The Reborn Luna: Claimed by the Billionaire Alpha

Chapter 4: Shadows of the Past

The forest was eerily silent. The battle had ended, but the tension lingered like a heavy fog. Selene's heart was still pounding in her chest, adrenaline keeping her senses sharp.

The assassins had disappeared into the night as if they had never been there. No bodies, no traces left behind—just the chilling reminder that someone was watching.

She turned to Killian, who stood rigid, his silver eyes narrowed at the darkened tree line. His blade was still drawn, his stance still defensive, as if expecting another attack.

Selene swallowed the lump in her throat. "Who were they?"

Killian didn't respond immediately. Instead, he ran a hand through his dark hair, exhaling sharply. "Skilled. Precise. They weren't ordinary mercenaries."

She clenched her fists. "Then why didn't they kill us?"

"Because they weren't meant to," he muttered. "Not yet."

A cold shiver ran down Selene's spine.

This wasn't just a random ambush.

It was a warning.

A Dangerous Path

They couldn't stay here.

Selene could feel it in her bones—the longer they lingered, the more danger they were in.

Killian seemed to come to the same conclusion. He turned to her, his expression unreadable. "We need to move. Now."

Selene hesitated for only a second before nodding. She sheathed her dagger and fell into step beside him.

The forest stretched on, vast and unrelenting. The moon had dipped lower, casting long shadows across the earth. Each step felt heavier than the last, exhaustion threatening to drag Selene down.

"You're limping," Killian noted.

"I'm fine," she lied.

He shot her a look but didn't argue. Instead, he slowed his pace just enough for her to keep up without pushing herself too hard.

The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable, but it was heavy with unspoken thoughts.

Selene's mind kept circling back to the assassins. Who had sent them? Why had they withdrawn?

And why did she feel like they were still being watched?

The Hunter Becomes the Hunted

They had been walking for hours when Killian suddenly halted.

Selene stopped beside him, her hand instinctively moving to her dagger. "What is it?"

His eyes scanned the trees. "We're being followed."

A slow dread crept over her. "How do you know?"

"I just do." His voice was low, controlled. "Keep walking. Don't react. If they think we don't know, they'll get careless."

Selene swallowed hard but nodded.

They moved forward, keeping a steady pace. The feeling of unseen eyes grew stronger with each step. Her skin prickled, her every nerve on edge.

Then—

A rustle in the trees.

Selene barely had time to react before a figure dropped from above, landing in front of them with silent grace.

Killian was already moving. His sword flashed in the moonlight as he lunged.

The stranger dodged effortlessly.

Selene caught a glimpse of golden eyes beneath the hood before a second attacker emerged from the shadows.

They were surrounded.

A Battle in the Dark

Selene moved, instincts taking over. She twisted her body, narrowly dodging a dagger aimed at her ribs.

Killian engaged the first attacker, his blade clashing violently against theirs. The force of his strikes sent shockwaves through the clearing.

Selene barely had time to process before the second enemy was upon her.

Her opponent was fast—too fast. Each strike came with precision, forcing her to rely more on defense than offense.

She ducked, narrowly avoiding a slash aimed at her throat. In the same motion, she kicked out, landing a sharp blow to their knee.

The assassin stumbled but recovered quickly.

Selene gritted her teeth. They're skilled.

But she wasn't going to lose.

With a quick maneuver, she sidestepped, grabbing a fallen branch and using it as a makeshift weapon. She swung it with all her strength, aiming for their ribs.

A sharp crack echoed through the night.

The assassin staggered back.

Selene seized the opening, lunging forward with her dagger—

But the assassin vanished.

One second they were there. The next, they were gone.

Killian's fight ended just as abruptly. His opponent leaped back, retreating into the shadows.

Then, as suddenly as they had appeared—

They disappeared.

Selene's breath came fast. "What the hell was that?"

Killian wiped his blade on his sleeve. "A message."

Her stomach twisted. "From who?"

He exhaled, his expression dark. "Someone who doesn't want you alive."

