The Betrayal

When it was time for the human clan to send one girl to the fox demon clan, each girl had to take a small scroll with a lottery ticket inside. All the girls gathered in one place. Selene and I stood close to each other, holding our scrolls. I watched Selene, and she peeked at hers.

Selene looked nervous, but then she smiled at me and said confidently,

"I already saw my lottery ticket. It says it's safe, there's no problem. Why don't we just swap tickets?"

I felt a little hesitant, but then she reassured me with her convincing smile.

"Trust me, it's safe. I've seen it."

I agreed to swap our scrolls. Selene really seemed to want to protect me, and I trusted her. After all, she was my only friend.

When our turn came, the officials started opening the scrolls one by one. Tension filled the air. Every eye was on us. And then, when it was our turn, I was chosen. With a shaky voice, the official announced,

"Lunara has been chosen."

My heart sank. I looked at Selene with confusion and pain in my eyes.

"Why did you betray me?" I asked with a trembling voice.

"You said it was safe! Why did you make me the one who was chosen?"

But behind the usually kind face, Selene now showed a very different expression. Her smile twisted into a sly grin full of lies.

"You're so stupid. Who told you to believe it?" she said, mocking me.

"I have to survive, Lunara. I don't care about you."

It felt like my heart was being shattered. I felt broken. Selene, my friend, turned out to be nothing more than a traitor who was willing to destroy someone else to save herself.

"Who would want to be friends with a cursed child like you?" she mocked again, pushing me further into despair.

Tears began to fall from my eyes, but I couldn't stop the pain. It felt as though the world was collapsing around me. I felt so foolish, so naive, to have trusted someone who didn't care about me at all. Everything I had trusted shattered in an instant.

Finally, the announcement came.

"Lunara will be sent to the fox demon clan tomorrow."

The voice felt like a lightning strike to my head. I felt trapped in an inescapable fate.

With my heart shattered, I left the place, walking under the pouring rain. Every step felt so heavy, every raindrop felt like saltwater soaking my heart, already full of wounds.

I cried out loud, regretting everything that had happened.

"Why does my life have to be like this? What did I do wrong?"

I felt like there was no hope left. Selene had betrayed me, and the world seemed so dark. I walked aimlessly, until I reached the edge of a bridge. I stared at the dark water below, thinking of ending it all.

"Why is my life so unfair?" I whispered softly, gazing at the beautiful moon in the sky. I felt so alone, broken, and tired. There was nothing left to do.

Then, just as I was about to jump, a soft, calm voice echoed, yet full of strength.

"Your loneliness ends here."

As I jumped, a tall figure with glowing blue eyes and long white hair appeared in front of me. In an instant, he caught me, holding my body just before it fell into the darkness.

The figure was a fox demon. He looked at me with a soft gaze, but there was something deep in his eyes that made me feel like he had known me for a long time.

"I will show you a new purpose," he said in a gentle but firm voice. "Your loneliness ends here, Lunara."

I was shocked, and my confusion grew even more.

Who is he?

Why did he save me?

And why, after all that has happened, am I meeting a fox demon who they say is evil?