Behind The Luna's Mask

The operation.

LIORA

“Are you certain about your decision?” Alpha Drayton asked, his gaze fixed on me like he wanted to master every facial expression and body action of mine.

I hesitated for a brief moment, allowing his words to sink in. Did I really want that for myself?

“I’m quite sure, Alpha,” I answered soon after, with a strong resolve.

“Good.” Alpha Drayton flexed his wrists. “You don't even have a choice as it is.”

Ouch! That stung like a bullet made its way into my chest. I knew my chances at living my life already, and I didn't need someone to spell it out to me in such a condescending tone as he did.

The rumours weren't totally wrong after all. Alpha Drayton was said to be one who ruled with an iron fist and a heart as cold as the northern snows.

According to people who knew him, he was ruthless and calculating; the kind of man who didn’t just command obedience but also submission. A mere stare from him could make even the bravest soldier falter.

And now, as his lips curved in what could never be mistaken for a smile, I understood why. There was no warmth behind those icy eyes and no hint of compassion in the way he regarded me.

I felt nothing but dominance and power radiating from him, like I was another pawn on his board.

If I hadn't found myself in such a dignity-threatening situation, I might have given him a taste of his own poison. But I couldn't do as much as open my lips to express myself. I only nodded.

“Then we understand each other,” he said resonantly like a warning cloaked in civility. “My lawyer will be here tomorrow. I believe you've learned enough to understand the contents of the document.”

I shook my head in disgust. I really didn't understand if that's how he looked down on people around him for no reason.

“Of course, Alpha Drayton. I'm an Alpha’s daughter, and I don't know what part of me made you discern that I could be illiterate.”

His countenance darkened instantly as the air in the room grew heavier and thicker and his eyes now burned with restrained fury. I had clearly struck a nerve.

He took a slow, deliberate step toward me, and every instinct in my body screamed ‘danger’. His proximity was an overwhelming aura of authority that made it hard to breathe as he stopped just close enough for me to feel the heat radiating off him.

“Careful, Liora,” he murmured in a deep and deceptively calm voice. “You may be an Alpha’s daughter, but you’re in my territory now. And here, lineage means nothing without obedience.”

His hand shot out suddenly, his fingers brushing my chin a bit possessively, forcing me to meet his gaze.

“I don’t tolerate insolence,” he said. “If you want to survive here, you’ll learn to speak with respect, or not at all.”

He released me just as abruptly, like I was something that had lost his interest. Straightening, he adjusted the cuffs of his shirt, composed again in that unnerving way powerful men could be.

“Consider this your first and only warning,” he added, still staring at me. “You may have a sharp tongue, Liora, but it won’t serve you well under my rule.”

I clenched my fists by my sides, forcing myself not to tremble. He had already won this round, and we both knew it.

He turned toward the door, his voice echoing low and final.

“Rest while you can. My lawyer will arrive very early tomorrow. You’ll sign what needs to be signed, and you'll have your chance at a new powerful life.”

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving the faint scent of his cologne and the heavy silence of his authority hanging in the air.

I sank slowly into the nearest chair with my heart beating faster than normal in my chest. I had faced danger before, but nothing like the most dreaded Alpha Drayton.

*

*

The next few hours passed in a blur of silence and dread. I sat still in a spot, thinking about how my life had manifested differently into one I never hoped for as I also imagined what the future held for me.

When the lawyer arrived, I barely heard his name. He spoke with the same air of self-importance Alpha Drayton carried as both men sat opposite me after a brief introduction which I barely paid any attention to.

Quickly, the lawyer slid the document across to me.

“I believe the Alpha briefed you already,” he said simply. “You’ll sign here.”

I read through the file, page after page, understanding what I was about to get myself into and the possible consequences of my actions.

My hand trembled slightly as I picked up the pen and I hesitated for a heartbeat. In that moment, my eyes lingered on Alpha Drayton's. The look he gave me was enough for me to sign the papers even if I never wanted to.

His hardened stare spelled, ‘you wouldn't dare change your mind now’.

As if compelled by him, I moved the pen on the paper, each stroke of my signature feeling like a fragment of my freedom slipping away.

When it was done, the lawyer nodded curtly, gathered the papers, and left.

Alpha Drayton observed me briefly before saying a word to me. “Get ready. We’re leaving in ten minutes.”

Leaving? My pulse quickened. “To where?”

He didn’t bother answering me before dashing out like a flash of lightning. I could only guess we were headed to the hospital to get my face looking exactly like his wife's.

Minutes later, I found myself being ushered into a sleek black SUV, flanked by two guards who looked like they’d been carved out of stone. The vehicle rolled through the tall wrought-iron gates of Drayton’s estate and onto a long, empty road.

No one spoke or made a sound. Sitting beside Alpha Drayton felt a bit like sitting beside a blazing bonfire. The tension was just too intense.

After what felt like an eternity, the car pulled up in front of an imposing, eerily silent, private medical facility. The faint scent of antiseptic hit me the moment I stepped out.

Alpha Drayton only offered me a brief stare before proceeding inside the facility while I fell into step behind him.

Inside, a nurse led us down a corridor lined with glass walls and humming machines until we reached a small, brightly lit room.

A middle-aged man in a white coat was waiting, with sharp eyes and a polite, rehearsed smile. He greeted Drayton before his attention came to me. From the look of things, Drayton was in a hurry to get things done and made the doctor fully prepared, ahead of our arrival.

“Miss Liora,” he greeted, adjusting his glasses. “I’m Dr. Cole. I'll...”

Just then, another nurse stepped in, interrupting the doctor as she held a tray of instruments in her hand; but when her eyes met mine, she froze.

Her face went pale, and the tray in her hands clattered to the floor.

“Liora?” she whispered in sheer horror and disbelief. “It can’t be you…”

Everyone turned toward her, but she couldn’t tear her gaze away from me.

Who was she? Her face didn't strike a chord with me.

She moved close to me, her eyes still wide as she had just seen a ghost. Her hands shot out, trying to reach for my face, but I instinctively took steps back. There was no way I would willingly allow just anyone to touch me in an unfamiliar environment.

“What’s wrong?” She wouldn't stop moving towards me. “You don't remember me?”

I shook my head frantically, shaking my head as raw anxiety crept in.

“Stay back, woman!” Alpha Drayton suddenly warned, standing between the nurse and me, shielding me from her. “You don't get to touch her without my permission! Who are you?”