Chapter 7: Giselle And A Luna's Proclamation

ADELINE

Not only was my heart still racing from my encounter with the Lycan King, my head was swimming from the last traces of his dizzying scent that made me feel like I was in a fever dream. 

His scent was glorious. 

And I was a fool. 

How could a man scare the life out of me and make me feel at ease simultaneously? The moment he brushed past me, my wolf had come alive with a force I'd never experienced, and it didn't help that he was standing close enough to touch. 

That would have been a stupid move. And I knew that, of course I did. I could even feel the anger radiating off him as he glared at me, and for a second I thought he was going to hurt me. 

He just looked so…angry. He reminded me of Alpha Hilton in so many ways that made my stomach churn, just the more dangerous version. 

And yet, my wolf was at peace. I felt calm and protected, which was ridiculous considering the daggers he had stared at me. Realizing that this was as a result of the mate bond made it even worse somehow. While my head and nerves screamed at me to flee, to run in the opposite direction, my heart wanted to escape into his embrace. 

This bond was dangerous, conflicting and insane. I wished there was an off button, but I knew this was my fate. The moon goddess had once again placed me in a dangerous situation and left me helpless. 

There was nowhere to run. 

I still didn't know what to expect around the Lycan King. I still didn't even know why he had ordered my release from the dungeon. 

I was so out of the loop that this entire situation might have been an out-of-body experience. I knew he didn't owe me an explanation. From what I knew, I had unintentionally caused him a whole lot of trouble. 

But not knowing my fate was keeping me anxious. 

Which was why I had changed my mind about attending the pack trial halfway there. Bumping into him now had made me pause. What if this was a test? I couldn't think of any other reason why he would send maids to clean me up. 

Would I be failing by retreating back to my room?

“Oh no,” I gasped. 

Quickly, I raced in the opposite direction back to the hall. By the time I reached, I was a panting mess. I pushed the door open and hurried inside. 

My footsteps froze at the sight in front of me. 

Holy shit.

Saying the hall was full would be an understatement. It was packed. I had never liked crowds, so being in the same room with so many other people was like a punishment. 

Suddenly, my neck felt too warm, my clothes felt too tight and I couldn't, for the life of me, remember how to walk. Or breathe. I felt embarrassed for even being here. I didn't belong here. I wasn't allowed to be here. 

Just as I retraced my steps, the entire hall turned. All eyes fell on me, making me realize the sound of the door must have alerted them. 

I almost melted into a puddle on the spot. 

At the very head of the hall, the Lycan King sat there, his eyes boring into me. Now I definitely couldn't leave, not where everyone was staring at me. I tried to ignore the looks of disdain and disgust I was getting, but it was getting harder by the second. 

Where on earth was I supposed to sit?

There was a vacant throne chair beside the Lycan King, but was that even an option? I couldn't walk up there. But those guards had said something about me remaining Luna. 

I was so confused I nearly burst into tears. 

In a last second decision, I hurried to the back of the hall where there were a few empty seats and lowered myself into one, hating the way my neck was prickling with heat. 

I didn't belong anywhere. I never have.  

Tears filled my eyes and I kept my head down to hide them. 

Within the next thirty minutes, I watched the King give out heavy sentences for crimes that didn't quite seem so terrible. 

The worst one I witnessed was of a young man who had stolen some food from the pack supply storage. I assumed he'd be given a light punishment, especially since he only stole to feed his family. 

But I almost fell off my chair when I heard the Lycan King speak. 

“Here in the Whitewolf Estate, we are not just a pack. We are a family. When one fruit goes bad, you have to take it out before it contaminates the rest. Break his hand.”

My eyes widened. No. He wouldn't.

But I watched, my heart pounding, as he signaled to his Beta who approached the crying young man and grabbed his arm. 

The sound of his wrist snapping seemed to reverberate through the hall. 

Watching all of this play out made me sick to my stomach. If he could dole out such a punishment to someone for such a simple crime, what would he do to me?

The taste of bile poisoned my mouth. I stood shakily, making a beeline for the door, desperate to get out. I pushed past the people filing out of the hall and ran all the way back to my room where I dived into the bathroom and began to retch, throwing up the contents of my stomach. 

