Falling For The Demon Wolf-Chapter 30: In Three Nights

I woke up in the morning prepared to serve Zain his breakfast as usual—pretending the rogue attack hadn’t happened, pretending I hadn’t discovered a secret about myself that made my entire existence feel like a lie.

Instead, I moved like nothing was different. I straightened my clothes, tied my hair up, I stood in the mirror for more than a minute then headed down to the kitchen, hoping I wasn’t late.

"You won’t be serving him this morning, human. He’s already gone," Isla snorted without looking at me, biting into an apple as she leaned against the counter like she owned the place.

I paused. "Gone?"

"Yes gone," she added with a slight arch of her brow, as if I were particularly dense for not knowing. "Now scurry out of here and be useful. Try not to annoy the cubs, they’ll most likely bite"

I didn’t reply. Just grabbed the tray I’d started assembling—bread, cured meats, fresh fruit—and turned away, trying to hide my frustration.

"What in the moon’s name are you doing?Don’t waste your time," she added. "They won’t let you in."

But I was already halfway out the door.

I wasn’t going to sit around and wait. Not when I knew something bigger was happening.

Yet, just as I rounded the corner, the tray warm in my hands, someone stepped into my path.

A wolf, probably Zain’s gamma, I’ve seen him around occasionally but never got his name.

with sharp eyes and a silver streak through his hair. He didn’t even glance at the food. He just took the tray from me without a word.

"I’ll take it from here," he said coolly.

I hesitated. "I was told to bring it—"

"And now you’re being told not to." He turned and walked off, the tray balanced easily in his hand.

I stood there a moment, frustration bubbling under my skin. Then I turned and walked the opposite way, needing air, needing space—needing to feel like I had even a *sliver* of control left.

The sky was already bruising purple when I stepped out into the courtyard, the moon just a sliver overhead—but its pull was stronger than ever. There was a tension in the air, thick as smoke, and it wasn’t just in my chest.

"There you are." Inara’s bubbly voice caught up with me.

"What is going on? Why does every seem so.....busy?" I asked, giving her a small smile.

"They’re getting ready," Inara said softly beside me, her eyes fixed on the distant gates. "The cast-outs always go first. Like they’re expendable."

I glanced at her. " Goes where? You mean they’re sent out... of the pack?"

She nodded, face unreadable. "Zain claims it’s to protect the pack. Says their minds are too far gone to be trusted when the moon is full. But everyone knows the truth."

"What truth?"

"They hunt humans."

The words hit me like a bucket of ice water.

Hunt humans.

That explains the rapid increase in the missing peoples report, and why father never went hunting during those nights.

"They don’t call it that, of course," she continued, lowering her voice as a pair of guards passed. "They say it’s ’cleansing’ or ’feeding instincts.’ But it’s still murder."

I turned away, bile rising in my throat. "You mean...your kind hunts us? And no one stops it?"

" You think only humans hunts?" She rolled her eyes at me.

"the feeling of hate is mutual so it’s only normal that we reciprocate and yes No one can stop it. Not unless you want to end up cast out yourself." 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

I could barely speak. My thoughts spiraled—back to the mark on my shoulder, to the way my blood surged during the rogue attack, and to what I’d overheard by the council room door.

"What happens if they don’t go?" I asked quietly.

Inara looked like she didn’t want to answer. "They lose control. Hurt someone here. Or worse."

A sudden snarl echoed across the courtyard, followed by a sickening tear of flesh. A group of guards wrestled a cast-out wolf to the ground—his eyes wild, his body twitching.

"He shifted too early," one of them muttered.

"The moon isn’t even up yet," another growled.

"Put him down. Alpha’s orders."

I stared, heart pounding, as they dragged him toward the forest. No one stopped them. No one even blinked.

"How long until the moon is full?" I whispered.

Inara’s gaze drifted to the sky. "Three nights."

Three nights until that madness consumed them all.

Until it consumed me.

"And after the hunt?" I whispered, hoping that the answer wasn’t what I thought.

