***
I was already feeling sleepy. I have been yawning a million times now. I looked at Russell, he smiled at me. By this time, we were both lying face up. “I want to sleep,” I told him and yawned again. He propped up an elbow, looking at me.“I know,” he said. “Go on, close your eyes and I will watch you sleep.”I raised an eyebrow in surprise. “Don’t you sleep?” I queried.“Not when you’re awake,” he declared and I smiled. He kissed my forehead and I smiled, turning on my side. He lay down too, I crossed my arm over his chest and closed my eyes to sleep.~Russell~I watched Muriel sleep beautifully. She must really be a strong lady to have gone through all that. Her mother was right. Her eyes indeed attracted a demon, and luckily she turned out to be my mate. Henceforth, I won’t let her undergo such torture again. As for Lucian, having Muriel as his Luna is only a dream that will never come through. Muriel is mine and mine alone. With that, I closed my eyes. Since she came into my life, sleep has become part of me, unlike those days when sleeping seems to be my enemy.~Muriel~Russell was gone before I woke up. I knew he would be back, so, that didn’t bother me much. I freshened up and sat in front of the vanity table to apply light makeup. The door soon creaked open and Jennifer came along, holding a large gift box.“Hello, my lady,” she greeted, moving to me. I looked around me like I was searching for something. “What are you looking for, my lady?” Jennifer asked.“I was looking for the person you are referring to as my lady. What’s that for?” I questioned and faced back to the mirror, releasing my tied wavy hair to fall to my back. She smiled.“You are the Luna of Bluemoon pack and I am your handmaid, you deserve the entitlement. I won’t be left out to address you by a name so befitting.”“Tsk! Quit it, Jenny. I am nobody’s Luna. I am Muriel, your sister and I would love it when you see me as that,” I declared.“The Alpha will kill me if I dare call you by your name in his presence,” Jennifer stated in a whispering tone and I chuckled. “That’s by the way, the Beta said I should give this to you,” Jennifer announced, presenting the gift box to me.“What is this?” I asked, collecting the box from her.“I wouldn’t know, my lady,” Jennifer declared. I shot a squinted eye at her and she rolled her eyes with a smile. I opened the gift box and brought out a dress. It was a sky blue off-shoulder gown with a lacy-covered upper part, flared from the waist, stitched in between the breast line. It looked more like Cinderella’s gown when she went to the prince’s ball party. I looked at Jenifer, she shrugged her shoulders.“What is this for?” I asked.“It’s for the meeting, Muriel,” Beta Neil declared, walking into my room. He had his hands crossed to his back as he walked with the aura of authority. He is a man of virtue, despises evil dealing and promotes peace among the pack members. Alpha Desmond always says that “as long as Beta Neil is still alive, Bluemoon pack shall be a home of peace to all its members.” But Lucian’s hostility toward me couldn’t be stopped by Beta Neil. Possibly because Lucian was a hothead, unlike his father, Alpha Desmond. I stood up as he moved closer to us. Jennifer excused herself.“Greetings, Beta Neil,” I saluted, bowing a bit. He was among the great men in the pack that I will always show my respect. “How are you doing, Muriel?” Beta Neil asked as a flick of a smile appeared on his face. He has always been a straight-faced person, concerned with the affairs of the pack, busy every minute. I wonder how he manages to have time for his daughters, having lost his mate many years ago.“I am okay, Beta. If I may ask, what meeting are you talking about?” I queried, taking a step back from him.“Ahem!” he cleared his throat. “It’s the meeting of the Alphas. All the Alphas from different packs are coming to Bluemoon pack today to decide on a crucial matter,” he stated.“Okay, so, where…do I come in?” I asked, leaning my back against the vanity table.“You see, Muriel, the meeting of the Alphas is not or never held without the Lunas. Every Alpha is meant to show up with their mate,” he explained.“Oh!” I sounded, moving away to the bed. I turned around and faced the Beta again. “So, what’s my business in that?”“Come on, Muriel,” Beta Neil commented, moving to me. “You know where I’m heading. You are expected to be with Lucian when the Alphas and Lunas arrive.”“Now I get it,” I rolled my eyes. “Sorry to disappoint you, Beta Neil, I am neither Lucian’s mate nor his Luna. The dress should be handed to someone else, I’m not interested,” I declared and headed to the closet to get my dress. I was still in my bathrobe.