Chapter 8: Rising From the Flames
Chapter 8: Rising From the Flames
(Samantha’s POV)
The helicopter hovered above Hong Harbor, giving us a breathtaking view of the city below. Suddenly, the night sky
erupted in a brilliant display of lights forming the unmistakable shape of a phoenix rising from flames.
“It’s beautiful,” I whispered, mesmerized by the spectacle.
Hector’s voice came from behind me, low and resonant. “The phoenix rises from its own ashes, stronger than before.”
I turned slightly to look at him. His face was illuminated by the colorful lights, his expression thoughtful.
“Just like you could,” he added, his dark eyes meeting mine. “Your healing abilities were extraordinary, Samantha. They
still could be.”
His words touched something deep inside me, awakening memories I’d tried to bury.
“I used to dream of healing the entire pack,” I admitted. “Before everything changed.”
“What stopped you?” Hector asked, his breath warm against my ear.
I gripped the edge of my seat, suddenly overwhelmed by emotions I’d suppressed for years.
“Ethan happened,” I said. “He wanted me to focus on being his Luna, on giving him an heir.”
Hector remained silent, but I felt his steady presence behind me, waiting for me to continue.
“I remember a younger Ethan,” I said softly. “His face was so earnest in the moonlight as we sat on the roof of our first
small apartment.”
The memory was vivid, almost painful in its clarity.
“One day,” he had promised, taking my hands in his, “I’ll give you everything. A better life than this. You’ll never have to
worry about anything again.”
We’d been struggling then–a young Alpha pair building our pack from nothing, working endless hours to establish our
territory.
“I believed him completely,” I said. “I trusted in his vision for our future.”
The phoenix in the sky spread its wings wider, flames trailing behind it like a comet’s tail.
“And he delivered, didn’t he?” Hector asked, his tone neutral.
“Yes. We have wealth, status, a powerful pack.” I turned to face him fully. “Yet somehow, in gaining everything, I lost
myself.”
Hector’s eyes reflected the fiery phoenix. “That’s the tragedy of many Luna wolves. They forget who they were before they
became someone’s mate.”
His words struck me like a physical blow. He was right.
“I want to heal again,” I said, my voice stronger now. “I want to use my gifts.”
Hector nodded, a subtle movement that somehow felt like a pledge. “I’ll help you.”
The phoenix in the sky reached its zenith, wings spread wide in triumphant rebirth. Something shifted inside me, a resolve hardening like steel.
1/4
< Chapter 8 Rising From the FI
“Ethan won’t like it,” I said, surprising myself with how little that mattered now.
“Does that concern you?” Hector asked directly.
+16 Puntos)
I watched the phoenix begin to fade, its fiery form dissolving into sparks that drifted down over the city like golden snow.
“No,” I said firmly. “Not anymore.”
I knew then what I had to do. My relationship with Ethan was over–not just because of Rebecca, but because his love had become a gilded cage.
“Thank you,” I said to Hector, my voice stronger than it had been in years.
“For what?” he asked, genuinely curious.
“For reminding me who I am.”
That night, my dreams were filled with Ethan. Not the cold, distant man he’d become, but the passionate young Alpha who had pursued me relentlessly.
“Be mine,” dream–Ethan pleaded, his eyes burning with intensity. “Let me love you, Samantha.”
I tried to back away, but his arms encircled me, holding me close.
“I can’t live without you,” he whispered fiercely. “I won’t.”
The dream shifted, years passing in moments.
“Give me an heir,” he demanded, his voice harder now. “Make our pack strong.”
I saw myself wilting under his demands, becoming smaller, dimmer.
Another shift, and he was holding me possessively, his grip almost painful.
“No one will ever love you like I do,” he growled. “No one will ever want you like I do. No one.”
His grip tightened until I couldn’t breathe.
I woke with a gasp, my heart pounding. Sweat beaded on my forehead despite the cool room.
Sunlight streamed through the hotel window, revealing a new day. I pressed my hands to my face, trying to calm my racing
heart.
The clarity I’d felt last night remained, stronger in the light of morning.
It was time to go back to the Northern Territories. Not to reconcile with Ethan, but to end things properly and begin my
new path.
I showered quickly, letting the hot water wash away the lingering unease from my dreams. As I dressed, I felt a strange sense of lightness, as if I’d shed a weight I hadn’t realized I was carrying.
