Chapter Four: She mocks me

I could hear the servants cursing the cook for her stupidity. Wondering why she would choose me over the current Luna who is more beautiful and powerful.

I heard Serina comment that the cook might be losing her marbles in old age. 

I curl my fingers into my palms tightly as I fought the urge to come to the Cook’s defence. 

My cowardice caused my veins to bleed with shame, and my heart to weep with sorrow. 

How could I profess myself to be Luna if I can’t protect the ones loyal to me. 

Selene smiled at the cook. The smile a cat gives a mouse. It never made it to her icy grey eyes. 

"I am impressed by you sticking to your conviction, but unfortunately, I have to punish you." 

My eyes flies to her, while the Cook’s widens in terror and shock.

"Why?!" 

I didn’t know when the word flew out of my mouth. 

Instead of reacting to my outburst, Selene calmly addresses my question. "Because she disobeyed me."

My eyes narrow in confusion. What does she mean? "She answered your question honestly," I stated. 

"Yes, which I must say is something admirable. I am hard to please, but she managed to surprise me." She looks at the Cook with something akin to respect, but they all dissolved back into icy, impassive expression. 

"If she did as you asked, why are you punishing her?" 

"Because she helped you when I specifically asked that no one should help you with dinner."

"I am the Luna of this Pack whether the both of you like it or not, and as such my words should be obeyed."

She said it like it is the most reasonable thing out there, and if I am honest she is not wrong. 

I hated that I couldn’t argue with her words. She is the Luna, and such, outside the Alpha, her words are law. 

"How are you going to punish her?" 

The Cook’s eyes flies to mine in disbelief at my question, and I wouldn’t meet her eyes, for shame that I am powerless to protect her. 

"It is good that you asked." The blonde goes back to looking sickly excited. 

The expression on her face made me sick to the stomach, because I knew whatever comes next I am not going to like it. 

"She would be flogged twenty strokes of cane in front of the Pack’s house by one of the guards."

"What!" 

My shocked outburst coincided with shocks of gasp that spilled from the spectating servants at Selene’s punishment. 

"You can’t do that!" I retort, my anger overshadowing my fear and caution. 

"Are you challenging me?" She raised a perfectly carved brow in my direction.

The bravery I showed a few seconds ago deserted me as quickly as it came and my eyes flew to the ground. 

"No," I mumble meekly, while I cursed myself inside for being so weak. 

"Good it is settled." She turns to face the Cook. "So, you see, the one you gave your loyalty can’t even protect you. Does she still have your loyalty?" 

It is obvious that Selene is mocking the Cook, but the old woman shocks everyone with her response.

"Yes. She might be weak now, but she is not always going to be weak." 

As she speaks these words she stares Selene directly in the eyes with no fear. 

"I see," Selene mutters, not sounding happy. "Well, I am sure by the time the guards are through with you, you will regret uttering these words." 

"Guards!" She calls out loudly. 

A few seconds later, two of them appeared in the kitchen. 

"Take her to the front yard and cane her twenty strokes of cane." 

The guards move to cease the cook, but I stop them before they could lay a hand on her. 

"Wait!" I called out softly.

Everyone stops at my outburst. Selene looks at me with those annoying amused look on her face as if she looking forward to how I would react to the situation. 

I could feel everyone’s eyes on me like pin pricks from acupuncture needles. 

Now it is time to voice out my decision, I couldn’t. Something holds me back. 

My thoughts flicks to it, and my desire to protect it flares up like an umbrella shielding one from the rain. 

As much as I want to protect it, the desire to protect the old lady who cared for me all these years like one hers was twice as strong. 

Her sons are not here to protect her so I must. Even if they are here, they can’t go against Selene. It will be as good as going against Victor. 

A part of me couldn’t resist thinking about how Victor would react should a situation like this arise. Where he has to choose between his new found fated mate and one of his Pack member. 

He has already chosen in favour of the blonde one time, would he do it again? 

"Do you have something to say?" Selene asks, a trace of mockery in her tone.

I look up to meet her eyes, my expression filled with resolve despite my fear that I could be making the worst mistake of my life. 

"I will take the cane in her place," I mutter in a low tone.

Selene doesn’t react, as if she expected my reaction, or maybe she was hoping on it. It doesn’t matter what it is, I can’t retract my words. 

Also, I don’t want to. 

The more I think about it, the better I felt inside. For the first time I am doing something brave. I might not be able to fight Selene, but in my little way I could protect the ones I love. 

Selene didn’t react, but the Cook did. 

"You can’t Luna!" She exclaims, her sharp words filled with fear for something else other than my well being.

The whole kitchen goes cold at her outburst, as if someone drenched everyone in the room with a bucket of ice. 

The anticipation in the air hit stronger than the smell of roses in the garden. Everyone waited for Selene’s reaction to the cook calling me Luna in her presence.

Even my heart thundered in my throat. 

I guess the cook couldn’t help herself. She has called me Luna for five years. Old habits die hard. 

"Are you addressing me?" Selene questions the Cook calmly. A calm that I don’t trust. Knowing the blonde, the storm to come is not far from behind. 

And everyone could see she was being sarcastic.

The poor cook looks about to pass out. "N-No, I-I mean—"

She tried to produce words that made sense, but she shook so badly that she could hardly coordinate the words together. 

Selene dismisses her outburst and moves on to something else. Unlike her to let go of something so easily, but when she asked her question, I realised why.

"Why can’t she take the cane for you?" She asked with a look of interest on her face. 

Her question for a reason I can’t pinpoint made me feel unease, and when I looked at the expression on the cook’s face and realised that she knows, my body went numb with fear.

No, she can’t say. I scream at her with my eyes. I don’t know what Selene will do if she learns my secret. 

No one in the Pack knows except for the Pack doctor, and now the cook. How did she know? 

The Cook looks down, muttering. "Nothing." 

Selene nods, while moving toward the Cook, her stride filled with grace. 

I envied her elegance and effortless beauty. One could easily see why Victor chose her. Compared to me, she must come off as the beautiful swan. 

"Remember our conversation about honesty," she drawled coldly, her tone though mild hinted at the threat that is sure to follow should the cook persists in lying to her. 

I saw the cook gulp, telling me she understood the blonde’s message. 

"Now, care to answer that question again?" Selene smiled at the cook, a smile that sent chills down my spine. 

"Because she is my daughter," the Cook blurts out, shocking everyone in the room, including Selene.

I gape at the older woman. Of all things to say. There is no physical resembalance between us. Of course Selene wouldn't buy her words. 

Selene throws back her head and laughs. The sound musical and sweet.

I couldn’t help hating her more. Even her laughter is full of elegance. 

"Your daughter?!" Selene questions through her amusement, one eyebrow cocked.

The Cook nods, holding her gaze. "Blood is not the only thing that makes you family," she adds firmly. 

"Right," Selene says, buying her answer. Again, I don’t know if she doesn’t care for the cook’s response, or she has something else up her sleeve.

You can never tell with the she devil. 

She looks at both of us with amusement. "She doesn’t want you receiving the punishment and you don’t want her either. I do not have lots of patience, the both of you decide who receives the punishment."

"I will!" The cook and I says at the same time.