Chapter 6

Mira’s POV

I was almost at the pack house when I stood still, reeling in shock from my confrontation with Carrie, who had just left. The reason for her aggression, I would never know. I had only seen her for a day, and she had already made me an enemy. ‘Wow, Mira, you sure do work fast at getting people’s disapproval,’ I chuckled, musing to myself. I guess I have grown a thick skin already. ‘This doesn’t faze me,’ I stated, nonchalantly dusting off my gown as I walked towards the pack house.

“Psst, Mira,” I was startled at the mention of my name. No one calls me by my given name. It’s either “the Mute one” or just casual hand signals to beckon me over, but never my given name.

“Mira, Mira!” I made to run, but the urgency in the voice stopped me in my tracks. I took a moment to look around the bush and there stood my father in his gracefulness.

“Mira, my child,” he yelled, walking closer in haste to me, to stop me from running from him. Instantly, his hand shot out to hold my hands, but I covered my head, scared he was here to punish me or take me back to the Red Moon Pack to continue my slavery. Instead, he surprised me by raising my head and looking straight into my eyes. 

“Mira, my child, I’m not here to punish you, but to check up on you.” My eyes widened in disbelief. If he had said he was here to punish me or kill me, I would have believed him instantly, but him being here on pretence to check up on me, on my welfare, now that’s total bullshit seeping from his lips.

“I know we had differences in the past, but that’s behind us now. We have other pressing issues to attend to,” he said, pleading desperately with his eyes, pulling me into the bush behind us. His poor attempt at apologizing did not deceive me. I knew his coming here wasn’t in my favor but because he had a use for me. I’m nothing but an easily disposable slave. I can see that hasn’t changed in our relationship.

Then those words were to soften me for the errand he’s about to send me on. I couldn’t help but gesture with my hands to my mouth in frustration, urging him to get straight to the point of his visit.

“Alright, alright, I’m getting there. I guess we don’t need this between us,” he said, smirking. “The pack is in dire need of your help, and you’re the only person who can be of assistance to us.” 

Looking in disbelief, I pointed a finger to my chest, gesturing “Me?” Confusion graced my face. How can a mute seriously be of assistance to the pack? I squinted my eyes, staring at him to see if he’s drunk or just plain mad.

“Don’t give me that look. I’m right in my senses. Look,” he sighed, clearly at his wit’s end. “I will get straight to the point. I know you’ve always wanted to make me proud and be recognized within the pack, so I need your help with something urgent. I need you to poison Alpha Navier, your mate, and lock his wolf.”

I stepped back, covering my mouth, horrified at his utterance. Has father gone mad? How can I lock my mate’s wolf, not to mention kill my mate? This is the height of it. I shook my head, holding my hands against my ears not to listen to any more of his blasphemous words.

“He’s not really your mate, is he? I know he tried to reject you that night. What makes you think he wouldn’t reject you completely? I mean, who wants a mute Luna? And according to my inside informant, he has someone stashed somewhere in this pack he is considering as his chosen mate. Did you think he is going to pronounce you Luna?” At those words, I raised my head to look at him. A tear sneaked its way out of my eye, and I unconsciously wiped it off.

“Don’t tell me you honestly think he’d make you his Luna,” he remarked, throwing his head back and chuckling, handing me the handkerchief from his breast pocket.

I couldn’t control my tears as they came down unashamedly down my cheeks, now full-blown. The fears I’ve been trying so hard to suppress ever since I woke up in the dungeons came right at me full blow. Now that I’m confirming it from my father, those fears made the truth sink in.

“Mira, I need you to be real strong right now. Alpha Navier isn’t as honorable as the world made him out to be. He has done some atrocities that need to be set right, and victims to be avenged. All you need to do is steep little bits of these into his food or drink, whichever you choose,” he said, bringing out two tiny silver bottles in a small black nylon from his pockets.

I collected the nylon pack from him, picked up a bottle, and swirled it around curiously. The red eye symbol on the bottle caught my eye, and I raised my eyebrows in question to him.

“Never you question me. Once you get this task done, the pack will sing your praises in recognition of your bravery,” he said, patting my shoulders.

“This is your chance to prove you’re truly of my blood,” he declared. “I know you’ve always yearned for mine and the pack’s recognition. Once you accomplish this task, the pack will receive you with open arms, and I might even add a cherry on top and have you assist the pack’s doctor, like you’ve always wanted.”

The Red Moon pack’s recognition is what I have always wanted deep down inside of me. Although I might sometimes behave as though I’m not fazed by their rejection, their acknowledgment is what I wanted. So the chance for the world to see me more than a mute, a taint to the pack’s strong bloodline, and the chance to punish my brutal mate is an opportunity I am determined to never let go.

“You there!” a guard shouted from afar, advancing toward us where we stood. I immediately shoved my father to run as I stepped out from the bush, throwing the bottles behind me.

From where I stood awaiting the guard, my father had already shifted to his wolf and leapt into the woods.

“Who is that wolf?” he asked, gesturing to the woods. I started fidgeting with my fingers, unable to meet his eyes. I didn’t know how to answer him, so I fixed my gaze on my shivering hands.