Kill The Luna

35

The chilling words left his lips and hung heavily in the quiet air, making the entire world feel like it had completely frozen into a block of solid ice. I stared at him, my heart dropping straight into my stomach as a painful realization washed over me. The sweet, caring Michael I thought I was beginning to know over the last few days was completely gone. It was as if he had brutally ripped off his gentle face and put on a terrifying, heartless new mask that I didn't recognize at all.

Everything in the room seemed to pause, the silence stretching out between us like a vast, empty desert. I gripped the edges of the mattress, my mind racing as I looked at his rigid posture. Was this the real, true side of him all along? Had he intentionally hidden this cold, ruthless monster from me from the very first day I arrived, waiting for the perfect moment to show his true colors? His chest was still heaving with ragged breaths, and his dark eyes flashed with a dangerous, reddish tint that made my blood run cold. He refused to even turn his head or look at me, keeping his gaze locked out the window as if the mere sight of my battered face disgusted him.

I swallowed the heavy lump of humiliation in my throat, forcing myself to look away from his broad back. I gave him a slow, quiet nod, my voice dropping into a flat, empty whisper. "Okay... it's perfectly fine. I have heard every single thing you just said."

I pushed my aching body off the edge of the bed, my bruised muscles groaning with pain as I forced my legs to move across the wooden floorboards. I walked toward the heavy wooden door, my fingers trembling as I reached out and wrapped them around the cold metal handle. But just as I clicked the latch open, preparing to step out into the hallway and leave his presence forever, his icy voice rang out behind me, stopping me dead in my tracks to deliver one last, crushing blow.

"Veronica will come down to your quarters later this afternoon to administer your daily medication to you," he commanded flatly, his tone completely devoid of any human emotion. "Make sure you are there."

A sharp wave of betrayal sliced through my chest at the mention of my biological sister's fake name, but I didn't let him see it. I didn't even turn around to look at him. I simply gave a small, stiff nod of my head and walked out of the master bedroom, slamming the heavy door shut behind me. I marched down the long, empty hallway, keeping my head down as I went straight back to the safety of my own room.

The moment I pushed my door open and stepped inside the quiet space, my heart broke all over again. Just as I had fully expected, Ella was sitting right there on the edge of my mattress. Her small shoulders were shaking violently, and her face was completely drenched in a thick flood of hot, heavy tears that had already stained the front of her clothes. She looked completely devastated, her eyes red and swollen from crying for hours.

The sight of my only friend in so much pain made me completely forget about my own broken nose. I rushed across the room instantly, dropping to my knees right in front of her and wrapping my hands securely around her trembling fingers. "Oh my goodness, Ella... why on earth are you crying like this?" I asked softly, my voice filled with deep concern as I looked up into her face.

Ella pulled one of her hands away to quickly wipe at her runny nose, coughing slightly as she desperately tried to control the heavy tears choking her throat. "Luna Fedora... I am so, so sorry," she sobbed, her voice cracking with pure grief. "I just... I could not stand out there and watch what those horrible people did to you on that field. The humiliation, the beating... it was just way too much for a human being to endure. You didn't deserve any of that."

A warm wave of affection filled my chest, and I stood up, wrapping my arms tightly around her neck to pull her into a giant, comforting hug. "Hey, it's okay, Ella... please don't cry anymore," I murmured gently, squeezing her small frame against me. "You don't have to take the bitter medicine for my own sickness. Look at me, I'm completely okay now. The danger is gone." Ella let out one last, shaky sigh, burying her wet face deep into the fabric of my shirt as her loud sobbing finally slowed down to a quiet stop.

I gently gripped her shoulders, pulling back so I could lift her head up and look into her eyes. A sudden, bright spark of defiance lit up inside my mind, and a small smile touched my lips. "Wait... I have a fantastic idea. Why don't the two of us leave this depressing house and go outside into the city to go eat something delicious?"

Ella blinked in surprise, the lingering tears drying on her cheeks as a hopeful look washed over her face. She nodded her head up and down in excitement. "To be completely honest, it has been an incredibly long time since I was allowed to step outside the borders of this pack territory," she admitted, a genuine smile finally breaking through her sadness. "I think that would be a truly great idea, Luna Fedora. As long as it means getting to go out and spend time together with you."

Determined to wash away the memory of the training grounds, I quickly walked over to the bathroom to clean the dried blood off my skin. I took off my ruined, stained old clothes and tossed them into the trash bin, changing into a fresh, clean outfit. Once we were completely ready, we slipped out of the side doors of the estate and started walking down the main path toward the outer gates. But just before we could step past the final tree line, Ella suddenly gasped, slapping her hand against her forehead in realization.

"Oh, no! Luna Fedora, wait!" she squealed, stopping dead in her tracks. "I completely forgot something incredibly important inside the house."

I stopped and turned around, my brow furrowing in confusion. "What is it? What did you forget?"

Ella’s mischievous, bubbly grin instantly returned to her face, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "It's a giant surprise! Just stay right here and don't move an inch, I'll be right back!"

I stood by the path, waiting patiently for a few minutes while she sprinted back inside the mansion. When she finally emerged from the front doors and ran back over to me, she had a triumphant look on her face. She raised her right hand high into the air, proudly flashing a sleek, matte-black credit card between her fingers like a trophy.

I stared at the mysterious card, tilting my head in deep confusion. "What exactly is that card for, Ella? And where on earth did you get something that looks that expensive?"

Ella giggled, leaning in close as she handed the heavy card over to me. "This is actually what the Alpha King privately handed to me to give to you on the very first day you arrived at this estate," she explained, her voice buzzing with excitement. "I completely forgot about it until just now! I distinctly remember him telling me that the money inside this card will absolutely never finish anytime soon. He said we can use it for endless shopping, buying new dresses, and literally anything else your heart desires."

A genuine smile broke across my face, the heavy weight of Michael's harsh words from earlier lifting just a tiny bit. "Wow... fine then," I chuckled, slipping the black card safely into my pocket. "Let's go spend his money."

Rouge POV

Deep within the thick, shadowy bushes just outside the heavily guarded perimeter of the pack gates, a scarred warrior crouched low in the dirt. He kept his eyes locked tightly onto the winding path, his breathing shallow as he watched two female figures step out from the mansion.

He slowly reached into his leather vest, pulling out a dark, encrypted mobile phone. He quickly pressed a button, dialing a highly classified emergency number. The line ringed twice before a deep, cold voice answered from the other end.

The warrior cleared his throat, his expression turning completely serious as he whispered into the receiver. "Sir, we officially have eyes on the target girl. She has just left the main building, and it looks like she is currently approaching the front gates with a maid. Should we initiate the plan and attack them now?"