Chapter 3

Sorrel’s pov

My body was on fire. For two days after the rejection, it felt like I would combust into tiny pieces of flesh, but I didn’t and some part of me wished I’d do.

Today I was accepting my fate.

I was Luna to the Wolffang pack and I was married to Alpha Nathaniel whether I liked it or not.

It was time to start acting like Luna and making sure that my people got what was required from these arrangements. 

Nadia had gone cold on me, Kaine’s rejection immediately after healing me was brutal and she was still nursing her heart.

I was in the middle of dressing up when a knock came on my door. It opened and I saw Abigeal, immediately my face fell.

“Ugh,” she said and walked in uninvited. “You can’t possibly hate your sister-in-law now, can you?”

I faced away from her and set my hair down, ignoring her little attempt at a fight.

“You are going to the temple.” She suddenly announced and I whipped my head to look at her.

“And why is….”

I’ve barely completed my question when Nathaniel barged into the room. He looked at me with pure hatred that made my stomach tighten.

“Alpha—“

In two long strides, he pulled me by the hair to my feet, I was still protesting, trying to ask what happened when a slap landed hard on my face.

Blood burst into my mouth and I gaped at him in sheer shock. He laughed, the sound dry and hollow.

“Oh, what?” He mused. “You thought you were going to play dress up? And sit on a throne?”

He didn’t give me time to recover when he landed another punch to my face and still brought me to my feet using my hair.

The pain was scalding, it was as if my skull was on fire and my hair would rip out of my head anytime soon but Nathaniel didn’t care, he made me look at him.

“We are going to the temple. Get dressed!” With that, he pushed me down and walked to the wardrobe. He scuffed at it and then tossed a blue dress at me.  “Wear it and meet me downstairs.”

I coughed, hitting my chest and spat out blood. My vision blurred as tears filled my eyes.

“Abigael, with me.” She stalked out beside her brother not saying a word.

*This cannot be our life, Sorrel!* Nadia protested as I took the dress and slipped it on.

It was long and straight with no design. I applied some makeup on the bruise on my face, luckily for me it might heal completely before I made it to the temple.

I met with Alpha Nathaniel, with one scathing look at me, and he got into the carriage and I did as well. The drive was slow and painful.

When we got to the temple I was about to come down when he gritted. “Stay put!”

I stilled and watched him hurry down, he opened the door for me and set his arms out for me. I eyed his hand and then looked up to see him glaring at me, silently ordering that I take his arms.

With a deep breath, I locked arms with him and we walked out all smiling.

The temple was filled with werewolves dressed in all white who served the moon goddess. Alpha Nathaniel’s brother also worked in this temple.

He wasn’t my mate again, but the mere thought of being in the same presence as him sent warmth down my body and suddenly I wished I hadn’t covered the bruise with blush, I wanted him to see me and feel bad for me.

Pathetic, I know, but I didn’t care.

I was far away from home and I was lonely and terrified.

“Luna Sorrel,” a woman dressed in white called with a smile. “Let the moon goddess bless your womb and your lineage.”

She took my hand to lead me away, just as we were about to part Alpha Nathaniel leaned and pressed a kiss on my cheek, and then said. “I’m waiting for you, love.”

I plastered a smile as I tried not to cringe. When we left for the bath, I was so grateful I didn’t have to put up with his fake ass.

My dress was discarded as I stepped into the moon bath. Werewolves stood around and poured water mixed with milk and honey on my body.

After that one of the women stepped forward, she took a pitcher and took the water I was to shower and sniffed it, her eyes changed colour and she faced me.

There was a long silence before she spoke. “Luna Sorrel, your home is blessed and your children and lineage will be strong. You will know only love and the alpha will cherish you till the end of time.”

I gaped at her, not in shock, but in disbelief. Pretty much sure they just spew whatever would benefit the Alpha and pack. I knew my future and all that she said was a lie.

Nonetheless, I played the part and smiled. “Thank you ... .thank you…”

I was still thanking them when the hairs on my neck stood and I felt burning eyes on me. I lifted my eyes instantly and there I saw the oracle, Kaine, along with other lords and ladies of whiteness, the oracle was superior, he was considered a direct medium between the moon goddess and werewolves. 

The temple, though without windows, suddenly became hot. His jaw clenched and I could see the internal battle he fought to not look down at my naked body.

My nipples hardened under his intense gaze….slowly, very slowly, I saw his eyes take a meager descent down my exposed body. 

A fleeting glance.

The moment he did…. I hissed and sucked in a breath.

He snapped his gaze away almost instantly. My throat dried and I gulped on nothing.

The lords moved past while I quickly put on my dress. The light material clung to my wet body, showing my body.

When I was shown to Alpha Nathaniel he blinked and asked. “Why do you look flushed?”

“The prophecies,” I lied. “They went overboard.”

He flipped me away and thanked the ladies and lords. We got into our carriage and drove back to the pack house.

The moment we got down there we could tell there was a shift in the air. Something ominous lingered, the energy was dark, tainted, and rotten.

There were screams as servants ran out of the pack house. Immediately we hurried inside.

“What’s going on?” I grabbed a servant and asked

“Servants are vomiting blood and dying.” The woman explained. 

I turned around as I took in the scene, servants coughed and collapsed on the ground. They were bleeding from their mouth, noses, ears, and eyes.

Was this some sort of plague?

The smell of blood filled the air. Guards crumbled to the ground. Alpha Nathaniel looked around, pale in the face.

The sight was enough to make me wretch, but then I stopped when I suddenly saw a familiar face amongst those plagued. He was holding his mouth and blood was spurting from his mouth even as he struggled to hold it back.

His eyes met those of Alpha Nathaniel and there was a look of recognition on his face. “You….you…”

He didn’t quite complete his statement as he stumbled down the stairs, he rolled all the way to my feet. 

But his eyes were on Alpha Nathaniel.

This particular guard was the one I’d seen Alpha Nathaniel with on my wedding day. The one he fucked.

The guard was dead.

That sobered me up and I looked around to see that the plague did not attack everyone. I also didn’t think it was contagious.

So what was happening?

In the middle of the chaos Abigeal strolled down, a smirk on her face, her eyes set on her brother.

The world was spinning out of control and I felt like I’d been transported into a nightmare.