The Rejected Luna

Chapter Three

Anastasia’s P.O.V

I jolted awake when I felt a sharp kick dealt to my sides.

The rays of sun hit my eyes and I had to squint to see who had kicked me. It was a dirty-looking old man who threw a robe at my face once I had come to, bringing my notice to my naked body.

Yelping, I slid on the stinky robe to hide my nakedness, wondering how many hours I’d laid outside our pack-house unconscious till I shifted.

The man scuttled away, as the memories of the day before flipped through my brain.

The blood was still on my skin, in my hair.

“Father…Bran…Hunter…” my throat hurt as I called out, uncaring that I was still on the rocky ground.

The bodies of my family and pack members had been excavated and panic hit my lungs. I deserved to bury them at least.

Just as I tried to stand, the memory of the rejection flashed before my eyes and a sharp ache tore through my guts.

“Liam,” I whispered as I clutched the seams of the robe around my chest.

My eyes were filled with tears and my wolf felt disconnected from me.

Hi.’ I said to her but the silence was my only response. I could feel her under my skin but she refused to speak to me. The rejection must have damaged her.

I wanted to die.

Blinking back the rush of tears, I crawled to my feet, swaying a little before I rushed towards the Alpha’s mansion of the Dark wand pack, which was miles away. But I needed to see Liam. This was all a misunderstanding. He had to know this. He was the only one I had left in this miserable world.

"The murderer is here!!" A member of the Dark Wand Pack announced as soon as I got to the entrance of the Alpha mansion.

I ignored them and continued walking forward when someone yanked my hair from behind.

"What the f**k! Let me go." I tried to turn around but the grip on my hair was firm.

"You are no more a princess b***h!” the voice spat, “the Golden circle pack is now under the Dark wand pack. Try s**t and become a f*****g rogue!"

"Come, I have got some work for you to do." The male voice added and I was instantly dragged towards the kitchen.

It clicked to me that the asshole was the chef of the Dark Wand’s pack Alpha, Liam’s father.

"What do you want from me?" Panic filled my lungs as the chef let go of my hair.

My face was drained and I could kill for a hole to crawl into and bawl.

But they wouldn’t let me be. They didn’t treat me as someone who’d just lost her family.

“From now on, before your hearing at the council, you’ll do dishes in this mansion.” The chef declared and I couldn’t believe my ears.

“I am Anastasia Reed, the daughter of the Alpha of Golden Circle pack.” I tried to walk away, “You can’t talk to me that way.”

"Get back here, you twat." The chef yelled and immediately he threw me toward where the dishes were kept.

"Let go off me.” I screamed in a pained tone as my back hit the kitchen counter. “I came to see your Alpha."

A moan tore through my lips as pain slithered down my spine and tears blurred my vision.

I held onto the kitchen counter and then looked straight at the wickedly smiling chef.

"You mean the dead Alpha?" His expression was nonchalant and I gasped in shock.

"Don't talk about my father that way." I gritted as my finger pointed at the chef.

I couldn't comprehend why my father’s death was taken lightly.

He wasn’t the best leader but he had done so much for the pack and their Alpha.

Now everyone beneath my father was talking down on him and I wondered if they’d ever respected him.

"What would you do?" The chef sneered and grabbed my finger, breaking the bone in one swift snap and hot white pain flashed before my eyes.

"Ahhhh…" I yelled when I fell to the ground, my head slamming against the edge of the sink.

A ringing noise filled my head as warm liquid trickled down the side of my face.

"The Alpha… He will punish you for this." I threatened, biting hard on my tongue to hold back a whimper as unbidden tears flowed down my cheeks. f**k, my fingers hurt so much.

It was on the tip of my tongue to mention Liam’s name but the cutting pain of his rejection slashed through me again and more tears fell from my eyes.

Why was this happening to me?

My eyes flickered as the blackness was clamoring to take over but before my eyes drifted shut, I felt the bite of cold water on my skin.

“f**k!” I jumped, slamming my head against the sink again as I realized the chef had doused me in a bucket of cold water.

My eyes snapped open to see Liam standing before me.

When did he get in?

I was dismayed that he couldn't even stop the chef from disrespecting me.

I pulled the dirty robe tighter around me like a shield.

"Liam, why are you doing this to me?" I asked through blurred vision.

