Page 28 of The Blood Moon Hunt

“Enough,” my father’s voice booms, cutting through the haze of pain and humiliation. His footsteps echo in the silence as he strides toward me, his presence suffocating. He stops a few paces away, his expression unreadable as he looks down at me.

“You’ve proven what I already knew, Lucien,” he says, his voice cold and final. “Power without control is worthless.”

The words hang in the air, heavy and unforgiving. I feel them sink into my chest, each syllable a dagger twisting deeper. My breath catches, the sting of his judgment cutting through the exhaustion. I force myself to my knees, my head bowed, my fists clenched against the cold stone.

“I can do better,” I manage, my voice raw and trembling. “Give me another chance.”

My father’s eyes narrow, his gaze sharp as a blade. “Another chance?” He steps closer, his shadow falling over me. “How many chances have I given you, Lucien? How many times have you let your emotions control you? You are reckless, unpredictable, a danger to yourself and to this family.”

I flinch at his words, the shame and anger warring inside me. I glance at my mother, hoping for some sign of support, but she doesn’t move. Her hands remain folded in her lap, her eyes fixed on the floor. Even Elias doesn’t gloat—he simply watches, his expression unreadable.

“Go,” my father says, his voice colder than I’ve ever heard it. “Until you learn to master your power, you are not welcome here. Out there”—he gestures toward the arched doors behind me—“is where you’ll find your answers. Not here.”

The finality in his tone leaves no room for argument. My chest tightens, the weight of his words pressing down on me like a crushing force. I stagger to my feet, the trembling in my limbs barely concealed. My eyes burn with unshed tears, but I refuse to let them fall. Not here. Not in front of him.

Without another word, I turn and walk toward the doors. Each step feels heavier than the last, the silence behind me deafening. As I push the doors open and step into the cold night air, the fire inside me flares again—not with rage, but with resolve.

I will prove him wrong. I will become stronger, more powerful, more controlled than he could ever imagine. And when I return, he’ll see the truth.

I’ll show them all.

The nightI leave the estate, the fire inside me is a raging inferno, fueled by shame, anger, and something I can’t quite name. I walk for hours, past the sprawling grounds of my family’s land and into the dense woods beyond. The cold night air does nothing to quiet the heat inside me.

For weeks, I wander, surviving on scraps and sleeping under the stars. I try to harness the fire, to mold it into something controlled, but it refuses to obey. The harder I push, the more unpredictable it becomes. It flares to life at the worst times, scorching everything in its path. A cart. A barn. A tree that blazed so high it lit up the night sky.

People begin to whisper.He’s cursed.Unstable.Dangerous.They aren’t wrong.

It’sduring one of those restless nights that the invitation comes.

I’m sitting by a dying fire in the ruins of an old chapel, the air thick with ash and regret. The firelight flickers against the broken stone walls, casting shadows that seem to mock me. The hunger in my chest is insatiable—not for food, but for release. The fire inside me crackles, restless and untamed, demanding to be set free.

“Lucien Devereaux.”

The voice pulls me from my thoughts. I look up to see a man standing in the doorway, his figure cloaked in shadow. His face is hidden beneath a hood, but there’s something about the way he stands—calm, commanding—that sets my nerves on edge.

“What do you want?” I ask, my voice sharp. I’m used to people avoiding me, not seeking me out.

The man steps closer, the faint glow of the firelight catching the edges of his robe. “Not what I want,” he says smoothly. “What I can offer.”

I frown, the fire inside me flaring at the edge of his words. “I’m not interested in whatever you’re selling.”

He chuckles, the sound low and knowing. “I’m not selling anything, Lucien. I’m offering you a chance to embrace what you are. To stop fighting your nature and let the fire burn.”

His words strike something deep inside me. “What are you talking about?”

He tilts his head. “The Hunt,” he says simply. “A tradition among the strongest of us. A place where power doesn’t need to be controlled, only unleashed.”

Unleashed. The word hums in my chest, setting my fire alight. For years, I’ve been running from it, trying to suppress it, and here’s someone telling me I don’t have to. That I can let it out. That I canbe.

“What’s the catch?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.

The man’s lips curve into a faint smile. “No catch. Just a chance to prove that chaos is just as powerful as control. Think of it as... a release.”

The first Hunt is intoxicating.The rules are simple: chase, capture, claim. I don’t have to hold back. I don’t have to worry about collateral damage or the judgment of others. Here, my chaos is an advantage. My fire burns brighter than ever, consuming everything in its path.

And yet... it’s not enough. No matter how many times I win, no matter how many others fall before me, the fire never quiets. It’s never satisfied.

Every year, I return to the Hunt, hoping this time will be different. That this time, I’ll find the release I’ve been chasing. But the fire stays. The chaos stays. And the voice stays:Power without control is worthless.

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