No Longer Your Luna: A Mother's Reckoning

SELENA’S POINT OF VIEW. I sighed stressed as I walked down the halls of the Grey’s family opulent mansion. I had a meeting with the florist and I was late. I had one meeting after another discussing the banquet preparation and it was honestly exhausting. I was busy preparing for an upcoming banquet that was in three weeks. The banquet was called a territory rating celebration which was a popular event among werewolf packs. The event was conducted annually and all packs got to attend. As per the Urban Werewolf Council, the organization that conducts the Territory Rating, assigned the Grey family to host the celebration as their rating changed from B to A- The ratings ranged from S to D. The rating was important as it determined the economic contribution, social order maintenance and compliance to underground rules and the pack with the highest rating which was S rank, they got to have all the greatest voice and resources. As the daughter in law of the Grey family, I had been tasked with the responsibility of making sure this banquet was a success. I was putting my literal sweat blood and tears into preparing for the banquet celebration ceremony. Failing was not an option especially when I had a mother-in-law like mine. She was the current Luna of the Grey family so you can just tell she wouldn’t be the type to entertain imperfections or mediocre work. I had to prove myself worthy of the Grey family. The truth was, I wasn’t very liked in this family. My mother-in-law didn’t like me one bit. I had tried to impress her with every trick known to man but nothing worked. Making this banquet a success seemed like my once in a lifetime chance to change how she felt about me. I really wanted her to like me. As I was having a meeting with the florist about the flower’s arrangements and the type and colour of flowers I wanted for the banquet, I heard those familiar loud but measured clicks of heels walking towards where we were standing. I immediately stopped talking and turned my neck in the direction my mother-in-law was coming from. She was a stern and cold woman in late sixties. Her cold attitude and intimidating presence somehow made me tremble slightly in her presence. I was afraid of her but I think it was just a trauma response to how she treated me in particular. Like I said she doesn’t like me so she sometimes says demeaning words my way. She now stood a few inches away from the florist and I and as if the florist could read the room, she excused herself and it was just me and my mother-in-law now. I held my palm into a fist as I felt it tremble a little while the other arm gripped the clipboard I held on the other arm so tightly, I felt it hurt me. This always happened. The anxiety really had a grip on me very tight in her presence. I was literally bracing myself for what was about to happen. I was so used to it that I was already aware nothing good was going to come out of this encounter. “Hey mom.” I politely greeted forcing a sweet smile. The current Luna who was also my mother-in-law glared at me. “How many times do you need to hear from that I don’t like it when you call me mom? I’m not your mom you ugly woman.” She angrily told me and I could only swallow. I had no guts to talk back. Besides this was nothing new. I knew I wasn’t supposed to call her mom but I kept calling her mom in hopes that each time she would allow it. “I’m sorry.” I apologized my expression truly remorseful. The Luna sneered at me annoyed and then her attention shifted to the clipboard in my arm. It was just the topic of discussion with the florist. She stared at the clipboard for an amount of time before she clicked her tongue not impressed by what she saw. She was definitely reading what was written on the clipboard. “What did I do to have a daughter in law as tasteless and lame as you? “She asked and I bit the inside of my cheeks. The harsh critic right on the bat. She had not reviewed what I had been doing all these days but she was quick to judge. It was really unfair but I could only take it without complaints. She was the Luna and nobody questioned the Luna. “It’s because of your lameness that you gave birth to a low birth. You are the reason Leo gets mocked in school.” She continued but this time she really decided to insult me using my son’s current situation in school. That really hurts. Getting blamed for how your children turn out just because you gave birth to them was truly harsh. I held my tears refusing to cry in front of her. I couldn’t show that weakness less she uses it against me. I have two children with my husband Victor. Mia was my eldest daughter, she was ten years old and Leo, my son, was eight years old. Victor is the eldest son of the Grey family and the pack’s Alpha. I married him when I was twenty years old and now, I am twenty-eight years old. I married Victor to become a fulltime housewife and I can’t say I regret it but I just wish I chased my dream first. But what’s done is done and so are my dreams. “Are you mute?” The Luna’s question suddenly pulled me out of my start to reminisce about my past. “What excuse do you have for your lameness? Aren’t you ashamed of yourself? Someone as lame as you should be so embarrassed of themselves. Are you even ashamed of yourself?” she asked all these trails of questions that I didn’t have answers to. I stammered trying to find the right words to say to her but before I could say anything, a loud sharp yell erupted from behind me. I recognized that voice. “Stop bullying my mom you evil woman. I hate you.” Mia, my daughter yelled at my mother-in-law angrily. Where the hell did, she come from? Was she eavesdropping on us? It was not nice of her to talk back to the Luna like that, suddenly, I was scared for her. Talking back to the Luna like that had its own consequences. The Luna turned to look at Mia angrily and I knew that look all too well. I had been at the receiving end of it. I panicked. “Please, forgive her.” I suddenly begged for her forgiveness. “Please, I’ll accept all the consequences, just forgive my daughter.” I added my voice shaky. I knew what would happen if I didn’t try to shift the consequences my way. “She needs to be taught a lesson. That’s bad behaviour to talk back in the first place, and second to talk back to the Luna with such rude words.” Luna said and my heart dropped. Why did Mia have to talk now? “You see the results of your low birth? You just couldn’t give birth to perfect children. What a waste of my son’s perfect Grey’s genes. You wasted them with your low life useless genes.” she sighed after her insults then her gaze was directed at Mia. “You are to be confined as punishment till you learn proper manners.” she coldly told Mia pointing at her with her index finger. I knew there was no way to save my daughter from her punishment. The Luna’s words were absolute. I couldn’t argue. My daughter was getting confined and it was final.