"Do as the chef says." He snapped, turning to leave.

“But I’m here to speak to the Alpha.” I whimpered, trying to stand up to my feet. But then my ankle twisted and I fell back down with a loud thud.

"Ohhh…" I groaned in pain and I heard Liam snicker.

"So pathetic. You can't even find your balance." He walked away like I was nothing to him.

My eyes stung and I sat upright, folding up my legs.

“You lazy brat!” the chef reached for me and pulled my hair.

“Let go of me!” I screamed.

"Come here." He yelled as he continued to drag me by my hair.

"Let me go!!" I kicked hard as I held onto the chef's hand to alleviate his grip on my hair.

I did not know where he was dragging me, but I just wanted to be free.

In a moment, I was thrown to the bare floor and I groaned.

I didn’t have to check to know that I’d had a huge number of bruises.

"Liam." A powerful voice boomed out and my head snapped in that direction.

It was the Alpha!

"Alpha…" I cried, crawling toward him.

It was like I had seen my savior and I was sure he wasn't aware of how everyone had been treating me.

I did not even care to tell him what the chef had done to me. I was concerned about my family and that was why I was at the Alpha mansion.

"My father and brothers." My voice was strained.

"What about them?" The Alpha arched a brow like I was stupid.

"T-their bodies. I can't find their bodies." I said, in a shaky tone.

"How did she get here? Why haven’t you taken her to the council hall?" I heard the Alpha ask and I frowned.

He ignored my questions about my parents. I opened my mouth to ask again but was cut off.

“She was trying to run away, Alpha, after stealing a servant’s money.” The chef lied through his teeth and my eyes widened.

“NO! No Alpha, you know me. I am the daughter of your friend, Alpha Alan. Betrothed to your son. I didn’t try to run away because I didn’t kill them!” my voice was frantic as I stood up to my feet.

I looked up at the Alpha and I saw the disappointed look on his face. There was something else but I couldn’t place it.

"You do not believe me?" my heart ached so much.

I’d just been accused of killing my father and now I was about to be punished for stealing another pack.

“I can understand losing control of your wolf during your first shift, but stealing... Why did you do it, Anastasia?” The Alpha snapped and my lips quivered.

He knew I would never do a thing like that.

Why was everyone against me?

Frantically, I shook my head, trying to prove my innocence, but I couldn't find any words.

"No, I didn’t do it,” I choked, “I came here to talk to you and the chef...he..."

"You have to be punished for stealing from my pack." The Alpha finally said with a thunderous look on his face.

My breath caught in my lungs as he beckoned to a guard, my heart thudding painfully.

"Is he about to lock me up?" I wondered dismally, aware that this wasn’t the time for me to be locked up.

Without further ado, I fell to my knees and pleaded.

"Please, have mercy, Alpha." My voice broke as I crawled toward him, despair clearly written on my face while holding onto his feet.

"Let it be known that Anastasia Reed committed the crime of stealing from the Dark Wand Pack." The Alpha declared and terror shot through my bloodstream.

"What?" I was f****d. It would have been better to be locked up instead of this announcement.

"No!!" I yelled, knowing I would be treated like s**t by the pack members. Before I could plead, the guards pulled me away.

He caught me by the hem of my wet robe and hauled me across the floor.

I was powerless and helpless, unable to shift and protect myself because my wolf was weak from the rejection.

As my skin scraped against the hard floor, I caught sight of Liam. He had a cocky smile on his face.

I knew many people didn’t like me but not Liam. It was us against the world.

I soon detached from my environment, in shock until I was thrown violently on the front porch of the mansion.

"Hmmm…" I groaned in pain. Just as I turned around, I saw the pack members of the golden circle pack gathered all around, watching me with scorn filled eyes.

I wondered how they got here in such short time.

"Anastasia Reed is hereby declared a shameless thief!" The guard stated and immediately, the pack members hooted.

Suddenly, the guard took hold of my shoulder and straightened me up. I came face to face with the pack members and I witnessed the looks of disgust and accusations thrown at me.

“Murderer!” A pack member spat at me and it landed right in my eyes.

"I’m innocent…" I whispered and continued to chant those words, in a low tone.

“Thief!”

I knew they could hear me but they refused to take my side.

Just as I turned away, a rock hit me right in the forehead and everything went dark.