"The humans who resist are torn apart while others are brought here as prisoners."

"And let me guess, who ever brings my father dead or alive will be rewarded,"

Looking at me with a sad eyes, Inara nodded.

I hand to warn them.

My sisters, my mother even my father even though I cared less about his safety.

They cannot under any circumstances, come out of the house during the full moon, at least the wolfsbane will keep this animals away from the house

Later that evening, I sat in the servant’s quarters, scrubbing furiously at the dried blood from watching the butchers on my sleeve. It clung like guilt, no matter how hard I scrubbed.

"You missed a spot."

I jerked my head up. Cian stood in the doorway, arms folded, wearing a look somewhere between amusement and irritation.

"You again?" I muttered. "Shouldn’t you be off doing... Beta things?"

"I should," he said, stepping inside. "But then I saw someone skulking near the council chamber earlier. Someone who’s not exactly supposed to be near there."

"I was passing by."

He let out a dark laugh. "Right. And I’m a monk."

I rolled my eyes and went back to scrubbing.

"What are you going to do? Tun and tell your alpha??"

"That depends," he said, crouching beside me. "What exactly did you hear?"

I didn’t answer.

"That much, huh?" His gaze sharpened. "Look, Violet... whatever you think is going on—it’s worse. The mark on your shoulder? It’s not just some family heirloom. It’s a signature."

My throat tightened. "Then why am I still alive?"

Cian’s smile faded. "Because Zain’s not sure if he should kill you... or keep you."

My stomach twisted.

"You should’ve never come here," he added. "You’re waking things up. In him. In the pack. And maybe even in yourself."

I met his eyes. "I didn’t want to come here, nor did I have a choice in the matter"

"No," he said softly. "But you didn’t run, either."

"Seem like you forgot already that I did try to leave." I muttered staring down at the bloodstain.

Three nights.

Three nights until the full moon.

And I had no idea if I’d survive it.

The halls were quieter at night—too quiet.

The usual murmurs and footsteps faded into an eerie stillness, like the entire pack was holding its breath. I lay on my cot in the servant’s quarters, staring at the ceiling, the words from earlier looping in my mind.

He’s not sure if he should kill you... or keep you.

Cian’s voice still echoed in my ears. That look in his eyes—somewhere between pity and warning—unnerved me more than the rogue attack ever did.

I turned over, trying to shake it off, but sleep refused to come.

My shoulder burned.

It had been happening since the encounter with the rogues on our way here— at first it was just a light itch, now it’s whispers of heat pulsing from beneath the skin. But tonight, it was different.

Sharper.

Like something inside me was being pulled to the surface.

I sat up and peeled back my sleeve.

It stang.

"Ahh" I hissed

The mark shimmered faintly, as if reacting to the sliver of moonlight slipping through the window.

Or maybe it was just me seeing things.

It pulsed once.

Twice.

And then I heard it.

A sound that didn’t belong in the stillness.

Soft. Wet. Ragged breathing.

I was up in an instant, creeping toward the hallway, barefoot and quiet.

As I turned the corner near the outer gate, I saw her—one of the cast-out wolves—dragging herself across the stone path, blood streaking her side.

Her eyes were glowing, feral and glazed, but not entirely gone.

She was trying to reach something. Or someone.

"Inara!" I hissed, spotting the other girl emerging from the shadows nearby.

She moved quickly, kneeling beside the injured wolf and pressing a hand to her wound.

"She’s not supposed to be here," Inara whispered, frantic. "They already took her out for the hunt. She must’ve escaped."

"Escaped? How?" I knelt beside her. "She’s dying."

"She didn’t make it to the humans," Inara said grimly. "She resisted. Probably tried to come back. That’s why she’s like this."

My chest ached as I looked at the wolf girl again. Her breathing slowed, and then—

Nothing.

Just silence.

Inara closed the girl’s eyes with trembling hands.

"What was her name?" I asked.

"Amira," she whispered. "She was my friend... before she was cast out."

I didn’t know what to say. So I said nothing at all.