LUNA’S REVENGE: Rise Of The Rejected

Chapter 6

The huge doors of the hall was opened before me even before I got close enough. There was chattering and clicking as plates and cutleries were clashing. The moment I stepped In and got closer, the hall grew quiet.

All eyes on me which made me a bit anxious. I was wondering where to sit when Adrienne stood up and walked towards me with a stretched hand towards me as though he ready thoughts. I took his hand as he led me to the table.

It was funny to see him strut as he approached me. I may be wrong but it was obvious. He wouldn’t take his eyes of me, especially on the dress.

We headed straight to the end where an old man whom I assume is the Alpha, was seated.

“Father, this is the Lady from the north I told you about”, Adrienne introduced me to his father.

I took a soft bow raising the hem of my ball gown.

“Welcome, my dear”, he responded. “Please do take a seat and enjoy dinner with us”.

I obliged when Adrienne pulled out a seat beside him on the long banquet table filled with all manner of meat, fruits, vegetables, wine, utensils and other foods.

I swallowed the thick lump in my throat as I was almost weeping in denial of how good life can get in a matter of days, a few days at that.

********

POV: Adrienne

That’s was the most beautiful sight I have seen in a while the moment those huge doors swung open. She bodied that dress well.

I remember the dress, Susan was supposed to have worn it on our child’s name-day. But then she didn’t make it.

Now this woman I met barely a day ago is wearing the dress, fulfilling my dream by bringing my imagination to life.

It suits her so well, I never thought a dress could fit a woman so beautifully. A woman who I saw on jeans and boots, looking like a distraught cowgirl cos she obviously was.

I didn’t know when I got up to take her hand. I caught father giving me a judging look based on the discussion we had earlier but that didn’t matter as I was all about taking Lena to her seat.

*****

The night went on with chatters and laughter, glass clicking and giggles hovering the room. It was warm and warm welcoming as usual. It’s time to call it a night.

Lena stood up to leave just after father was escorted to his chambers. I walked her down the hall to her room and we bided our goodnights.

******

POV: Lena

I can’t believe tonight happened. Oh! How I missed Trina. I would have loved to deafen her with the stories of tonight. This is the freest and happiest I have been in such a long while I can’t remember.

I miss Father too. He would have loved to see me this happy. He would have complimented my look. He would have teased of how I reminded him of mom. I don’t know what stage of grief I’m in but I remembered that I am now orphaned and that brought tears to my eyes once again.

I miss Isabella, she wouldn’t have been here trying to cheer me up. She wouldn’t have teased me of my beauty enticing the men of the land. She wouldn’t have said “my beautiful Lena, the fairest of them all” until I affirmed her statement. She was the closest thing to a mother that I know, she filled up the vacuum so well I almost forgot who my real mother is.

Of course I remembered Abel too. No, I don’t miss him but I remember him. Is he still on the look for me? Is he even thinking of me? I hope not.

I hope Trina is safe.

I hope Isabella is doing fine. I hope she is not so worried about my safety.

I hope this is this comfort I enjoy lasts longer than just tonight.

Yes, that’s a lot of ‘hopes’ but I truly hope life gets better from here.

*****

POV: Abel

For some weird reasons, I’m actually f*****g pissed that she is nowhere to be found. She dares leave me. Her audacity shocked me, I must admit. I only wonder how she would survive out there.

After-all, she still has my mark on her, the mark of the Alpha of the Great Shadow pack, who would accept her? Who would dare? I will be here to see the end of it. She knows no-one, she has no-one, so we’ll wait and see…

“Sire, a letter from the midnight pack just arrived”, one of the guards interrupted my thoughts and handed me the envelope with the red seal on it.

Looking at how delicate the seal was, this was too official. I didn’t have to open it to smell trouble, a great one at that. I asked to be alone so I can open the letter, I wouldn’t want the blow to hit me so hard before the guards.

“What??? Is this a joke?” I heard myself yell out subconsciously.

