Chapter 15: Chapter 15: Friend or Foe

As Luna ran, her mind raced with thoughts of the council's decision and the repercussions it would have on her pack. She knew she couldn't stay, not with the weight of their disapproval bearing down on her.

But where could she go? She didn't have a plan, she didn't even have a destination in mind. All she knew was that she had to keep moving, to put as much distance between herself and the pack as possible.

She fished her phone out of her pocket and considered calling her best friend, Rachel. But what would she say? How could she explain what had happened? Luna didn't want to burden her friend with her problems.

Just then, she heard a familiar voice calling out to her. "Luna! Wait up!"

It was Jacob, one of the few members of the pack she trusted. He caught up to her and fell into step beside her. "Where are you going?" he asked, concern etched on his face.

"I don't know," Luna admitted. "I just need to get away. They've made it clear that I'm not welcomed. It won't be long before they start hunting me down as an accomplice to Damian."

Jacob nodded understandingly. "Okay, but you can't just run off into the forest without a plan. Let me help you."

Luna hesitated, but she knew he was right. She shouldn't just run off, at least not without a plan. "Okay," she said with concern itched on her face. "But you'd be labelled a traitor too."

Jacob reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of car keys. "I've got an idea," he said with a small smile. "Old Castle."

Luna's heart lifted at the mention of Old Castle. She nodded, understanding that Jacob was being cautious in case anyone was listening in.. "Old Castle," she repeated, recognizing the code name for a secluded spot deep in the forest where they used to meet.

She took the keys from Jacob and made her way to the car. As she drove, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She had never gone against the council before, and she knew the consequences of her actions would be severe.

Old Castle was a small clearing deep in the forest. It was a place they had used as a sanctuary in the past, a place where they could escape the pressures of pack life and just be themselves, the place where Jacob had kissed her.

As she waited for Jacob to arrive, Luna tried to calm her racing thoughts. She checked her phone, but there were no messages from anyone, not like she was really expecting any.

She decided to call Rachel, her best friend, and confidant, hoping to find solace in her words.

"Hey, Rachel," Luna said, her voice shaking a little. "I need to talk to you."

"Luna, what's going on?" Rachel's concerned voice echoed through the phone.

"My pack found out about Damian and me," Luna said, her voice barely above a whisper. "They don't approve, and I'm being labelled a traitor."

"What? How did they find out?" Rachel exclaimed, her tone laced with worry.

"I don't know." Luna replied, her eyes scanning the dense forest for any sign of danger.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, and then Rachel spoke again. "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know Rachel, honestly I don't know." Luna's tiredness and frustration were gradually becoming visible.

"You know my doors are always open if you need a place to crash." Rachel said, trying to comfort her friend.

As Luna was about to continue her conversation, she heard a rustling sound in the distance. Her heart began to race as she whispered to Rachel to hold on.

Luna turned to see Jacob's SUV pulling up to the clearing, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Jacob got out of the car, and Luna rushed towards him, hoping to get out of the open as quickly as possible.

"Hey, Luna, I brought some supplies," Jacob said as he handed her a bag.

Luna opened the trunk of Jacob's car, the one she came in to stash the bag.

"Are you going to be okay on your own?" Jacob asked, walking closely behind her to assist her.

Luna nodded her head, before she could react, Jacob had injected her with a sedative. She was able to react quickly before Jacob could inject the full dose, the syringe hitting the ground with a soft thud.

Luna could feel the effects of the drug taking hold, but she fought against it with all her might.

"What the hell, Jacob? Why did you do that?" Luna asked, her heart racing with anger and confusion.

"I'm only looking out for you," Jacob replied, his expression a mix of concern and fear.

As Luna stumbled away from him, she saw werewolves emerging from the forest in every direction, their eyes glowing with a fierce intensity.

Luna realized with horror that Jacob had betrayed her and led her right into a trap.

Luna's survival instincts kicked in, and she ran as fast as she could into the dense forest, with the pack hot on her heels.

She could hear their growls and howls echoing through the forest, and she knew that her only chance of survival was to keep running.

As she ran, the forest began to blur around her, and the sounds of the pursuing pack faded away.

Luna realized with a jolt that she had transformed into her wolf form, and she howled with exhilaration and fear.

She ran deep into the forest, trying to put as much distance as possible between herself and her pursuers.

As she ran, Luna tried to focus on her bond with Damian. It was the only thing that was keeping her going. She had to find him, to be with him, no matter what it took. She couldn't let the council tear them apart.