MOON MARKED BY THE LYCAN KING

SKYE'S POV

The tray crashed from my hands.

I stepped into the room, my mouth open in shock as I saw ripped pieces of very beautiful bridal gown I delivered to her room last evening, flying around.

I looked up and watched her sobbing and ripping the rest apart with a fury I had never seen in her before. White fabric pooled at her feet and she stood there breathing hard with her chest heaving and her eyes wild.

"Medora stop," I said. I reached out to touch her, my voice weak because I knew that she would not listen to me.

She turned to me and her face crumpled. My hands were wide open as she collapsed into my arms, sobbing. I wrapped my arms around her, petting her as her body shook. I didn't care that her tears were ruining the only blouse I had. She was taller than me, and heavier so I could not hold up her weight anymore, we both sank to the floor.

"I can't do this Skye," she choked out between sobs. "I can't marry him. They say he kills people for fun. They say his kingdom is built on blood. They say he is unmarried because no girl wants to be with him. I don't want to die."

I held her tighter and stroked her hair the way I had done since we were children. "The rumors might not be true. People always exaggerate about powerful men."

"What if they're not exaggerating?" Her fingers dug into my arms. "What if he really is a monster?"

The door slammed open before I could answer.

Luna Naila stood in the doorway with her face twisted in anger. She was beautiful even when she was furious. Her dark hair was pulled back in a severe bun, her eyes glaring at both of us on the floor, and the mess around. She used her Luna strength as she roughly pulled Medora from the floor.

"What have you done?" Her voice was sharp and I flinched.

Medora could not look at her, knowing how her mother's temper was. Her voice shook, but not with tears, with anger. "I won't marry him, Mother. You can't make me."

"You will do as you're told."

"Why should I pay for my father's debts?" Medora's voice rose. "You're the ones who owe the Lycan King. Not me. Why do I have to suffer because you couldn't manage your own affairs?"

The slap echoed through the room.

I staggered back but Medora just stood there with her head turned to the side and a red mark staining her cheek. She did not cry. She did not move.

Naila's hand trembled as she lowered it. "If you don't marry him he will burn this pack to the ground. Every man, woman and child will die because of your selfishness. Is that what you want?"

Medora said nothing.

Naila turned her sharp gaze to me. "You. Run her bath water, now!”

I scrambled to my feet and hurried toward the bathroom but not before I saw Medora sink back down to the floor surrounded by the white rips of her wedding dress.

I didn't hear what her mother was saying but she slammed the door on her way out.

The bathroom was stainlessly clean and posh like everything else in the Alpha's house. I turned on the taps and watched the water fill the massive tub while my hands shook. I was scared for Medora and our friendship. I didn't know if I could ask her mother if I could follow her to the Lycan's kingdom as her assistant. Medora has been my anchor since my parents died and I couldn't think of a life without her in it, even though I was her mere servant. I’d known Medora was scared but I'd not realized how deep that fear went. She has always been so confident, so sure of herself but now she looked like she might shatter.

When I came back out, Rhory was there.

My heart did that stupid thing it always did when I saw him. It jumped and twisted, butterflies fluttering hard in my gut that stole my breath away. I tried to turn my eyes away because I knew I should not feel that way. He was the Beta's son. I was a servant. Nothing would ever happen between us no matter how many times I dreamed otherwise.

He sat on the edge of Medora's bed with his hand on her shoulder. She leaned into him and he murmured something I could not hear. They looked perfect together; him with his strong jaw and dark eyes, her with her beauty and status. They belonged in the same world.

There was no way he would look at me. As far as they were concerned, I was invisible.

"What happened?" Rhory asked without looking at me.

Medora just shook her head and buried her face in his chest.

I stood there frozen because I did not know if I should answer or leave. Rhory turned his head and his eyes met mine. There was something in his gaze that made my stomach flip but not in a good way. It was cold, condescending.

"Well?" he said. "Are you going to stand there staring like you're dumb or are you going to do what you were told?"

I felt my face burn with shame and I ducked my head and hurried back to the bathroom. Behind me I heard Medora start crying again and Rhory's low voice comforting her.

I wished it was me he was comforting. I wished he looked at me the way he looked at her. I wished I was not so stupid for wanting something I could never have.

The water was still running. I turned it off and stood there staring at my reflection in the rippling water. My brown hair was pulled back in a simple braid. My clothes were plain, my face was plain. There was nothing special about me. The thought of that brought tears to my eyes. There was nothing that would make someone like Rhory see me as anything more than a servant.

I pressed my palms against the cool edge of the bathtub and took a breath. Tomorrow was my eighteenth birthday. Tomorrow the mate bond might snap into place and I would find the person the Moon Goddess had chosen for me. Maybe it would be someone who saw me. Someone who valued me.

Maybe it would be Rhory.

The thought made my heart race even though I knew I should not hope for it. The chances were so small. But still I hoped.

"Skye." Medora's voice came from the bedroom. "Is it ready?"

"Yes," I called back.

I heard movement and then she appeared in the doorway. Her eyes were red and so were her cheeks. I saw the imprint of her mother's hand and I gulped.

Rhory stood behind her with his hand on her waist and I looked away because it hurt too much to see them together. I was never one to be jealous of Medora, even though she had everything I wanted. That's why I had to shove these feelings down, I didn't like them and I didn't want it to fester.

"Thank you," Medora said quietly. She walked past me into the bathroom and I moved to leave but Rhory blocked my path.

"She needs you," he said. His voice was softer now. "Stay with her tonight. Make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."

I nodded because what else could I do?

He left and I was alone with Medora again. She sat on the edge of the tub trailing her fingers through the water and staring at nothing.

"I'm sorry," she said after a long silence.

"For what?"

"For being difficult and for making you deal with my mother's anger." She looked up at me and her eyes were tired. "You're a good friend Skye, way better than I deserve."

I sat down beside her. "You deserve good things Medora. You deserve to be happy."

"Do I?" She laughed but it was a bitter sound. "Sometimes I think the Moon Goddess has forgotten about people like us. The ones who don't get to choose their own fate."

I did not know what to say to that so I just took her hand and held it. We sat there in silence while the steam from the bath rose around us.

The day after tomorrow the Lycan King would come. The day after tomorrow Medora's life would change forever. And then I would turn eighteen and maybe just maybe my life would change too.

I held onto that hope because I was tired of not being seen. I just pray my fated mate would love me for what I was.