“Don’t say that, Muriel. If you are not his mate, who is? I know he has hurt you a lot, but he has realized his mistakes now. Forgive him and rule with him, you are a better choice for him. You are intelligent, beautiful, and worthy of being called a Luna. Don’t throw all those away for minor childhood pranks you call hatred,” Beta Neil stated. I turned a dark squinted eyes at him. I slammed the closet door angrily.“What did you just say, Beta Neil? Do you refer to Lucian’s hostility toward me as a minor prank? Do you know what I have been through in his hands? The whipping, the starvation, sleeping in the dungeon, being defiled and mocked, you call all this a minor prank. What if something bad happened to me on the night of my birthday when I ran out of the pack because of Lucian, would you have said it was a minor prank or forget about me and provide another Luna for the pack?” I poured out. I saw concern and remorse in his forest-green eyes. He couldn’t look into my eyes anymore. Tears streamed down my cheeks. “Okay, fine, let’s say his hostility was a prank, his mother murdered my mother out of jealousy. Do you think I would want to spend the rest of my life with the son of that woman? Tsk tsk! I respect you a lot, Beta Neil. Don’t let Lucian’s issue come in the way of that respect. If you don’t mind, I would love to change,” I declared and headed to the bathroom to change into my dress. He didn’t say anything else, he only sighed. Before I entered the bathroom, I turned back to him. “Don’t forget to take the dress away,” I reminded and entered the bathroom.~Lucian~I moved back and forth in my room. It is almost time for the arrival of our noble guests and Beta Neil is yet to turn up with Muriel’s response. I stopped moving and began tapping my feet on the floor instead, checking the clock every second. Then the door finally opened, reeling me in my spot and facing Beta Neil.“Thank God you are here, what did she say? I nervously asked. Beta Neil looked down sadly, which shot reality into my heart. She isn’t attending. I sighed.“It will be hard for her to see you as her mate, Lucian. I can’t believe you hurt her so much,” Beta Neil stated. I looked away, scratched the back of my hair, and faced Beta Neil again.“Do you suggest I go talk to her myself?” I queried.“Try your luck, but she’s pissed,” Beta Neil said. I headed out.~Muriel~I returned to the bedroom after changing into my dress when suddenly someone hugged me from behind.“Uggggg!” I gasped as his hand snaked around my neck sending electric pulses through my skin. Then his sweet fragrance filled my nostrils.“It’s me, sweetheart,” he said. I sighed and turned around in his arms, facing him. He leaned against the wall with his arms still wrapped around my body.“You scared me,” I let out sadly.“I’m sorry,” he apologized softly. “What happened to you, why were you so angry?” he asked and I pulled away from him, walking back to the bed. “Did he hurt you?” he queried, walking behind me. I dropped on the bed, my shoulders deflated. He sat beside me and draped his hand across my shoulders.“Talk to me, sweetheart, what did he do to you?” Russell asked again.“It’s nothing. The Beta made me remember my past earlier. I don’t know what they think I am, all they want is to make me perform a
The bad news that hit me after a few days in the dungeon was worse than heartbreak. I overheard Grey telling one of the soldiers to take care of the dungeon while he went with other soldiers to Alpha Desmond’s funeral. It felt my heart was pulled out of me, flung to the floor and I was stabbed continuously. My legs failed me, I fell to the floor. I could neither speak nor cry, I just sat dumbstruck. I lost a father again. After my father died, I prayed I never lose anyone as dear to my heart as him. Then my mother followed and I felt my world shattering before me. Alpha Desmond took pity on me and made me stay with Harley, not knowing she would be my worst nightmare. And now, I lost him, I lost Alpha Desmond, the only man who showed me love even as an Omega. What will become of me then? Why won’t death just come and take me away? Why was it snatching my loved ones from me?“Nooooo!” I let out a deafening scream that shook the wall around me. Tears rushed down my cheeks and
It was a full moon today. My fifteenth birthday. I have been waiting anxiously for this day. I get constant pangs in my heart when I think about shifting for the first time. Omega Linda has been training me on how to control my wolf when I finally change. She also never forgot to tell me how painful it would be, that part disturbed me a lot. Now it’s my birthday. I paced up and down in the living room, Luna Glenda had sent for Omega Linda earlier. I wonder why she summoned her on such an agitated day. Jennifer hasn’t returned from the pack house yet. She always tells me about how she felt when she shifted for the first time.“It’s going to hurt, like really hurt. It burns like fire. You will feel your bones cracking, shooting out like a new plant forming branches. It will feel as if you are on fire and someone is cutting your skin with a knife, opening your system for the fire to consume you more. How does that sound?” Jennifer always intimidated me. Her words normally leav
