CHAPTER 6: COME WITH ME

~Celina ~

With wide eyes, I ducked behind the pillar, my heart beating wildly against my ribcage. If I were caught now, I wouldn’t even get a chance to talk to him before Logan locked me somewhere else. 

I stood there, not even daring to breathe loudly for a moment. But when nothing happened, I peeked from behind the pillar. On seeing that the Alpha King was still talking to Logan as if nothing was amiss, I breathed a sigh of relief. Before any more trouble could come my way, I darted out from behind the pillar and rushed towards the east wing, where the Alpha King’s room had been prepared. After making sure there was no one around, I slipped into the room before closing the door behind me. I stood leaning against it, my breath coming in pants. 

As I wondered how to convince Derek to help me, my hand went to my belly instinctively. I froze, wondering if he would refuse to take me with him if he knew I was carrying Logan’s heir. Maybe I shouldn’t let him know that I was pregnant. 

Right that moment, I heard some noise outside the room. The door opened a crack as someone pushed it, and I stood ready to face the Alpha king. But when moments passed, and no one entered the room, I frowned. Stepping forward, I peeked through the crack in the door. Just as I expected, Alpha King Derek was standing right behind the door. But beside him stood none other than Clara. What was she doing here? Wasn’t she supposed to be with Logan?

“I had heard so much about you, Alpha King Derek. Having met you, I must say the reality exceeds my expectations,” Clara all but purred, and I felt my brows scrunch in confusion. Was she… flirting with Derek? No, it can’t be. She is supposed to love Logan, right?

“What are you doing here, Luna Clara?” 

“Well, you are our guest. As the Luna, it is my duty to take care of you,” Clara said, and this time there was no mistaking the provoking tone in her voice. She definitely was trying to seduce Derek. Such a good girlfriend Logan had! I felt an irrational burst of laughter threatening to spill from my mouth at the irony.

“Shouldn’t you be taking care of your Alpha?”

I saw Clara turn red at his question before she shook it off.

“He wouldn’t care if I treated our guests well. Don’t worry about him. Your comfort is more important,” she purred, stepping closer, biting her lips suggestively.

“Leave,” Derek said in a calm tone, and for a moment, Clara just blinked in confusion.

“What?”

“I asked you to leave. Or do you want me to call your Alpha and let him see how exactly you are trying to help his guest?”

“Y-you misunderstood me, Alpha King. I didn’t mean anything else,” Clara stuttered as Derek stared at her impassively. “I will be taking my leave then. See you later.” 

As Clara took a hasty retreat, Derek suddenly turned and stepped into the room, staring directly at me as if he had always known of my presence. For the first time, I got a clear glimpse of his face, and for a moment, I was taken aback. I always thought Logan was handsome, but seeing this man, Logan paled in comparison. His striking green eyes, the color of emerald, shone with power and confidence as he stared at me. His thin lips were set in a smirk, as if he knew something no one else did. Just his presence screamed sheer power and masculinity. And somehow, I was drawn to him. Just what was happening to me?

“Now what do you want, lady? Are you planning to comfort me too?” He asked, and I realised he thought I was yet another admirer trying to pester him like Clara. Hiding inside his room definitely didn’t help my case.

“No. No. It’s not what you think, Alpha King. I didn’t come here with any bad intentions. I just wanted to ask you for help!” I tried to explain, but when I saw the indifferent look in his eyes, I knew he didn’t believe me.

“I am Celina, the real Luna of this pack. But Logan wants to be with his girlfriend Clara. I asked him to reject me and be with her if he wants, but he won’t do that. He has locked me up in my room, and I am tired of it all. I just want to leave…” I babbled, trying to get my point across before he tossed me outside. But he just continued to stare at me as if none of what I said mattered to him.

Taking a deep breath, I raised the ruby ring that I held in my hand. 

“My mother, Lydia Michaelson, gave me this token. She told me that if I showed this to you, you would help me. Would you please help me escape from this place?” I asked, watching his reaction closely. Seeing the ring in my hand, something flickered in his eyes, but it was gone before I could even blink. He then continued staring at me with a disinterested gaze.

“Sorry. I don’t recognise this ring, and I won’t interfere in your pack matters. Now leave my room.”

I opened my mouth to persuade him again, but then my shoulders slumped in defeat as I met his icy gaze. Nothing I say would make him change his mind. 

“Alright, Alpha King. Sorry for disturbing you,” I said mechanically, all hope lost. Then I stepped out of the room, despair overwhelming me. My only hope of escaping this place was lost just like that. Was I doomed to be a puppet controlled by Logan forever?

Before I could get back to my room quietly, I sensed something off. Slowly, I looked up to see Logan standing there with a murderous look in his eyes. Clara stood beside him, a teasing smile on her face.

“Trying to escape?” She asked mockingly, and I froze.

“No,” I denied, but Logan stalked towards me, making me take a step back involuntarily. 

He pulled my hand and started dragging me away. As I noticed he was going in the opposite direction of my room, an ominous premonition dawned on me. 

I struggled against Logan’s hold, trying to get away. But he just let out a warning growl before holding me tighter. As we reached the entrance of the dungeon, my eyes widened in horror.

“No! Please, no!” I begged, but Logan ignored my protests and threw me into the dungeon. The scent of old blood and piss assaulted my nostrils, and I gagged, turning towards Logan in disbelief. 

“You can’t do this!” I cried out, but Clara laughed.

“Oh, but we will. You have stepped out of line, and we need to teach you a little discipline. We will make sure that you will only get whipped in your hands and feet. So it wouldn’t harm the baby. Enjoy your stay here, Celina.”

As they ordered the guards to strap me down to a chair and lash me, I struggled against them. My heart drummed in my chest as they tied me up, my eyes closing instinctively as a guard raised a whip towards me. But when the expected pain didn’t come, I slowly looked up only to freeze as my eyes met the chilly gaze of Alpha King Derek. He was holding the whip in his hand, the guard who held it letting go in terror.

“What are you doing here?” Logan snarled at Derek, his face twisted in rage. “This is my pack dungeon! You can’t just barge in here!”

“Oh. But I just did. I am ending the inspection ahead of schedule, and I will be leaving right now,” Derek said before turning to me. “Luna Celina, you are coming with me.”

I stared at him with wide eyes full of disbelief. He was taking me with him?

“What do you mean you are taking her? You may be the Alpha King, but you can’t just take my Luna away!” Logan snapped, his eyes darting between me and Derek.

“So now this is your Luna? Didn’t you just introduce her as your Luna earlier?” Derek asked teasingly while staring at Clara. “You have got some nerve, Alpha Logan. Introducing your mistress as your Luna while keeping your real Luna locked away in the dungeon.”

“She isn’t my mistress. And whatever happens in my pack isn’t your business, anyway!”

“Says who? Did you forget who I am? I am the Alpha King. I have a say in the matters of every pack on this continent.”

“Maybe you can decide when it comes to pack matters, but this is my private life. You can’t take my mate away from me!”

“Oh? Is that so?” Derek challenged before stepping towards me, pointing at the ruby ring in my hand. Suddenly, he released his Alpha aura, the air turning dense with his power. “She holds my token, and I am taking her with me, no matter what. Let me see who dares to stop me.”