A Warning from the Past

They didn't stop moving until they reached the edge of the forest. The open fields stretched before them, a stark contrast to the suffocating trees behind them.

Only then did Killian turn to her, his jaw set in a firm line.

"We need answers," he said.

Selene nodded, still catching her breath. "Where do we start?"

Killian hesitated before meeting her gaze. "With your past."

Her blood ran cold. "What?"

He sheathed his sword. "Someone is hunting you, Selene. They know who you are. They know what you're capable of."

She swallowed hard. "And you think the answers are in my past?"

"Yes." His voice was steady. "And I think you already know where to look."

Selene's fingers clenched at her sides.

She did.

But it was the last place she ever wanted to return to.

Her home.

The Road Ahead

The thought of going back sent ice through her veins.

Her past wasn't just painful—it was dangerous.

But if Killian was right, then she had no choice.

Selene took a slow breath.

"If we do this," she said, "we do it my way."

Killian smirked. "I'd expect nothing less."

She turned toward the road ahead, the first hints of dawn breaking on the horizon.

The ghosts of her past were waiting.

And this time, she wasn't running.

She was coming for them.?

 THE WEIGHT OF SILENCE

The night was still, yet Selene felt suffocated by the weight of unseen eyes. Though the battle had ended, her skin still prickled with the sensation of being watched. The assassins had vanished like ghosts, but their presence lingered in the air.

Killian sheathed his blade, his breathing CALMING despite the fight they had just endured. His silver eyes scanned the tree line, his entire body tense.

"They weren't here to kill us," he finally said.

Selene wiped the sweat from her brow. "Then what the hell were they here for?"

"To test you," he muttered, his expression unreadable.

Selene's stomach twisted. "What does that mean?"

Killian exhaled. "They were gauging your strength. Measuring your skill. Someone wanted to see how much of a threat you are."

A cold chill ran down her spine. This wasn't some random ambush. It had been deliberate, calculated.

Which meant—

Someone knew who she was.

And they weren't done yet.

A Relentless Pursuit

"We need to move," Killian said, his voice low but firm. "Now."

Selene hesitated only for a second before nodding. She wiped her dagger clean and followed him deeper into the woods.

The moon was beginning to wane, casting eerie shadows across the undergrowth. Each step they took felt heavier, the silence between them thick with tension.

Killian's posture remained rigid, his hand close to his sword hilt.

Selene stole a glance at him. "You think they're still watching us?"

"I don't think. I know."

Her pulse quickened. "How many?"

Killian didn't answer immediately. Instead, his gaze flickered toward the trees. "Three. Maybe four. Keeping their distance."

Selene swallowed hard. "Why don't they attack?"

"Because they don't have to."

Selene hated how easily Killian saw through things. If he was right, and he usually was, that meant whoever had sent those assassins wasn't just after her life.

They were after something more.

She clenched her fists. Fine. Let them watch. But they won't like what they see.

A Hunter Among the Hunted

The two of them walked for nearly an hour, the oppressive silence between them heavy. It wasn't until they reached the edge of a narrow stream that Killian finally stopped.

"We make our stand here."

Selene raised an eyebrow. "We're fighting?"

Killian smirked. "No. You are."

She stiffened. "Excuse me?"

Killian stepped back, arms crossed. "They've been following us for hours. It's time to show them what happens when they pick the wrong prey."

Selene hesitated, her grip tightening on her dagger. "You're sure about this?"

Killian simply nodded.

Selene took a slow breath, scanning the darkness. Then—she closed her eyes.

And listened.

The rustling in the trees. The faint snap of a twig. The way the night air shifted unnaturally in certain places.

There. Three of them.

Moving in a pattern. Surrounding her.

They think they're hunting me.

Selene opened her eyes. They're wrong.

With a sudden burst of speed, she spun, throwing her dagger straight into the trees.

A sharp grunt echoed in the night.

A figure stumbled forward, clutching their arm where her dagger had sliced through their sleeve.

