I Am The Luna

“Thanks. Yeah, I'm ok” I reply.

“Any time.” He responds with a small smile. 1

It shouldn't be any time... you have a life...

“I wish there was a way to tell Seb.” Jai sighs.

“Jai,” Valerie warns quietly.

“He needs to know,” Jai says quietly.

“Now is not the time,” Atticus warns him.

He lowers his hand and sighs heavily. “Believe what you want, but he wouldn't do this- betray us. He loves you,

Zaia, and he loves his kids.” He stands up, and walking to the door, pulls it open.

“Jai, con.” Valerie tries.

“Jai,” | say, making him stop in his tracks.

“Yeah?” he says and when he looks at me, | see the pain in his eyes.

“Sit down, let's talk.”

“I'm beginning to fear those words,” Atticus says lightly as Valerie smiles and walks over to Jai.

“Con...” she murmurs. He sighs again, brushing her hair back, and when she hugs him, he hugs her back

tightly.

“Alright, I'm cool. What is it?” he asks when they part, and he kisses her cheek before dropping into the chair he

was previously sitting in.

| sigh heavily and look at Atticus. He needs to know so he can at least stop defending Sebastian.

“We found the location of the cameras in the pack because of him... and we're pretty certain that he joined

them, for the antidote for Sia,” | say.

Although it feels right telling him, my heart squeezes with an unspoken panic, realising that as | spoke those

words, fear crept into my mind.

I'm scared... Scared that one of them is a traitor and this gets back to the Sable...

I hug myself, pushing the thought away.

I'm becoming too paranoid.

Jai looks up sharply, his heart racing before he exhales, a huge grin breaking out on his face as he jumps up and

rushes over to me. “See, | knew it! He wouldn't betray you!” he says, taking my hand. He gives it a gentle

squeeze. “He loves you, Zaia!”

He still didn’t tellthe truth...

He still broke my trust...

He still left me...

“He is on our side and when the tto end this comes... | know he’ll be the wildcard we need to win this war.”

Valerie says, looking relieved.

Atticus nods. “But it's something we can’t tell anyone, just in case. Anyway, the cameras have been taken care

of, but they've tried to break into my pack twice, but they failed. Unlike this pack, we weren't at as much of a

risk, but we are still trying to weed out the doctor or nurse or multiple persons who administered the poison to

you. Everyone who took care of you in your. pregnancy is being held in isolation just to be sure...”

“That's...” | begin, a frown furrowing my brows. “Isn't it extreme?”

“It's fair,” Valerie says. “Until the answers are found.”

“And they are being held in good conditions,” Atticus reassures me.

“I understand... and no one has yet to say anything?” | ask. 1

“No. | need to return and question them under the Alpha command, but I think right now, with everything going

on, that | need to stay here.” He says, our eyes meet, and | know it's because ofmore than anything else.

“| see... And was anything else found in Agatha’s room, Jai?” | ask, turning to him.

“No, but the wall at the back felt hollow when I banged on it. I'm having Justin pull the shelves out as we speak.

Looking at the house design, there are chances there's more behind that wall. Maybe a vault or skind of

hidden nook.” He says.

I nod. “Excellent. And did he question Agatha?”

“He did...” Jai trails off, glancing up at Valerie, who places a hand on his shoulder.

“What is it?” | ask.

“There wasn’t too much more. You can listen to it when you have a moment. Nothing more on Zion, but she did

say something towhen | went to talk to Justin...”

“What?” | ask.

Whatever it is, Valerie knows, and she looks upset. She squeezes his shoulder before she looks directly at me.

“Back then, when Jai... cheated on me... it was because Agatha had put something in his drink. She was trying to

cause a rift between you and Sebastian by breaking up your friends, knowing you would take my side and

Sebastian would take Jai’s.” She says as Jai looks down, clearly ashamed.

Because of us?

| hate that we were the reason for them being torn apart...

| can’t believe it, how Agatha had dropped so low makessick, and the fact she’s been at this for so long!

“I'm sorry..."

“Zaia! It wasn't your fault.” Valerie scolds. firmly.

“Exactly.” Atticus frowns.

