The Moon's Choice

Duties

Kilian leaves early in the morning, but he comes by the room to say goodbye to me. When I fell asleep last night, he was watching over me. I guess he left when I was fast asleep. His parting words are, "Remember, Ryn, don't mess with anyone. Avoid confrontations at all costs. Ignore remarks, do you understand?"

I nod like a schoolgirl being chastised. I do need to stay away from trouble. I was already starved and whipped, the next punishment will be death, I'm sure of it. I need to bear this in mind; there cannot be any more inconveniences. I can't afford another punishment like the last one.

Two weeks. Suddenly, the thought of him leaving is too much to bear and something inside of me wants to leap out and hold him close to me. He looks at me like he knows exactly what I'm thinking and he probably does know. I don't care. I'm still coming to terms with the fact that he won't be here to watch over me, and I'm in enemy territory. I don't know the majority of them and those I do know are always trying to jeopardize me in one way or another. Kilian is the only one who protects me. Granted, it's his fault I'm here, but still. He's the only one who protects me here. If he's gone, who will take his place?

His eyes soften. "I asked Claire to prepare your meals from now on. Go to her midday. She knows what to do."

Once again, I nod and I'm filled to the brim with shame. I feel tears sting my eyes, but I don't allow a single tear to spill. I'll make it out of this; I've gotten myself out of more hopeless situations. I'll face this and keep my head held high until I figure out what to do.

"Promise me you'll take care of yourself," he says in a low, pleading voice.

"I promise." My voice doesn't waver once. I mean it. I don't plan on getting into any kind of trouble here. I'll just stay in my cabin and stay away from everyone else. I can manage this. Before Ryan, I was always alone. This won't be a big deal.

He nods once and turns away from me. He isn't taking anything with him; not a bag or even food. Oddly, he's going on a journey without taking anything with him, but this isn't the real world. It isn't imaginary either, of course, so I guess it's somewhere in between. He doesn't look back once and I'm thankful for that. I despise goodbyes.

I lock myself in my cabin, but I don't stay locked in for long. There's a knock at the door and my heart skips a beat at every knock. There's no way it's Kilian, I would smell him from here. No, this is someone else. A male, most probably. I open the door and I find Justin staring at me. He's wearing a pair of shorts, thankfully, but he's barefoot.

"Ryn, that is your name, right? I believe we've met before."

I nod. What does he want? "We have."

"Well, Ryn, I would like to know if you would like to join me for dinner tonight. I know you rarely leave your cabin, but I was hoping maybe you would accept my invitation."

I gulp. "I'm sorry, but I can't accept your offer."

He frowns. "Why not?"

I shrug. "I don't get along with the pack, I guess."

I can tell he isn't happy with my response. "You have to get along with the pack. The pack is your family. Come with me tonight."

I shake my head. I feel something dangerous emanating from him. "I'm sorry. Maybe some other time?" He's older than Kilian , maybe even older than Xathan. His hair is graying at the temples, but he's in excellent shape. His shoulders are broad and strong, and his torso is nicely sculpted.

He c***s his head to the side. "No?"

I frown. I don't like his aggressiveness at all. "What's your problem?"

"You cannot reject a Beta's invitation, Ryn." He spits my name. "You have to accept it. It is an order. If you choose to disobey me, you will be punished."

The thought of getting myself in trouble again is hammering against my skull, but at the same time, I don't want to go with him to dinner. I don't care what he says. "I thought we only took orders from the Alpha. Do you think yourself superior to him? You cannot coerce me to join you. I don't want to."

He glares at me. "Who do you think you are? You're nothing but a w***e. Kilian's w***e to be more exact. We had peace before you came along. I was trying to be courteous to you, but I see that courtesy is ineffective on bitches like you."

He turns to leave and my mouth is agape. I'm in shock. Did he say this to me or is the heat getting to me? I close the door and I realize my heart is pounding.

I sit back down and I wince when my back hits the wood hard. I need to take care of these people/wolves. They're all so hostile. Is it a werewolf thing? Or have I simply met the wrong people? Kilian isn't like this at all.

I wait a few more hours and then I make my way outside. I need to find Claire's cabin, but I have no idea where it is. I get strange looks from those who walk by me, and I don't spot a face kind enough to help me. I walk by the kitchen and Sarah glares at me. She has someone helping her, someone I don't recognize. I ignore her and I keep walking. I find Claire wandering outside a cabin, which I assume is hers, and when she spots me she shakes her head. This is the most I've ever gotten out of her since she showed me that path, and I'm concerned. Did I take too long? Was she worried about me? I can't tell the time. There isn't any clock around.

She stomps inside her cabin and comes out seconds later with a wooden bowl. Before I have the chance to thank her, she's already inside and shutting her door.

I don't even make it to my cabin. I'm stopped in my path by Justin and the man who whipped me, Daniel. I subdue my fear and meet their eyes. Justin's eyes are cold and I can smell his malice from here.

"The Alpha demands to see you."

"On what grounds?" The thought of returning to his cabin fills me with dread.

"If you resist, Daniel and I will drag you there," he replies brusquely, and I know I have no choice. I grip the wooden bowl in my hands so hard tiny splinters pierce my skin. I follow them to his cabin though I could have gone on my own. I know the way, it's engraved in my memory.

The door is ajar so I get inside without any invitation. Xathan has his back to me, as he usually does, and this time he's naked.

There's a woman in his back, but when I take a good look at her, I realize she can't be older than 17. Her hair is long and straight, and her olive skin is bare as well. Is there no modesty here at all?

Xathan turns around and I keep my eyes firmly on his face. "How are you healing?"

I raise my chin. "Just fine." Patronizing asshole. How can he ask me such a thing after what he ordered his goon to do to me?

"I'm glad you're fine," he says this calmly. "I will assign new duties to you, and I expect you to begin today."

I don't say anything in response, and he continues. "I want you to clean all the cabins. With the other females training for battle, there isn't much time to care for their homes. And I thought maybe you would take over this duty for them since there's not much you do around here." He pauses. "Except cause trouble."

I glare at him. "Do I even have a choice in this matter?"

He chuckles. "You're right. You don't."

Once I'm back outside, Daniel hands me a bucket and tells me to fill it up with water from the well. I start with Xathan's, and I'm surprised at how much junk there is here. Bailey remains sprawled on the bed, just fiddling with the bed covers. I don't know where Xathan is.

"Must suck, right?" she asks, which surprises me.

I don't answer her.

"You were whipped with silver, weren't you?"

I glare at her.

She puts her hands up. "Sorry. I was just curious."

After about two minutes, she's talking again. "I can get you some clothes, you know? I barely use them. And they're better than those you have on."

I look down at the rags I'm wearing. "Thank you."

I finish cleaning and move on to the next. The second I get inside, I gag. There's a pile of s**t just by the corner, and flies are buzzing around it. It reeks and I don't know how to go about cleaning it. I've never been a good housewife, and now I'm expected to clean after grown people? There are approximately thirty cabins here. Maybe more. I drop to my knees in front of the rancid pile.

Two weeks. I don't think I will manage.

I might die before he returns.