The Lunar Destiny Series

Chapter 36

I sat in the living room of Lio’s house next to Naremi. Baltasar, Kyra, and Githinji sat around me in various positions on the floor. None of them were smiling at me.

“We understand why you went to the jail. We even understand why you went behind our backs, but why expose yourself to the media frenzy? What will you do if your face shows up on the news tonight? Have you even thought of what your parents would think if they saw you going into the jail?” Kyra said, sounding impatient with every word.

Baltasar patted her on the shoulder.

“Easy Kyra. Look, getting in the middle of the ‘monster story’ could cost you your job. Do you understand?” He said looking me square in the eyes.

“Yeah, I understand. I have a lot to lose.” I said.

Baltasar gave a simple nod.

“Though we do appreciate you calling Azzo, we want you to let us handle things from here on out. We’re glad to see you standing by him but we’ll be less than pleased to see you hurt because of this situation.” Githinji said.

I closed my eyes briefly before I spoke.

“You don’t know what they were doing to him when Azzo and I got there…” I said looking around at them. They all exchanged looks.

“They were keeping him heavily sedated with tranquilizers and chained up to a wall. The look in his eyes…”

I could feel my tears coming back and lowered my head. I felt Naremi’s hand on my back.

“And now?” Naremi asked.

“Azzo got them to stop the cruel and unusual treatment. Azzo said they had violated his human and animal rights.”

That last bit still sounded strange coming out of my mouth.

“At least the drugs and chains are done with. Ugh! Those bastards!” Kyra said.

“You can’t miss work for these things, Astraia. That’s why we’re here.” Naremi said in a more comforting tone.

I raised my head to look over at her, giving her a sullen smile. Suddenly she started staring at the side of my neck where Lio had bitten me. I knew she saw Lio’s mark on me. I reached up and moved my hair over them. I was embarrassed even though I had no reason to be.

“He’s given you the mark of protection.”

Naremi said in a voice that sounded distant.

“So that’s what he did. I got so mad at him...”

“With this mark, his power will repel those of our kind with intentions of harming you.”Githinji said, standing up from his spot on the floor and placing his hands in his pockets.

“Makes protecting you a lot easier.” Baltasar said with a grin.

I heard the front door open and close before another one of Lio’s pack members came into the living room. She was a young, slim figured blonde with dark, chocolate brown eyes. She looked younger than Priam because of her round cheeks and triangular chin. She was wearing a pastel pink, short sleeved blouse with blue jean mini shorts. Pink flip flops finished off the outfit.

“Yes, Fulvia?” Githinji asked, turning to face her.

“The King of the werebear sleuth is waiting at the entrance to our woods. He’s alone, but he wants to see Astraia.” She said in a voice that sounded more seductive than her innocent face looked.

I stood up so quickly that I made myself light headed momentarily.

“Iericho’s here? But how?” I asked, sounding utterly confused.

“That’s what I’d like to know. He was the one that did the most damage at the jail, so how the hell did he escape?” Kyra said, sounding every bit of suspicious.

“Now’s the chance to go and ask him. I’ll go with you Astraia, just to be safe.” Baltasar said getting up from his spot on the floor.

“The bear King says, he wants to see her alone...” Fulvia said reluctantly.

“No chance. Sorry, but we can’t trust him.”

Githinji said, looking over at me with stern eyes.

“He’s my brother Githinji, he wouldn’t hurt me.”

He shook his head no.

“I don’t like it, Astraia. He suddenly shows up on our land, asking to see you alone the night after our king gets locked up? It’s too much of a coincidence. Bad idea.”

Things were going to get even more difficult if I continued to try reassuring them. I understood their concern but, this was my brother.

“Alright, come if you have to but I’m going to see what he wants.” I said before taking my leave from the living room.

I heard Githinji walking behind me as we walked out of the house.

