Moon River

Katalina’s POV continued (Warning Trigger Points)

The next morning starts like every other, Katalina yawns and stretches as she sits up on her cot. She suddenly hears foot steps outside her door, she freezes instantly out of habit as she stares at the door with anticipation. She hears a soft knock then a gentle voice on the other side of the door. “Katalina darling, it’s only me.” Katalina swiftly walks to the door unlocks and opens it. Luna Rhea smiles softly at her. “I brought something for you hunni.” She reveals the gift she has brought. Katalina gasps she couldn’t believe her eyes. It was a beautiful knee length teal dress with elbow length lace sleeves. “I..I can’t take this.. it’s to nice of a dress and it would only get ruined.” She looks down sadly. Luna Rhea gently places her finger under Katalina’s chin and lifts her head as she speaks softly. “My dear child, I’m giving it to you as a gift. It is to small for me and we have very important visitors coming for dinner tonight. I want you to look nice. Alpha Jaxon from Shadow Moon and his Beta Ashton are coming to discuss some kind of ally treaty.” Katalina listens intently as she speaks, when Luna Rhea gets to the part about the Alpha of Shadow Moon Katalina shudders. She had heard stories about Alpha Jaxon about how ruthless he is and how his wolf Havoc is feral and kills without mercy. It made her feel a little nervous, She stays quiet for a moment before she replies. “ Ok..Luna Rhea, if you are sure?”Luna Rhea chuckles. “I am sure.” Katalina smiles brightly “Thank you so much ma’am It’s beautiful.. I will change into it tonight after I do my chores so it doesn’t get dirty.” The Luna smiles softly and drapes the dress over Katalina’s arm. Katalina smiles at her before she turns to lay the dress on her cot. She runs her finger tips over the silky fabric, this was the nicest and prettiest thing she had ever had. As she turns back to look at Luna Rhea she was already walking up the basement stairs. Katalina turns back to the dress on the cot and squeals with excitement. She could hear Luna Rhea chuckle as she shut the basement door. Katalina quickly goes to the tote rummaging through the old clothes and changes into a pair of jeans with holes in the knees and a large purple shirt. She slips on her worn tattered shoes then runs up the stairs to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. Making an amazing meal that consist of biscuits, gravy, eggs, sausage and hash browns Katalina takes the plates to the dining room and starts to set the table while she hums. Alpha Gabriel was already seated at the table looking over paper work, when humming starts to fill his ears. He glances up over the paper he was reading unable to concentrate and raises an eyebrow. When he sees the culprit of the noise placing dishes on the table in her own little world he places the paper down and sighs in an annoyed tone. He clears his throat loudly to get her attention. Alarmed, she turns and spots him she could tell he wasn’t happy. She quickly bows her head as she speaks in a shaky tone. “Oh.. I.. I’m so sorry Alpha, I didn’t know you were here already. I was just setting the table for breakfast.” Keeping her head still tilted toward the floor she shifts her feet nervously. Alpha Gabriel huffs still quite annoyed and replies in a deep gruff voice. “Just hurry up and finish what you’re doing and bring me my breakfast.” He pauses for a moment then speaks again. “Quietly!” He growls. His growl sent chills down her spine, while trembling in fear Katalina was to afraid to speak. She gives him a quick nod, places the last of the plates on the table and scurries back to the kitchen to fetch the dishes of food. She brings all the food out and puts them on the table. Afterward she quietly and cautiously walks to where Alpha Gabriel is sitting and pours him a cup of coffee. When she turns to walk away he grabs her by the wrist firmly. Katalina spins around quickly and looks at him with confusion. Had she done something else wrong? Was he still angry about her humming and now he was going to punish her for it? “Katalina.” He grumbles. “I have a very important meeting later this evening with Alpha Jaxon of Shadow Moon. He is scheduled to arrive around 4:30. I want this place spotless and for you to have dinner done by five. Be sure that you prepare something pristine tonight. I want to leave a good impression on our guests. Do you understand?” Katalina nods and replies in a nervous tone. “I understand sir. I promise I will try not to make Dark Forest Pack or you look bad.” Alpha Gabriel’s claw’s protrude from his fingertips and press into her wrist, he jerks her closer to him so his face is only inches from hers and whispers in a deadly and serious tone. “ You better try real hard, because if you make me look like a fool tonight. I swear to the Moon Goddess that I will kill you myself.” He pushes her back releasing her wrist as others start to enter the dining room. Katalina quickly runs into the kitchen with tears in her eyes. Leaning against the sink she examines where the Alpha had held her. Her wrist was red and had already started to bruise where he had dug his claws into her flesh to prove his point. She whimpers slightly as she gently rubs the affected area then wipes the tears from her face. After she had finished cleaning the mess in the kitchen, everyone had vacated the dining room. She gathers all the dishes washes them and wipes down the table. Next Katalina moves to the foyer dusts the furniture, sweeps and makes sure everything is in its place. She’s does the same in every room that needs to be cleaned until she glances up and notices a clock on the wall of the room she’s in. The clock read 3:00 Katalina’s blood ran cold as she remembered what Alpha Gabriel had demanded of her earlier. “Goddess! I got to get dinner started.” She rushes to the kitchen foraging through the freezers to find what she could throw together to make an amazing meal to keep Alpha Gabriel from making good on his promise. After searching Katalina finally had her mind set on cooking seasoned rare steak, buttered baked potatoes sprinkled with shredded cheese and bacon bits and sweet corn on the cob with melted butter and sea salt cooked in aluminum foil. For dessert she would make a favorite of the all the pack house members, apple pie a la mode which consist of cinnamon apple pie topped with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with caramel. Slaving over the stove for an hour she let out a sigh of relief when she finally pulled the last pie from the oven. Checking the clock