The Silent Luna's Trial (Maple and Finn) novel Chapter 6

This wasn’t the first time Bruno had crossed a line that should never have been approached. His reputation was stained with countless dark deeds, especially his disturbing preference for much younger girls within the pack. Barely stepping into adulthood himself, he had already entangled himself with nearly every young she-wolf in their community, leaving a trail of broken trust and silence behind him.

The more he indulged in these reckless pursuits, the more his boredom deepened, twisting his actions into something even more dangerous. That fateful night, fueled by alcohol and a reckless bravado, Bruno decided to follow his sister into the dense woods. He had noticed me, Finn, and Hazel gathering near our tent on previous occasions, but he had never dared to join us—until now.

Hazel had retreated into the woods alone that evening, after a heated argument with a close friend. She needed solitude to steady her racing thoughts and calm her stormy emotions. Never in her worst nightmares did she imagine she would encounter Bruno there.

At first, the soft rustling of leaves made her tense, her heart pounding in her chest. But when she recognized the figure standing outside the tent as her adoptive brother, a flicker of relief washed over her. That relief was cruelly short-lived. In the blink of an eye, Bruno’s hands tore through her clothing with brutal force.

“No, there weren’t any cameras there,” Bruno stammered nervously in the recording later uncovered. “That place didn’t have any surveillance.”

“Let’s hope not…” muttered Alpha Rex, his voice thick with a dark, foreboding tone.

Suddenly, a sharp knock echoed on the door, breaking the tension. Both men turned abruptly toward the sound. Seizing the moment, I bolted, sprinting toward a nearby storage room, heart hammering in my chest. Alpha Rex and Bruno began a frantic search, their footsteps heavy as they scoured every corner.

When they flung open the storage room door, I was curled up beneath the bed, trembling uncontrollably, pressing my hand over my mouth to stifle any sound. They tore through the curtains, rummaged through cabinets, and just as they were about to peer beneath the bed, the dogs outside erupted into wild barking.

Alpha Rex and Bruno dashed downstairs, leaving me to slip out quietly and hide inside a wardrobe. When they returned, they failed to find me.

That night, I had ventured to the pack house in desperate search of Hazel. I remained concealed in that cramped closet for what felt like an eternity before summoning the courage to emerge. My legs shook violently, barely able to support me as I stood. I didn’t linger—I fled straight back to my room.

The maids were busy preparing dinner when I slipped away, ensuring no one noticed my comings or goings. I avoided every soul, haunted by the image of the man’s back in the forest—I hadn’t seen Hazel herself. Nor had I found her necklace. With a heavy heart, I returned home.

Guilt gnawed at me relentlessly. If only I had pushed a little further, maybe I would have seen her, could have saved her from whatever nightmare she was enduring. The thought of her, terrified and alone, broke me. I despised myself for my helplessness.

After attempting to steady my nerves in my room, I ventured downstairs again, only to find Hazel was nowhere to be found. Luna Ruby was frantic, pacing the room with tears threatening to spill.

“She’s never stayed out this late before! Where could she possibly be?” she cried.

Finn tried to soothe her, offering a fragile hope. “Maybe she’s at a party with friends. She’s growing up, Mom. Sometimes girls need their space.”

But inside me, a cold dread tightened its grip. We finally persuaded Luna Ruby to stay home while Finn and I set off to search. If Hazel returned, she could alert us immediately.

We scoured every place Hazel might have gone, contacted all her friends and packmates—yet there was no sign of her. With no leads, Finn and I split up, desperate to cover more ground.

I ran through the shadowed woods, my voice raw and hoarse from shouting. “Hazel! Hazel! Please come home!” I screamed until my throat burned, but the forest swallowed my cries without answer.

We stayed out all night, searching tirelessly. Dawn broke, painting the sky in pale hues, yet Hazel remained missing.

Panic gnawed at my insides. Terrible, haunting thoughts invaded my mind. Had she done something desperate? Was she in pain? As an orphan, the only warmth I had ever known came from Finn and Hazel. The thought of losing her was unbearable.

Finn reached out through our mind link, urging me to rest. He had already commanded his father’s beta and the pack’s warriors to join the search. He worried about my hoarse voice, my sleepless night, but I refused to stop until we found her.

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