chapter 6

Catherine pov.

I sat next to my bed, deep in thought about the picture I saw earlier. Luna's picture fascinated me, and I couldn't understand why I had never heard of her before. While I pondered this mystery, the door slowly opened, and Mora came into the room. Her perfume mixed with the scent of fresh flowers from the garden outside, filling the air.

I looked up at Mora, and she could tell that something was bothering me from my expression. She came and sat beside me, her touch comforting.

"What's on your mind, Catherine?" she asked gently. "Sometimes things just happen, and we have to accept them."

I hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to express my thoughts. "I keep thinking about Luna Dim," I finally said. "I want to know what happened to her."

Mora's expression softened as she understood my curiosity. "It's natural to wonder," she said. "She was killed by the neighboring group, but we don't know why."

I felt sadness at the thought of Luna's early death. "But why didn't Alpha Lux do something about it?" I asked.

Mora looked at me with a sad smile. "Alpha Lux did what he could," she said. "Sometimes even the strongest leaders can't prevent tragedy."

As I listened to her words, a metaphor came to mind. Life was like a storm, unpredictable and beyond our control. Just like a ship navigating rough seas, all we could do was our best to endure the storm and hope to come out safely on the other side.

With her gaze, Mora conveyed that she wasn't ready to answer my question. She smiled and took my hand, leading me out of the room.

"Hey, Mora, slow down. What's the hurry?" I asked, struggling to keep up with her fast pace.

She glanced back at me for a moment before responding.

"Alpha needs his dinner, Catherine. Each servant takes a turn for a week, and it's your turn this week."

My heart sank at the thought of serving Alpha. I had never been so frightened in my life.

"Can't I start next week? I just arrived," I pleaded, my voice trembling.

But Mora's face showed sadness as she responded.

"I'm sorry, Catherine. Alpha specifically requested that only you serve him this week. Maybe this is an opportunity for you to get closer to him and make him like you," she said, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.

I pushed Mora's hands away from me firmly as she spoke. Did she even realize the implications of her words? I had to try to make Alpha Lux like me. I didn't know when tears started streaming down my face, and I couldn't help but break down sobbing, only for Mora to rush towards me.

"Stop crying, Catherine," she said urgently. "If they find you like this, it will only make things worse. Just listen to me and don't be afraid. Give him his meal and walk away."

The way Mora spoke made me look up at her. She made it sound so simple, but I had only been here for a week, and I already had more wounds on my back than the ones my father had inflicted on me.

I closed my eyes, trying to forget if any of this was real or just a dream. I wiped away the tears from my face and followed Mora into the kitchen.

As I stood there for an hour, I felt afraid whenever the other slaves looked at me. Most times, I kept my head down, scared of what fate had in store for me. Finally, Mora approached me with a tray and a plate of food on it, her smile spreading across her face as she handed it to me.

"Just be yourself, Catherine," she said encouragingly. "No matter what happens, do your best."

I nodded at her, and she showed me the way to the Alpha's office. As she walked away, she gave me a good luck sign, leaving me alone to face the rude man.

I stood there for a very long time, my heart beating loudly in my chest, and finally gathered the courage to knock on the door. After three soft taps, I heard his voice calling me to come in.

Slowly, I pushed the door open and walked into his office. The first thing that caught my attention was the sight of him holding a pen in his right hand and some papers in his left. He looked very powerful and in control, making me feel lost just looking at him. I quickly dismissed any romantic thoughts and focused on the task at hand.

As I took a few steps towards him, my eyes couldn't help but wander to the walls of his office. They were decorated with pictures of Luna Dim, and I couldn't help but wonder who she was and what she meant to him. It wasn't until he spoke up that I realized I had been standing there, holding his meal, for far too long.

"Will you give me my meal, or do I have to come and get it myself?" he asked, his voice cutting through the silence sharply.

I looked down at my hands and realized I had been holding the food the entire time. Quickly, I walked towards him, my eyes still wandering to the pictures on the wall. I handed him his meal and stepped back, waiting for further instructions.

"You can leave," he said coldly, his eyes still focused on the paperwork in front of him.

Feeling dismissed, I nodded and turned to leave. But as I looked back at the pictures of Luna Dim, I felt a strange pull towards them. I stopped in my tracks and turned back towards him, taking a step closer. He looked up at me, his eyes meeting mine.

The air in the room was still, and I could hear nothing but the sound of our breathing. As I stood there, inches away from him, I could feel his presence engulfing me like a raging fire. It was then that I realized that he was like a mountain, solid and unmovable, while I was like a river, flowing and changing constantly.

"I thought I asked you to leave," he said, almost yelling, his voice echoing in the empty room.

I took a deep breath, my heart racing as I tried to compose myself. The room was dimly lit, the only source of light coming from a single lamp on the desk.

As I opened my mouth to speak, I noticed the look of annoyance on his face. I stammered, trying to find the right words to say. His impatience was obvious.

Suddenly, he stood up, towering over me. "I said get out," he bellowed, his voice shaking the room. I could feel his anger radiating off of him like waves of heat.

Fear washed over me, but I refused to back down. I needed answers, and I wasn't leaving until I got them.

Summoning all the courage I had, I asked, "Who is Luna Dim?" My voice was barely above a whisper, but I held his gaze with determination.