CHAPTER 5: THE ALPHA KING

~Celina~

“What is all this fuss about?” Logan asked in a cool voice, and I threw the guards off me, rushing towards him. 

“Logan! You came right on time! Please make these people go away from here!” 

“Oh, why?” he asked, and I blinked. Didn’t he understand what was going on here?

“Logan! She is trying to draw my blood! If I lose blood in this condition, it won’t be good for the baby! Please stop her!” I cried out, pointing at Clara, who stood there nonchalantly while checking her nails.

“Why would I stop her when I was the one who asked her to get your blood?”

“What did you say?” I asked in disbelief. 

“Why are you acting as if it is the end of the world? It is just some blood! Clara has lost three years of her life, lying in a coma. And all that time, you were here, enjoying the life that was always meant for her. And now you can’t even give her a little blood? Don’t you owe her that much at least?” Logan snarled, and I blinked at him dazedly. 

I didn’t even meet him until after she fell into a coma, so how was I responsible for her suffering? Why did I owe her anything?

“Logan! I am pregnant! I can’t afford to lose blood now!”

“It is exactly because you are pregnant that she needs your blood. The blood of a pregnant Luna can help her recover faster.”

“But the baby…”

“You don’t have to worry about the baby. As his mother, Clara will never harm him. She has thought it all out. Look at this,” Logan said, pointing towards a vial in his hand. “This potion will help you recover blood faster. You should be grateful to Clara for thinking everything out for you.”

What type of logic was this? She was going to draw my blood, and I have to be grateful to her?!

“If that medicine is that good, why can’t she drink it herself?” I questioned, my gaze on the brownish liquid in the vial. I was sure it tasted just as awful as it appeared.

“Shut up! Know your place, woman! Haven’t Clara suffered enough already! How vicious could you be to want to make her suffer even more? You can’t even take a damn medicine when she has endured losing three years of her life?”

“But-” I began but Logan cut me off, turning to the guards. 

“What are you waiting for? Just hold her down already!”

The men held me down once again, and this time, I didn’t even have the strength to struggle anymore. I just stayed there stiffly as the nurse drew the blood from me, my body growing weak with every drop of blood that I lost. Once she had drawn as much as she deemed enough, the nurse stepped back. But before I could even draw a breath, Logan crouched down in front of me, forcing my mouth open. He poured the herbal medicine into my mouth, and I gagged reflexively at the bitterness. But then, Logan angled my face backwards, forcing me to swallow the liquid down without wasting even a drop. 

As I lay there feeling drained, Logan stepped back, a satisfied grin on his face.

“There. You will be as good as new soon. Why did you have to make such a fuss about this simple matter?”

I raised my eyes and noticed that the nurse and Clara had already left the room. Then I looked at Logan, who didn’t have even an ounce of guilt as he stared at me.

“Please just reject me, Logan. I will never disturb you or Clara again. Just let me leave, please,” I begged him, tired of everything. 

Before I could even finish the words, Logan’s hand was at my throat, pinning me to the wall, my feet raised off the floor. I choked, my hands desperately trying to free myself from his grip.

“Didn’t I already tell you? You will never leave this place until you give birth to my heir!” he snarled before throwing me to the floor. I lay there, coughing, tears filling my eyes as I breathed in lungfuls of air.

Once Logan stepped out of the room, he didn’t bother to visit me again. Days passed by with the guards monitoring my every move. By now, I had donated my blood to Clara several times, and each time, I had to endure the bitter herbal potion to replenish my strength as they claimed. But I had no idea if it even worked because I only grew weaker with each section of them draining my blood. And Clara even replaced my meal with bland soups, a mix of all the nutrition the baby needed, as she claimed. Even when I craved spicy foods, all I got was unappetising goop that made me nauseous even at the sight. At least they were still edible and caused no harm. Thank goddess for small mercies.

The days went on monotonously like this until one day when everything felt different. The entire pack was buzzing with so much energy that even I, who was confined to my room, noticed it. Even the guards outside my room were replaced by a younger guy who looked like an amateur.

As I was wondering what was going on, someone entered the room. My eyes lit up once I realised it was Katie who had brought my meal. Her eyes were full of sympathy as she stared at me.

“Luna,” she called, and I shook my head. She was the only one who called me that still.

Ignoring the food she placed on the table, I stared at her.

“What’s going on with the pack? Why is everyone acting so strangely?”

“Luna, the Alpha King is coming for a visit. The pack is getting ready to welcome him.”

The Alpha King?

Suddenly, I straightened up, a surge of energy rising inside me.

“Katie, will you do me a favor?”

****************

I let out a laugh as I walked away from my room, tasting freedom after what felt like ages. I had to meet the Alpha King, no matter what. Getting his help was my only chance of leaving this hellhole. I had to take the risk.

“That guy is so gullible. Poor thing believed you when you said Logan ordered me to greet the Alpha King by his side as his Luna. As if he treated me as his Luna anymore. We certainly couldn’t have pulled that off with those older guards,” I said, shaking my head at Katie.

“Thank you so much, Katie. I will never forget this help.”

We both knew she risked getting punished by Logan for helping me. I felt like a selfish bitch for risking her safety, but I had no other option. I could only hope that I could divert Logan’s attention and spare her from getting punished.

Once Katie left, I stealthily moved towards the main hall where the pack was welcoming the Alpha King and his party. I hid behind a pillar, trying to see where the Alpha king was. Once I made sure the coast was clear, I leaned over, my gaze falling on Logan and Clara, who stood beside him.

“Derek, this is Clara Davis, my Luna,” Logan introduced her to the Alpha king, and I felt my lips curl up in a sneer. How bold of him to introduce her as his Luna to the Alpha King himself? 

“Alpha Logan, did I give you permission to call me by my name?” Derek asked suddenly, and as I heard his deep baritone, I felt surprised for a moment. What a magnetic voice…

I looked at Logan, who stood there clenching his fists, anger and humiliation warring on his face.

“I am sorry, Alpha King Derek,” he gritted out, his reluctance evident. Even though everyone respected and feared the Alpha King, I have heard rumors that Logan never treated him with the same reverence. Even though he was forced to treat Derek with respect, I could see that he held some sort of grudge against the Alpha King. I had a feeling that something had happened between the two for them to have such a strange dynamic, but I had no idea what.

Ignoring Logan and Clara, I tried to get a glimpse of Alpha King Derek Blackwood, the only one who could help me with my predicament. From my vantage point, I could only see his backside. Standing near Logan, I could see that the guy stood way taller. With his broad shoulders and straight no nonsense posture, he just oozed power. My gaze fell on his short black hair and felt a strange pull, wanting to see his face. I shook off my strange thoughts and leaned close, trying to see more of him. Suddenly, he paused, and as if sensing something, he turned, right towards where I was standing.