Chasing His Betrayed Luna by KiKi Jones

81. A Filthy Prisoner

AURELIA

My curiosity hung in the air as I let my legs carry me towards the voice. With every step I took, my broken heart fell piece by piece. With every cell I looked into, I hurled, the foul smell irritating me. "How heartless is she really? She clearly had people locked in here." Inara heaved without hiding her disgust.

In spite of her words, my wolf's curiosity coursed through me and it only intensified when the same soft whimper reached my ears again, "I can smell y-you. It's really you..."

Strangely, a tiny part of me seemed to recognize that voice. The feminine ring sounded familiar but I couldn't place my finger on it.

"Who're you?" I questioned, taking cautious steps as the space became darker.

As my voice echoed, sending waves back to my eardrums, there came no response from the oddly familiar voice but to my surprise, another voice, not a familiar one, cried out, "Please let me out. Please."

I inhaled sharply, ignoring the foul smell around me. Inara's sense of smell also picked up the undying scent of people before their voices resonated, leaving me shocked.

"Please let me go..."

"I won't tell a soul if you let me out..."

"W-water... I'm thirsty."

Those cries overlapped and I couldn't point out just how many people were locked up. The loudness made me wonder how no one had ever found this horrible place. If I was sad before walking into Larisa's underground prison, my sorrows tripled, and the hate I felt towards that heartless wrench multiplied.

I halted, stopping in front of the first cell with an occupant. A teenage girl. She scooted closer to the metallic door of the cell but distanced herself from it, making me realize that the cell was laced with silver.

young face was pale and her eyes pleading, "You aren't her. Please release me. I've to be

emotional chaos and asked, "What's your name? Who

name is Maya. My mom is the head of servant." The teenage girl cried, putting effort

I gasped, putting my hands on the locks without thinking of how Maya would react to me

she muttered breathlessly, "Yes. Please save me from the Luna. She has

your breath," I uttered gently, offering her a smile as I broke the lock. "I can see you're tired but I need you to help

and that made me realize

of my concerns as I set those people free. "Thank you." I heard those two words repeatedly as I

until released

I found the owner of the familiar voice I heard earlier. Her tangled gray hair caught my eyes first and when she etched, "You made it her, Aurelia,"

proved to be difficult and my grip on the door loosened when she raised her head, revealing the face behind her overflowing hair.

with nothing but sadness in her eyes. "I never thought I'd see you again

and I ended and quickly broke the lock, rushing into the cell. "How... How did this happen?"

to have black hair and the

mother to Raiden Flockhart... How on earth did Larisa turn her into

to discuss how I was once a respected Luna

get you out of here," I stated and tried to help her up but her legs

"I thought my son would be the one to save us from here. His father and I have been

I

was here," Iris answered sadly. "And what's left of his body

gone... just

a family even when I was married to Raiden