Episode 9

Keona removed the jewelry from her head, groaning in pain as she did so. She stared into the mirror, looking at the beautiful face she hadn’t yet washed.

It was this very face that made the Alpha fall to his knees before her. Keona smirked at her own reflection, releasing her chestnut colored hair.

Tonight, she would adorn herself beautifully to lure the Alpha into her bed. Keona checked the paper bags brought by Blaire and Alexa, then smiled crookedly. She touched the revealing outfit she planned to wear for her night with the Alpha.

“So beautiful,” Keona murmured before the mirror. She held the revealing dress against her body, checking how well it fit her figure.

“After this, Zach and I will spend the night here,” Keona chuckled softly, imagining a heated night with Alpha Zach.

“After getting rid of that annoying creature, I’m finally the Luna here. No one else is allowed to disturb me,” Keona said with ambition burning in her eyes. Being here had been her dream since childhood and yes, she had finally achieved it: becoming the wife of an Alpha.

Keona put down the dress and recalled the past back to the day before her wedding, when she kidnapped Kath and locked her in the underground prison.

“I don’t know how that black cat managed to escape. It must have been that ugly Anna who helped her,” Keona grumbled to herself.

Flashback

“Keona!”

Hearing her name, Keona turned her head and smiled slyly. She saw Blaire and Alexa carrying a large sack inside was someone struggling faintly.

“Come, follow me,” whispered young Keona.

Blaire and Alexa followed her down the dark stairs. Keona led them through forbidden corridors filled with terrifying screams echoing through the walls.

At last, Keona stopped before a large, towering door. She entered the room known by another name the underground prison.

“Put her here,” Keona ordered.

“Ugh, this is exhausting. I had to drug her and carry her body it’s so heavy, isn’t it, Blaire?”

“Yeah, you’re right, Alexa. Is she a pig or something? She’s heavy as hell,” Blaire grumbled in frustration.

“Don’t worry, I’ll reward you both,” Keona said, pulling out two tickets from her pocket. Blaire and Alexa grinned in satisfaction they were tickets to the human realm.

Hearing the noise around her, Kath slowly opened her heavy eyes, still foggy from the sedative. Her eyes widened in horror when she realized her hands were chained with iron shackles.

She struggled frantically, making the chains rattle loudly. The metallic sound drew the attention of Keona, Blaire, and Alexa.

“Huh, is the drug wearing off already?” Blaire muttered.

Keona stepped forward and tore the tape from Kath’s mouth. Kath screamed at the top of her lungs.

“Let me go, Keona!!!” she shouted angrily. But Keona only crossed her arms mockingly.

“No. I don’t want to,” Keona replied with a sweet smile.

“Please, Keona. I’ll do anything for you,” Kath pleaded, offering her sister a deal.

“Hmm… anything?” Keona asked slyly.

“Yes, anything.”

“Then leave this pack and never interfere with my relationship with the Alpha,” Keona demanded.

“I can’t leave this place, Keona,” Kath said, clenching her fists tightly. She would never leave especially not her mate.

“Why?” Keona lifted Kath’s chin with her finger.

“Because I love Zach,” Kath replied calmly but her words sent Keona into a fury.

Out of rage, Blaire slapped Kath’s cheek again and again, provoked by Kath’s confession of love for Zach.

“I’ve told you before, you’re not worthy of standing beside the Alpha. Only Keona is worthy,” Blaire spat.

“See?”

“Enough, let’s go,” Keona said, leaving Kath in the dark underground prison along with Blaire and Alexa.

“Keona! Please!” Kath screamed, her voice echoing painfully through the cold chamber.

***

“Zach, how could you do this?!”

“She’s your mate!” Zean kept shouting inside Zach’s head, his roar full of fury.

“I’m sorry, Zean. I had no choice,” Zach lowered his head, guilt beginning to eat at him. This was beyond his control.

“No choice, you say?! Fool!” Zean growled.

“I’m perfect, Zean. Everyone sees me as flawless. What would people think if they knew I had a lowly mate like her?”

“Then why did you secretly tell her you loved her? Why did you mark her and sleep with her?” Zean’s anger only grew as Zach continued to insult his own mate.

“I love her deeply. I want her… but I also despise her for being weak.”

Zean roared furiously inside him. Every word Zach said tore through his heart. Ever since Zach rejected his mate, Zean had been broken.

“Nonsense! My mate is not weak. It was Keona’s trick to get rid of her!” Zean defended his mate fiercely, while Zach stubbornly clung to his pride.

“I hate you, Zach,” were Zean’s final words before severing their mind link.

“Zean!”

“Zean, don’t leave me!” Zach called out desperately, but the connection was gone. He could no longer feel Zean’s presence inside him.

“Alpha! Alpha!”

Someone suddenly rushed into Zach’s room, calling for him. The strong scent of perfume filled the air not the soft lavender scent of his mate, but a sharp, nauseating fragrance. He immediately knew who it was.

“What are you doing here?” Zach hissed coldly without turning around.

“It’s our wedding nigh—”

“Leave!”

“But Alpha—”

“I said leave!” Zach roared when Keona refused to go. But then—

Thud!

Alpha’s body suddenly collapsed to the floor. Keona’s eyes widened in shock at the sight of Alpha Zach lying unconscious.

“Alpha!!!” she screamed.

“Luna Keona, what happened?” Luna Amarylis entered the room after hearing Keona’s scream.

“I don’t know, Luna,” Keona stammered, trembling with fear.

Zach could still hear the voices around him. People seemed to be rushing to help him. Cold sweat streamed down his forehead. His eyes fluttered open slightly then closed again.