Alpha’s Rancor: His Forsaken Luna

Chapter 9

RAELYNN

My throat is raw. My eyes are sore. My chest is aching. My fingers are numb. My head is pounding. I have no concept of time. I spent my night crying and mourning my father. Every time I pictured him in that casket, my eyes watered, my chest seized. I couldn’t breathe, the memories of him and the memories we will never get to make left me numb and helpless. I cried so much that I seemed to have passed out, and when I woke, I sobbed even harder.

I can’t believe Killian did that. The messy stitches on my father’s neck are forever entrenched in the folds of my brain. I can't escape them, I can't escape the visualisation of Killian beheading him.

I’m still sobbing into the pillow when people started talking outside my door.

“That’s her?” Someone whispers.

“Yes,” another says. “That’s the Beta’s daughter. She killed Lady Valerie’s twin sister. The one whose portrait is in the Alpha’s office.”

“That’s a portrait of Lady Valerie.”

“No, it's Violette.” She explains. “The dead twin, she was killed by that woman in there, that’s why Lady Valerie has been upset.”

“So I got soup dumped on my head because of her?” Another snarls, “How annoying.”

“She looks harmless.” Someone else says. “I saw her when they brought her in.”

“She’s a runt.” A familiar voice says, kissing her teeth after. I can’t place her, but she must be among those who bullied me for being the pack runt.

“So, how did she kill Lady Violette?”

“Beats me,” she kisses her teeth. “But she lured her into the woods and killed her, she obviously planned that for days, or even months.” She tells them. “Word around is that they didn’t get along.”

“Wow, how karma works.” Someone hisses. “She killed his sister, and he killed her father.”

“Beta Ronan was a f*****g traitor,” the woman says, her voice sharp and laced with venom. “He deserved that, and this witch here must die too.”

“Juni,” someone lowly.

Right. Juniper Cornwall. I remember her, she used to prance around like she owned the school in middle school. She was one of Valerie’s friends. I wonder how she ended up a maid here.

Juniper tsks, “What? She won’t last in this house, they’ll kill her very soon. You know Alpha Killian doesn’t take kindly to traitors, she's a goner.”

“I don't think so,” someone softly argues. “I mean, she’s in this house, is she not?”

“What are you doing?” Someone asks, her voice loud, authoritative, and seasoned. “Luna Arielle is looking for you all. There’s a staff meeting right now. Go.”

“We were just trying to get a peek at the witch who is more evil than her highness.”

“Go,” she commands them. “And don’t let Alpha Killian hear you speak that way about his mate.”

“His what?!” Juniper gasps.

“Meeting, now.” The woman says, her words accompanied by footsteps slowly fading away. When they're gone, I turn towards the door, trying to see if they could actually see me, but the door is closed, they must have been peeking through the keyhole.

The silence is defeating, and even now that I’m no longer crying, my chest is heaving. I rest my head on the mattress, only to be startled a moment later by the door creaking open.

Killian steps in, heavy boots, grey sweat pants and a neat beige t-shirt that looks at least two sizes too small on him. He looks tired, worn out. I bet it’s the evil, evil ages people, it takes a toll on them. “Get ready.”

“Why?” I flinch, still not used to being spoken to in any way near the way he speaks to me.

“So I can introduce you to the house manager, and she’ll assign you your duties.” He says, his tone clipped. “Or what? Did you think you’d be living here for free?”

“I don’t even want to live here,” I frown. “Why would I want to be with the man who murdered my father?”

“My charm?” He smirks, the way his expression softens makes me eat my comeback. “What?” He raises an eyebrow, “Are you immune to that now?”

His words catch me off guard for a second, but I quickly collect myself. “You’re a sick asshole,” I snap. My crush on him was never obvious, or at least I was under the impression it wasn't because he always snubbed the girl who had a crush on him. “I want to leave,” I tell him, standing up because the way he stares down at me unerves me. “I want to go back home.”

“And where is home, Raelynn? Hmm?”

“Vield Fang.”

“You’re property of Crimson Moon now, you’ll stay here,” he sneers, “You’ll do as you’re told and—”

“No!” I scream. “I don’t want to be here. Tell my brother to come and get me.”

“Which part of you won’t be seeing your siblings without my approval, did you not understand?” He frowns, “Oh my bad, I forgot to tell you.”

“You can’t do that to me,” I gasp, pushing at his chest, but he barely moves, instead his hand clasps around my wrist. “I have a life, I can’t stay here.”

“You are staying,” he barks, still taking that rude tone with me. “And you’ll behave yourself, do you hear me?”

My God, he is so full of himself. I need to break free from him and everything tying us before it's too late. I don’t even think of the consequences before I start to speak. “I reject—”

“Careful,” he warns, his grip around my wrist tightening. “I won’t be so nice if you defy me. I’m asking you very nicely to take a shower, but you insist on biting.”

“Let go,” I grunt, trying to pull my pull away from him, but he doesn’t pull away.

“Let's be clear, Raelynn, I am not your friend.” He warns, staring down at me with contempt. “You will address me as Alpha Killian, do you hear me? I am your Alpha, and you will respect me, not just me, but you will learn to respect everyone in the house, or your bark will land you in trouble with those who bite.” He says, letting go of my wrist.

I swallow, tears stinging in the corner of my eye, but I hold back. I don’t cry, I’ve cried enough in front of him, I won’t let him have the satisfaction of seeing me break, I won’t bend to his will.

“Alpha Killian, there’s a call for you from the civil office.” Someone says, I look outside to find Juniper outside, wearing a maid's uniform. When our eyes meet, she stares me up and down, but lowers her gaze when Killian turns to her. She follows right behind, and I finally grab my wrist, rubbing the soreness away.

“There you are,” someone says, the disdain in her voice unmistakable.

Valerie.