2
1103 Words
NYLA
Melona was still busy instructing servants on where and how to place things when there was a knock on the door – it was one of the council members, a man named Kane. Despite how stressed out she was, Melona offered him a polite smile and even went in for a hug. I moved closer to where they stood, pretending to arrange the flower vases on the table close to the kitchen entrance in an attempt to pick up on their conversation, but this proved difficult as the noises from the servants working in the house as well as the sounds of the pack members from outside made hearing conversations from a distance impossible.
Suddenly, Melona's sharp eyes cut through the air, landing on me. She gave a subtle but unmistakable gesture, beckoning me forward. Without hesitation, I approached, bowing my head as I came to stand before her.
"Have one of the servants check on Serena," she ordered coolly with authority. "Tell her the rites will begin in an hour, and she is expected to be present. The wedding ceremony will proceed at the Blue Moon Pack afterward."
A few moments later, I found myself watching as one of the maids ascended the grand staircase, her footsteps echoing in the silence. I remained below, merely a silent observer to what unfolded next.
Time dragged on, and a sense of unease settled over the room. The maid had been gone for far too long. I watched from the shadows as another servant was dispatched to Serena's quarters, this time with a hurried, concerned expression. A few of the younger maids exchanged nervous glances, their hands wringing in quiet anxiety.
With every minute that passed, the silence became more uncomfortable, almost suffocating everyone in the room.
"Where is she?" Melona's voice pierced through the air, sharp enough to make everyone freeze. Her tone, laced with growing impatience, only fueled the tension in the hall. I felt the weight of her gaze shift back to me, as if daring me to answer a question I had no answer for.
The door at the top of the stairs creaked open, and the second servant emerged, her face pale as she descended quickly, clutching a letter to her chest. The unease in the room grew palpable as the maid hurried toward Melona, her hands trembling as she offered the sealed parchment.
"I found this on Lady Serena's desk," the maid stammered, eyes wide with apprehension.
Melona snatched the letter, her fingers shaking as she tore open the seal. Her face contorted with a rapid succession of emotions—confusion, shock, and finally, a terror so raw it chilled the room. Her lips quivered as she read the letter, and before anyone could move, a heart-wrenching scream escaped her. She collapsed to the floor, clutching the letter to her chest as if it would bring Serena back.
"She's gone," Melona whispered, her voice barely audible, but the weight of those two words struck everyone like a blow. Kane ordered me to help her up to her room, and after laying her on her bed, the door was slammed in my face.
'Boring,' I thought to myself walking away from the room door.
The house was silent for a few minutes before Melona's voice was heard, "Nyla!" she yelled, startling me and causing the bowl of water I was carrying to drop from my hands and spill on the floor. I let out a string of cuss words. I took the towel off my shoulder and began using it to clean the water on the floor. If Melona sees this mess, she will go crazy; she was probably already looking for an outlet for her current frustrations, and this will be me taking the bait.
"Nyla!!" She yelled again, and this time, I abandoned the wet floor, asking one of the servants to help me finish cleaning it up before running to Melona's room. I stood in front of the huge oak double-doors and knocked lightly.
The door swung open, and Melona dragged me in briskly, "Sit," she commanded, pointing at her bed. She and Kane came and stood in front of me, staring at me squarely.
The room fell back into silence; Melona and Kane seemed to be weighing their options. I knew exactly what they were talking about, and as much as I wanted to feign ignorance, this was my only shot at my plan before they changed their minds and figured something else out.
How ironic. The ever-ambitious Melona, willing to do anything for power, now has to rely on me to fulfill her dreams of glory... I can endure being manipulated, as long as it leads to greater power for myself.
"I'll do it," I said, causing both of them to look at me. Melona's eyes were wide open, and her mouth mirrored the same action, while Kane, on the other hand, simply looked intrigued.
"Do you know what is happening?" Kane asked, amused by my boldness. I simply nodded affirmatively and repeated my willingness to replace Serena.
A wide smile appeared on his face, "That settles it. Your plan B is on board; we can get her ready and leave," the excitement from earlier this morning had returned to his voice.
"I'll be waiting downstairs," he added before walking out of Melona's room humming a happy song with a little bounce in his step.
"Why?" Melona asked once Kane was out of sight; she was still staring at me the way she had the moment I volunteered.
"You didn't even put up a fight, which is unlike you," she continued.
I knew why I was doing this, but I decided to tell her what she wanted to hear, "I would not forgive myself if Alpha Aaron harms you when there was a way I could have prevented it," I started, and from the shadow of a smile on her lips, it was clear that she was falling for it.
"You're the only family I have left," I continued.
Saying these words almost had me barfing my insides out, but it was a little price to pay in the grand scheme of things.
I could see it in Melona's eyes that she was battling with herself on how to react to that, probably flattered that I still considered her my hero...which was obviously not the case. "Get ready, and be downstairs in 20 minutes," she instructed, opening her wardrobe and throwing what I assume was supposed to be Serena's wedding dress at me.
'Step one, done,' I said to myself with a victorious smile.
- Writer