“So... it was all planned,” | say.

Valerie nods, her eyes glittering with tears.

“Meaning, he didn’t cheat on me, he was set up.” She says, and although they are together again, | can tell just

how much relief this has brought her. To know that her man didn’t cheat on her. She may have forgiven him, but

it was not something she could forget.

She sits on the armrest and Jai pulls her into his.

arms, and she hugs him tightly.

“And a woman just happened to be there to seduce him? Who was the woman?” Atticus asks, and | look at him

sharply.

“They might be working with Agatha,” | say, understanding what he is insinuating.

“Cara,” Valerie says, looking at me.

| stare at her in disbelief, remembering her with Sebastian at the hotel back at that time...

I scoff. Someone we once considered a friend.

“Has she been apprehended?”

“No,” Jai says.

“Then get to it. | don’t care if she’s innocent or not,” | say, frowning deeply. “Just put her on house arrest but

remove all technology devices.

| trust no one.”

“You trust us, right?” Valerie asks softly.

“Of course...” | reply.

She smiles and glances at the boys. “Alright, out. | want to talk to Zaia about her pregnancy, and we don’t need

you two here.”

“Why not?” Jai says as Atticus stands up with a smirk.

“Well, make sure you let her rest, too. You need to be careful, Red.” He says as he caresses my cheek, and

leaning down he kisses my cheek.

Jai rolls his eyes, but | force a small smile. He knows my stance on his affection and that won't change, but |

really wish he stopped loving me...

“I will,” Valerie promises.

“Would you like anything to eat or drink, Zaia? You have been unconscious for a few hours and did lose a lot of

blood. You need to keep your energy up for the both of you,” Atticus asks, pausing at the door.

“That's not a question. She obviously needs food. Let's go find some...” Jai grumbles as he yanks the door shut

before | can even reply.

| chuckle lightly as I glance over at Valerie, who is no longer smiling.

“Zaia...”

“Mhmm?” | murmur, touching my waist as | sit up straight. The dull pain is there, but it's not so bad...

“There's something | have to tell you,” she whispers.

My heart sinks. | can sense the guilt radiating off her, and I'm already dreading what she’s about to say.

“What is it?” | ask.

She looks down before taking my hand, which is hooked up to an IV drip, and takes a deep breath. “Before he

left, he- Sebastian, toldhe'll get the antidote for Sia. | begged him to think of you, but he said he had no

other choice and to not mention it to anyone.”

A pang of pain hitsdeep in my chest as | realise once more, that one of my closest had kept something so

important from me.

“He used his Alpha command-"

“Val... you're a member of the Sublime. You are not so weak that you couldn't defy him. If you really wanted to

tell me, you could have.” | whisper. The hurt I'm feeling is intense and | know it is showing through the crack of

my armour.

“I know, | tried, but the pressure was intense, and | understood his reasoning-"

“Yeah... | might just have suffered a little less if | knew... you once said toit was sisters before misters...You

should have toldVal...”

| say quietly.

“I know... and I'm sorry. | didn’t even tell Jai, | promise... | am truly so sorry.”

Everyone always is...

But I still nod, signalling that it’s fine... even though it’s not. 1

She's saying something but I can’t focus anymore, all | can think of is the fact that she hid it from me.

Just another betrayal added to the ever- growing mountain...

When will it stop?

And then there’s the fear that claws at my insides.

Who will betraynext?

“Thank you, Valerie, for telling me. I'm a little tired. Can you leave?” | ask.

“I am sorry, Zaia. He didn’t want to risk it.” She tries again.

| nod slightly, the ghost of a smile crossing my face. It feels foreign, but it'll do...

“Yeah. Good night, Valerie.”\

She nods. “Umm, I'll make sure Atticus brings

sfood, and then get srest.

“No need, I'm not hungry,” | reply.

“Zaia...”

“I'm fine, really. Just go.” | end the conversation and even she knows this is it.

She stands, switching off the light before leaving the room, and | am left alone with my thoughts. I look down at

my stomach and place a hand on it.

| will protect you, little one...

| stare out through the crack in the curtains and stare at the moon.

The tis nearing...