"You're up," he said, his voice low. His eyes flickered to her face, noticing the strain in her features. "Everything okay?"Luna forced a smile, the haunting tale still swirling in her mind. "Yeah," she lied. "Just needed some air."Alex didn't look convinced, but he didn't press her. Instead, he crossed the room and sat down beside her, his presence grounding her in the moment.But even as they sat in silence, Luna couldn't shake the feeling that the story wasn't just a tale of the past. It was a warning—and perhaps, a glimpse of what awaited her."Let's go out, you have been stuck in hospital rooms from last few days." Alex called out gently taking her hand in his and Luna just nodded in response. The night air was cool as Alex guided Luna through the quiet streets of his pack's territory. The stars above twinkled softly, painting the sky in a deep velvet hue. The pack's usual bustle had quieted with the approaching dusk, and Alex hoped that the calmer evening would make Luna feel at ease."I thought it would be peaceful tonight," Alex remarked, his voice low, as he led her down a path lined with tall trees. "Just you and me, and a little time away from the world."Luna, her gaze fixed ahead, didn't reply. Her expression was unreadable, but there was a slight tension in her posture. She had expected the quiet solitude of the pack's inner sanctum, but what greeted them instead was something quite the opposite.As they rounded a corner, the flickering light of bonfires danced before them. The pack was gathered in lively groups around the fires, sharing laughter, music, and stories. Children were seated around the elders, wide-eyed and rapt as they listened to ancient tales of their ancestors. Some of the younger men and women cooked together, tending to cauldrons and skewers of meat while others sparred playfully or sang softly. The scene was warm and inviting, filled with a deep sense of community.Luna stopped in her tracks, her gaze sweeping across the crowd. There was a beauty to it—a peacefulness that made her heart ache. The sight of so many people, so connected, so alive, filled her with a longing she hadn't expected. The laughter, the easy camaraderie—it was everything she had once had and lost.Alex glanced over at her, noticing the distant look in her eyes. "Is it too much?" he asked softly.Luna didn't respond right away, but the quiet sorrow in her eyes spoke volumes. The people—his people—were vibrant, alive in a way she hadn't experienced in years. Her gaze flickered to a young couple sitting near a fire, wrapped in each other's arms, and then to a group of children running around barefoot. There was an innocence in their laughter, an unburdened joy that Luna hadn't felt for herself in so long.She took a deep breath, trying to push the wave of emotion back. "It's... beautiful," she said, her voice low and soft.Alex studied her carefully, but before he could ask more, his tone shifted. "There's something I need to tell you," he began, his brow furrowing slightly. "Lately, there have been... a few disappearances. Nearby packs have been reporting members gone missing—vanishing without a trace." His eyes darkened, the concern evident in his voice. "I'm worried about my people,and you Luna. So please dont go out farther from pack boundaries."Luna's heart tightened, and she felt the warmth of the night slip away. It was as if the air around her had grown heavier. Her thoughts swirled with the sudden, unsettling connection. She had noticed something—an unease, an inexplicable void that seemed to come over her when she was alone. There were handful moments in recent when she would wake up, hours later than she should have all covered in blood, and find herself somewhere else entirely.One of those moments... the night Alex had found her covered in rogue blood, unconscious and disoriented... had never truly sat well with her. She had lied to him, of course, insisting she didn't remember what had happened, but deep down, she knew the truth wasn't that simple. She knew what she had done to those rogues. Rogues or not - they were her kind that she was once supposed to protect. Her breath caught in her throat as a chilling thought crossed her mind—what if the disappearances Alex were talking about was connected to her? What if the strange, out-of-body experiences she had were more than just fragmented dreams? A deep, primal fear began to creep into her chest.Alex's voice broke through her thoughts. "Luna?" he called softly, his hand reaching out to her. But she didn't answer. Her gaze was distant, her mind racing."Luna," he said again, this time louder, his tone sharp with concern that summoned the attention of pack people nearby him.Her gaze snapped to him, her eyes wide, though they were clouded with confusion. He frowned, reaching out to touch her arm, but when his fingers brushed against her skin, they recoiled in surprise. Her skin felt like ice."Luna," Alex repeated, his voice softer now but still filled with worry. "What's happening?"She didn't have an answer. Her mind raced, caught between the fear of what might be happening to her and the desire to push it all away. But it was getting harder to ignore. It was like a darkness creeping under her skin, out of her control.Alex grasped her hand, trying to warm it with his, but it remained cold—unnaturally cold. His grip tightened, as if afraid she might slip through his fingers."Are you—?" His voice faltered, uncertain of what he was witnessing. "Luna, please."But there was no reply from her. Her eyes were fixed on him, but there was a distant look in them, as though she wasn't entirely there.Luna fought to steady herself, but the weight of her thoughts was pulling her under. What was happening to her? What had she become?"Alex, I want to go back," Luna whispered, her trembling hands clinging tightly to him. Fear coursed through her, sharp and unrelenting. She couldn't bear to stay near the pack people, terrified of losing control and harming them. The warmth of the firelight and the laughter of children only served as cruel reminders of the day the village she once loved was destroyed—burned to ashes because of her reckless decision.Her gaze swept across the serene gathering, but instead of comfort, it brought a cold sweat to her skin. The thought of bringing another massacre to Alex's people, to him, made her knees weak.As they walked back to their room, Luna moved ahead of Alex, her shoulders tense and her steps measured, as though each one carried the weight of her choices. The cool night air brushed against her skin, but it did little to calm