When the Hidden Luna Rises novel Chapter 6

**Chained by Fate**
**Eliza Rowan**

**Chapter 6**

Kelsey sat hunched on the edge of the bed, her body a canvas of unhealed wounds, each one a testament to her suffering. Within her, her wolf growled restlessly, a primal force trapped in a cage of pain and frustration. It urged her, a constant reminder that she must escape this gilded prison—the Stormclaw Pack’s stronghold.

She could no longer endure the suffocating confines of her current existence. The walls felt as if they were closing in on her, and the weight of despair pressed heavily on her chest. Not only did she need to flee, but she also had to gather every shred of evidence that could prove her innocence, a task that felt monumental in the face of her circumstances.

Ryan’s wolf had not physically restrained her; instead, he had stationed a few warriors at the villa’s entrances, their vigilant eyes ever-watchful. It was under the cloak of night that she decided to make her move. With her heart pounding in her ears, she slipped silently into the study, the door creaking slightly as she nudged it open.

The air was thick with Ryan’s familiar scent, a mix of cedar and something uniquely him—comforting yet haunting. She could almost hear the echoes of their laughter, the warmth of their shared moments, but those thoughts were quickly pushed aside. Behind the desk, embedded within the wall, sat a built-in safe, its metallic surface gleaming ominously in the dim light.

Kelsey’s fingers trembled as she input the first code. Nothing. A second attempt yielded the same result. A third try followed, her birthday, Ryan’s birthday, and the day they first became mates—all wrong. Panic began to claw at her insides, cold sweat dampening her palms. A sudden thought struck her with the force of a lightning bolt.

Pulling out her phone, she quickly searched for Claire Sullivan’s birthday, her breath hitching in her throat. Click. The safe clicked open, revealing its secrets.

The realization crashed over her like a tidal wave, leaving her breathless and reeling. “So you’d already let her in,” she whispered, a bitter laugh escaping her lips, tinged with disbelief and betrayal. The taste of metal lingered in her mouth, a reminder of the treachery that had unfolded behind her back.

Inside the safe lay neatly arranged files, contracts, and there it was—the marriage certificate. Kelsey’s heart raced as she reached for it, her fingers trembling with urgency. The moment her skin brushed against the paper, a piercing alarm shattered the stillness of the villa, echoing like a death knell.

Lights flickered and died, plunging her into darkness, while the very air around her vibrated with tension. Panic surged as hurried footsteps pounded through the hallway.

“Someone’s broken into the Alpha’s study!”

“Lock down the entire Pack House!”

A chill coursed through her veins, her blood running cold at the realization that the safe’s anti-theft system had been triggered. Desperation clawing at her, Kelsey stuffed the marriage certificate into her pocket and bolted from the study.

She had barely reached the foyer when a dark shadow lunged at her from the side.

Thump!

A heavy sack descended from above, enveloping her head, cutting off her scream before it could escape. A sharp blow struck the back of her skull, and just like that, the world faded to black.

***

When consciousness returned, Kelsey found herself still trapped within the confines of the sack. The air was thick with the smell of earth, and the vehicle bounced violently over rough terrain. Low, gruff voices drifted through the fabric, chilling her to the bone.

“The Alpha said, break her legs and arms, dump her at the police station entrance.”

Her heart clenched violently, panic rising like bile in her throat. “I’m Kelsey Evans! Let me see Ryan! I’m his mate!” she shouted, desperation lacing her voice.

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