My body shuddered as wave after wave of nausea hit me, retching till my throat felt raw. Finally, I collapsed on the bathroom floor, fatigued and exhausted. 

This wasn't just a result of an anxiety attack. The morning sickness was creeping up on me, reminding me of my unborn baby. 

What would I do about this? Surely, I couldn't keep it. That would be a death sentence. My situation was already bad enough. Throwing a pregnancy into the mix would be completely horrible. A mistake. There was no telling what the Lycan King would do to me. 

But did I want to keep it?

I was torn. And so, so angry.  

I hated the fact that my maternal instincts had already begun to kick in. It was unfair that every fiber of my being was engineered to care for this baby that had been forced into me by a monster. 

This child would be a constant reminder of Alpha Hilton and a past I longed to forget. I wanted it gone. I wanted it out of me. How could I carry his child after everything I'd gone through at his hands?

How would I look at this baby and be okay with seeing Alpha Hilton's face?

I couldn't. I just couldn't do it. 

A sob broke from my throat, my chest tightening as the reality dawned on me. I had a choice to make, and it was breaking me into a million pieces. 

“It's not fair…” I gasped, choking on my tears. “It's not…it's not!”

I let the tears fall, crying openly for the first time in a long time. The sounds were painful and heartbreaking, even to my own ears. But I needed some kind of release. 

Suddenly, I heard a knock at the door. 

“Hello? Is everything okay in there?” a feminine voice called out. 

The sob died in my throat. Quickly, I rose to my feet and flushed the toilet. 

“Yes, fine. I'll be out in a second,” I called out, cringing at how hoarse my voice sounded. 

After rinsing my mouth and gargling with toothpaste, I hurried out of the bathroom to see the maid who had helped me get ready earlier. 

“Hi,” I greeted, trying to sound bright. “Um…did you need something? I'm sorry I took so long to come out.”

“Stop apologizing for every little thing,” she said, looking annoyed. 

“Oh, I'm sorry…” I trailed off when I realized I'd done it again. I fought the urge to apologize and just settled on the bed, feeling faint. 

“Are you feeling sick? You don't look so good.”

My heart skipped. Could she tell that something was off? What if she found out I was pregnant?

“Yes, I'm fine,” I answered quickly. “I just…I was feeling a little nauseous. I don't think my breakfast sat well with me.”

“Right. I wouldn't be surprised if the maids laced it with something. Did you even check?”

I couldn't understand why she seemed so angry at me. 

“I didn't really–”

“Of course you didn't,” she snapped. “Do you just take whatever you're handed? That's why Lisa and the others keep stepping all over you. I heard the guards were shoving you around too. Can't you stand up for yourself? It's pathetic!”

She was staring at me with disdain, making me want to shrink out of sight. I knew she was right, but I'd been bullied from a young age. All my life the fact that I was nothing, a nobody, was ingrained into me. 

How could I move on from that? Especially when it was true? 

I was surprised when I felt her sink beside me on the bed. It was only when she handed me a napkin that I realized I was crying. I touched my moistened cheeks, accepting the napkin she handed me. 

“That was harsh. I'm sorry.” Her voice was softer this time. “It just feels so wrong to watch them bully you while you just stand there and take it. If you're going to survive the Whitewolf Pack, you have to be strong. Besides, you're our designated Luna now.”

I said nothing. 

“I'm sorry,” she repeated. “I'm sure this is all overwhelming for you and I'm not being helpful at all.”

I sniffled. “It's fine. You're just trying to help.”

“I was bullied too,” she confessed. 

I turned to her, surprised. “Really?”

She nodded. “When I first got here, Lisa and the others picked on me relentlessly. It stopped when I learned to stand up for myself. I'm sorry I approached it by being harsh to you. I know what it feels like to be alone.”

She stood up to face me. “Let's start over. I'm Giselle,” she said, holding out her hand.

I accepted the handshake with a smile of my own. It felt like I had just made a friend, for the first time in my life

“Adeline.”

“Okay, Adeline. Let's talk more later. Would that be okay?”

“Yes, of course. But why not now?”

“I have to help you pick a dress for Proclamation Night.”

I stared at her, puzzled. “For what?”

“Proclamation Night. It's when the Lycan King officially presents his Luna to all the packs in the region.”