Emma arrived and helped the man up. His body was covered in red burns from the heat of the chains. A wave of surprise washed over Emma, more intense than she expected, but she didn't show it. Her face stayed calm, steady, even as her mind reeled.
'This felt unreal,' Emma thought.
"Let's go," she said to the man gently, and the two of them slowly made their way to the SUV Emma had brought with her. The tension in the air still clung to them, silent and thick. She dropped Luna home first, then headed straight to the hospital with the man, driving through the night under the weight of everything that had just happened.
EZEKIEL'S MANSION
Back at the mansion, after they had left Luna's territory, Ezekiel—the main lead—stood frozen in utter shock. Simon too. The gravity of what had unfolded hadn't fully settled in yet. The mansion around them, painted in pure grey with clean white linings, seemed almost too calm for what they were feeling. The cold perfection of the halls echoed in the silence that followed.
After storming into the parlor, Ezekiel threw himself onto the couch like a thundercloud ready to burst. His jaw clenched, chest rising and falling rapidly with restrained fury.
"What's going on?" Simon asked, rolling his eyes with a grunt of irritation. He leaned against the doorframe, arms folded tightly. None of them had seen this coming—not from Luna. Mercy? From her? It felt wrong. Off. Like watching a wolf lick a rabbit clean instead of tearing it apart.
Luna—the merciless one. The same Luna who'd slaughtered her own kind like chickens in a coop. Now suddenly showing mercy? That woman had bathed in blood more times than anyone could count, and yet, today… She hesitated?
Impossible.
"Do you think she wants to kill him herself? Maybe that's it," Simon suggested, brow furrowed. His voice carried the weight of suspicion.
Ezekiel's head snapped toward him. "Don't you have eyes? She was angry, sure but she pitied him," he snapped, practically spitting the words. "Luna has definitely changed," he added, slower this time, almost in disbelief. Rage churned inside him like a storm beneath the surface. How could she of all people show pity?
The woman he hated most in the entire world was now pulling punches? Giving second chances?
Unthinkable.
Ezekiel didn't just dislike Luna. He loathed her with a deep, bitter passion. A hatred that burned in his bones like acid. He'd dreamed of killing her someday, making her pay for everything she'd done. She had blood on her hands, far too much to ever be washed clean.
The last tragedy was still fresh in his memory, how she'd poisoned rogue vampires during a secret ball. That night was supposed to be a celebration, a rare gathering of peace. Laughter, music, dancing under flickering chandeliers. No one expected the drinks to be laced with venom. But Luna had found out. Somehow, she always did. She'd slipped in like a shadow, left chaos in her wake, and disappeared without a trace.
She was a ghost. A nightmare. A beautiful executioner who smiled while the world burned.
And worse, she always got away with it.
She'd framed people for crimes they didn't commit. Falsified records. Broken alliances. Every time they thought she couldn't get lower, she dug deeper. That sneaky, merciless badass—that's what Ezekiel always called her. It was the only thing that fit.
"Something is definitely fishy," Zeke muttered, fingers drumming against the arm of the couch. He couldn't sit still. His mind was racing with questions he didn't have answers to. "She's hiding something. She has to be."
"Yes, you're right, Zeke. I mean—how else do you explain Luna suddenly showing a sliver of humanity?" Simon said, his tone sharpening with every word. He stepped forward, pacing slowly.
"You're right," Zeke echoed with a dark nod. His eyes were narrowed, thoughts spiraling.
"Or…" Simon paused, glancing toward the curtained windows. "What if this is all an act? that Luna is up to no good" Simon speculated.
The room fell silent for a second too long.
That idea chilled them both.
Because if Luna was pretending, that meant she was three steps ahead of them.
"That Luna is no good. She must be planning something. Definitely!"
The both were supernatural beings, but killing Luna wouldn't be that easy. She was sneaky—probably shielded by some kind of supernatural protection. No matter how strong they were, Luna always seemed one step ahead, like she could see things before they happened.
He stood up in anger, fists clenched, and his jaw tight with frustration. The room seemed to pulse with heat as his emotions flared, the air thick with tension. With a sharp breath, he turned and strode to his room, footsteps heavy, echoing through the hallway like thunder. His fury burned in his chest like wildfire, impossible to contain.
LUNA'S MANSION
Luna was exhausted after the long day of meetings, especially after what had just happened. Her head throbbed faintly, a dull reminder of the emotional weight she'd been carrying. She walked through the grand halls of the mansion, her footsteps light but slow, eyes scanning the space as she tried to get her bearings. It was still a bit hard to find her way—she was new to everything, and the place felt more like a museum than a home.
Eventually, she reached her room. The ornate door creaked as she pushed it open. Inside, the space was grand but cold, filled with luxury she wasn't yet comfortable in. She made her way to the bathroom and turned on the water, letting the warmth of the shower wash over her tired body. For a moment, she closed her eyes and let the steam blur her thoughts.
After drying off, she slipped into something comfortable and padded over to the bed. Without a second thought, she threw herself onto it like a tired kid collapsing after school. The plush mattress embraced her, and within seconds, her breathing slowed. She drifted into sleep almost instantly, the weight of the day pulling her under.
Her mind, however, had other plans.
DREAMLAND
"Clean up the house!! Just know that there's no food for you!" a woman in her forties shouted, her voice slicing through the air like a whip.
"Yes, mom," Luna replied, head bowed low. She was kneeling on the cold floor, her knees raw and bleeding, her small frame trembling from fatigue. Her hands were dirty, and her fingers ached from scrubbing endlessly.
"Yes, mom," she repeated in a shaky voice, trying not to cry. Her heart pounded in her chest, not from fear, but from a deep ache that came from being unwanted in a place she was supposed to call home.
