“Okay!”

The rest of the day is wonderful. She read with me while I got some work done during the day and even cooked us dinner.

I’ve even managed to convince her to spend the night in my bed instead of with any of the others, even though I got to rest with her last night too.

Things were too good. I don’t know why I didn’t expect them to go to shit.

I’m woken up by the pack house’s alarm system a split second before the glass of my bedroom windows shatters.

Two large alphas, clothed in black tactical gear jump into my bedroom. I see the flash of gun barrels reflecting the moon’s light.

If it weren’t for my years of training, I would’ve frozen. I grab Luna, rolling us over and onto the floor, the bed giving us a bit of cover. My mind races.

How in the world did these fuckers get in? How many are there?

“What—” Luna yelps as she startles awake.

“Stay here,” I grunt, launching myself towards the closest alpha. I manage to surprise him, knocking his gun away and wrestling him to the floor.

The guy is obviously trained because the advantage of surprise slips away pretty quickly.

There’s the sound of a distant explosion from somewhere downstairs. These guys aren’t amateurs if they’re using shit like explosives.

Our security systems we have are top of the line, but they’re still home defense. Home defense isn’t traditionally made to stand up to explosives.

I throw a punch. I’m pretty sure my knuckles split open.

Fuck, I should’ve had a gun stored closer to my bed. Maybe under my pillow. I used to sleep like that for years before I finally felt safe.

I bite the inside of my cheek, tasting blood. I’m not the little kid I was when the rioters killed my parents.

I’m grown. I’m strong. I’m capable.

I have to protect Luna.

“Kane! Watch out!” Luna cries out.

Everything happens in slow motion. I jerk my gaze away from the alpha underneath me and see Luna running.

Running straight towards the other alpha with a gun aimed right at me.

Bang.

The crack of gunfire makes my ears ring.

Luna stumbles to the floor. Her blood splatters all over the carpet.

I see red.

The red of her blood. The red of my parent’s blood. The red blood of these fuckers when I’m done with them.

I lose control. The roar that leaves my chest makes my throat feel raw. I’m pretty sure I snap the neck of the guy underneath me with a quick and savage twist before lunging for the bastard that shot Luna.

MyLuna.Myomega.

More red flows onto the carpets, except this time, it’s the blood of my enemies. I don’t feel the pain of my fists crunching against bone. I don’t feel anything other than the burning fury that’s threatening to swallow me whole.

There are more explosions in the background, but everything sounds muffled. Like I’m underwater. Like I’m not real. Like this is all a fucked and twisted nightmare.