Iericho was standing against his car waiting for us on the curb of the main road. We walked down the dirt road that connected to the main street. Iericho had parked a few feet back from the dirt road. When he saw us, a deep frown formed on his face. I didn’t have to wonder if he was pissed that I hadn’t come alone.

“What are you doing wolf? I said I wanted to see my sister alone.” He said, pushing himself off of his car.

“I’m not leaving her alone with you. Ever.”

Githinji said walking a little closer to him.

“Calm down you two. Iericho you have a lot of explaining to do. Why did Lio get caught while you and the wereleopard escaped?” I asked as calmly as I possibly could, but the words still came out sounding agitated.

“The wereleopard had already started to shift and went berserk inside the jail by the time we got inside. Once we caught the scent of fresh blood, it didn’t take much for us to shift too.”

Iericho said every word carefully as if he were afraid I was going to attack him.

“Will you be getting to the part where my King was captured?” Githinji asked. He was clearly out of patience already.

“The cops started shooting tranquilizers at us so I got the wereleopard kid out and left as fast as I could. That was our whole purpose of going there in the first place. Lio should have been able to take care of himself.” Iericho said, looking over at Githinji this time.

I walked up to Iericho and gave him a nice firm slap on the left side of his face. The sound was a lot louder than I thought it would be.

“So you just left him? Every man for himself? Huh? YOU asked HIM for his help, not the other way around! Do you have any idea what he’s been going through?” I realized that I was starting to yell and sighed.

Iericho simply stared down at me with empty eyes, still trying to get past the shock of being slapped I assumed.

“A King who can’t hold their own, is no King.”

Iericho said.

That comment set Githinji off. He ran towards my brother and rammed him against his car with his hands firmly on Iericho’s shoulders.

“Stop it! We’re out on a main road!” I shouted at them but they ignored me completely.

Iericho grabbed Githinji’s arms before kneeing him in the stomach. Githinji coughed hard and gasped as he released his grip on Iericho.

Three large cars came to a stop directly across the street from us. One was a silver scion, the second was a gold four-door pickup truck, and the last was a dark green Hummer H3. The driver side door of the Hummer opened and Teris got out of it.

My eyes widened with horror. The last time I saw him he and Lolita were trying to trade me for Priam. Since then Lio had managed to get rid of one of them. Now, Lio wasn’t here. I wondered what he’d try to do to me now.

Githinji held his stomach as he backed up to stand in front of me, protecting me. Teris crossed the street wearing a tan, light leather jacket with a mustard yellow shirt underneath. His blue jeans were so dark they almost looked black. A pair of tan, steel toe boots finished his ensemble. I don’t understand how he wasn’t literally smoking wearing all of that. Iericho straightened his jacket before he turned around to face Teris. The Leopard King came close to Githinji, but he was still a few feet away.

“What? You’re not going to play nice puppy dog?” Teris said with a sly smirk.

Githinji stood up straight but I could tell it hurt him a little to do it. Iericho must have used a lot of his strength to hit him.

“I didn’t think you would. You weren’t supposed to escort her but here you are, so stubborn…” Teris said shaking his head.

Githinji looked over at Iericho, but my brother’s expression never changed.

“How could you do this to your own flesh and blood? You would really give her to Teris?” Githinji said, trying to remain calm.

“I’m not giving her to him. I came here to take her and place her under my protection.”

Iericho said, stepping towards Githinji.

Teris put his hand up making him stop.

“Oh please, allow me.”

Teris went up to Githinji and punched him in the jaw. I heard a loud cracking sound upon impact, his jaw was definitely broken.

“Githinji!”

I called out to him, feeling so helpless. Githinji was hurt but he still didn’t go down; instead, he rushed Teris. He tackled him to the ground and the fight was on. Cars were passing by and it wouldn’t be long before the police were called if they continued like this.

Teris got the upper hand again and pulled his right arm back before he started punching Githinji in the face repeatedly. Githinji brought up his left leg and kicked Teris in the back of the head. The force of the kick made Teris fall off of him, holding the back of his head. Suddenly his people began exiting their cars and crossing the street to join in the fight. Githinji was going to be beaten to death if I didn’t do something, and quickly. Teris stood up and kicked Githinji in the ribs a couple of times before looking over at me.

