Kneel

AVA.

I could feel every pair if eyes in the hall drawn to Zane who stood powerfully tall commanding respect like he owned it.

I could feel the tension in the room rising like poisonous gas as it came to settle about us thick with promises of what was to come.

I could see Cassie playing with her fingers each of them locking and unlocming against each other as her feet tapped the ground nervously.

I could see Zane stare at the pack as he carried his throat getting ready to speak.

I could feel my heart beat madly behind my chest as a horrible itch began somewhere in the side of my eyes.I could feel my wolf going melancholy as it too anticipated what Zane was about to say.

"I can tell that you are all excited and at the same time confused as to why this ceremony was suddenly called for, but be rest assured it is nothing to worry about."

Zane paused as the pack watched him as one. I didn't think I had ever seen that level of concentration anywhere.

"The woman you can see seated here behind me is no stranger to this pack." Zane said as his hands moved back, his index fingers pointing at Emma who was looking everywhere but at the gathered crowd.

"You all know her as much as I do and she is seated here today because of very special reasons."

The beating in my heart had intensified and I was feeling a little bit shaky as I studied the pack noting their expressions of puzzlement, waiting, yearning for Zane to deliver the punch line.

"She is seated here today because she is carrying my child and starting from today henceforth she is going to be the new reinstated Luna of this pack."

As soon as Zane paused for a split second there was no reaction from the pack before a yell picked up somewhere and spread through the pack like a virus.

"Silence!" Zane roared, his eyes flashing amber his expression becoming dangerous.

The pack obeyed, silence muting the noise that had arose when Zane had finished his speech.

"Ava, your old Luna, for more than five years now has not been able to bear me a child and I will have no more of it" Zane growled his voice thick with anger, his features shifting from wolf to human as he fought to keep his anger in check.

"I have a woman who had been able to conceive for me and I will not tolerate staying heirless. The lineage of every pack depends on whether the Luna is able to procure children who will step up as soon I step down and if Ava is not able to do that you do not expect me to be tied down with her!”

Zane paused and not even a single noise from the pack; breaths stifled, eyes glued to him no one stupid enough to incure his wrath.

I couldn't blame them; the same way Nonna had been shivering that day in the pack house was the same demeanor of everyone that was gathered. At that point I knew there wasn't hope for me; anyone who tried to stand up for me risked being torn to pieces by Zane 

From the corner of my eyes I was able to catch someone at the back of the hall. Dressed in a cloak red hair peeking out in frizzled strand from corners of the cloak the person stood away from the pack a few meters close to the door their eyes darting around the hall, wary of their surroundings.

As second passed and suddenly the person turned their gaze fixing on mine, so intense it chilled me to the bone. It was a woman I looked at her f ace trying to remember if she was a member of the pack but came up with nothing

The woman was still watching me and her gaze…her gaze was chilling.

I blinked and when I opened my eye the woman was gone as if she hadn’t been standing there a few seconds ago.

"If anyone isn't pleased with the decision I made for the betterment of this pack and to keep the lineage of this pack intact then indicate" Zane said.

But the pack wasn't stupid, sure he might have said so but that didn't mean he was expecting any fool to disagree.

I noted the satisfaction on his face when no one objected. I closed my eyes, already accepting my fate.

He wasn't doing this for the betterment of the pack. No, he was doing this for himself, he couldn't stand me again, mates were supposed to be there for each other through thick and thin, through tears and happy moments but those vows meant nothing to Zane.

Absolutely nothing.

"Since no one disagrees with my decision, I shall inaugurate the new Luna with a toast by the old one."

I felt my wolf snarl blood rushing to to my head, my fangs extend as anger flooded me.

There was no way I was going to give in to Zane’s wish. Up until now he had made a mockery of me but distracting me in public was the last straw.

I wasn't going to let him, I had my pride as a woman and my wolf had its pride too and wouldn't bow to another female.

Zane gave a nod of his head and Eli climbed up the stairs, holding a tray and atop the tray was a glass cup with a reddish liquid.

He reached the poduim and as he crossed me I had the sudden urge to take the glass cup and smash it atop his head. 

Eli walked past me and stopped in front of Zane who smiled and took the cup from the tray, walking over to me as he swirled the cup, the liquid inside sloshing about.