***Russell left after I stopped my story there. In the morning, I was woken up by Jennifer. I sat up, yawning with my arms grazing the ceiling.“Good morning, my lady,” Jennifer smiled at me.“Ugh!” I grunted, frowning at her. “Stop calling me my lady, Jenny. You are even older than me,” I declared, feeling disgruntled.“I’m sorry,” she apologized, dropping her head. I stood up and moved to her, putting my hands on her shoulders.“Don’t apologize, Jenny. Okay, let’s do it this way, when we are together like this without Lucian, you can call my name. And if you deem it necessary to call me my lady in the presence of Lucian, then it's fine,” I stated and she smiled. I sat on the bed.“Thank you, Muriel. I came as early as possible to get you ready for today,” she said excitedly.“And what’s today?” I asked uninterested and she sat beside me.“Today is the day you are meant to meet all the soldiers and choose the
***“Hey!” a voice made me shudder and I opened my eyes. I sat up and looked behind me, seeing Gamma Graves. He moved to my side and sat beside me.“Why are you here?” I queried with a frown.“I came to talk to you, Muriel,” he said softly.“If it’s about Lucian and the so-called fighting contest for me to choose bodyguards, I will imply you not to waste your time,” I set forth and stood up, turning to leave the garden.“Wait!” Gamma Graves said, halting me in my tracks, and stood up. I looked at him, the frown of displeasure never wearing off. I folded my arms across my chest. “I know you are pained for all Lucian did to you, but can’t you forgive him? He is sorry, he loves you now. What do you want him to do to prove to you that he is truly sorry for everything?” Gamma Graves stated.“You won’t understand,” I declared and turned to go again.“Then make me understand, Muriel. Why can’t you forgive him?”“Becaus
After having lunch, I relaxed on the bed with Jennifer beside me. She was so eager to hear the story of how I encountered Russell. I sighed and began. “It all began on my birthday when I jumped into the river to commit suicide,” my voice trailed off as I did a flashback to the scene.***I regained consciousness in a room. Not seen anything like it before. My head was throbbing like two metals clacking each other. I held my head as I slowly sat up on the bed, a comfy royal-like or maybe, a royal bed. I slowly stood up from the bed, looking around the room. I was intrigued by its décor. A bedroom fit for a king or queen. The room was vast, with high ceilings that seemed to reach for the heavens, adorned with intricate moldings and decorative plasterwork, making the space feel even more regal. The color scheme exuded richness and grandeur, as deep hues of crimson and gold dominated the walls, drapes, and bedding, creating an atmosphere of opulence. In one corner of t
Russell didn’t return throughout the day. A maid brought me dinner at dinnertime. I was wondering where he went. I rested on the bed, facing the ceiling that was pulling me to heaven.“What did I say wrong?” I thought to myself. “Was it Mateo and Emery that made him abandon me here all day?” Just then, the door opened with Emery dashing in. She walked with anger and derision. Her footsteps echoed around the room like a mighty warrior stomping. I sprang up from the bed.“Hey, you!” she snarled, moving closer to me. “Where is that fu*king bloodsucker mate less Russell?” she questioned with her eyes searching across the room.“Why are you looking for him with such a badmouth?” I asked calmly.“Who the hell are you to question me? People like you are nothing but cheap tramp, you got no right to talk back at me, Emery Thomas. What gave you the guts?” Emery snapped, burning down with fume. I crossed my arms and smirked.“That made you
***“You mean Russell killed the demon king?” Jennifer interrupted eagerly.“I didn’t say that. He only defended himself from the king’s attack but he didn’t die with that,” I responded.“That means Russell is more powerful than the demon king. But why was Emery calling him mate less?” Jennifer queried.“Hmm!” my voice trailed off.***We returned to Russell’s room. He dropped on the bed sadly. I sat down beside him. “Russell?” I called, touching him on the shoulder. He looked at me with dull, frustrated eyes. “I’m sorry the king attacked you because of me,” I apologized.“Come on, Muriel, it’s not about you, it’s not your fault,” Russell assured me.“But I was the one that slapped Emery before all this happened,” I let out guiltily. He cupped my face in his hands.“You only defended yourself. And the king attacking me has nothing to do with you, it’s how my life is,” he declared and looked away.