The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert

Chapter 53 

The bears looked at Savannah‘as if she had committed a grave sin. Which she probably had by their standards. One of the people who greeted them rushed to Bjorn‘s side and started wiping him clean with his own cloak, his eyes flickering with terror at the same time. 

That made Savannah smile weakly. If she could do it again now, she‘d aim better. 

Two warriors that arrived with them were already at her side, undoing her chains and pulling her off the huge white bear. She had no strength left in her at this point, and her limp, exhausted body fell right into someone‘s hands. To her surprise, it was none other than Bjorn himself, who had already managed to shift back to his human form and was now watching her with a mix of concern and anger on his face. It was hard to tell, especially since his white hair was covering half of his face. 

“Excuse my Queen,” he chuckled loudly. “It has been a long journey, she is too tired and needs some rest!” 

Everyone around them made sure they nodded or made some kind of noise of approval. It was clear as day they all feared Bjorn and didn‘t want to risk seeing his wrath. 

“My King,” one of the men approached him boldly, “considering the scale of your current victory, it would be wise to give a speech to your loyal subjects now.” 

Bjorn looked at the woman in his arms, knowing Savannah was in no state to even stand by his side at the moment. This wasn‘t how he planned it, how he envisioned it, but he had to roll with it now and make the best out of the situation. At least, it had all been done, and she was rightfully his now. He could deal with the rest of it all later. 

“Take her to my room,” he carefully handed his prized war trophy to his trusted Delta, and a growl escaped him when she frowned upon hearing his instruction. She was fighting to keep her eyelids open but lost this battle just as she lost the war. He watched the Delta disappear into the main entrance of the castle, knowing that Savannah would never be able to escape this place. She would get used to the new reality sooner or later. She would have to. 

*** 

Savannah had the worst dream. She dreamt of her whole family being killed on the day that was supposed to be her happiest. She dreamt of Kai dying in her arms and of their common enemy taking her away in chains. 

It was just a dream. Nothing else. A dream, dream, dream... 

Two strong hands wrapped tighter around her, and she let out a sigh of relief because this was exactly how she and Kai had been waking up for the past few days. Tangled together and enjoying each other‘s scents. 

Only that today something felt off, and Savvy couldn‘t tell at first what it was. 

in a spasm that followed. Savannah clamped onto the grey satin sheets in an attempt to reach the edge of the bed. She knew she wouldn‘t make it further than that. The hands around her unwrapped, letting go of her, and the next thing she knew, he held her hair as she threw up on the stone floor, the acid burning her throat. He caressed her back as she kept vomiting, and at some point, she felt him placing a kiss on her shoulder, which sent a shiver down her spine and didn‘t help

side. She tried

inside of a castle, only that this time it wasn‘t Kai‘s. The stones used to build this one were different, darker and not properly polished. The wood of the doors was almost black.

pants. She quickly checked what she had on and was relieved to find out it

were we together in

rubbed his forehead as if he was exhausted too, then stood up and strode towards her, which only made her crawl back to the wall. “You will

I decline this generous offer?” Savvy scoffed, barely holding herself back from charging at him. Only that she knew that it would be

and lifted her from the ground in one swift move as if she weighed nothing, taking her back to the bed. The minty scent intensified, and she just

her. “Stop what?” He taunted, thinking that it was

she couldn’t stand it anymore. However,

hand over her hair, but she slapped it away. He growled as a warning but didn‘t do

a good idea when I recover from our breaking bond?”

to caress her again, but stopped at the last moment. “I am not a complete monster, you know. I want you to get better

can parade me as your trophy

her. His usual black eye patch was missing. “Why is it a

will always hate you, and to be honest, you can kill me now too. I will never be your Luna,

this to her or to himself. “Once the bond is finally severed, and you heal, it will–” Bjorn stopped talking, and Savannah flinched.

my best to kill you!” she promised, gritting her

bear took the cover and pulled it over Savannah‘s legs, shocking her with all this. “As I have said, when

The moment she closed her eyes she was back to where she really belonged – in the real North and with Kai. Now that Zack was dead, they finally had their chance to find out if they were second–chance mates. It could have been her wishful

bond with Zack was gone, a new one would form with the

opened wide, and she tried to sit up, although it

changed to a much darker one. He knew she had figured him