The Luna’s Tenth Life

Aurora

I had died nine times.

Every single death was delivered by him.

Alpha Kaelen of the Scarlet Pack.

The most dangerous man I had ever seen.

The scene always started the same.

His sword at my throat.

His cold blue eyes holding me in place as I knelt.

The final blow always came.

His blade cutting through my flesh.

My blood spilling down my chest with my last breath.

You might ask why.

If I had returned nine times, why couldn't I stop it?

Why couldn't I change the ending?

The truth was a cruel joke.

I remembered nothing of my past lives until that exact moment.

Until I saw Kaelen's blade at my throat.

Then it all crashed back.

The nine deaths.

My life flashing before my eyes, over and over.

My chest heaved.

My hand pressed against the wound in my stomach, trying to hold in what was already lost.

Around me, the battlefield had fallen silent except for the moans of the dying.

All my warriors were gone.

Kaelen stood over me, tall and merciless.

His armor was slick with blood.

There wasn't a single scratch on him.

His face was blank, emotionless as always.

Those icy blue eyes cut into me without a hint of pity.

He looked at me like one looks at a wounded animal, moments before ending its suffering.

The cold-blooded monster was about to finish me.

"Aww," someone mocked behind him, a faceless soldier who had watched me die too many times.

"She's still fighting to live. How pathetic."

Another soldier laughed.

"Hahaha. Pathetic indeed. The mighty Luna, leading her people to war while her mate sits in his castle, drinking and fucking his pleasures. How stupid can she be?"

A third voice joined in.

"Do we even need to kill her? Look at her. She's beautiful. We could take her back, keep her as our slave. Imagine that, the Luna of Silverwood on her knees for us."

Filthy words were hurled at me.

My fists trembled against the dirt, nails digging into my palms.

My throat burned, my breath came in ragged gasps, but I stayed silent.

On any other day, I would have spat blood in their faces and cursed them.

I was the Luna.

I would not tolerate such insults.

But I had learned.

Every time I rose to defend my honor, Kaelen cut me down.

That was one of the ways I had died.

And Gods, I was so exhausted.

So I let them speak.

Let them drag my name through the mud.

I didn't raise my eyes.

I didn't waste my strength.

My silence infuriated one of them.

Boots crunched against the blood-soaked ground as he stormed closer.

"Who the fuck do you think you are, ignoring me, you whore?" His hand lifted, ready to strike my face.

But before his palm could fall, Kaelen turned his head and fixed his gaze on him.

The soldier froze instantly.

His hand dropped immediately.

Not even his own men dared to defy him.

I lifted my gaze just enough to see them, then lowered it again.

My voice emerged as a whisper.

"Kill me."

Silence.

They all paused, eyes widening.

One muttered in disbelief, "Did she just... ask us to kill her?"

Another scoffed, uneasy.

"She was fighting like a demon moments ago. Why the sudden change?"

Kaelen's sword never moved from my throat.

His head tilted slightly, a flicker of curiosity in his icy stare as he studied me.

"You wish for death?" His voice was calm, almost amused.

"Why?"

I didn't answer.

My gaze remained fixed on the ground, on the blood pooling around my knees.

"Why, Luna of the Silverwood Pack?" he pressed again.

Why?

Because I was exhausted.

Because every life, every struggle, every desperate fight had always led me here.

I was weary of battling fate only to meet the same brutal end.

I swallowed.

My lips trembled, but the truth slipped out anyway.

"Because I'm tired of fighting," I whispered, my voice breaking.

"You're going to end it, no matter what I do... so just be quick about it."

I felt his gaze burn into me.

I didn't dare look up.

If I saw his eyes now, if I faced him in this broken state, I would despise myself for such weakness.

The blade pressed closer to my throat.

I swallowed hard, my pulse racing.

Gods, I was terrified.

I didn't want to die again.

But what choice did I have?

I closed my eyes.

Please, let it be quick this time.

Every other death had hurt too much.

The weight of the sword shifted.

I braced for the cut, but instead, I heard the sound of the blade lowering.

My eyes flew open.

I froze.

What?

Around me, everyone was silent.

Kaelen's soldiers were also confused as they stared at their alpha.

He stood there, blade resting at his side, his face as cold and unreadable as ever.

"W-what are you...?" My voice shook as I looked up at him in disbelief.

His eyes narrowed.

"You want to die?" His lips curled, but it wasn't a smile.

"That is rather amusing. The look in your eyes... you're terrified of death, yet you beg for it. I've never seen anyone like you before."

I swallowed, my throat parched.