Lycan's Imposter Luna

Einas~7

I didn’t sleep well last night. Saira Malivik haunted my dreams in a shimmy outfit. Now, as I stood on the left side of the throne, my temples throbbed from lack of sleep, and I had to force myself to stay awake. Of course, the Clan Elders’ boring chatter didn’t help my case.

Suppressing a yawn, I raised my head and lazily swept my gaze across the hall. Then, I saw her. Or more specifically, them. As if attracted by some sort of a magnet, my gaze was automatically drawn to their clasped hands.

All too suddenly, the hall went quiet. An indistinguishable emotion blazed in my heart, weighing my chest with heaviness.

I frowned, slightly discomfited at what I was feeling. Was it jealousy or displeasure? I couldn’t tell, and this pissed me off.

‘Must be the dream messing with my mind.’ I decided, wrenching my gaze away from their hands.

“Saira, Idris, you’re here.”

My father’s face lit up at their appearance.

“Daughter-in-law, come here. Let me have a look at you.” He beckoned to the she-wolf. Then, before anyone could react, he stepped down from his throne and strode forward to grab her hand.

“I heard you got sick. Are you feeling better now? Tell me, is this son of mine treating you well?” He frantically asked.

His enthusiasm evoked a memory I’d almost forgotten.

“Lycan Leader, Commander Einas must not reject Saira Malivik. No matter what, the she-wolf must become a member of our clan.”

“Rasid, if Einas doesn’t want to accept the she-wolf as his Luna, I can’t force him. Why? Did you see something?”

“Not something, Lycan Leader. I saw the future of our Clan.”

My father valued the she-wolf due to the Shaman’s words. However, I doubted the future he spoke of was anything but good. I shook my head and concentrated on keeping cool. Under the current circumstances, it proved to be a difficult task, when all I wanted to do was growl and snarl at a certain someone.

“You feel uncomfortable, don’t you? There’s still time, Einas. Take back the rejection.”

“I’m not taking it back, Jalal. Accept this and move on. Isra will be disappointed if she found out you’re still pinning for your-so called mate.” I admonished my wolf, a little upset with him.

After rejecting the pretentious she-wolf, whether asleep or awake, all I saw everywhere was her. I was already stressed, brainstorming ways to get her to accept my rejection. And yet, my wolf was still hung up on the mate, who hadn’t even surfaced to acknowledge his presence.

“I need to find a chance to talk to her alone and end this. Otherwise, I’ll never be free from the influence of this wretched bond!”

I watched my father lead my brother and the she-wolf to the right side of his throne, before reclaiming his seat. Bare of make-up, her smooth face and ember locks glistened in the light. I hated to admit it, but she was beautiful even in plain gray.

“Lycan Leader, I heard the Moon Dance was in a few days?” She looked up and asked in a solemn tone.

“Yes, in thirteen days, you’ll celebrate your first Moon Dance in the Pacific Sea.” My father replied.

“Then…since I’m now…the Lycan Heir’s Luna, can I handle the preparations?”

“Of course! As the Luna of the Lycan Heir, it’s your responsibility to organize Clan events.”

I frowned and blurted out. “Caira will also become my Luna in thirteen days. Since the security of the guests is the responsibility of the Lycan Commander’s Luna, you should also grant her permission to take over her duties.”

“This…is this what Caira wants?” My father asked me, as if I needed to discuss this with her.

“Caira is my chosen mate.” I said and swept a glance over Saira Malivik. Her expression remained stoic under my declaration. Retracting my gaze, I continued my appeal with less intensity in my voice. “She would only be taking over her responsibilities ahead of time, if she handled the security of the guests.”

“Alright then, do as you see fit.”

The careless way my father approved this pissed me off. He didn’t care. But then, what did I expect from a man who went back on his words?

“Lycan Leader, I have another request to make.”

Saira Malivik’s cold voice rang out in the hall again, snapping me from my thoughts.

“Oh? Let’s hear it. If it’s within my ability, I’ll fulfill your every request.” My father promised with a laugh.

The she-wolf left my brother’s side and walked to the center of the hall. My heart grew restless. I had a bad feeling I wouldn’t like what I was about to hear.

