Her Own Luna

Chapter 18

Pain pulled her from the dark comfort of unconsciousness, even as she fought to remain in the comfortable black existence. She felt like she was floating on a cloud. Her eyes peeled themselves open to reveal a dimly lit, but ornate room. Where was she? Was her first thought. She couldn't be dead, because she was in pain. Hopefully the afterlife didn't include pain...

A door creaked open and she heard footsteps on soft carpet. A man slowly came into focus. Damian. Anna tried to sit up, she had to get out of here. Was he on Vera's side? Is that why he'd given her so much attention? Was he trying to get on her good side so that Anna would share secrets?

"You need to remain still. You were almost dead when I brought you here and you're not nearly healed," Damian said.

"I need to go home."

"You can't, they will hurt you again. Besides, you can't travel yet."

"Why am I here? What are your intentions?" she demanded. She struggled to sit up, but it was it too painful so she gave in and laid back.

He looked surprised for a moment. "I am not your enemy, Anna. You'll understand that in time."

"That isn't an answer."

Damian pulled up a chair and sat down. He leaned forward and looked at her intently. "I have had you watched for awhile now. I knew something like this would happen... your husband has been spiraling for awhile and with that fox permeating his packhouse, it was just a matter of time. I wasn't prepared for an attempted murder, but I'm not that surprised. Vera needed you out of the way."

"You've been spying on me?"

"I had my men watching, yes."

"Why? You're not spying on every pack surely?"

"You'll understand in time," he said.

"I want to understand now."

"I'm sorry, but you're not ready for that. Now, sleep more, I'll be back later to check on you."

Anna was growing angry. She felt helpless. She was stuck here against her will. She didn't know what was happening at home. What was Christian thinking? That she just left? Was Vera stepping in as Luna? The thought made her sick. Her people needed her, she had to get better and get back there.

Sleep did eventually overtake her. As the days passed and her wolf kicked in to heal her, she regained her strength. Within two weeks, she was ready to go home.

"I don't recommend going home... you could be in danger. Christian hasn't even tried to find you."

That hurt, she had to admit, but she had a duty. She was a Luna. She needed to get back to her people. She told Christian she wouldn't back down, she wouldn't step aside, and she intended to follow through. "It doesn't matter. I have a duty as Luna to my pack. My husband is not my main priority."

Damian nodded. "So be it." He had her travel arrangements made. He stood in the drive watching her go.

Anna couldn't explain why, but she felt a little twinge of sadness to leave him. She shook it off as just her being emotional or nervous to return.

It was early the next morning by the time her car pulled up in front of her home. She got out and sighed, squared her shoulders and walked into the packhouse. Breakfast was in full swing. Christian was feeding Vera a strawberry. The rest of the dining hall were avoiding the spectacle as much as they could.

Anna walked straight to their table. Christian looked at her, shocked, and jumped up. "Anna?"

"Vera tried to kill me. I've been recovering, but I'm back now. I want her thrown out."

Christian laughed. "After what you did? You think I'd throw her out and not you? You had no reason to attack her! You've just been jealous and bitter because someone more beautiful and charming than you has entered my life."

Anna pulled her shirt off to show the entry wounds from the arrows and where she'd been stabbed. "Vera did this!" She put her shirt back on.

"Vera returned bruised, she was probably just defending herself."

"This level of self defense over a bruise?"

"You're just trying to cover up for being with your lover," he spat with all the spite he could muster.

"You moved out of our bedroom and in with her. You have the lover, I do not."

Everyone who'd gathered around them gasped. Very few knew that Christian was actually sleeping with Vera. Anna didn't want it getting out, but now, all bets were off.

"Enough!" Christian turned toward a few warriors who were in the room. "Take her out to the courtyard! It's time to show this disgrace of a Luna the consequences of her actions."

They hesitated, but ultimately obeyed. They grabbed Anna and pulled her out the door and into the courtyard. Even more people had gathered around.

"Hold her!" Christian demanded as he came out to stand before her. Vera hanging off his arm grinning.

The warriors stood on either side of Anna, holding her by the arms.

"Anna Henderson of the Silver Moon Pack, I, Christian Henderson, reject you."

Anna screamed as pain shot through her chest. Her stomach clenched and she felt she might throw up. She hung limp as the warriors continued to hold her. Her voice had gone hoarse from screaming. She didn't know anything could hurt this bad without killing her.

"Whip her!" Vera screamed with a laugh. "Whip her!"

Christian looked at her, shocked for a moment, but once she looked up at him with her green eyes his face softened. He turned on Anna and ordered her to be whipped.

The warriors didn't move. "We don't have a whip handy... we don't even own whips here," one spoke up.

An older warrior stepped forward. "I will not allow my Luna to be whipped, even if we did."

Vera screamed. "They aren't obeying their Alpha!"

Christian's face contorted with rage. "Beat her then! Do it or I'll deal with you myself and you won't like it."

"Deal with me then," the warrior shrugged.

Christian stormed toward Anna and punched her in the stomach herself. The warriors that held her let go and stepped in front of her, blocking Christian from any further action.

"Vera is your Luna now," Christian said. "This piece of garbage is not your Luna!"

The warriors didn't respond, but wouldn't move either.

Anna's shirt became wet with blood from her reopened stab wound. Her chest hurt to bad to move. She wished she'd die right there.

A car pulled into the drive and skidded to a stop. Damian came out and ran toward Christian. He punched him, knocking him unconscious, before he scooped Anna up into his arms. "She will be cared for. I am sorry for the madness of your Alpha," he said to the older warrior.

Damian's car pulled out with Anna in the back seat. She was curled up and sobbing. Her life was over, as far as she was concerned.