him every time I saw our father, but he never answered me. I often think of him, especially on days like this.
Although I may look like shit, I am mostly back to full strength, since the crushing pressure in my head stopped during my shower. As I dressed for the run, I looked at myself in the mirror, trying to assess the damage. My reflection stared back at me—dull, drawn, with dark circles under my eyes that no amount of makeup could conceal. I looked like someone who hadn't slept properly in weeks. But I had to push past that. Today, I needed to be the Luna who is suffering silently with a smile. A Luna plagued with an unknown sickness. But I still need to be the Luna who can still command respect, even when she was breaking on the inside. I sighed, pulling my hair back into a ponytail before applying some concealer under my eyes.
When I finally made my way downstairs, the packhouse was already alive with activity. The early morning light filtered through the windows, casting long shadows across the polished floors. The ground floor was a hub of movement—pack members coming and going, preparing for the day ahead.
The packhouse itself was an imposing structure, designed to house not just the leadership but also to serve as a communal space for meetings, meals, and gatherings. On the ground floor, the common area was already filled with the buzz of conversation, the clatter of dishes in the kitchen, and the sound of laughter from some of the younger pack members. It all felt distant to me, like I was observing a world I no longer belonged to.
I exchanged pleasantries as I passed through, forcing a smile when necessary, nodding at those who greeted me. But all the while, my mind was focused on the task ahead. Today's run would serve as more than just a physical exercise; it would be a way for me to observe, to gather intel, and to prod at the edges of the truth I so desperately sought.
When I stepped out into the fresh morning air, the crispness of it momentarily cleared my head. The pack members were already gathering in the field behind the packhouse, warming up for the run. This was the one time of day when the pack hierarchy relaxed slightly. It was a social ritual as much as it was a physical one. Conversations flowed more freely, and walls that normally stood tall between ranks began to crumble.
I stretched slowly, my muscles tight and aching from the strain I had been under for weeks. I could feel eyes on me, watching, assessing. The pack had noticed the changes in me—how could they not? I wasn't the Luna I had once been. I wasn't the vibrant, strong figure who had stood beside Ethan at pack meetings and led with confidence. I was diminished in their eyes. And I needed to use that perception to my advantage.
"Looks like the Luna's joining us today," one of the younger pack members whispered to his friend, his tone filled with surprise.
"Yeah, but look at her," the other replied, his voice dropping to a sympathetic murmur. "She doesn't look good. Something's definitely wrong."
Good. Let them think I'm weak. Let them pity me. If they believed I was vulnerable, they'd be less guarded, less careful with their words. Today, I needed to be invisible in plain sight—present but not a threat.
The run itself was brutal. Each step sent a jarring pain through my skull, and the pounding in my head seemed to sync with the rhythm of my feet hitting the ground. But I kept going, pushing through the pain, staying near the middle of the group where the Omegas ran. I didn't need to be fast today; I needed to be strategic.
As we ran, I listened carefully, my ears tuned to the conversations happening around me. The Omegas were the most likely to hear things—secrets whispered in the dark by those who underestimated their presence. They often moved unnoticed, blending into the background, but they were always listening. And today, so was I. My eyes roamed of different groups as I maneuvered slightly, listening intently to their conversations while maintaining my aloof expression.
After the run, I took a moment to catch my breath, my lungs burning from the effort. My head throbbed with a vengeance, but I forced myself to focus. I spotted Beta Marcus standing off to the side, watching the pack as they finished up. His expression was as unreadable as ever, but there was something in the way he stood, the way his eyes flicked over the crowd, that set off alarm bells in my mind.
I made my way toward him, keeping my movements casual, even though my heart was racing. "Thank you for adjusting the running order today," I said, my tone light, but I watched him carefully for any sign of discomfort.
Marcus's eyes flicked toward me, and for the briefest of moments, something dark passed over his face—something I couldn't quite place. But then it was gone, replaced by his usual calm demeanor. "Anything for our Luna," he replied smoothly. "How are you feeling?"
The question was innocent enough, but I could feel the weight of it, the way his gaze lingered just a little too long. "Not great," I admitted, letting some of my genuine frustration bleed into my voice. "These migraines… they're getting worse. It's like someone's trying to split my head open."
His jaw tightened slightly, and for a split second, I saw the flicker of something in his eyes—knowledge, guilt, or maybe both. It was subtle, but it was there. He knew more than he was letting on.
"I hope you find some relief soon," he said after a long pause, his tone measured, careful. "If there's anything I can do…"
I met his gaze, holding it for a moment longer than necessary. "I'm sure I or Gamma Theo will figure it out," I said softly, my words heavy with meaning.
The rest of the day passed in a blur of conversations and observations. I moved through the pack, listening, watching, piecing together the fragments of information I gathered like shards of broken glass. Every interaction felt like a puzzle piece, and though I didn't have the full picture yet, I could feel myself getting closer.
By the time the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the pack grounds, I felt no closer to the answers I needed. But I wasn't discouraged. I had laid the groundwork. Tomorrow's pack run would be the real test—the moment when I would push harder, dig deeper, and see what cracks might begin to show.
As I lay in bed that night, the familiar ache of another migraine building behind my eyes, I knew that I was on the right path. The truth was there, just beneath the surface, and I was ready to tear it out, no matter the cost.
Tomorrow, I would find the answers I needed. Tomorrow, the real work would begin.