“Take the girl! I can handle this one.”

He said, grinning at me before kicking Githinji again.

“Run!” Githinji managed to cough out. I turned to run but that’s when the wereleopards came at me, I didn’t even get a good run started.

Four of them had me by the arms while three more simply stood surrounding me. My brother stepped up to them.

“Let her go, she’ll ride with me.” He said.

“We don’t take orders from you.” One of the men snapped at him.

“Let Iericho drive her. He is on our side.” Teris said this looking over at him.

“On his side? Iericho, how could you side with him after what he’s tried to do to me? He’s the enemy!”

Iericho shook his head no.

“No, he’s your boyfriend’s enemy. Everything that’s happened to you recently is because of Lio, but you seem to have forgotten that. Now, let’s go.” He said.

The words stung me and I wanted to argue but he was right. I became so angry that I started to cry. Lio’s mark of protection started to tingle and sting terribly. That’s when Teris’s people yanked away from me as if they’d been burned. I screamed in pain as I held my hand over the marks. The pain intensified to the point that I thought the skin on my neck would start to tear itself open.

“What are you all standing around for? Get her in the damn car!” Teris shouted at his people, but they continued backing away from me.

Iericho attempted to come and get me himself but he abruptly stumbled backwards as if he’d been pushed.

“What the hell is going on here?” Iericho asked confused.

“What the hell is wrong with all of you? She’s just a human child!” Teris said, sounding aggravated.

He came towards me now, but even he couldn’t get close enough to touch me. He reached out to me and the marks began to ache and sting to the point my skin felt like it was burning.

Teris was forced back so hard that he fell back into the grass. The pain forced me to collapse. I finally heard the cavalry coming up from behind me, but I stayed where I was.

“What kind of…” Iericho’s words trailed off, he was still bewildered.

“The mark of protection…Lio has surprised me yet again.”

Teris said getting up from the ground. Kyra came and crouched down beside me, helping me stand again. Baltasar and two of the other wolves stepped in front of me protectively.

“Did you really think our king wouldn’t ensure his fiancé’s safety? Get off of our land before we put your kittens six feet under.” Baltasar said, bearing his teeth at them.

Teris scowled at Baltasar’s comment.

I looked over my shoulder to see almost the whole pack standing among the trees and along the dirt road behind us. They weren’t visible to the main road, thankfully.

“Don’t get too cocky, puppy dog, his mark can’t keep her safe forever. I know what he did to my sweet Lolita, now? It's war…”

Teris turned to leave and his people followed him across the street back to their cars. Githinji staggered over to us and I could see that he was recovering quickly. Naremi stepped up to my brother, shaking her head.

“Is this how you hope to gain your sister’s love? By trying to get rid of her fiancé? Or was nearly getting her killed a better idea?” She snapped at him.

“Don’t chastise me. Teris and I have an understanding, he won’t hurt her.” Naremi threw her hands up in frustration.

“Oh yes, the trustworthy Teris will honor your deal and never dream of hurting Astraia. Are you really that naïve? I hope whatever you’re getting out of this deal is worth it.” She said before walking back over to my side, opposite of Kyra.

The pain from the marks had faded once the leopards had left, but a dull ache remained. I couldn’t believe it, my only brother intended to harm me. What did he gain by putting me in harm’s way like this I wondered.

“Iericho, what are you doing?” I asked him.

He looked at me then and I couldn’t see a hint of remorse in his eyes.

“I’m trying to save you from a lifetime of pain. I know the road you’re headed down very well because I tried to keep someone else from choosing the same path once before.” I almost laughed at him but I held it in.

