The Unwanted Luna

chapter 8

Klaus POV

I hate myself, my life, and my mate. Or maybe I hate my mate. I don't know anymore.

Especially after I looked into her eyes and watched as tears poured. I should be happy. Be really happy. After all, that is what I wanted— for her to cry and feel the pain I am feeling.

So why is it that with all that just happened, I feel so empty? Really empty. In fact, I feel good empty.

I feel like I have offended her too much. That my actions may have cut deeper than I intended to.

And the real question is: why the guilt?

I should be happy. Feel relieved, think about her sadness, and feel a good feeling.

Instead, I feel empty.

“Babe, let's continue from where we stopped,” Delilah whispers, wrapping her arms around my waist as she kisses my neckline.

She trails her hands down my face. Goosebumps fill my skin from the feeling of her sharp nails on me.

I pull back. “Get out,” I order.

She pauses and walks toward my front. “What?” she asks, her voice barely a whisper, like she can't comprehend the fact that I am rejecting her.

“I said you should leave.”

“But we are not done,” she mumbles, giving me an irritating pout. “Don't tell me you are getting soft because of her. Because of that girl that does not matter to you. You hate her, right? She killed your mate.”

I swallow hard, taking three steps back, creating a comfortable distance between us. “I said you should leave me alone!”

She rolls her eyes. “You sound so pathetic. How can you be feeling pity for her? How would you rule the kingdom if you can't hurt the traitor and—”

I grab her chin, stopping her from blabbing out nonsense. “Now listen to me and listen carefully. I don't give a f**k how you feel or what you think is good or how to be the Alpha.

That girl is my mate, and I can call her whatever names I want, but not you. And you don't get to insult me. You don't have that opportunity. Do whatever you want to do and get the f**k out of my room. I will send your bill to you.”

She glares at me before rolling her eyes and walking away, slamming the door behind her.

Immediately she leaves, a heavy, dense silence fills the air. My eyes roam around the whole room, from the flowers Theresa had painted, to her six portraits that hung around my room, to her wardrobe that was still filled with her clothes.

Everywhere scented like her, smelt like her—nothing like Katherine and her wood-cinnamon scent. I did not even know how she scented because sometimes she scented like gunpowder, which is strange for a girl.

This room belonged to Theresa, and I wanted it to stay that way. I wanted the memories to remain the same.

I did not want to feel guilty or like a poor cheating child for trying to cause pain to the people who killed her, who killed my mum, who made me an orphan.

Yet here I am doing just that.

“f**k!” I mutter under my breath as I run my hands vigorously through my hair.

What the hell is happening to me?

My phone rings, disrupting my thoughts and guilt.

It's my uncle. I don't need to pick the call to know that he wants to see me.

To discuss the major reason why I refused to reject Katherine and why I kept her alive even till now.

I change my clothes and clean her disgusting lipstick from my lips before walking to my uncle's office.

Aiden is sitting opposite him, a cigarette wrapped around his lips as he waits for me.

“Took you so long to come, right?” Uncle Gabriel asks as I walk in.

“Sorry, I was dealing with some important issues,” I apologize and take a glass of wine.

“Important issue, huh?” Aiden asks, raising his eyebrows. “Please tell me that this important issue had to do with your mate.”

I roll my eyes. “No. It had nothing to do with her. I just had important things to attend to.”

I turn to my uncle and apologize once again. “I am sorry.”

He nods his head. “It's okay. But now that you are here, let's talk about what is actually happening between us. What we actually need to conclude today.”

I sit upright. Aiden, my best friend, does the same as we pay close attention to what he is saying.

He turns his attention to me, his eyes falling on me. “Tell me, how has the relationship between the both of you been going?”

I raise my eyebrow. “What relationship?”

Aiden kicks my leg. “Don't pretend you don't know what I am talking about. About your new mate, Katherine.”

I shrug. “Well, it has just been nothing but insults, tears, and shouting at each other. What were you expecting? For me to kiss her?”

“Yes. That is what I expected you to do. To kiss her and win her heart and make her feel special and all in love with you, but no. You decided to go your own way. You do know what is at stake here, right?” he asks.