Selene didn't hesitate. She rushed forward, closing the gap between them in seconds.

Her opponent barely had time to react before she slammed her fist into their ribs, knocking them off balance.

A second figure lunged from the shadows, blade flashing.

Selene twisted, barely avoiding the strike. She grabbed their wrist and yanked, using their own momentum to flip them onto the ground.

The third attacker made a mistake—hesitation.

Selene turned on them, her eyes flashing. "Run."

The assassin took one look at their fallen comrades—then fled.

Killian whistled. "Impressive."

Selene exhaled slowly, feeling the rush of victory pulse through her veins. "They're not trained well enough. Someone sent them as a test, but they didn't expect me to fight back like this."

Killian stepped forward, kneeling beside the closest assassin. He grabbed their hood and yanked it down.

Selene's breath caught.

The face beneath was young—no older than eighteen.

Her stomach twisted. "They sent children."

Killian's jaw tightened. "Then we're dealing with someone truly dangerous."

A Message from the Past

They didn't wait around. The moment the fight ended, they bound the remaining assassin and kept moving.

Selene was still shaken. Someone had sent these people after her—not to kill her, but to see how strong she was.

Which meant they were planning something bigger.

An hour later, they reached the outskirts of a ruined village.

Selene stiffened.

Killian noticed immediately. "You recognize this place?"

Selene nodded slowly. "This… was my home."

She hadn't been back in years.

Memories surged forward. The scent of burning wood. The sound of screams. The moment everything had been ripped away from her.

She clenched her fists. "Whoever sent those assassins… they wanted me to come here."

Killian's expression darkened. "Then let's not keep them waiting."

Together, they stepped into the ruins.

The Secrets That Await

The village was long abandoned, overgrown with vines and decay. Buildings that once stood proud were now crumbling skeletons.

Selene's chest tightened as she stepped past the remains of what had once been her childhood home.

Every step she took brought back fragments of the past.

The laughter of her mother. The warmth of the fire. The scent of fresh bread in the morning.

All of it… gone.

Killian walked beside her, silent. He wasn't the type to offer comfort, but his presence was steady, grounding.

Then—

A faint glow in the distance.

Selene froze. "Do you see that?"

Killian nodded. "We're not alone."

The two of them moved cautiously toward the light, weapons drawn.

What they found made Selene's blood run cold.

At the center of the ruined village stood a stone altar, one that hadn't been there before.

And at its center—

A symbol carved into the rock.

Selene stared, her heart pounding.

She knew this symbol.

It was the mark of the one person she never wanted to see again.

A ghost from her past.

And they had been waiting for her.

Selene's heart pounded as she stepped closer to the altar, her fingers tightening around her dagger. The symbol carved into the stone was old, its edges worn by time, but she recognized it instantly. It was the mark of the Shadow Order—the same group that had destroyed her home all those years ago. A surge of anger and fear warred within her, but she forced herself to remain calm. If they had left this here for her to find, it meant they were watching… and waiting.

Killian knelt beside the altar, running his fingers along the carving. His expression remained unreadable, but Selene knew him well enough to recognize the tension in his shoulders. "This isn't just a warning," he murmured. "It's a message." He glanced up at her, his silver eyes sharp. "Someone wants you to remember."

Selene swallowed hard. She didn't need the reminder. The memories of that night—the flames, the screams, the loss—were etched into her soul. But why now? Why after all these years? And why test her strength first? She looked around, scanning the ruins, expecting shadows to move at any moment. "We can't stay here," she said, forcing the tremor from her voice. "If they wanted to lure me here, they'll be expecting us to linger."

Killian nodded, rising to his feet. "Agreed. But we need to figure out what they want before they make their next move." He turned to her, his gaze steady. "And if this is about your past, Selene, then we need to be ready for whatever comes next."

Selene took one last look at the altar before stepping back. The past she had tried so hard to escape was catching up to her. But she wasn't a frightened child anymore. If the Shadow Order wanted a reckoning, they would get one.