Eli shifted making way as Zane reached me with a hard look in his eyes, his expression cold

"Take it," He growled.

I stood there watching him, my body stiff my hands to my sides and clenched as I fought wave after wave of anger rolling around me.

"Take it Ava, remember what we talked about, I won't show you mercy neither will I listen to your pleas as I silently break you if you try anything stupid here today, right this very minute."

As she spoke I could see the pin pints of his fangs which were already jutting out of his mouth.

“Don’t forget your father too, whatever punishment meted out to you he’s going to get it tenfold,” he hissed pushing the glass cup closer to me.

I was seething with anger. Yet what made my situation even more suffocating was the fact that my hands were tied. Unable to do anything, I could only stare at Zane and boil in rage.

I knew Zane wasn’t one to play around, if he made a threat he was sure as hell ready to go through with it. I also had my father to think about who somewhere in this crowd had finally heard what I had been trying to tell him on his doorstep that day.

I took the cup from him matching his gaze of hatred with mine, my eyes never flinching from his. He had ruined me and now he was going to make me bow down to another woman.

Walking over to Cassie who was still as nervous as she had been when Zane started to make his speech her eyes filled with remorse as she looked at me. I bent on one knee and moved the cup closer to her as I fixed my eyes on the ground tears threatening to cloud my vision.

Cassie took the cup from me and drank returning it back to my outstretched hands as I clenched the cup firmly, fighting back the urge to smash the glass against her head.

I’m so sorry Ava, she mind linked me and I ignored her.

Say the words, Zane’s sharp voice cut into mine through the mind link and I felt my throat tightening up.

"I, Ava, now former Luna of this pack, has hereby given agreement for my title to be revoked and for my place as the Luna of this pack be given to another."

A harsh murmur followed, rippling across the pack and Zane growled a deep guttural sound as silence slowly returned.

Even if the pack hissed and murmured their disapproval no one had the courage to step forth and disagree openly with Zane. The deed had been done and there was nothing she could do about it.

"Rise," Zane said and I moved to my feet shaking slightly as the impact of everything I had just lost dawned on me.

Eli moved, collecting the cup from my hand and stepping back.

As the tears threatened to spill from the corners of my eyes fighting my vision for precedence I decided I couldn’t take it anymore. Fleeing from the podium using a side door, which cut across the hall I ran in the direction of the house.

Halfway to the house, I stopped and grabbed my hair in frustration.

"Fuck!" I screamed.

I should have seen this coming, I should have protected my marriage, I should have done something, anything.

I was about to move towards the house when a voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Ava!" My dad called out, his voice reaching out to me from somewhere behind me.

I couldn't face him so I just stood there with my back to him as I could hear his footsteps getting closer.

He reached me coming to a stand in front of me, his blue eyes sparked with rage. I was prepared for him to tell me how I wasn't careful, how I had fucked up, how sorry I was for messing everything up.

"Why didn't you tell me that bastard did that to you. Is that what you were trying to tell me three days ago?"

I looked at him, at his drawn expression of both pain and anger and I could no longer hold back the tears.

"My goddess, I must have been so clueless" He said, pulling me into a hug as a chill breeze swept through us.

I cried into his shoulders, reliving all the pain I felt there. My father was my cornerstone and I wasn't afraid to show him any emotions I had.

"It's my fault too you know, I should have known he wasn't interested in you. He might be my Alpha but no one messes with my daughter, no one.”

"It's not your fault dad; don't beat yourself up about it."

"No, I should have been more observant, I knew something was wrong, the look was always there in your eyes but I didn't act on my instincts."

"It's okay, your comfort is enough and like you always tell me I'm a product of you lions and I’ll get though this eventually."

My father pulled me out of the hug and stared at me the edges of his eyes holding a sliver of a tear.

"Yes you will, yes you will,'' he said his voice choked with emotion as he pulled me back into another hug."

We stayed like that for a few seconds before he pulled away.

"What now?" he asked, rubbing the side of my face, his eyes filled with sympathy.

“Now its time for me to leave.”

"I'm coming with you" he said and before I had time to argue he was pulling me towards the direction of the pack house.