Dark Moon Rising

Chapter Twenty-Six: Phoenix

Crypta's Point of View

So, what comes next?" I inquired of Selene, feeling a mix of empowerment and defeat.

"Take my hand and have faith in me," the Moon Goddess smiled, extending her hand.

I placed my hand in hers, nodded, and suddenly found myself seated in the living room with Rogue and Adrian.

"That's quite a clever trick! How did you manage that?" Adrian marveled.

"It wasn't her. It was me," Selene replied, reappearing with two highball glasses and placing them in front of Adrian and Rogue.

Rogue raised the glass, took a sip, and a concerned expression crossed her beautiful face.

"You've served us both a 'Dark and Stormy,'" Rogue muttered.

Adrian and Rogue exchanged worried glances, then looked at me in apprehension.

"Crypta, what's happening?" they both inquired simultaneously.

"Have you rehearsed that?" I teased, much to their chagrin.

Selene placed two Glencairn glasses on the table and poured us a serving of a bottle of Gibson's finest robust Canadian whiskey.

"Whiskey neat?" I said with a straight face.

"Bottoms up, buttercup," the Moon Goddess said with a smirk.

Fuck. We are doing this right now. It's a good thing she has a whole bottle.

I gulped it all down in one go. The whiskey had a luxurious, sweet taste with a bold, rich, spicy aftertaste. Placing the glass back down, I glanced up to find my closest friends gazing at me, curious about what was happening.

Selene inquired, "How do you feel about the new house additions?"

Adrian, looking puzzled, responded, "What additions?"

As they hurried down the hallway, I overheard their surprised reactions.

I arched an eyebrow at Selene, and she chuckled.

"Each room now has its own bathroom, and there are three extra bedrooms," the Moon Goddess mentioned casually.

"Three more bedrooms? I thought only Argus was joining us," I interjected.

Selene explained softly, "Two more will be with him, part of his team. Just as I saved you from the Collective, I also made a promise to them."

The Moon Goddess went to the kitchen counter, fetched two more Glencairn glasses, and filled them with ours. Adrian and Rogue came back to the living room, wearing puzzled expressions.

"Thank you for the extra space in the bedrooms and en suite bathrooms," Rogue said gratefully but with a hint of concern.

"Why do we have three additional rooms?" Adrian asked, perplexed. "And when did they appear?"

"Just now," Selene replied casually.

Adrian, still uncertain, pressed on, "Okay, thanks. But why?"

"You will soon have three new team members, one of whom is Argus, Seraphina Dusk's brother," Selene explained calmly.

Rogue and Adrian appeared thrilled, their eyes widening with excitement. Meanwhile, I felt a pang of discomfort, realizing that I would have to disclose my identity to them soon. Revealing the truth was more challenging and awkward than I had anticipated. I was reluctant to proceed. Sensing my hesitation and silence, Selene gave me a sharp look, tilting her head slightly. s**t.

"That's incredibly cool!" Rogue exclaimed, enthusiastically jumping up and down alongside Adrian.

I couldn't contain my cringe; I face-palmed and let out a groan.

Upon hearing me, my closest friends froze and stared at me in shock.

"I understand you may not have received the same messages as we did, but I believe she appreciates everything you've contributed to the Byte Club," Rogue reassured me tenderly, assuming I felt envious.

"I don't think Crypta has any reason to be envious. She shares a special bond with Seraphina Dusk," the Moon Goddess smirked mischievously.

Adrian shifted his gaze from the Moon Goddess to me, his mind wandering in unnecessary directions.

"Not that kind of bond!" I exclaimed, giving Adrian a stern look as he merely shrugged.

"I love you no matter what," Adrian grinned, thinking he was encouraging, though his words stung. I involuntarily flinched.

"Crypta, what's happening? You've been spending hours in the woods and haven't been yourself lately," Rogue grumbled in concern.

"There's a good explanation for that. Do you want to share it, or should I?" Selene asked, fixing her gaze on me directly.

