My Killer Calls Me Mate

Chapter 2

Anatoria's POV:

"Lucian..." The name left my lips in a sob and he froze. Then, slowly, he pulled out of Lauren with no panic in his eyes, no rush of guilt or shame as he reached for his pajama shirt draping over a nearby chair and asked.

“What are you doing here, Anatoria?"

"What am I doing here?" I stumbled out from behind the bookshelf, the tears streaming down my face blinding me. "How dare you ask me why I’m here when I just caught you with another woman! In our own home!"

Lucian didn't answer right away, he simply slipped his arms through the sleeves of his pajama shirt, slowly buttoning it up and the look of indifference on his face drove a knife deeper into my chest.

“Is this why?" I screamed, stepping closer, my hands shaking violently as I pointed at them both. "Is sneaking out to be with Lauren the real reason you've suddenly been so 'busy' these past few weeks? Is this what you've been doing every night while you claimed you were working yourself to death in your study?!"

"Keep your voice down.” Lucian snapped, stepping between me and Lauren. "It is very late, Anatoria. Do not make a scene."

I stared at him, completely unable to believe the words coming out of his mouth. He was cheating on me, and his biggest concern was the volume of my voice?

"Keep my voice down?" I cried out even louder, the sound tearing from the very depths of my shattered soul. "No! I’m going to scream higher! I’m going to scream so loud that the entire Packhouse wakes up! I will let everyone know that the great Alpha Lucian is a liar! I will let everyone know that my husband cheated on me with my best friend!"

Lucian scoffed, a mocking sound that echoed brutally in the quiet library as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Go ahead. Scream. And while you are at it, you can let everyone know that I am taking a second wife."

“What... what did you just say?" I whispered, the rage draining out of me, replaced by a paralyzing confusion.

"Divorcing you to marry Lauren would spark unnecessary political drama within the alliance packs, and I do not have the time for it.” Lucian explained smoothly, his tone was devoid of any empathy. "So, I will be taking Lauren as my second wife."

I stood frozen, whipping my back and forth, looking between my husband, the man I had loved with everything in me, and my best friend, who was now quietly pulling her dress back down, avoiding my gaze.

"A second wife? A second wife!" I chuckled, the sound echoing crazily against the high ceilings. "This is a joke. Look at me, both of you! Say it’s a prank! Please, just tell me this is a sick joke!"

"It’s not a joke, Ana." Lucian cut in. "I never planned for you to find out about my relationship with Lauren this way but since you have already found out about everything, I believe it is time to officially let you know of my intention to marry her."

“I’ll never let it happen.” I snapped, wiping the burning tears from my eyes. "I will never allow her into this pack as your wife."

“There is absolutely nothing you can do to stop it, Anatoria.” He scoffed. “Everyone knows fully well that since we got married, you've had several miscarriages and might even now be infertile."

"As it stands, the Elders have already begun pressuring me to take a concubine or a breeder just to bear an heir for the Redmoon Pack." Lucian continued after a pause. “And coincidentally, Lauren is currently pregnant with my child so I have to make her my wife officially because I cannot, and will not, let my future heir be born by a random woman."

"Are you really doing all of this just because I couldn't give you a child?" I asked, looking at Lauren, whose hand was now resting over her still-flat stomach. "Lucian, I have gone to the pack doctors several times! They all claimed that I am okay! It is all just a matter of time! There was no need for you to go behind my back and impregnate my best friend!"

"Well, Anatoria..." Lucian sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "It isn't just about the child. I actually have feelings for Lauren. And our feelings are mutual."

As his words echoed in my head, I turned my burning gaze to the blonde woman standing in the shadows. "Mutual?" I rasped, stepping past Lucian to look her in the eyes. "Lauren, look at me! You are the one who introduced Lucian to me! It doesn't make any sense now that you want to turn around and stab me in the back like this!"

Lauren, who had been staring intently at the floor, finally looked up with teary eyes. "I’m sorry, Ana." She whispered, her voice trembling. "I really am. I didn't want to do it, but... it just happened. We fell for each other."

She swallowed hard, taking a small step forward. "I insisted on keeping our relationship hidden but I didn't want to hurt you but Lucian was getting impatient. He threatened to divorce you and publicly humiliate you to clear the path for us and I couldn't let him do that to you. So... the least you could do now is accept me so we can all live happily."

"Happily?" I repeated, horrified.

"Yes." Lauren said, gaining confidence, her voice turning sickeningly sweet. "Since you are unable to have children, I can give birth to Lucian’s children. Together, the two of us can take care of them. We can be perfect wives for Lucian. You won't lose your title, Ana. We can share."

“Perfect wives?” A laugh burst from my throat again, louder and more unhinged than before, while glaring at both of them as the mate bond frayed and snapped painfully in my chest. “I am never going to let this happen. Do you hear me?”

“Do not dare try anything crazy, Anatoria.” Lucian warned, staring down at me but I turned around and ran down the stairs to the basement, sprinting into the wine cellar.

My hands grabbed the first bottle I saw, then I broke the seal with my teeth, spitting the foil onto the floor, and ran back up to the mansion's guest wing. There, I threw myself into a vacant room, slammed the door shut, and locked it from the inside.

Sitting on the cold floor against the door, I tilted the bottle back and downed the entire bottle of champagne in gulps, the liquid spilling down my chin and soaking my nightgown as I wept until my throat was raw, and until the alcohol finally dragged me down into a dreamless, heavy sleep.

"Open the door! By order of the Alpha, open the door!" A sharp pounding rattled my brain, dragging me violently out of my sleep.

Morning light was pouring through the windows as I shifted on the floor, trying to push myself up, but as I lifted my hands to wipe my face, I froze on seeing that blood coated my palms, caked under my fingernails, and stained the sleeves of my nightgown.

"What... what is this?" I whispered, looking around the floor, but before I could even process what was happening or rush to open the door, a loud c***k echoed through the room as the heavy wooden door was kicked off its hinges, splintering into pieces.

A squad of elite pack guards stormed into the room, with their guns drawn. "Luna Anatoria." The Enforcer bellowed, his face grim as he looked at my blood-stained hands. "You are under arrest."

"What? No! Wait!" I cried out, scrambling backward against the bedpost as two heavy guards grabbed my arms, dragging me forcefully to my feet. "What happened? Why are you doing this?!"

They didn't answer. They didn't say a single word as they hauled me out of the room, my bare feet dragging on the floor. I was marched through the corridors, past staring, horrified pack servants, and dragged straight down into the dungeon where they threw me into an iron-barred cell.

"Tell me what happened!" I screamed, gripping the cold iron bars, my bloody hands leaving streaks on the metal. "Why am I here?!"

The Enforcer looked at me through the bars, his eyes filled with a mixture of disgust and pity. "Alpha Lucian has issued your arrest for high treason and murder. Your trial will begin at noon."