CHAPTER 05

AVA:

The next morning, I woke up to a splitting headache. I must have stayed up so late thinking and crying, that nature decided to punish me.

Someone knocked on my door and I drowsily went to open the door.

"What are you doing here?" I asked on seeing Audrey.

If she had a little shame and decency, then she wasn't supposed to show her face in front of me again.

"I came to return this to you. You no longer exist in Damien's life anymore." She said and I watched her throw the marriage bracelet at me.

What an insult! It wasn't enough for her that she had snatched what was mine, now she was rubbing it on my face.

"Damien is so good in bed, it's a pity you lost him to me." She said, smirked, and turned her back to leave.

I went after her and yanked hard on her hair. It wasn't over yet, she wasn't going to say all that trash to me and go unharmed.

I balled my fist as the scene of Damien fucking Audrey played in my head. I tried to avoid the impending fight and walk away but her next statement stopped me.

"You are the loser now, I'm Luna and your level is right below me." She scornfully stared at me.

At this point, I no longer cared about Damien, my parents, or whoever will judge me for this. Damning the consequences, I landed a dirty slap on her face.

"How could you say that to me, Audrey, you... I'm the reason you're not a laughing stock in this pack." I said, remembering how I had defended her right from when we became friends.

"Aren't you tired of playing pity cards and the good girl? You always get all the praises and everything good, even got to marry the Alpha but you know what, I'm happy I took him from you." Now angry, Audrey showed her true colors. She said her mind.

"You know what, I think you deserve to know the reason I wanted him so bad."

I nodded my head, my eyes glinting. "Yes, you're right on this one thing. Tell me why you had to snatch him away from me."

I glanced at my knuckles which had turned white from balling my fist so hard and I felt pity for them. But I knew balling my fists was the only way I hadn't torn Audrey into shreds.

All hell was let loose when Audrey gave me a boring look and then went ahead to say, "I never liked your mate, I just wanted to know what it feels like being Luna and now that I'm there, I don't find it interesting anymore."

"Is this a joke to you? Is my sorrow a joke?" I yelled at the top of my voice and then pushed her hard with all my strength and she fell on the floor.

I was about to proceed kicking her sides when I noticed she had gone stiff. I thought she was simply pretending but on second thought, I squatted down and shook her arm.

"Audrey, are you okay? I…didn't mean to make you fall, are you alright?" I asked but she didn't move.

"What's happening?" I asked no one in particular, fear invading my thoughts. It couldn't be what I was thinking, she must not be dead, I only pushed her!

I shook her body, yet she remained motionless.

Then the actual horror came when I saw red liquid flowing between her legs and I heard the sounds of fast-approaching footsteps making me feel jumpy.

"What have you done, witch?" Before I could utter an explanation, he walked past me, avoiding me like a pest as he crouched down beside Audrey.

"Guards!" He called and I felt so jittery I almost peed on myself.

"Take her to the dungeon and whip her to death." I closed my eyes as the weight of his final judgment fell on me. He must have thought I was trying to kill his pup.

"Quick, take Luna to the packed clinic." He was referring to Audrey.

While I watched Audrey being carried away, I was sure I saw a small smirk playing at the corner of her lips.

"I didn't mean it that way, please let me go," I yelled but my plea fell on deaf ears.

I was tossed into the dungeon like a piece of rag and like a common thief, my hands were fastened to iron bars, leaving my feet dangling in the air.

The first lash of the whip on my bareback sent me to hell and for the first time, I craved Damien's warrior belt. It felt so hot as it ripped my flesh, the whips drawing blood as another landed on my body.

A piece of rag was stuffed in my mouth to stifle my screams but yet, I was making sounds of agony.

The act continued till all I could see was blood and darkness.

Sometime later, my eyes opened and I wondered what time it was. There was no light in the dungeon, so it was difficult to state if it was day or night.

I heard the sound of approaching footsteps and I immediately shut my eyes and seized my breath. They could be the people who wanted me dead.

"She should be dead, right?"

"Better safe than sorry, let's go check."

I was whipped so much the last time, it was still a miracle that I could still breathe.

I felt someone tap my hand but I didn't move and continued seizing my breath.

Then I felt the man brush his finger against my nose.

The iron chain used to tie me was loosed and I fell limply to the floor. Still, I bore the pain so they wouldn't notice I was alive and kill me. The Alpha's direct order was to whip me to death.

Immediately they left, I opened my bloody eyes and started crawling away. Due to the anguish, I couldn't move or stand without feeling pain.

I crawled till all I could perceive was the scent of fresh vegetation and mist, and I knew that it was the smell of freedom.

I whimpered and coughed out blood, my insides telling me that I could die sooner if I moved an inch but I strengthened my resolve.

Whether I died or lived, I was going to do that, searching for freedom.

I crawled some more but not being able to take the terrible ache, I fell flat on my face and in brief seconds, I embraced the cold hands of the near-death situation, not sure if I was ever going to wake tomorrow.

******

"Where am I?" I asked the moment my eyes slid open and I started taking in pictures of my new environment.

"You're finally awake." I heard someone beside me and I snapped my head to the side only to see the Alpha King.

I felt my sides to see if this was a dream I had to wake up from. The last time I checked, I wasn't sure that I freely got oxygen into my lungs.

"Am I dead?" I must have thought aloud because Alpha Leonard kept the soup in his hands and fixed his worried gaze on me.

"I think you should have more rest, you're probably confused right now."

"No, but I can remember being whipped, and...and dying."

He didn't say anything in defense but simply stared at me like I had grown two heads or lost my mind.

"What's today's date?" I asked. The date was going to prove me right after all.

"September 27, 2022." He answered like he didn't know why I asked.

Yes! I could clearly remember that September 27, 2023, was within the days I went for the Luna meeting, and the next week that Damien's mating ceremony with Audrey took place.

Audrey had come to give back my marriage bracelet before that dreadful incident happened and I was asked to be whipped to death.

So it meant that we had gone a year and three months back in time after I almost died but how come I'm still in September?

Then it dawned on me. The scene of my life had stopped at that point where I almost died. No one was expecting that I was still alive.

Then I shut my eyes to regain my senses because everything was confusing right now.

"Second Chance mate," Leila growled within me.

This was followed by flashes of the future and I saw it clearly like it was being displayed on a flat-screen television.

I opened my eyes and when our orbs met, I could feel my wolf getting endeared to his and there was this connection I couldn't explain.

Alpha Leo was the only one who cared and showed me kindness when my family and ex-mate's rejected me.

That was it, the Moon goddess was giving me a second chance at life. I was not supposed to repeat the mistakes I did in the past, trusting Audrey, and hopelessly putting my efforts into bearing Damien a pup.

I wasn't going to be fooled by my parents' flattery and I'll have no more insults from Damien's parents.

If I ever stepped foot in the Blue Crest pack, then it meant that I was only going there with only seven letter words on my mind - Revenge.