Is this a threat? The midnight pack is accusing me of betrayal and treachery. And now they are issuing a threat of war? At this time? NO!

“I have a lot on my table for God’s sake! What is this supposed to mean?”

Knowing this was no joke, I immediately sent for the Parliament which consists of the leader of each clan of the shadow pack. We need to tackle this as soon as possible cos trouble is on its way.

The Midnight pack is the strongest pack of the North. They’re great in numbers and strength aside other things. It will be unwise of any pack in the north to go to war with them.

That night, the parliament gathered. Some were panicked, some were calm.

To those who panicked, I understand cos except in the case of threats nothing would have made me summon an emergency Parliamentary meeting at such time with such urgency.

“As we all know, being summoned like this is not due to the best of news, unfortunately”, my voice echoed over the murmurs in the hall.

“This came in earlier today from the Midnight pack”, I stood up showing the letter to them. “They are declaring war with us”, I announced hoping they couldn’t detect the mild defeat and hopelessness in my voice.

Immediately, there was a reaction, mostly of fear than of surprise, which was expected. Murmurs turned to clamors as everyone was paired on twos exchanging expressions of confusion and fear.

“But Alpha, there is a lot at stake for us to go to war with the Midnight Pack!” one of the Parliamentarians blurted.

“Yes! They are way too powerful compared to us”, another parliamentarian said.

“We shouldn’t forget that our food comes through them too, this is a lot more bigger than we think!”, another person echoed from the parliament.

The murmurs grew louder again. Everybody obviously had an opinion which they couldn’t just contain. I understood their frustrations but I didn’t summon them for complaints but for a solution instead.

“Enough!” I snapped so harshly that my voice echoed. What followed was a pin-drop silence.

“Of course, we are in trouble and that’s why I summoned you all here. Wolves and claws would not solve our problem. In fact, that will be the point of our doom. So do we plea for a peace treaty or do we prepare for war?” I asked with the fear that they don’t see the concerns and hopelessness in my voice.

“But alpha, this has been a long time coming, this war has lingered through generations. Don’t you think it’s too late for peace?” The oldest woman in the room said subtly. “Afterall, we have lost our alliance with other packs in the north over time, right now it is safe to say we all by ourselves” she continued.

“Or we are totally f****d, you mean. Which is a result of poor leadership” Christoff said under his breath but audible enough for everyone in the room to hear.

“Christoff, Christoff, Christoff. If you have something to say to me, say it boldly. You are a wolf, a strong one at that. Don’t cower! Challenge me, your Alpha, if you think you have the balls for it”, I growled as my wolf was entering fight mode.

Christoff has been a friend. A long time childhood friend. My once upon a time best friend. We did everything together. Hunting, women, booze, literally everything. Somewhere along the line he became too serious and felt I was undeserving of my being Alpha. I concluded it was jealousy.

“My apologies, Alpha”, he said and took a bow, a proud one. I knew it wasn’t genuine but for the sake of peace, I went on with the meeting. We had more important issues on ground other than our petty beefs.

“The essence of this emergency meeting is not just to alert you, the parliament members of the Shadow pack, of what’s coming ahead. But also, to beseech you to use your wisdom and provide possible solutions to this huge problem we face.

Mind you, what ever goes wrong or right, happens to all of us in this room. Whether personally or by extension or by association. It will be wise of us if we take it crucially with selfish interest.

I hope to receive answers from you in at most a week. If we can be saved or we are doomed, it’s only fair that we know our fate early enough. This meeting is adjourned”.

I stood up to leave. My chest tightened with anxiety but I’m the alpha, I can’t be seen fidgety. My side eye caught Christoff maintaining a stern gaze at me as I walked out. The gaze of disappointment or disrespect, I can’t say. It didn’t matter though as I made sure I avoided the gaze.

Hopefully, him and these bunch of old people who think they can do the job better than me will come up with something good by this time next week cos to be honest, there’s nothing in me and I may look like I don’t give a s**t but I would hate that history would have it that the damnation if the pack was in my reign.