Cursed And Crowned

Chapter Six

Ophelia's POV

“Are you a new maid?” Her assumption yanked me out of my state of shock, I blinked once, then twice almost feeling tempted to pinch myself.

My mouth fell open, yet no words had the strength to pass through the lump that had formed in my throat.

The actual maids made no effort to correct her, and she went along with that assumption.

“I hope you can forgive me for not recognizing you. But as your new Luna, I would like you to know that you can come to me in any case of any emergency or anything really that is troubling you.”

What would one call the sinking feeling in my chest? Eric that, after all the years I have wasted on that man he had replaced me in the drop of a hat!

“Actually she's not a maid,” my entire body buckled up with tension when I heard Eric's voice, he stepped towards us and turned to his new Luna, shooting me a nasty look from the corner of his eye before pulling her towards him and shoving his tongue down her throat as far as it could go.

I watched recoiling in disgust but hid it behind a blank mask. He seemed irritated that he couldn't rile me up.

He finally leaned back, the woman, Gianna's face was looking flushed at this point.

“Eric! The maids are watching us. I've told you…”

Her words caught in her throat and her eyes suddenly drifted over to me, swelling up with suspicion.

“Wait, if you're not a maid then who are you?”

Having that question so callously flung in my face stung. I had dedicated so much to this pack, all of that sacrifice just for an imposter to show up and ask me who I was.

“My love, I hope you can forgive her, she's not quite bright as you can see…” Eric said with a wicked smirk on his face that only made my blood boil all the more.

His words provoked me to speak.

“Actually, Luna Gianna, I was just surprised to meet you,” I said, being more honest than not. It physically hurts to call another woman by the title I had cherished, but I tried to see it as another hurdle I had to get through.

“The Alpha brought me here as a hired healer, but he didn't inform me that his previous Luna had been replaced so soon.”

I said all of this with a little bow, the maids shot daggers at me with their eyes and she looked surprised herself while my former mate appeared as though he was ready to have my head chopped off.

He released her waist and grabbed me with the same arm.

“My love, I'll come back to you soon. It seems that I'll have to teach this ‘hired healer’ a little bit about etiquette and how to treat those of higher rank than her.”

Before she could say anything, he had dragged me away with all but enough gentleness to pop my bone right off of its socket, I bore the pain biting down on my bottom lip to press back any audible evidence of it slipping through.

When we reached the dusty room that had been prepared for me he shoved me at the door which fell off its hinges almost immediately crushing me to the ground and the impact of its fall formed dust clouds instantly.

I coughed rushing out of the room, my back hurting terribly but still, there wasn't a flicker of pity in his eyes; not that I needed or wanted it. It was just surprising how unnecessarily cruel he was.

“Have you truly lost your mind?” He asked or rather demanded to know with the veins popping up in his head clearly outlined, and his face going red.

“What offense have I committed now?” I said, nursing one aching arm with another.

His eyebrows drew together.

“Don't play dumb. You were messing around with my mate just now, trying to make a fool out of her, weren't you?”

I watched him huffed and puffed, for a moment I wondered where all of this energy had been when I was his mate–His Luna. Was this much concern and chivalry normal? I guess it was when you actually liked your mate rather than tolerated them.

I remained quiet without addressing his question, he came forward and grabbed me by my chin, nearly crushing my jawbone under his grip.

“Understand this while you are here, Ophelia, you are not even worth the dirt that is stuck under the bottom of her shoe. So if you dare mock her again, I'll make sure you regret it!” He pushed me to the wall and my already sore back felt a new rush of pain surge through it.

I remained on the floor for a while unable to pick myself up, just gathering my energy enough to rise but Eric wouldn't stop, his voice softened the slightest bit as he observed the state he had put me in.

“Ophelia, you have to understand. What we had…it's all in the past. You know we were never the perfect fit for each other. And I already assumed you were gone forever so it was my responsibility as Alpha to–”

“Why are you even explaining this to me?” I said, unable to rein back my anger. “Since when have you ever cared about my feelings?”

His eyes visibly darkened as they zeroed in on me picking myself up from the floor.

“Whatever you say, now that I really think about it. I never wanted you as my mate in the first place so things worked out perfectly!”

I clenched my fingers, “And I never wanted a heartless bastard as a mate either!” I spat out.

He said nothing in response and for a moment it looked like he was going to lay hands on me again but he suddenly turned around and stomped away instead. With resignation I worked into my dusty room and lay on the mattress, rubbing my throbbing back as my thoughts filled with Ryker and how much I missed him before finally falling asleep.