“It’s obvious you set Lio up to help Teris get his leopard back, I had a bad feeling from the first moment. Now the whole world knows your kind exists thanks to you. Because of you, everyone is going to suffer. I stand by Lio no matter what. A life of pain as you called it might be all that you see, but I don’t. In your backwards attempt to keep me safe, you’ve endangered the lives of everyone like you.” I said.

Iericho said nothing in response and retreated to his car. After a moment he drove off and the mark of protection stopped hurting completely.

“Are you okay?” Kyra asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine now. The pain stopped once Iericho walked away.” Kyra nodded and put her hand up on my shoulder.

“Let’s get back inside before we end up with an unwanted audience.” Naremi said.

We headed back towards the houses with the others. I called Celeste on the house phone when I got back inside. I sat on Lio’s bed alone trying to explain the reasons behind my lack of communication.

“Seriously Astraia! How could you not call me while all of this monster madness is happening? You live that close to the jailhouse and expect me not to worry about you? I called the art gallery asking for you and they told me you didn’t come into work today. You NEVER miss work! I thought something happened to you!” She was talking so fast I could barely keep up with her.

“I’m sorry I made you worry Celeste but I’m fine, I swear. There are some things I can’t really tell you and it’s because you’ll only worry more.”

I sounded like a teenager trying to lie about where I’d been all night. Truthfully, that’s exactly how things felt.

“Astraia I’m your best friend, there’s nothing you can’t tell me. What’s going on? Are you and Lio still fighting? You still love him right?”

I nodded, knowing she couldn’t see it. I sighed.

“We’re fine Celeste, he’s actually away on business right now. I just want him to come back soon.” Even as I said it, I wished it were true.

“Awe, that’s so sweet. Do you know when he’ll be back?” She asked with a little more cheer in her voice.

“A week at the most…Hey Celeste?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think you can do me a favor?”

“Sure, whatever you need.”

She agreed before I could even ask the favor. She was always like that and I loved her for it.

“Stop freaking out if I don’t call for a few days. You’ll need to keep your sanity for your future husband.” I heard her laughing for a moment before hearing someone screaming upstairs.

“Whoa! What the hell is going on over there?” I heard the panic in her voice, but no matter what was happening upstairs I couldn’t tell her about it.

“I-I don’t know. I’ll call you back later…” I said before quickly hanging up the phone.

I got up from the bed and ran up the basement stairs. Priam and Fulvia had their arms full of towels and were running upstairs when I came into the foyer. What horrors had taken place now?

I ran upstairs after them and followed the sounds of screaming to the bathroom that was the second to last door at the end of the hall. When I got to the doorway the sight in front of me left me speechless. I opened my mouth in shock, but no words came out. Blood was all over the bathroom floor and Lisette sat on the floor in the pool of blood, clutching something in her arms. She was hysterical; I’d never seen her like this. Kyra and two men, whom I knew as Dante and Enzo, were trying to help.

“Oh my God, what happened to her?” I asked no one in particular.

Kyra glanced at me and then looked back to Lisette. Kyra was crouched down beside her, rubbing her left shoulder trying to comfort her.

“She lost the baby…” She said almost whispering.

I looked closer at what Lisette was holding and I could see it was the dead fetus in her arms. It was so small…

“No! I haven’t lost him! There’s still time to get him to the hospital!”

She said crying and holding the fetus tighter.

“Lisette, he’s already gone. Please don’t do this to yourself.” Kyra said in a coaxing tone.

“Excuse us, Astraia.”

Fulvia said from behind me; Priam was right behind her. I backed away from the doorway and let her and Priam get by.

“We brought extra towels. Nurse Clement is on her way. She said to put the baby in a towel and get Lisette cleaned up and ready to go.”

Priam said, handing Kyra two towels. Lisette suddenly looked up at me with pink, puffy eyes full of disdain.

“Get out! Get her out of here!” She shouted.

Kyra looked up at me and nodded.

“We’ll take care of things here, go ahead and wait for Nurse Clement downstairs okay?”

She said.

