Anabel.

Luna to be?

The words echoed loudly in my head, over and over again, refusing to fade.

No way.

There was absolutely no way I was going to allow that.

I stood frozen by Noah’s door, my chest rising and falling heavily, each breath coming out uneven as if I had just run a long distance. My fingers curled slowly into fists at my sides, the tension building up inside me with every passing second.

I had loved him for as long as I could remember...no, longer than that.So long that I had stopped counting.

So how...

How could he stand there and so easily ask someone else to be his Luna?

My Luna.

The position that was supposed to be mine, we were still engaged.

That fact hadn’t changed.

And whatever was going on between him and Maria, it was supposed to be fake, temporary and just nothing real.

At least, that was what I had told myself.

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to breathe as my thoughts spiraled out of control. I had only come here to invite him... to ask him to join the feast this evening.

That was all.

Well... not entirely.

One of the reasons I wanted Maria there was to show Noah that I had changed, that I wasn’t the same person he once knew.

That I could be better.

That I deserved him.

And the other reason...

I exhaled shakily, quickly brushing away the tears that threatened to spill over my cheeks before they could fall.

No.

I wasn’t going to cry.

Not over this.

Not over her.

My jaw tightened as I clenched my fists even harder, my nails digging slightly into my palms.

"No matter what," I muttered under my breath, my voice low but firm, laced with a cold resolve I hadn’t felt in a long time, "I won’t let Maria take what’s mine."

Without giving myself another second to hesitate, I pushed the door open and then...I froze completely.

The sight before me hit harder than anything I had imagined.

Noah...He was kissing her and damn, it wasn’t just a simple kiss.

No.

He was completely lost in it, like nothing else in the world mattered, like he was pouring every unspoken word, every emotion he had been holding back into that single moment. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

It was intense and so real.

And the worst part?

He didn’t even notice me.

Not at first.

My chest tightened painfully, something sharp twisting inside me as I stood there, watching a moment I knew I wasn’t meant to see.

But I couldn’t just stand there.

I couldn’t.

"Noah!" I called out, my voice slightly raised, though I tried, desperately to keep it steady, to hide the jealousy clawing its way up my throat.

He didn’t stop immediately, and he didn’t even look at me, but when he finally spoke...it was harsh.

"Get out." Noah thundered, as his words were cold, sharp and dismissive and worst of all he still didn’t spare me a glance.

And that—That hurt more than anything else—more than the kiss, more than the words he had said to her.

It felt like I didn’t even exist.

And that pain?

It cut deeper than I was ready to admit.

I took an involuntary step backward, my body reacting before my mind could catch up. My hands trembled slightly at my sides, and I quickly clasped them together, trying to steady myself.

Trying to hide it.

The tears that threatened to fall burned behind my eyes, but I forced them back, biting down hard on my lower lip to keep myself composed.

I wouldn’t cry.

Not here.

Not in front of them.

"Easy, Noah..." I said, my voice coming out softer than I intended, laced with a nervous edge I couldn’t quite mask. I swallowed hard before continuing. "I’m sorry to have barged into the room, but I wanted to invite you to a gathering."

I paused briefly, forcing the words out despite how heavy they felt.

"And... Maria is also attending."

For a moment, there was silence.

Then Noah let out a small chuckle, running a hand through his hair in clear frustration. The sound wasn’t amused, it was sharp, dismissive.

"We aren’t coming," he said flatly.

My heart clenched.

He took a step closer to me, his presence suddenly overwhelming, his words carrying more weight than they should have.

"We have more important things to do, alright?"

Each word felt deliberate and final.

He stepped back again, putting distance between us as if I didn’t even deserve to stand close to him.

"Now leave."

That was it, no hesitation, no softness, just a cold dismissal.

It felt like my heart was being torn apart piece by piece with every word he spoke. The ache spread through my chest, sharp and unbearable, but I refused to let it show.

There was no way—I would let her win.

Without another word, I turned and stepped out of the room immediately, the door closing behind me with a quiet click and the moment I was out...I broke.

The tears I had been holding back spilled over instantly, blurring my vision as I hurried down the corridor. My steps were uneven, rushed, as if I was trying to escape the pain chasing after me.

I didn’t stop until I reached my room.

I pushed the door open and rushed inside, shutting it behind me before collapsing onto the bed. My body shook slightly as the tears kept falling, my breathing uneven as everything I had been holding in came crashing down at once.

My vision blurred completely, the room around me fading into nothing but streaks of color.

It hurt more than I wanted to admit.

But then, something stirred within me.

A thought.

An idea.

Suddenly, everything became clearer.

Slowly, the tears began to subside, replaced by something colder... something sharper.

I sat up, wiping my face quickly, my breathing steadying as that idea took shape in my mind.

If I couldn’t win this alone...then I wouldn’t. I didn’t mind reaching out, even if it meant contacting someone I considered a rival... an enemy.

Because sometimes, to defeat a stronger foe...You needed something just as dangerous.

I reached for a brush, my fingers no longer trembling as I pulled a blank sheet of paper toward me. Without hesitation, I inscribed the words carefully, each stroke deliberate.

Precise.

Once I was done, I folded it neatly and sealed it, making sure it was secure before attaching it to the pigeon waiting by the window.

For a brief second, I held it there.

Then I let it go.

Watching as it flew off into the distance.

A slow, dangerous smile spread across my lips.

"Maria..." I whispered under my breath. "Just you wait."