CHAIN THE GRAVE

MAYA

"Breakfast is ready, and the Alpha said I should call you," a servant announced from outside my door, knocking softly against the dark wood.

I sat up on the bed, smoothing down my nightgown in confusion. That was incredibly strange to me. I had never been asked to eat breakfast with the Alpha and Luna. Usually, my meals were brought directly to my attic quarters, or I ate in the kitchen away from the royal family.

I ignored the summons and stayed on my bed. But ten minutes later, the same servant came back with the exact same message, insisting that Alpha Edward was waiting for me at the main dining table.

Realizing I couldn't dodge the Alpha without causing another scene, I dressed quickly and walked down the grand staircase toward the royal dining hall.

When I got there, they were all seated at the long mahogany table, waiting for me. Plates of fresh fruit, warm bread, and smoked meat were laid out across the silver platters. Alpha Edward sat at the head of the table, while Maria sat to his right, her posture rigid and her face sour.

"My heir should start eating with the father already," Edward said, his deep voice filling the quiet room. He gestured toward the empty chair to his left—a seat directly opposite Maria.

Maria hissed under her breath, slamming her fork down against her plate.

She was becoming a massive problem. She hated me with every fiber of her being, constantly plotting ways to terminate my pregnancy and delay my marriage to Edward. Yet, late at night, she enjoyed sneaking into my room to play with my pussy and consume my body. The sick hypocrisy of her hatred made my stomach turn.

I took my seat silently, keeping my eyes low. We all ate in complete silence, the heavy clinking of silverware against porcelain echoing awkwardly through the vast room.

"Any dream last night?" Maria asked suddenly, her voice dropping into a sharp, anxious register the moment breakfast was over.

Edward was wiping his mouth with a linen napkin when the question dropped. He paused, his amber eyes clouding over with a strange, distant look.

"She came," he replied quietly, setting the napkin down. "But this time... she was all smiles."

Maria’s face twisted into a mask of pure, unadulterated fury. "Oh, she didn't smile at me!" she barked, her hands slamming against the table so hard the crystal glasses rattled, almost scattering everything on the surface. "She tortured me like always! She stood over my bed and even threatened to see to my end as the Luna! I hate that Philomena!"

I sat across from her, keeping my face completely blank.

Part of me knew I should be happy about the dream part. Hearing that my spirit was invading their sleep and tearing away at Maria's sanity was satisfying. But deep down, I was genuinely unsettled. If the Goddess, or whatever supernatural force was guiding my reincarnation, wanted to torture them with my spirit, I felt like I should be aware of it. I had no control over these nighttime visits, and not knowing what my ghost was doing while my body slept felt dangerous.

Maria turned toward Edward, tears of terror springing to her bloodshot eyes. She grabbed his forearm, her fingers digging desperately into his sleeve.

"Please take all her pictures out of the house!" Maria pleaded, her voice cracking into a pathetic, desperate sob. "And please... chain her grave!"

The moment she mentioned having my grave chained, my entire body went rigid. A cold knot of worry tightened deep in my gut. I had heard old pack legends about spiritual bindings—chaining a royal grave with spelled iron was an ancient, dark ritual meant to lock a spirit into the earth forever, preventing it from exacting revenge or communicating with the living.

I needed to know the exact positive or negative effects of having my grave chained. If her body was locked down, would it sever the connection to my current mind? Would it strip away the ancient power I had used to shake the mansion walls?

Maria weeped uncontrollably, gasping for air, putting on a full display of hysterics until Edward finally let out a heavy, defeated sigh.

"Fine," Edward agreed softly, wrapping an arm around her shaking shoulders. "I will get a seer for the rituals today. We will bind the grave if it brings peace to this house."

Shortly after, Edward stood up and left the estate for his pack duties, leaving the mansion under guard.

I hurried back up to my room, my mind racing with thoughts of seers, ancient iron, and spiritual chains. I locked the door behind me, pacing back and forth across the rug, trying to calculate my next move.

I didn't have to wait long. Not even twenty minutes after Edward’s carriage left the courtyard, the iron latch on my door clicked.

Maria walked into my room as always. She didn't say a word about breakfast or the moving picture. Her eyes were dark, hollowed out by fear, yet burning with that same familiar, desperate hunger. She threw the deadbolt into place, marched over to my bed, and yanked the hem of my skirt up to my waist.

"Lie back," Maria commanded, her voice trembling. "I need to check you."

She pinned my knees apart, forcing my legs spread on the mattress. Her long, manicured fingers slid down between my thighs, diving straight into my heat. She began fingering my vagina, her touch heavy and frantic, her thumb working over my clitoris to distract herself from the terror gnawing at her mind.

I lay there for a few moments, feeling the slick, wet friction of her hand against my skin. But the thought of those iron chains on my old grave was burning a hole in my brain.

I reached down, my hand shooting out to grab her wrist, stopping her fingers dead in their tracks halfway through her movement.

Maria gasped, her eyes snapping up to meet mine in shock. "What do you think you're doing, street rat?"

I didn't let go of her wrist. I stared her dead in the eye, my voice chillingly calm, completely unbothered by my exposed body beneath her.

"Why do you need Philomena's grave chained?" I asked softly, tightening my grip on her arm. "What are you so afraid she will do to you if her grave stays open?"