the storm inside. She felt like a prisoner leading herself to her own sentencing. Alex followed silently, his watchful eyes on her, sensing the unspoken turmoil that shadowed her every movement. Yet even in her silence, her resolve seemed fractured, as if she was struggling to choose between staying and fleeing, between confiding in him and retreating into her fears.Luna quietly turned the door knob and walked in as she sat at the edge of the bed, her hands trembling as she clutched a stack of worn, yellowing page hidden inside her clothes. Alex stood a few steps away, his eyes fixed on her with a mixture of confusion and worry. The room was dimly lit, and the air felt heavier with each passing second."It might be me," she finally whispered, her voice barely audible.Alex's brow furrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about?"Luna looked up at him, her eyes swimming with unshed tears. She held up the pages, the trembling in her hands making them rustle softly. "These. They... they might be proof. I've been keeping them hidden, but now i don't trust myself - I need you to see this."She motioned for him to sit, and reluctantly, Alex moved to the chair across from her. Taking the pages, he frowned as he skimmed them. They were filled with fragmented thoughts, hastily scrawled notes, and disturbing accounts that Luna had written. Each page told of moments she couldn't remember clearly—waking up in unfamiliar places, her body drenched in blood, and whispers urging her toward violence as he flipped through the pages quickly, landing on one titled "The Sin of the Fallen." Unlike the earlier ones that Luna might have written , They weren't written by her- these were the pages he though that was missing from the book. The yellowed paper seemed to shimmer ominously under the dim light. His fingers trembled as he realised she was the one who tore them. Alex glanced at the page but didn't read the words. "Luna, some crappy pages from an old book don't prove anything." His voice was firm, but his mind betrayed him. He set the pages down, his hand lingering over them for a moment. "They're just words, Luna. They don't mean—""They don't mean anything?" Luna cut him off, her voice rising slightly. "Alex, you found me that night—covered in blood, surrounded by... by those limbs." She choked on the words, her hands flying to her face. "I lied to you about not remembering, but I do. Pieces of it. And it terrifies me."Alex's mind raced back to that night—the grotesque scene of dismembered rogue wolves, the blood soaking Luna's clothes, and her unconscious body crumpled amidst the carnage. He had known that she had done it but refused to believe she did it intentionally- he told himself that there might be reasons like they might have attacked her first or it was self defense after all it was rogues he was talking about, but the image haunted him still."No," he said firmly, shaking his head. "It wasn't you, Luna. You could never do that intentionally -you might not remember but they were rogues. They might have come for you. You're not a monster."Luna let out a bitter laugh, her voice cracking. "I'm not human, Alex. I'm not a goddess anymore, either. I'm... something else. And I hear them." Her voice dropped to a whisper as she leaned closer, her eyes filled with despair. "The whispers. They tell me to kill, to feed on pain and despair. Right now, they're screaming at me to kill you—to taste your blood."Alex's breath caught in his throat, but before he could respond, Luna broke down. She buried her face in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably. "I'm breaking, Alex. Every day, I feel myself slipping further away. I'm scared... so scared of what I'm becoming. Maybe i am become the monster"For a moment, Alex didn't move. Then, in one swift motion, he was beside her. He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as her sobs wracked her body."Shh," he whispered, his voice low and soothing. "It's okay, Luna. You're not alone. I'm here."Her cries softened against his chest, though her body still trembled. Alex rested his chin on her head, his fingers gently brushing through her hair. He stayed silent, letting her cries ebb and flow until, eventually, she grew still.When he looked down, he realized she had fallen asleep in his arms, her face tear-streaked but peaceful. His heart ached as he studied her, his mind swirling with conflicting emotions. He refused to believe she could be behind the disappearances, yet the evidence—the whispers, the pages, the nights she couldn't remember—planted seeds of doubt.He carried her gently to the bed, laying her down and tucking the blanket around her. She looked so fragile, so unlike the fierce goddess he had first encountered. Yet, even now, there was an undeniable strength about her, buried beneath the layers of fear and doubt.Sitting beside her, he picked up the pages again, his brow furrowed as he read them more carefully. His fingers tightened around the paper, anger and frustration building within him, his chest tightening with each word. The descriptions were dark and foreboding, speaking of a fallen being consumed by whispers and compelled to violence. A chill ran down his spine, but he shook his head."No," he murmured to himself. "This isn't her. Luna would sacrifice herself before she hurt anyone."A soft knock at the door startled him, and he turned sharply toward the sound. Setting the pages aside, he stood and moved to the door, opening it just enough to step out. Charlie stood there, his expression concerned."Alex," Charlie began, frowning. "What's going on? You look... off."Alex shook his head, forcing his features into a neutral mask. "It's nothing," he said quietly. "What do you need?"Charlie didn't press but gave him a searching look before continuing. "One of the elders is missing. He didn't come back after tonight's gathering."Alex's heart sank, his expression darkening. He glanced back at the door to the room where Luna slept, then back to Charlie. "Who?" he asked, his voice steady but tense."Elder Elias," Charlie replied. "His family said he went out to check the perimeter before the bonfire. He hasn't come back."Alex's jaw tightened, and his hands clenched into fists. "I'll handle it," he said finally, his voice low and resolute.As Charlie nodded and left, Alex turned back to check on Luna, the weight of his thoughts heavy in his chest. But as his gaze landed on the empty bed, his heart stopped. She wasn't there.It had been only a moment—a single moment—and she was gone. His body ran cold, the air seeming to thin around him