"What information do we have on Seraphina Dusk?" I inquired, leaning back and crossing my arms over my chest.

Rogue recited, "Selene discovered her, and Seraphina has been instrumental in uniting werewolves within the hacker community to collaborate and establish the Byte Club under Adrian's leadership. She supports us financially and shares valuable information we wouldn't otherwise have access to. It seems she has a brother who will also be joining us." Rogue's tone was reminiscent of a fan, which was unusual for her.

I took a deep breath while pinching the bridge of my nose. I closed my eyes, hoping to collect my thoughts and calm myself.

"Seraphina Dusk, once the alpha heir of the Obsidian Moon Pack, had her pack attacked, and the Hunter Foundation took all the children. Being a hybrid, Seraphina was sent to the Collective. Even though they are not siblings by blood, Argus shares a bond with Seraphina that resembles the one you share with Adrian," I informed Rogue.

Rogue gazed at me with admiration, impressed by my knowledge of her 'hero' that she was unaware of. Letting out a deep sigh, I rubbed my eyes and continued.

"Argus, despite being ranked as an omega, displayed warrior qualities from a young age. Seraphina and Argus developed an unbreakable bond at the facility where they were detained. Both were deemed "special" by the Collective and endured unimaginable horrors, unfit for any child. The scientists were intrigued by their endurance and healing abilities as werewolf-hybrid hybrids, using them for experiments due to their varied pack ranks," I recounted.

"That's awful," Adrian grimaced.

"It truly is. They were mere children. The experiments and degradation would have persisted without a peculiar turn of events. I sometimes ponder if it was the Moon Goddess's intervention, as it occurred when the children lost hope. The CEO of the Collective, Lucius Void, and his wife visited the compound where the children were confined," I elaborated.

Adrian and Rogue were captivated, perched on the edge of their seats as I recounted my past. Surprisingly, it wasn't a tale but a glimpse into my life before our paths crossed.

"Evelina Void was taken from the Silver Forest pack in her childhood, where her wolf instincts remained dormant and subdued during her upbringing. It was thought that the experiments she underwent had led to her infertility. She persuaded her husband to adopt Seraphina and Argus, and they grew up as the cherished children of the Voids. Though their genuine selves were not concealed, they were not fully appreciated by the Collective members. Seraphina, true to her rebellious nature, defied expectations, but it came with consequences," I sighed.

Rogue asked, captivated by my story, "What happened?"

"She was sent to be trained as an operative at fourteen. On her first mission, set to attack a pack, Seraphina snapped. She killed every team member, thinking it would save the pack. It was foolish and naive. It didn't stop the Collective; they just sent in another team, leaving no survivors this time and making Seraphina watch the m******e unfold. They brought her back to the compound to attempt to 'rehabilitate' Seraphina," I responded.

"Lucius was enraged by Seraphina's actions and disowned her. She stayed at the compound for a while before escaping with the assistance of the Moon Goddess. Meanwhile, Argus stayed with the Collective to support Seraphina with funds and information, acting as a double agent. He had to make tough choices to protect his sister, monitoring those favored by Seraphina closely. Your friend on the dark web who warned you about the Hunter Foundation before they broke the door down to your apartment? That was him, Adrian. He managed to eliminate all evidence linking the Byte Club to us and ensured that the Moon Goddess rescued you just in time," I explained.

"Argus has maintained contact with Seraphina since her escape, being extremely cautious to avoid detection. Lucius showed no mercy towards his wife when he suspected she had assisted Seraphina in her escape. He killed her with his bare hands in front of Argus," I said. My voice broke as the words escaped.

Adrian asked, amazed, "How do you know all of this?"

I adjusted my posture, rubbed my eyes, and determinedly gazed at my friends. I retrieved my burner phone from my purse and initiated a group text with Adrian and Rogue. Simultaneously, their phones buzzed with notifications. They unlocked their phones, read my messages swiftly, and stared at me in disbelief.

Adrian exclaimed, "Are you saying you're Seraphina Dusk, Crypta?" He looked at me in shock and disbelief.