Chapter 23: The Howl Of Luna (Ariana’s POV)
“Ugh…” I gasped, the pain blinding met for a moment. Blood welled up from the wound, warm and sticky as it trickled down. my cheek and onto my clothes.
Winona feigned surprise, her lips forming a mock pout. “Ah, I barely touched you, and you‘ re already bleeding?” she cooed, her tone laced with mockery. “I wonder if Scott will feel bad when he sees you like
this.”
A deep, long cut marred the right side of my face, the skin split open by Winona s relentless blade.
Blood streamed down my face, hot and sticky, as the gash Winona had carved into my right cheek oozed crimson.
“Look at you! That ugly scar–I’m sure Scott won’t be obsessed with you anymore!”
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Chapter 23: The Howl Of Luna (Ariana’s POV)
She moved closer, her movements fluid and predatory, her once delicate fingers now tipped with claws. “But wait,” she hissed, tilting her head as though pondering some great mystery. “There s another side, isn‘ t there? Should I make the wounds symmetrical? Wouldn’t that be just perfect?”
With a cruel grin, she raised the blade to the untouched side of my face, and with deliberate slowness, she began to cut. The pain spread like fire, burning every nerve. My vision blurred, but I could still see her, could still see the monster she had
become.
My lips trembled as I tried to speak, to appeal to whatever shred of humanity might be left in her.
“Winona… stop. Please….” My voice was weak, each word cost me a surge of agony as the new cut on my cheek widened.
The dagger twisted again, and I screamed, the sound echoing off the walls of the dark,
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Chapter 23: The Howl Of Luna (Ariana’s POV)
damp factory. I had hoped to faint, to escape the pain, but my body clung to consciousness, forcing me to endure every second of it.
“Did you know? I found out your mother was dead long before Scott did. I could have told him, but I didn’t. I let him believe you were just too busy, too distant. And when my dog died… oh, I played that for all it was worth. He stayed with me, and comforted me when you, his supposed to be ‘mate‘ needed him the most. I took everything from you, Ariana. And I enjoyed every second of it.”
She leaned in close, her breath hot against my ear. “I even moved your mother‘ s grave, made you watch as he chose me over you, over everything you loved. How did it feel, Ariana? Did it hurt as much as this?”
The blade pressed into my flesh again, and I screamed, the sound torn from my throat.
“There,” she said, stepping back to admire her handiwork. “Now your face is
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Chapter 23: The Howl Of Luna (Ariana’s POV)
perfectly symmetrical.”
She tossed the dagger aside as if it had served its purpose, the metal clattering on the concrete floor. Then, with a satisfied. smile, she turned her attention to the two men who had been lurking in the shadows, their eyes gleaming with anticipation.
“I’m tired,” Winona said casually, her voice eerily calm. “You can have her now.”
I was bound, helpless, as the men approached, their intentions clear in the hungry look in their eyes. Panic gripped me, squeezing my heart like a vise.
The rogues were close now, their breath hot on my skin, their hands reaching out to claim what they believed was theirs.
I prayed to the moon goddess, shouting in my head. I think she heard me as I felt my body trembling, and stretching its bones and muscles. It was a fulfilling feeling until my bones started breaking and moving on
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Chapter 23: The Howl Of Luna (Ariana’s POV)
their own, freeing themselves from being bound and I heard my wolf‘ s voice and my own voice screaming simultaneously.
“Don’t let her take her wolf form!”
The rogues changed to their wolf form, ready to tear my clothes, their claws sharp and brutal. I wanted to scream, to fight, but I was too weak, too broken. My body shrank back to my human form, but my wolf was fighting and trying to protect me; lessening the wounds that the rogues would do to me.
I want it to stop because my wolf’s pain is also mine. Even though werewolves have healing abilities, the process will always feel the same. It is extremely painful than any human can handle.
If this keeps going, I will either become a rogue or die. The thought crossed my mind. that maybe this was it, that maybe death was a release, a mercy.
I let the pain consume my thoughts and
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Chapter 23: The Howl Of Luna (Ariana’s POV)
body. Everything went dark until I saw my body in its wolf form. She was mad and fought the other rogues. She bit the other one’s neck and slashed the body of the second rogue using her claws.
The moon goddess heard and answered my prayers. I am prepared for whatever the consequence this first transformation. brings.
Suddenly, Winona’s human form came with the silver dagger. One pressed against my body my wolf whimpered and slowly went back to my human form. The silver dagger is still stuck at my back as I crawl away from Winona.
She walked to me slowly, laughing. Then, through the haze of pain and despair, I saw
him.
“Ariana!” His voice was urgent, pulling me back from the brink. “Ariana, wake
up!”
I forced my eyes open, struggling to focus,
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