After packing my few belongings, I checked out of SilverCrest Hotel. The receptionist smiled warmly.
“Did you enjoy your stay, Ms. Reed?”
“More than I expected,” I replied honestly.
Outside, a sleek black car waited at the curb. William Pierce, Hector’s assistant, stood beside it, his posture formal and
correct.
“Luna Reed,” he said with a respectful nod. “Alpha Grayson asked me to drive you to the airport.”
“That’s very kind, but unnecessary,” I replied, surprised by the gesture.
2
< Chapter 8 Rising From the FI
“He insisted,” William said, opening the rear door.
+15 Puntos
I hesitated for just a moment before sliding into the backseat, only to find myself half–sitting on someone’s lap. Strong hands steadied me as I gasped in surprise.
“Careful,” Hector’s deep voice rumbled in my ear.
I scrambled to the side, mortified. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you.”
Hector’s lips quirked in what might have been amusement. “Clearly.”
Heat rushed to my face as I settled into the seat properly, keeping a careful distance between us.
The car pulled away from the curb, heading toward Moonlight International Airport. Hector’s cologne filled the space between us–sandalwood and something uniquely him..
“I was about to text you,” I said, pulling out my phone to show him the half–composed message.
“What were you going to say?” he asked, his gaze steady on my face.
“Just… thank you. For your hospitality and for introducing me to your aunt.”
He nodded, his expression thoughtful. “You’ve changed, Samantha Reed.”
“Have I?”
“The healer I knew three years ago wouldn’t have hesitated to speak her mind.” His eyes held mine. “She was fierce in her
convictions.”
I looked out the window at the passing city, watching buildings blur into streaks of color.
“People change,” I said softly.
“Yes,” he agreed. “They do. Sometimes for the better.”
The implication hung in the air between us.
“Will you continue your healing work?” he asked after a moment.
“Yes,” I said without hesitation. “It’s time I reclaimed that part of myself.”
“Good.” The single word carried approval and something else I couldn’t quite identify.
in comfortable silence until the airport came into view, its modern architecture gleaming in the morning sun.
departure terminal, I turned to him one last time. “Thank you, Hector. For everything.”
We’ll meet again soon,” he said, his voice carrying absolute certainty. “For our healing project.”
I nodded, a smile forming on my lips. “I’d like that.”
As the plane carried me back to the Northern Territories, I found myself thinking not about Ethan’s betrayal, but about the life I wanted to build. The healing career I would reclaim. The strength I would find in myself, not in a relationship.
The problems between Ethan and me went deeper than Rebecca’s pregnancy. Our relationship had become unbalanced, with my needs and dreams sacrificed for his vision of our life together.
No more.
I watched clouds drift past my window, feeling strangely peaceful despite the confrontation I knew awaited me.
Hours later, Moonlight International Airport buzzed with activity as I disembarked. I’d worn sunglasses and wrapped a scarf around my hair, hoping to avoid recognition.
3/4
< Chapter 8 Rising From the Fl
*15 Puntos >
The last thing I wanted was for pack gossip to alert Ethan to my return before I was ready to face him.
I made my way through the crowded terminal, keeping my head down. Just a few more minutes and I’d be in a taxi,
heading to the SilverCrest branch in the Northern Territories.
“Samantha.”
His voice cut through the airport noise like a blade. I froze, my heart suddenly pounding in my chest.
I turned slowly to find Ethan standing a few feet away, a bouquet of rare Moonbloom roses in his hands. Their petals glowed faintly in the airport lights, their scent intoxicating.
“Ethan,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt.
He closed the distance between us in two long strides, pulling me into an embrace that felt both familiar and strange.
“Thank God you’re back,” he murmured against my hair. “I was worried sick.”
I stood stiffly in his arms, not returning the embrace. After a moment, he pulled back, studying my face.
“Are you alright?” he asked, concern evident in his voice. “Where did you go?”
Before I could answer, his nostrils flared slightly. His eyes darkened as he detected the faint trace of another man’s
cologne on me–Hector’s distinctive sandalwood scent.
His expression changed instantly, warmth replaced by suspicion.
“Who did you meet in the Eastern Territories?” he asked, his voice dangerously soft.
His demeanor changed instantly, suspicion clouding his eyes as he wondered which man his wife had met in the Eastern
Territories.