I shrug. “Yes, I know. And I also know that I lost my mate two days ago, and this mate, by the way, has not been buried. She is still there with my mum, and you both want me to jump up and fall into the arms of another.

How would you feel if it happened to you? You expect me to throw away a ten-year-old relationship in one night and move to the person who killed her?” I ask.

My uncle shakes his head, clearing his throat. “That is not what I asked you to do. You can mourn in silence, but I expect you to be smart. To be as smart as possible and to not do something that would take your throne away.

You saw what happened that day. You saw how Kilan was ready to kill and get married to Sandra, even though you know fully well that his brother killed your father. He is doing it so that he can have a Luna and take the throne. This is a throne, and it is a game. The best winner wins. You are playing a game of thrones, and I refuse to lose. I refuse to let what your mother passed through when she was alive and even now that she is dead go to waste.”

I lean back into my chair. I understand what he is saying. I understand his perspective.

I had been discriminated against all my life as the bastard son of my father, whose mum was a concubine.

In fact, the only reason why I am still alive and still sitting and regarded as royalty is because of the silver hair on my head.

My mum made me promise her that I would never ever step down. That I would take the throne as the first male child.

And if you had asked me last week, I would have sworn that it would be as I want it to be. But right now, I don't even know what to do or say.

I heave a sigh. “I understand what you are saying, Uncle. I really do. But… I can't love that girl and—”

“And who says you should love her? Who says you should care about her? Get her on your good side. Treat her well so that she would help you get the throne. When you are seated and already crowned, you can send her away or even reject her and behave like you wanted to.”

“That's if you don't fall for her before then,” Aiden chips in, a stupid smile on his face.

I narrow my eyes at him. “I am not falling for anyone.”

He nods, the smile still on his face. “If you know you won't, then do it. People can talk about your betrayal, but do it. You can even teach her how to make people fall in love with her. And be human to her. Besides the fact that she killed your mate, she is actually innocent.

She was basically acting on her Alpha’s orders. And I heard that she was a hot catch, especially with the fact that they sent someone as weak as her for a mission like this. It only means one thing, and that is the fact that she is a skilled soldier.”

I glare at him. He is clearly enjoying whatever misery I am currently in.

“So what do you suggest I do?” I ask because my head is seriously blank, and I am finding a way not to get too close to her.

I need to keep on hating her, and I seriously don't like how she makes me feel when I see her cry.

“Good. You would go back in there and make her feel comfortable. Apologize and create a pitiable character, make her attend

Theresa’s funeral with you, and allow her to pet you after the funeral… make her feel like your resting place.

Allow her support you and even play the game with you, and when you are done, leave her immediately. And make sure you don't fall for her, which I don't think you will. In fact, if you should do such a thing, you would be a fool!”

I nod. A smile graces my face for the first time since this meeting. This sounds like what a perfect revenge looks like and what I will do.

Gabriel passes a stack of papers to me. Katherine’s face on the front page.

“This is her file. Everything she has been up to date, you will find it here.”

I pick up the file, glancing through the whole thing from her date of birth, which was unknown, to the two violence cases she has had, to the rejection and then my eyes widen.

“Fiancé – Daniel Lockwood.”

My eyes slowly drag from the name to my uncle. “She had a fiancé?” I ask.

He nods. “Yes, he was among the people who killed your mate. In fact, he was the one who killed Theresa. Katherine and Lia supplied him with information, that was all. He even gave her his locket before he died. Like he begged us.”

“And you gave her?” I ask Aiden.

He shrugs. “We had to fulfill the wish of a dying man.”

And then I remember her words about losing people she loved too. The locket she was always holding to her neck every single time.

So it belonged to Daniel. Her lover. Her fiancé. She had a fiancé even after giving all this self-pity talk. She had a fiancé!

So while she made me feel bad for being with Theresa, she had carefully been holding on to the memory of her lover.

This b***h!

All my guilt dissolves into anger. How dare she hold on to Daniel and make me feel guilty?

Before Aiden could stop me, I walked out of the office, walking toward the door with one aim— to strip her of the locket and whatever memory she has with her ex.

She is my mate, and all memories should be tied to me and no one else.