The Attack

Two days later.....

The dining hall was warm with the glow of candlelight, and quiet. The only sounds heard were the shuffling feet of servants moving in and out of the hall, refilling goblets and replacing dishes.

Mona sat opposite Alpha Jerry, smiling sweetly.

"I am so happy to see you looking much better my love." She told him.

He nodded slightly, trying not to wince at the word, my love.

It always sounded wrong when she said it. When Sharon had called him that it sounded like music.

His jaw tightened: Stop thinking about her.

"My love?"

He blinked and looked up. Mona had been talking but he hadn't heard a word.

" I said," she repeated, "that I want silk to be used for the clothes we will wear for the ceremony."

"Of course. Speak to the royal tailor."

"And my crown? I hope you had them make it exactly like I asked?"

He nodded.

"Is it ready yet?" She asked excited.

He made a vague sound.

"Yes or no?" She asked sharply. "The ceremony is in a few weeks, everything should be ready by now."

He put his spoon down and looked at her. He hadn't yet told her the ceremony was being proponed and she would be moved to another pack. He was scared of her reaction, but he had to. It would be wrong to get her hopes up.

"My love," she said with forced gentleness, "is something wrong? Please tell me. Remember I am your mate now."

He forced a smile. "Let us talk after dinner."

She smiled to mask her anger and anxiety: What did the fool want to say now?

They finished the meal in silence, broken only by the soft babbling of Kyle, who was happily smearing mashed cheese across his high chair as his nanny fed him.

When the meal ended Mona rose and went to her son, lifting him from the chair.

"Let me put our son to bed and join you in your chambers my love." She said softly.

She left the hall, followed by the nanny and walked to Kyle's bedroom.

She tucked Kyle into his crib, smoothing his soft hair. When he fell asleep she turned to the nanny.

"Listen carefully. Lock the window and door. Then make sure you check on him every ten minutes." She ordered.

"Yes ma'am."

Satisfied, she went to join the Alpha in his chamber. She found him standing before the fireplace, his back to her, gazing at a framed picture of Sharon.

Her blood boiled watching him, but she hid her feelings.

"My love, what do you want to talk about?" She asked sweetly.

He turned. "About the confirmation ceremony"

"What about it? Are things not according to your taste? Tell me who is slacking and I will punish them!"

"No, take it easy. You are too quick to talk about punishment." He said annoyed. "Sharon was more compassionate, that's why people loved her."

Mona clenched her fist in fury. "Yet your perfect Sharon killed your mother! How dare you compare me to her! Aren't you ashamed to even say her name?"

"I'm sorry," he said quickly, raising his hands in a small appeasing gesture. "Please don't be mad."

She force her anger down: Just wait till I am officially Luna.

"What did you want to say about the ceremony?" She mumbled.

"I want to prosp-"

A frightened scream tore through the night, making them jump.

"What is that?" Mona asked frightened.

Jerry was already moving. "Stay here!"

She didn't listen. Together they ran into the hall. Judy and Beta Frank appeared from the opposite corridor.

"What is going on?" Judy asked.

"I don't know but it is coming from our son's room " Mona said running upstairs.

"Not so fast! It might be an attack." Her father called as they all followed her.

The nanny stood in front of Kyle's room, holding him tightly and whimpering.

"What happened here?" Mona demanded, snatching her son from the woman's arms.

The nanny pointed to the room. "I came into the room to check on the baby like you said, and caught that man standing over him with a knife!"

Jerry and Frank shouldered past them into the nursery where the guards wrestled a man in red clothing to the floor. His face was smeared with dirt and sweat and on his forehead, was a deep red burn mark. The mark of a rogue assassin wolf.

"You monster! Trying to kill a baby." Mona spat at him, clutching her son.

Jerry hauled the man up by the collar and smashed a fist into his face. "You son of a bitch! Who sent you?"

Frank held him back, while the assassin snarled but remained silent.

"Talk." Frank demanded.

Still silence.

"Take him to the dungeon, I will interrogate him myself." Jerry ordered.

The man was dragged away.

"Wait! I will talk, in exchange for mercy." He said.

"Out with it!" Frank fumed.

"I was paid 50 gold pieces to kill the boy.

The air in the room turned heavy.

"Who paid you?" Jerry demanded.

The assassin's eyes slid past Mona. For a heartbeat he appeared to be looking at the nanny, until everyone realized he was looking at the person behind her.

"Gamma Judy." He said coldly.

There was a deafening silence.