Chapter Two

Aella's POV

Why was he smiling? I asked myself, reaching for the gate of the venue, a field meant for memorable events in the pack. Lenna was all smiles, displaying the heights of pretence in my face as I made for the seat meant for me, the supposed new Luna of the pack.

What was my plan? Nothing more or less than ripping out the post my Father gave to him, bringing the true colours of my step-sister and the man I was in love with, to light. I smiled mischievously at my thoughts, settled on my seat and faced him.

“My Lord,” I greeted, pretending to admire his new look. The look that covered his real self, and conceited the bad part of him. “You look good in your apparel, it suits you very much.”

“Thank you,” Logan greeted, moping at me like I was some piece of animal meat he should feast on. I was irritated, but held myself from sparking. “You look beautiful in this.” He gestured with his right hand, then faced the crowd.

How dare he? Did he just act like nothing had happened? Who was he deceiving? Me? Not me, definitely. 

I planted a smile on my face, quickly, and faced the crowd. They began chanting, the kind of songs chanted at events like this: especially when it involved two important people from a pack, an Alpha, and the daughter of the former Alpha, like myself. 

I was happy, genuinely happy. The songs chanted and the dancer's steps did a good job in lifting the burden in my chest. I heaved a sigh and chanted with them: I should not be sad, I told myself, even if I should be, it doesn't have to be in the presence of them—the wolves. 

It ended moments later, the singers and dancers sat on their chairs, waiting on the Alpha to make his next move. I was waiting, too, for the right time to strike them with the already filtered master plan in my head. Logan rose to his feet and made for the podium by the corner of the seat I shared with him. He took hold of the local microphone and brought it closer to his mouth when they walked in—

They came late: Carina and her daughter, my step-sister. Lenna smiled and looked at me, I saw her eyes and Logan's fix quickly, then un-fix. A sly smile appeared on my face as I let them have fun with themselves that moment, it won't take long, then I would strike.

There was hate in Carina's eyes, as usual. A spark of disgust, mixed with a 'I can't wait to get rid of you' look, stared right at me in my face. I didn't care, I shouldn't care, she would die someday, and I would take my place in the pack once again, then become the Alpha since I won't give in to love once more.

I don't intend to. 

Images of the previous night's scene appeared in my head, causing me to want to yell. I shrugged my shoulders, Logan was talking, and I listened to the lies in his words. “Aella and I have been lovers since childhood, I cannot trade her for anything.”

All lies.

Who could have thought he could say these things after the already committed atrocity? I was traded already, I felt traded but nodded in response to his words, starting a countdown to the second I would carry out my plans. I smiled at Logan when our eyes met, there was a spark of guilt in his eyes, his hair stood in all its glory, screaming 'I am guilty, forgive me'.

His turn to speak ended, and I mounted the small podium, it was my turn to speak. It was my turn to bring to light the hidden truth that may not be revealed even after a decade of my marriage to him. That was, if I would have any marriage with him at all, I doubted.

Cheers filled the air, women made a noise, holding their old breasts in their hands. The men deepened their voices, and the children cried in excitement when I grabbed the local microphone. 

“I hail the members.” I started.

“We hail you, our Luna.”

Carina rolled her eyes.

“It is of great honour to stand here to speak with you all on this day,” I started again when the atmosphere was quieter. “I have waited for this day all my life.”

Logan smiled, nodded. I saw him look at her, Lenna: it was hard for them to hide their connection, and shame. 

“I have been lovers with my Lord since childhood,” I told the crowd. “Most of you that watched us grow know this.”

“And of course, my loving sister came into the picture a few years after I was born, after Mother died in the raid.”

Then, she smiled. Lenna may have thought I wrote a speech for her, to hail her, perhaps. Apparently, I was going to hail her, then drag her out at the end of everything. 

"What I would love to know is why you would have sex with the man I should be married to, Lenna.”

The words emerged from my mouth, quickly, in a rush. I doubted I said the words, then believed when the piercing eyes of the wolves faced me, including Carina's, she moped at me, her daughter then the man I should celebrate my ceremony with. 

“I—What are you talking about?” Poor Lenna asked.

“Ohh, you think I don't have my proof? Is that what you think?” I asked her. Logan said nothing, he was probably seeking for a lie to tell me, cover up his act and move on like nothing transpired between himself and my sister.

Lenna went mute. From the way I spoke, herself and the rest of the pack members were convinced I knew what I was saying. Now, the crowd moped at the two wolves, the wolves centred on the topic I raised: Lenna and Logan.

“There is something we should tell you.” He voiced. 

Is this what he should say? I wondered, giving him a chance to speak. Logan rose to his feet and reached the podium, poor me thought he was by my side to beg me to forgive him, and not to tarnish his image. 

I moved from his side. He took hold of the local microphone once more and spoke into it. “Lenna and I are lovers—”

“We have been lovers since the beginning of this year,” he spoke into the microphone again. “I am sorry I didn't tell you beforehand.”

“Are you kidding me?!” I yelled. This was the least of what I expected! I had imagined him begging on his knees, same as the woman and her mother. But, no, he chose to do things his own way.

Would it not have been better if I shut up and kept my findings to myself, than this embarrassment he caused me? No, I caused myself. 

My heart rose and fell in the rhythm of the last chanted song. I watched Lenna's mouth open and close, what more: the mischievous smile on Carina's face, as usual, like she told me 'I told you, I would watch you die'.

Of course, I wasn't going to die. It was only an embarrassment, I thought so, not until I fell to the floor. My heart pounded, this time, in a more different rhythm. I heard voices in my head, the face of the man I once loved went blurry, same as the faces of the pack members I called 'family'. 

“Help me.” I cried to no onein particular. My lips moved, over and over again, until it shut in finality.