I sat in Duncan’s car, across from the Alpha and our son. I would’ve preferred to be with Justin, ensure him that things will be okay. Alas, such was not my decision to make.
“Just so we are clear, so long as I follow your orders, you won’t hurt Justin, right?” I questioned.
“He won’t for long, if you keep questioning me,” Duncan retorted.
“Yeah, murderer,” Dylan supported.
I sighed at both their responses, should’ve expected them. I found myself wondering, then, how things became this way. How was it that I married this heartless being.
I was in my late teens when we first met, about eighteen years old. Back then, I was struggling to make funds for my parents. My father was an Omega who could barely make ends meet, and my mother was chronically ill. To support them, I worked multiple part-time jobs growing up, with the best one being the waitress position in our pack’s famous hotel, Light Night. It was at a company event being held there that I met Duncan, who was made newly appointed CEO of the hotel.
It was love at first sight back then. His smooth black hair, piercing light green eyes, sharp handsome features… Like any girl, I was immediately smitten by him. At the same time, I knew it wasn’t meant to be. We lived in two different worlds, after all. A plain jane would never get together with someone like him.
So I had thought, when he came to me one day, and asked me to marry him. At first, I was a little doubtful, but my joy of getting this happy marriage outweighed that. If only I had known earlier that this ‘happy marriage’ was a disguise for the true nightmare behind it.
I looked out the window, not wanting to stare at Duncan’s face any longer, when I took notice of the road the car was going. “I thought you wanted to bring me to your home. Where are we going?” I questioned, looking around to also notice that this is the only car going down this road. All others that were around us before were nowhere to be seen.
I heard Duncan snort as he responded, “You shall see soon enough.”
I didn’t like how he answered that, a terrible feeling crawling down my spine.
At some point during the drive, I was baffled to find the car heading straight into a cemetery. I could feel my face turn pale as the terrible feeling well up more in me.
‘So that’s it,’ I thought, rubbing my arms a bit. ‘These people… They have no intention of letting me live. They want me dead, just because Ashley nearly did.’
The anger I had for them grew once again, as did my disbelief. How could these two be so heartless to not hear me out to the bitter end? How could I let myself believe that they would have no intention of making my life any worse? Mine, or Justin’s. I could not believe how foolish I had been all this time.
A bit more into the drive, and the car stopped at last. The door opened, and the driver grabbed me by the arm, forcing me out of the car and down the grassy hill. I didn’t bother fighting this buff guy, given the clear difference in strengths. Not much later, he tossed me down in front of a gravestone.
I picked myself up, wanting to at least glare at the werewolf for being so rough on me, when my eyes caught sight of the names on the stones. The two names that meant more to me than anything, as my eyes widened in shock, and jaws dropped in sorrow.
‘Ernest Kaleson’ and ‘Sara Kaleson’… The names of my parents.
“What… What is this?” I stuttered out.
“What else does it look like? Your parents’ graves,” I heard Duncan answer.
I didn’t bother turning to him, as I shook my head in disbelief, and blinked my eyes to see if I was misreading the names wrong somehow. There was no change in the names. To make matters worse, as I looked at the date of their deaths, my stomach dropped when I saw when it was they died… For the date was the very day I was imprisoned.
“You may not have killed my Ashley, but you have killed your parents,” Duncan continued, raising my shock. “You were so selfish, thinking about yourself, you don’t think about how it affects others. Dylan was right about you being a murderer. You killed your own family. Broke their hearts so much, they died.”
I shook my head at his claim, refusing to believe a word as I turned to him in rage. “You’re lying! There’s no way they could have died!” I shouted, recalling the last time I saw my parents.
All the times we’ve had together, despite our struggles. We may be on the poor side of the pack, but we still loved each other very much. I often had to send whatever money I get in my allowances from Duncan to my parents so they can have an easier time living. So Mom’s health can improve even if by a little bit, and Dad can take less shifts to be with her. And yet…
“You should know especially how hard life is for them, and yet you pushed them to this?!” I continued to question Duncan. “My parents did NOTHING to you! They never even reached out to you since we married! How could you kill them so easily?!”
“Dad didn’t kill them,” Dylan interrupted. “Didn’t you hear him? You did it. Plus, Dad knows your parents will worry now that they don’t have their ATM giving them money. It’s only right that those people know what happened to you. It’s not his fault they couldn’t handle the truth.”
I didn’t think I would get any angrier after being revealed my parents’ deaths. To hear that on top of it? I became furious at them. “I don’t care what you think of me, but they are still your family!” I shouted at Dylan, before turning to Duncan. “And you! Those two were innocent! Even if you were in any way concerned about their worries, you couldn’t have any heart to send them even a bit of money to them and set their minds at ease?! You had to show them proof of my imprisonment?! WHY?!”
“Oh, ‘innocent’ you say? And what about Ashley? She’s just as innocent, and yet you decided it was all fine and dandy for you to attempt to kill her?” Duncan retorted, increasing my frustration towards him when he mentioned that mistress of his.
“So it’s always about Ashley, isn’t it? You’re telling me you killed my frail parents for that witch?!” I shouted, glaring at him. Tears started to form in my eyes from all my frustration, as well as the sadness I felt, as my family’s passing started to sink in. I refused to cry, though, even with these tears trailing down my cheeks. “You have robbed me of everything… All for her. What more do you want?”