“Lycan Leader, I would like to join the Pacific Sea’s Warrior Training Squad.”

And just as I expected, her words shattered the peace in the hall.

“Impossible!”

“A female training with the males? What blasphemy!”

“Miss Malivik, do you think this is the Evergreen Pack?”

Instantly, numerous elders cried out in vehement disapproval. As the eldest members of the clan, their mindset remained stuck in the age of females breeding pups and taking care of household affairs, while males fought to protect and feed them.

And honestly? As a male and the Lycan Commander, I didn’t find anything wrong with their thinking. After all, it was a fact that females were weak. They would only prove to be a stumbling block on the battlefield.

However, it seemed not everyone thought the same.

Idris crossed his arms and said with casual indifference, “What’s wrong with my wife joining the Warrior Training Squad? If you have all forgotten, I would like to remind you that before she came to the Pacific Sea, Saira Malivik was in line to inherit her father’s pack, and that too, as Alpha.”

I frowned, not liking the way he was supporting her or how she looked at him. “If your wife wants to play Alpha, she can return to the Evergreen Pack. The Pacific Sea isn’t her playground.”

“Commander Einas is right. How can a pack of wolves compare to us? We pride ourselves on protecting our mothers, sisters, and mates.”

“As long as we’re here, no female of our clan would have to suffer learning combat skills.”

“Besides, since the formation of the Military Squad, no female has died on our watch.”

Boisterous laughter erupted through the hall. Clasping their hands behind their backs, the Clan Elders fixed their contemptuous eyes on Saira Malivik, causing her dreamy face to harden with a cold frown.

I suppressed a grin. The she-wolf planned to throw her weight around in the territory of the Lycans. Thankfully, unlike my brother, who was a fool for his wife, the elders were still clear-headed. Their words should’ve knocked some sense into her.

Composing my expression, I stepped out to play peacemaker. But before I could say anything, the ignorant snob’s frosty voice filled the hall.

“You know, I always wondered why my father was so adamant about making me his Alpha Heir. After all, it would’ve been much easier for him to find me a capable male of alpha bloodline and take him in as an adopted son, or live-in son-in-law. Hearing your words today, I finally found an answer.”

“What do you mean?” Caira’s father, the former Lycan Commander, questioned her with narrowed eyes.

Mirza Orabi was a huge Lycan with a ferocious appearance. Covered in facial hair and standing 6′7 tall, the bloody aura he accumulated over the years gave him an oppressive presence that daunted even a mighty warrior like me.

But Saira Malivik...she appeared unaffected by his force.

“Exactly what I’m sure you’ve thought of.” She shrugged, turning to face the hall of elders with an air of patronizing superiority. “Old men, it’s the 21st century. The world has advanced by leaps and bounds in both science and technology. Hell, humans are even carrying around gender equality slogans. So in what world are you living in?”

The faces of the Clan Elders darkened. If they had only been slightly dissatisfied with her before, I could sense they now completely disliked her. I turned to Idris in puzzlement. Why wasn’t he stopping his wife? The disrespectful way she addressed the Clan Elders was jarring to even my ears.

But the i***t only smirked at me. He had no intention of stopping this spectacle.

“If you don’t care, why should I? It’s not like she’s my wife.” I hissed under my breath and retracted my gaze. The she-wolf was on a roll shaming the elders.

“As long as you’re here, no female of yours would have to suffer the pain of combat training? Assuming the Black Witches, Deranged Rogues, and Vampire Lords wouldn’t target you, and you’ll be here forever…what business of yours is it if I want to train? Or does a female not have the right to do what she wants here? Is that how the proud Lycans run their clan?”

Her lips stretched into a mesmerizing smile. Like a devil’s whisper, her enchanting voice tickled my heart. Her overbearing words trickled through my ears, before rushing into my bloodstream.

“Get rid of the flowery speech and speak honestly. You enjoy the feeling of controlling the thoughts and actions of your females, don’t you? You bask in the power of authority you weld over them. You don’t stop them from training to spare them the pain. You prevent them because, once they gain the ability to protect themselves, they won’t need your protection anymore.”

My face stiffened. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of embarrassment, as her words sounded like they were directed at me.