The woman narrowed her eyes at Luna, her gaze burning with anger.
"And what else??" she asked, bloodshot eyes glaring.
Luna's body shook like an overworked engine, every nerve tensed as her blood boiled beneath her skin. Her knees nearly buckled from the weight of fear crawling through her chest.
"Please mom, please!!" she begged, voice trembling and cracked. But the woman didn't give a damn—she just walked away without a second glance, her heels clacking coldly against the floor.
"You deserve to die!" a young girl, probably a bit older than Luna, maybe nineteen stepped out of the room, mocking her with a twisted smile. "I'm so ashamed of being born in the same womb as you. You disgust me!" she snapped, shoving Luna to the floor and sitting on her like she was trash.
"I didn't do anything wrong!" Luna said bitterly. Her voice shook, not just with pain, but with helpless confusion. She couldn't understand why they treated her like this—what had she done?
A tight slap crashed against her face, knocking her to the ground. Her cheek stung, hot and swollen. Before she could get up, the girl grabbed a pair of scissors and yanked at Luna's hair.
"Noo!!" Ella screamed as she woke up. Her eyes flew open, her chest rising and falling rapidly. With tears in her eyes, she hugged the pillow and stayed like that, frozen in fright. Her whole body trembled as she tried to remind herself it wasn't real—but the fear still clung to her like a shadow.
Emma came back a little later in the evening, exhausted from work. She assumed Luna was already in her room, like always. Luna never appreciated Emma checking on her or coming into her room when she was asleep. So Emma didn't knock. She just sighed and walked past quietly, unaware of the storm that had torn through Luna's world.
She went to her room, freshened up, and then collapsed into bed. It had been a long day for her, too.
Meanwhile, Luna stayed in the same spot, her body stiff with exhaustion. The next morning, Emma headed to the Alpha Mega team to check on the mission the original female lead had planned before Luna's arrival. When she finished, she went to Luna's room and found her coiled up, hugging a pillow.
"Boss?" she called, her voice filled with concern. Although many hated Luna, Emma had always held a soft spot for her, hoping one day she'd change.
"You okay?" she asked as Luna slowly raised her head, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
"I'm cold," she murmured, barely audible.
"Okay, let's get you into the bath," Emma said gently, and Luna nodded weakly.
She helped Luna into the bathroom, where the warmth of the water on her skin offered a small comfort.
"Will you be able to go to work today? The Alpha Mega team is asking for you," Emma informed her.
"Alpha Mega?" Luna asked, confused.
"What do they need me for?" she added, clearly puzzled.
"We need to finalize everything before the attack next week," Emma replied. "Teresa has already picked a date."
"Teresa? Oh… I see." That was when it occurred to her that Alpha Mega Team was one of the mafia empires she owned, and Teresa was the one she had put in charge of it.
"Do I have any events to attend to?" she asked.
"No, boss. Everything is going smoothly in the company," Emma informed.
"Good. Let's go to Teresa then."
They both finished and entered the SUV, driving off. The place they were headed to was still within Luna territory, but it was tucked deep into a forest—so dense and shadowed that it remained dark even in broad daylight.
A mansion stood silently inside. It was a dirty gray, three-story building, made entirely of old brick walls. It looked like something out of a forgotten tale. The air thickened as they approached.
They entered the weird and eerie surroundings. If Luna wasn't currently in Luna's body, she would've jumped in fright—or probably run. A strange chill crept over her, but she kept walking.
They both got down from the car, and Luna could feel the energy pulsing from the building, thick and heavy like a presence. Guards in pure, polished blue surrounded the area, guns hanging steady in their hands.
'What a calculated army,' Luna thought, her gaze sweeping over their stance.
They went inside. All the doors were made of hard iron, clanging shut as the guards opened them one after another. The deeper they went, the more silent it became—like the walls were swallowing every sound. Finally, they reached the last door.
The door cracked open with a screech.
Inside stood a breathtaking beauty with long blonde hair and sky-blue eyes that shimmered with hints of red, reflecting the glow of candlelight scattered around the room. Shadows danced on the walls.
As soon as she saw Luna, the woman immediately stood up.
"Boss, welcome," she bowed with respect.
'Wow,' Luna thought, taken aback by her graceful poise.
"You asked for me?"
"Yes, boss," Teresa replied at once.
"I wanted to confirm that you're giving me the go-ahead with the mission to kill the head of Rlu."
"Kill? No. I've changed my mind. Cancel the mission. Everyone can rest for now—there's no mission."
With that, Luna turned and walked out of the room. She didn't know where she mustered the boldness to say all of that, but it came out strong and sure.
Emma and Luna returned to the SUV and drove straight back to the main mansion.
When they arrived, there wasn't much going on. The halls felt too quiet, too still. Bored and restless, Luna decided to go for a walk to explore the surroundings.
"Boss!"
"I can take care of myself," Luna said. After all, she was the boss here. She walked off, her pace relaxed as she let herself wander freely.
She soon discovered many beautiful spots, quaint shops, cozy food stalls—and treated herself like a carefree kid, buying food and eating as she walked. The simplicity of it made her smile.
She eventually reached a place where lush green pastures stretched endlessly under the open sky. Unable to resist, she threw her body onto the soft grass.
"Feels so good," she mumbled under her breath.
"You're right. It feels great here—and you smell good," someone said beside her.
Her body tensed instantly. She turned her neck slowly, heart racing only to find red eyes staring back at her. Long canines glinted, and sharp nails grazed those canines with an eerie calm.
"Ah!!!!!" she screamed. "This doesn't exist! This doesn't exist!!"
Zeke was shocked to the bone marrow.
"Vampires don't exist!!!" Luna kept screaming, her eyes squeezed shut, hands covering her face in panic.
'No!! This is not the Luna I know!!'