SUBSTITUTE LUNA

KILLING ARES

- MARLIA -

"Lady Marlene, please calm down. It's just the aftereffects of the accident.”

She tried to hid the pain in her voice. “Oh dear Goddess. That hit really did bad things to your head.”

‘That hit?’

My head hurts again, I held it. Memories were flashing before my eyes. I remembered the carriage falling off the cliff. I remembered the sound of my skull crack. I remember the blur image of the beautiful lady covered in her own blood.

I looked at the plump lady. It didn't make any sense. Why is this woman calling me her name? And how is it that my face looks exactly like hers? Our resemblance was never this uncanny.

Something was wrong here and welding a hairbrush was not going to get me the answers I need.

“Do you know me?" I asked

“Yes. Yes of Course. You are the Lady Marlene, Daughter of Alpha Daven Rodrigo, King of White Snow pack and soon to be Luna of Alpha Ryder Nightheart.”

My face paled in horror. I was right. She really thinks I am the beautiful lady.

“What day is today?”

“The 16th day in the month of Moon.”

Tears drizzled down my cheeks. “I6th day…”

Anastasia’s eyes widended. She gave me a handkerchief immediately. “What's wrong my lady? My lady?”

“Can I be left alone?”

“My lady?”

“Please.”

She looked into my wet eyes and sighed. “Just for a while.”

I watched her leave the room. My gaze reverted to the mirror. Gently, I touched my face.

‘I shouldn't have ran. I should have died in that house. Since then it's been like I am jumping from fire to fire and it gets hotter each time.”

I looked outside. “Lady Marlene is supposed to be married tomorrow at noon. This is her life not mine. If I hadn't stopped her carriage, she would have still been alive.”

I covered my mouth, tears dripping down my fingers, wetting the sheets.

‘I must be cursed. This is all my fault. I should have just died”.

I buried my face in the pillow and wept. The headaches came down hard, veins popping up on my forehead. I couldn't stop the tears. It took me a while before I managed to stop wailing.

My face was sore, my head banging, my eyes red. I struggled to get off the bed. I could barely keep my eyes open but they were open enough for me to fold up the sheets and tie it around my body. I went to the window and threw it open. Just as I thought, the ground was very far down.

I touched the pane, my hands were trembling. I tried to force a smile. To reassure my self. I was doing the right thing. I rather die than marry the son of the man who slaughtered my entire family and I will die if the king finds out I am not his daughter. Either way, my faith is sealed. So why not go on my own terms.

I looked out the window again.

‘Yes, this was a better way to go’.

“Are you sure about that?”

I froze.

“The ground is harder than it looks.”

I whipped around.

A pretty big smile met my flustered gaze.

“Who are you?” I looked at the door.

‘How the hell did she come in?’

“Don't think too much about it dear.” She said confidently. Adjusting herself on the bed.

Astonishment laced my eyes.

“Who are you.”

“The moon goddess.” She spread out her hands as if to make a grand revelation.

I stared blankly at her with my wet eyes.

“What? I don't look the part. You expected white flowing robes and a glowing crescent moon floating on my head. Well, too bad. Theatrics is not my thing.”

“What?” I winced my eyes, struggling to understand.

“You know what, forget I ever said anything. Let's focus on you."

It took me a moment to process everything. I looked at the door again. It was shut tightly. There was no way anyone could come in, unless they appeared out of nowhere.

“Are you really the moon Goddess?”

“Yes, darling.” She smiled again, pating the bedside next to her. “Come sit.”

I did, obediently.

“I guess you have questions for me, well…”

“Why didn't you save us? My father was devoted to you.” I tried not to glare at her.

She was silent for a moment, her smile dwindling. “There is an extent the gods can go in controlling the actions of creatures in the realm. I am sorry.”

I searched her face. She wasn't lying. I took short breaths, wincing back my tears.

“Why did you not let me die then?”

She looked beyond me, her mood sober. “You asked me to."

“How!" I yelled at her. My anger spilled a little.

“Calm down dear. Your family is not the only family that has suffered in his hands. That's why I am here. To make sure, it doesn't continue.

I let out a sharp, humorless smile, my lips curling as if mocking the absurdity of what she just said.

“After the harm is done. Perfect timing.” I stood up, pacing away from her.

“Don't you want to ask what this had to do with you?”

I turned to her.

“You have been chosen, Marlia. Choose to replace Marlene, and to be the one who makes sure that the deaths cease. Alpha Magnums Lucien Nightheart will not kill again. But his son, Ares will. He will be the ruin of her realm. P

Princess Marlene died so you can take her place and save Ares from himself.”

I scoffed. “Is this some kind of joke? I will never do that. I reject that prophecy. I would rather kill him. Save everyone trouble.”

“He is innocent; for now. The gods wish to keep it that way.”

“I am sorry, goddess but choosing me is a mistake.”

I drew a little close. “Thank you for stopping me. I realize now that it would be worthless to die without hurting the bastard who killed my family. He should know what it is like to lose a loved one.”

The goddess gave me a long look and grimaced. “Well, it's okay. Since you feel like that's the best way, go ahead. Although I doubt you will be able to do anything when you see him.”

She rose from the bed and turned around to leave.

“Oh, one more thing. Don't try to run away, don't try to do anything contrary to your destiny. You cannot escape your fate.”

My eyes widened in disbelief. Did she just strap a prophecy on me by force?

She opened the door and went straight into the passage.

“Hey, wait.” I ran after her, leaping out of the room immediately but she was gone the moment I stepped out. No one was there anymore.

I turned and returned to my room. Sitting back on the bed. For a moment, I shut my eyes. The headache was gone, the foggy memories too.

Everything was slowly coming back to me. Mandy's limp body. Mother's torn face. The way he hit dad. The beautiful lady, covered in her own blood.

‘No way’ I rose from the bed Immediately.

‘Never’. I don't care what the hell he is. It's the same Monster. The Nighthearts are all monsters. I have to rid the world of this devil. Damn the moon goddess, I am going to do it my way.

I rose from the bed and looked around. There was a hairpin on the table, near the box of jade jewelry.

I picked it up, hid it in my dress and left the room.

If I am correct, the Alpha and his brother slept in the second palace for the wedding. His brother is the groom which means, according to tradition, Ares will sleep next to the room prepared for the bride and groom.

I strolled calmly through the hallway, drawing no attention to myself. No one queried me as to where I was going surprisingly but I still made sure no one saw me enter the second palace.

Lights flashed beside me, I hid in the dark immediately. The guards passed. I took the chance, ran up and took a corner. I increased my pace through the garden until I was standing before his room, clenching the hairpin in hand.

I could hear him snoring peacefully. My hands pushed the door open and I slipped in, tiptoeing up to his bed. He had the sheets over his head.

‘Good bye, you monster’.

I thrust the hairpin right at his head.

A pair of hands grabbed my feet. My eyes widened. I pulled, I fell, landing hard on my back.

I let out a groan.

“Uhh.”

The figure pinned me down. He grabbed my hand, and my hair. I struggled but this body was weaker than mine. He bound my hands with the bed sheets on the floor and climbed over me.

I was breathing fast, he was too, looking into my eyes. The moon on

his face.

I opened my mouth but no words came.

‘Oh, dear god’

I looked harder. Perhaps I was seeing things. Surprise laced across my face.

“Is this Prince Ares?"