Chapter 4

Maria 

While I was bawling my eyes out due to the sudden realization that I was trapped once again in this strange place, as a prisoner, the smell of pinewood and lavender filled the air and immediately the guards let go of me and bowed their heads. 

“My Luna.” The said in unison. 

I shifted my watery eyes from them to the direction of the peculiar scent. A woman dressed in the finest of silk stood there, her face twisted in a scowl as she looked at me with obvious disdain. 

She looked quite aged and I didn’t need anyone to tell me that this was the stepmother King Jordan spoke about, the one I was to avoid. 

Frederick finally appeared and alongside him the King, my stomach churned as more tears rolled down my cheeks. 

“Why is there so much commotion?” She asked, her tone filled with anger as she sized me up. “Who is she?” She continued. 

Frederick turned to King Jordan, his face etched with uncertainty but the king only looked away and Frederick cleared his throat while I watched him keenly.

My tears had departed from me already. 

“My Luna…” Frederick began. 

Jordan scoffed, his fists tightening at his sides. He didn’t need to say anything but everyone could feel the tension rising in the air, the fear he instilled just by standing there and looking annoyed. 

There is something sinister going on here, something that had to do with what I saw in his eyes earlier, I had no proof but I was sure of it.

That’s why everyone was so watchful, so careful and patient; there’s a thin line between loyalty and fear. 

“She’s not your Luna, I have a wife now.” He spat. 

My gaze snapped to him immediately. Was he talking about me? Me? Luna? I thought he didn’t want a wife? 

“Of course your majesty.” Frederick replied and I couldn’t help but feel bad for him, the panic in his eyes told me all I needed to know.

He was in a very tight spot. 

His fingers pointed towards me while he faced the alleged ex Luna. “This is Lady Maria Goretti, daughter to the Alpha of the Thornville pack and our King’s new bride.” He announced, like he was reading off a scroll. 

If I wasn’t bound like a fugitive, I would have felt noble in that moment. 

She laughed, a long condescending sound that made my skin crawl. “This is your Luna?” She asked, struggling to get a grip from her laughter. “This hag being held, is your Luna?”

“Do not speak about my Luna in that manner!” Jordan snapped his voice thundering through the air, startling me. 

She shook her head, her expression shifting into one of sarcastic pity. “Oh my King..” she slurred. “I didn’t mean to, forgive me..” “Nonsense! So you think marrying some random hag is enough to make her Luna? To get rid of me?” She paused, taking a deep breath to put her mask of calmness back on. 

“We’ll see about that. In the meantime, figure out why your bride is being chained like a dog.” She spat. 

And with that she turned around and disappeared into the hallway she came from. 

Jordan finally looked in my direction, his jaw tight, nose flaring, visibly enraged. 

“You convinced me that you don’t need to be bound. I trusted you and it takes what? A few hours for you to try to escape?” He asked, his voice low. 

He turned to the guards. “Take her back,” he ordered. 

They grabbed me and began to pull. No warning, no care for where my body dragged across the floor. Stone scraped my skin, corners hit my ribs, and by the time they were done I’d picked up bruises I’d feel for days.

They didn’t regard me as their Luna. 

We got back to the room and they pushed me in but the door lock didn’t click. Immediately the door opened and a young maid walked in, quenching my curiosity. 

“Good day my Lady, my name is Sarah and I’m your personal maid.” She announced her face expressionless. 

I picked up her scent immediately, an omega. She looked barely over her teenage years but her hands were covered with scars and blisters. 

A personal maid? Or a personal spy? 

“Sarah, are you okay?” I asked, too distracted by the scars on her hands to notice how insensitive the question must have sounded to her. 

She nodded, taking her hand to her back. “Of course my lady, I’m fine. Are you in need of anything?” She asked, her voice a bit shaky. 

I should have stopped there, but I was still too curious about why a young maid had such scars, scars that only the warrior betas should have. 

“Your hands…” I started, taking a step towards her, my body aching from the bruises I acquired from being dragged around. 

She moved away immediately. “My lady, the king has ordered that there be no friendliness between you and your subjects, please I beg, do not ask about my personal affairs.” She replied primly. 

My lips parted in shock, but before I could get a word out the door swung open. 

Jordan walked in. 

Sarah didn’t wait for him to say anything. She didn’t need a soothsayer to read the look on his face before she scurried out immediately, shutting the door behind her.

One look at him and I dropped to the bed in frustration. “For the Alpha King, you seem to have so much free time.” I sighed. “I’m not going to try to escape again.” I added. 

He grunted, stepping aside so Frederick could step in and once again the chains were with him. 

“I have one question to ask.” Jordan said as he began to pace the room. “Why were you trying to escape?” He asked. 

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my tone in check for fear of annoying him. “You tried to kill me...” I trailed off, my voice barely louder than a whisper. 

“I was correcting you!” he scolded.

I lost my words after that so I just stared in utter disbelief. 

“Frederick, contain her.” He ordered before leaving the room.