I was still slightly in shock but I turned around and headed back downstairs. Nurse Clement came after about twenty minutes. She took Lisette to the hospital. When I asked her about the hospital possibly finding out what Lisette was she told me, ‘not to worry, I have friends who take care of people like Lisette that work there.’ Whoever these friends were, she was lucky to have them.

I know Lisette and I didn’t get along but I did feel bad for her. No one should have to experience a miscarriage. I think because the odds were supposed to be better this time, it was harder on her than before. I was still trying not to think about how many times she’d lost Lio’s babies. Lio’s absence combined with the news of their secret coming out in the media was more than enough stress on her. When I think about my sudden appearance into their lives, I realized how much I’d changed things up to this point. I felt like I’d been just as bad as my cousin Denae; a homewrecker.

Lisette didn’t return until later that night. She went upstairs without a word to anyone. Kyra had gone to the hospital with her and came into the house shortly after her. Once she closed and locked the door, she came up to me. I had been sitting on the ottoman near the staircase.

“How is she? Will she be alright?” I asked.

“She’s upset but she’ll be fine. It’s nice of you to ask.” She said smiling.

“How could I not?”

I didn’t particularly like Lisette but…What happened to her wasn’t something I’d wish on anyone. Kyra shook her head, still smiling at me.

“That woman despises you and almost had your fiancé’s baby. Most women I know would care less about her well-being.” She said, sounding surprised.

“I’ll never be like that, even when my emotions tell me that I should be.” Kyra nodded.

“You see? That right there is why Lio loves you. There’s a lot of good in your heart, Astraia.”

I didn’t know what to say to that so I kept quiet and took the compliment. A bland ‘thank you’ just wouldn’t be enough for me.

We went into the kitchen and made ourselves a pot of tea. Once we fixed ourselves a cup, we sat down at the table across from each other. I looked at my reflection on the tea’s surface for a moment, thinking. I must have been staring too long because Kyra tapped her nails lightly on the table making me look up at her.

“Hey, what’s on your mind?” She asked.

“Sometimes, I feel like a homewrecker.”

Kyra gave me a deep frown.

“Why?” She sounded caught off guard by my response.

“Because I ended up here by accident and since then, I only seem to be a burden to all of you. Not to mention I ruined things for Lisette and the other women in your pack who wanted to be Lio’s mate. I’m no better than my cousin Denae.” I looked away from her, taking a sip of my tea.

“That isn’t true and you know it. I remember how that story goes and we both know that you’re nothing like her. Sure, we all wanted to be the ONE. Well, except me. Anyway, you have the birthmark that says you two are meant to be a mated pair. There’s nothing anyone can do to change that. So what if Lisette is pissed at you forever? Those two would argue most of the time because she was too jealous anyway. She’s going to have to get over that and you need to stop feeling guilty about it. Get it?”

I nodded slowly as I looked her in the eyes. I beat myself up a lot over this whole situation I was in, but I couldn’t help it. There was a certain order I’d disrupted since I came around; I could feel it crumbling all around me.

Kyra and I never spoke like this before and it was good to hear her view on things. I agreed with her but it was going to take some time to get used to. There was one big thing halting my progress; Lio had to come home first.

“Kyra, what do you think the President will do? Do you think Lio even has a chance?”

Kyra shrugged her shoulders.

“I don’t really know. I think if he values his positive image in the public eye he’ll let him go free and give us all equal rights.” She said, lifting her mug to her lips and taking a sip of tea.

“I want to call Azzo first thing in the morning. There’s a chance he might know what’s been decided. He said he would keep me updated but… I just can’t help but be anxious.”.

“I understand, we all feel anxious. Tomorrow might be too soon to know anything but keep your fingers crossed.” She said. I smiled slightly.

“Well I’m heading upstairs, you should try to rest soon too.” She said getting up from the table and leaving the kitchen.

Sleep was a luxury I didn’t have right now; I was far too worried to sleep well. If things went badly, I didn’t know what I would do let alone what Lio would do.