above the basement door for the time, Katalina still had plenty of time to set the table in the dining hall. She finds the dishes that the pack used for special events and places them neatly on the table with napkins. By the time she had the table set she could hear a car arrive at the front of the pack house. Curiosity getting the best of her she peeks out the dark leafy green curtain of the large bay window. A masculine man in a dark grey suit stood holding the back door open of a black SUV. He had Sandy blonde hair and had to be about 6’2”. He says something to the person in the back seat and then chuckles. Katalina guessed that the man folding the door was Beta Ashton. She watches intently as the man from the back seat emerges, he was incredibly muscular and tall at least two or three inches taller then the man holding the door. He runs his fingers through his jet black hair, then adjusts the tie of his midnight blue suit. It was Alpha Jaxon in the flesh, as he brushed off his suit he must have felt someone watching him. His cobalt eyes shot toward the window. Katalina gasps then immediately pulls the curtain shut. She takes a deep breath removing herself from the dining area when she hears Alpha Gabriel open the front door to greet Alpha Jaxon and Beta Ashton. Katalina walks into the kitchen, down the basement stairs into her room. She smiled down at the dress on the cot, picks it up carefully and takes it to her bathroom with her. She brushes her long raven hair, styles it in a single braid down her back then changed into the dress. She spins around smiling brightly, she felt like a princess. Sliding on the only shoes she owns she heads back up to the kitchen to serve the meal she has prepared for the evening. When Katalina rolls the cart of food into the dining room everyone has just started to take their seats. She couldn’t help but glance over at Alpha Jaxon, he looked like a god to her. She stares at him in awe like she was in a daze until she hears Alpha Gabriel clear his throat. Snapping out of her day dream and back to reality she starts placing the food plates on the table. After the food is placed everyone starts making their plate, Katalina takes a bottle of red wine around the table filling glasses. Luna Rhea thanks her like always and whispers to her about how pretty she looks. Beta Marcus’s icy eyes bore into her as she pours his glass, she tries to ignore his deadly stare as she moves around the table. She finally comes to Alpha Jaxon’s glass and starts to fill it slowly. She notices his eyes move over her fragile body down to her worn shoes. Katalina shifts her feet nervously, he must have felt her uneasiness because he lifts his gaze to her face with a look of empathy. She holds his glass wine out to him nervously. As he takes the glass he smiles and his hand brushes against hers. Katalina notices Alpha Jaxon’s body stiffen immediately when their skin touch. She frantically pulls her hand away away thinking she has angered him by touching him with her slave hands. She leaves the bottle of wine on the table and retreats back to the kitchen to get out sight before Alpha Gabriel came to punish her for touching the Alpha of Shadow Moon. As she enters the kitchen and closes the door all the color drains from her face as she notices the ominous presence in the room. There stood Beta Marcus leaning against the counter in his white suit with a smirk upon his lips. He pushes himself forward and moves towards her. Katalina tries to make a run for the basement door but he blocks her way. With a deep warning growl he dares her to try to run, she freezes in place to terrified to move. Beta Marcus slowly her up and down before he speaks in a venomous tone. “I couldn’t help but notice the dress your wearing. It’s a bit to nice for a slave don’t you think, so where pray tell me did you steal it from?” Katalina stutters in fear as she replies. “L..Lu..Luna Rhea have it to me. Sh.. she wanted me to look nice because we have important guests.” Beta Marcus laughs at her response. “So you would have me believe that Luna Rhea is playing dress up with you? You’re a lying little thief. Luna Rhea would never give anything this nice to the likes of you.” Katalina looks down at the dress then back to him. “I.. I didn’t steal it. I promise. She gave it to me because it was to small for her. Luna Rhea..” Before she could explain anymore Beta Marcus grabs her arms pulling her against him. “I really don’t care what Luna Rhea said. She’s always been to soft toward you. What I do care about is the way the Alpha of Shadow Moon looked at you. You belong to me slave. Do I need to remind you here right now who you belong too?” He pulls her closer to him his hands tightening on her arms. She could smell the alcohol on his breath she cries out. “No.. No please don’t!” He let’s go of her arms and slaps her hard across the face busting her lip. She spat out the blood, instantly regretting it when she notices that blood her blood had landed on his white suit. He growls looking down at the blood and before she could plea for her life he had his hands tightly around her throat hoisting her several inches off the ground. She struggles in his grasps pulling at his wrists trying to free herself but his hands only squeeze tighter around her throat. “Do you have any idea how expensive this suit was you little b***h!” He yells enraged as he shakes her forcefully. Katalina was starting to see black spots as her brain was being deprived of much needed oxygen. She begins to panic more, gasping for air trying to scream, tears burning her eyes as she claws at his hands and kicks her feet only causing his grip to tighten more. As her vision begins to fade she hears the kitchen door swing open as someone comes barging in. All of a sudden her body falls to the cold floor as Beta Marcus’s hands are ripped from her throat and she hears a cabinet of cups and plates smash to the ground. As Katalina lay paralyzed on the tile floor she could make out the sound of clothes shredding then a deep primal growl resonate throughout the room. Then she hears Beta Marcus squeal like a stuck pig as others rush into the room hearing the commotion. Luna Rhea let’s put a shriek of pure horror at whatever is going on then everything goes silent. Suddenly strong arms lift Katalina’s limp body carefully from the floor as if she is as light as a feather caressing her into a warm solid chest. She couldn’t see who it was her eyes were growing heavy and as her mind slips into the dark abyss of unconsciousness she hears a deep alluring voice whisper against her ear. “My Mate.”