Chapter 93 - The Mortals

LUNA ASTERBELLE'S POV

The airway in my lungs got stuck when I felt the firmness of Jin's grip on my neck as he aggressively strangled me, like he had the intention to take my life away right at this moment.

I held onto his wrists in an attempt to pull them away, which was unsuccessful. Jin was beyond the scope of my current strength, which I was letting out.

"Come on, Luna. Show me what you've got. I know you're just holding yourself back. If you insist on pretending like a weakling, you'd die out of cowardice," Jin whispered to my ear with his deep voice that wasn't pleasing.

I swung my left leg towards his crotch, but it was useless. Jin didn't even move an inch, as if he were already numb to any kind of pain.

If this escalated further, I'd really die. With that said, the only choice I have left is to listen to what he has to say.

"Parents? I never had one. I was brought to this world as an orphan. I have no such thing," I said as I desperately tried to breathe.

Jin released me from his grip all of a sudden, making me kneel on the ground with both of my hands behind my head, so I wouldn't do anything funny.

"How long would you continue to fool yourself? You look so pitiful now, so let me at least give you a hint..." Jin murmured while walking around me in circles. "Your parents aren't here in Grimstone. They're both alive and well, but you can never find them here. Never," he seriously muttered.

I think I already have a gist as to where our conversation was going, if ever Jin was telling me the truth.

"So are you saying that my biological parents are on the other side of that cave that you're guarding? Since that's the only place that has been left abandoned for ages, no one else other than you knows what's there."

"Precisely! You're a smart one, Luna. Truthfully, Brian was the one who ordered me to watch this place, and I should never let you cross the other end. And even now that Brian's dead, I still have to oblige according to what we've promised," Jin responded. "There's an invisible string in my heart that the moon goddess inserted. If I casually let any of you through the cave, I'd die right away."

I heard Jerome hissing, each of his deep breaths reaching my spot. "I told you countless times not to believe him! That damn Althea would never be in favor of Jin." He growled, launching an attack on Jin, as well as Nero and Zen.

The three of them each took turns trying to slash, pierce, and shoot Jin. They didn't show any sign of exhaustion, and rather than losing their determination, they kept on extending beyond their limits.

Being aloof while they're battling with their own lives at stake, I clenched both of my fists, realizing how pessimistic I have become. I wouldn't be able to face my real parents at this rate.

"Astra, how many minutes do you need for you to take Jin down? I'll give you anything you want in exchange," I said to my wolf, even though I didn't believe that I'd ever get a benefit from my wolf, but this is now or never.

"Minutes? You can rely on me for a few seconds. I can make Jin have a ride to the underworld," Astra replied.

I let my wolf do as she pleased. I totally lost consciousness when Astra took over my entire body.

And during the next second that I opened my eyes, Jin really was lying on the ground.

Jin almost passed out. "Why don't you just go ahead and kill me, Luna?" he asked. "You weren't this adroit, according to what my father told me."

I froze on the spot, trying to process what I just heard.

Father?

Are Jin and Brian blood-related? Was it the reason why they found me at the orphanage? Did Jin tell the Asterbelles that I was there and that I had the potential to be their successor?

Jerome bent one of his knees, then gripped some strands of Jin's hair to make it more painful while he pulled it. "What's beyond that cave? What did you and Brian do inside? Is it true that you're the only one who can lead us to a new world?" he interrogated the helpless man.

Jin smirked as he spit out his blood. His face was barely recognizable. Aside from the burn mark he previously showed us, his cheeks were already wounded and bruised.

"I have no reason to answer you, Jerome. We'll all die here together, just like what we agreed upon back at our orphanage. No matter what happens, we would never abandon anyone among us; live if we're fated to live, die if we're fated to die."

My mate seemed to lose his patience for Jin. He endlessly punched him until his knuckles touched the surface of Jin's skull.

I couldn't detect any breathing from Jin anymore, so I urgently told Jerome to stop. "The moon goddess told us not to kill Jin, no matter what, didn't she?" I anxiously muttered, wondering if we'd get to the other side of this world if Jin lost his life.

"F*ck this sh*t!" Jerome punched the ground instead as he stepped away from Jin, heading over to our positions. "Let's go." He invited us as he led the way towards the cave, unsure of what would greet us there.

I held onto Jerome's forearm while we were entering the cave that wasn't too dark because of the lit candles, which were all hanging on the sides.

"Isn't this a mansion? Why does it feel like there's a lot of people who used to live here?" Yuki asked from behind while I continued to gaze around, admiring the whole scenery.

I nodded my head. "It seems like it. Electricity is still working, so I guess the people here are just hiding. Or maybe they already fled when Jin informed them about us."

"Hush, don't speak." Nero cut our tracks, hurdling over Jerome. "Don't you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

I shut my eyes to focus my senses on hearing. "I don't hear anything special... but this sensation..." My eyes widened as I gasped before I proceeded. "These auras aren't coming from werewolves or vampires! They belong to mortal beings; humans really do exist!" I cheerfully said, as if I could actually see them in real time.

"Are you serious, Luna? How can humans survive in this filthy world that's filled with bloodshed no matter where they go?" Mrs. Asterbelle asked me, and I only answered her with a simple nod.

"Luna has great senses. Let's believe her for now and search for anything that can guide us to where those humans are," Jerome said to defend me from anyone who might try to bash what I said.