Duncan scoffed again at me. “And you call me ‘heartless’. You are so quick to forget your bastard son.” I flinched when he mentioned Justin, hands clenched into fists as I dug a bit of grass and soil in my palms. “You want him alive? Do as I say.”
Upon returning to the mansion, as soon as I stepped into the building, I was asked to come to the living room. ‘Brought’ there, rather, by several of Pularis’s servants. Once I was there, I was met with quite the surprising sight. That being…“On behalf of these old stooges behind me, as Alpha, I deeply apologize for the misunderstanding that was caused in today’s exam, and any inconvenience that came with it.” Pularis apologizing to me. He who sat on a sofa with many elderly werewolves by him- some sitting on the sofa with him, whereas others stood by the furniture. All who bowed to me in an apologetic manner. Even Patricia was here, and she also bowed to me apologetically.“We are truly sorry,” most of them said. I was quite taken aback by the action. While I did want answers pertaining to the exam, I was not expecting this sort of welcome. Nor did I expect an earnest apology.“It’s okay,” I told them. “As much as I appreciate an apology, what I am more interested in is why did I g
After they called the names of those who passed, those who failed were immediately sent out of the lobby. There were plenty who took their failure well enough, and some who ran out crying. Claiming that the test was unfair. Not that it had anything to do with me. And not just because I have no intention of being Luna.Lo and behold, I was one of the people who passed the exam, to the shock of the many applicants. Some people claimed and accused me of cheating, in disbelief that I was one of the several moving on to the next round, when Crystal silenced them in asking them scenario questions that were on the exam, and read my responses out loud to the group. She even admitted that there were solutions to some scenarios that she and the other proctors did not think would really work, but upon reading my theory and explanations in my suggestions, found them to be possible to succeed. They even apparently went as far as to inform Pularis of the suggestions through their link, in which he
As we sat waiting in the lobby for the results, I once again took notice of how different the atmosphere was here compared to just earlier. No one paid me much attention; just worried about the results. There were some who seemed confident, but other than that, nothing else. Honestly, I was surprised. I had thought there would be someone coming up to me, demanding to know how I did on the exam. Especially considering how I had finished first and was extremely confident in my answers. I had thought at least one of them would come at me, demanding if I already knew the responses or what the exam entails. Accuse me of cheating when I was dragged into the wrong exam. ‘Well, if anything, I prefer it this way,’ I thought. I do not want anyone to get the wrong idea about me, thinking that I secretly do want to be Pularis’s Luna. I respect him, yes, and I do appreciate all he has done for me and Justin- especially for Justin- but I do not romantically love him. And I know he does not fe
The first test we were taking was a written test. Nothing entirely difficult like the history of the Nightsky Pack or anything of the sort, as they were more along the lines of scenario situations. 'What ifs', 'how would you resolve', 'based on the report', anything usually decided by the Alphas. If anything, the test seemed more fitting to give to Alpha candidates than they were for Lunas. Then again, I suppose in order to be a proper Luna for Pularis, a test based on the Alpha's duties would be more fitting than anything else. And judging by the faint groans, frustrations, and complaints I was hearing from several applicants already, I'd say there are already some people who are proving to not fit to be Lunas in this pack. Or any pack, for that matter. Almost made me wonder if those several complaining were from Alpha families, too.Me? After having to assist Duncan with his duties- rather, after doing all of his work for him- the test was a breeze for me. While I was unsure about h
Susan’s POVI could not believe I had actually agreed to take part in this silly exam. Even if it was to clear some part of Pularis's name, I should've known better than to be baited into it. And yet...'No. There's no use crying over spilled milk. I got myself into this; I need to see it through,' I thought, shaking my head.I could hear bits of snickers behind me. No doubt from some of the candidates looking down on me. Particularly the one who accused me of being a coward in this test.How I sighed from the immaturity of the werewolves around me. 'Honestly, I know it's a big deal to be Luna of a pack, but have these girls no shame?' I wondered then, thinking back to when I was somewhat like these girls. Dreaming of being the pack's Luna, getting everything I could have ever wanted. Only to soon find out, it was nothing more than a sham, and that the role was pretty much like any other, if not more tiring. Even more so if the Alpha does not take any of his responsibilities seriously
Pularis's POVMy face was buried in my hands. Words can never express the emotions I have felt, hearing the things I have heard from these damn elders and advisors. The latter group I heavily question if they should still be considered as such.“So, let me see if I have this right. When I contacted you through the link that I was highly recommending one of our newest members for a Beta position, spoke of her achievements in her home pack, that somehow got translated into me wanting her to be my Luna?” I questioned, pinching the bridge of my nose, as I held back the urge to growl- no, ‘snarl’- at these imbeciles before me. They who shuddered in fright. Dismay. Why, for all I know, they may as well be embarrassed with themselves for making such an inaccurate assumption! In fact, it was not even an assumption, when last I checked, I made it VERY clear that I was offering her the Beta role. “That’s our mistake, Alpha. At the time, we were talking about possible candidates to be your Luna