Philip POV
Staring at the window, my mind was clouded with so many thoughts and one of which was surprisingly Catherine. It has been three days since I had thrown her into the dungeon and while there had been nights, I thought of pulling her out, I couldn't fathom having her stay in the mansion with me.
A knock suddenly came through and at my command, the door pulled open, revealing Williams stepping in. He had a scroll in his hands, which depicted that he was about to read to me, the events planned out for the next weeks to come; a system I had adopted to keep me updated with my pack.
"Alpha, Blood-Slashing Pack is scheduled to host the next annual werewolf conference; a gathering that would see several members of other packs make their way to your pack."As Williams read on, I realized that the event was going to bring several partnerships and further strengthen the relationship with other packs.
"Alpha?" I looked up to Williams, who had noticed I zoned out on him. "It says here that the Alpha and his Luna would usher everyone on the first day of the event, right before it would be started."
I groaned in frustration, as I realized what it potentially meant. Being with Luna would see Catherine coming up beside me. "Tell the servants to get Sarah from the dungeon. "My instruction seemed to have shaken Williams a bit;
I had forcefully dealt with Sarah in the confines of the mansion, and in a period where William was involved in my undercover mission of surveying potential packs to take absolute control.
"Alpha if I may ask, why is it that she was kept in the dungeon in the first place?"I gave him a hard stare and he held back and bowed, before eventually stepping out of the chamber room.
While he was gone, I muttered curses at the people that had planned out such events to be held in the first place. I had only made Catherine to be my Luna because I knew best the council's sinister motives for dethroning me, which I wouldn't want to happen.
When the door opens again, she is pulled into the room. Staring at her, I realized how much pain she might have endured in the dungeon. Her clothes were completely worn out and scars filled up her face.
"Leave us!"I commanded William, who left almost immediately.
Once the door was shut, I slowly got up from the throne and walked my way up to meet Catherine, who hadn't made eye contact with me.
Holding her cheeks, I stared deep down into her oceanic blue eyes; they revealed exhaustion and also showed she had been crying as underneath her eyes were heavy eye bags.
"You look pathetic," I said to her, my tone ever so deep and threatening. Her reaction to my touch showed that she not only feared me but was very submissive. "You will have a proper bathe, and be given the finest clothes to wear and afterward, we would have lunch together."
Her eyes searched mine, seeking the truth underneath my statement and realizing I wasn't lying around, flickered with hopes.
Letting go of her cheeks, I made my way back to the throne and yelled out William's name, who I had instructed to stay outside.
"Get her to the maids and make her look comfortable. Ensure she is given the finest clothes to wear and bring her to the table for lunch." He shook his head in understanding and I watched as they both left the room.
It was only a matter of weeks and she will go back to the dungeons. All I needed was to make her the Luna everyone would want to see; I thought to myself with a sadistic smile, plastering my face.
Barely hours later, I was seated at the table, the meals had been served, but there was no sign of Catherine. I was about reacting, when I heard footsteps behind me, propelling me to look around and behold what I can only describe as an angelic figure.
It has been a while since I had been struck with beauty and standing before me was an epitome of one. I slowly realized that aside from her persona, which she had shown to Councilor Thomas, she also had all the requirements to be called a Luna.
Her gown flowed ever so gracious and her steps ever so majestic and cautiously taken. Despite her amazing features, she looked nervous as she walked to the other end of the table, taking her seat.
I noticed how she was looking at everywhere else other than my face and this pissed me a lot. "Listen to me, I have called you to have lunch with me, because that is what royals do. Now would you want to act like a peasant, which you are, or would you want to be accorded the royal respect you deserve?" Her eyes finally landed on me, and all I could depict from her reaction was curiosity.
After a momentary stare at her, I pulled the plates open and grabbed my spoon. The maids had made special delicacies and as I dug into the meal, I realized she hadn't touched her meal.
"Why aren't you eating?" I sneered.
"Nothing.."She whispered.
I gave her a stare temporarily and got up to my feet, slowly making my way over to her table and seating on top of the table, while she had her head focused on her meal.
"Look at me.." I ordered and slowly, she raised her head to stare into my eyes. "I want to treat you like royalty. I want to show you how Alphas and Lunas dine. Do you know why?" I asked with a raised eyebrow, to which she shook her head negatively in response.
"Because I announced you as my wife and the soon-to-be Luna." I leaned closer to her ear, pulling strands of her hair away, while her body reacted momentarily.
"Now eat my beautiful Luna, "I whispered to her and headed back to my table.
CATHERINE'S POV As I entered the community meeting area, where pack members gathered for talks and declarations, I could feel a sense of anxiety in the air. As soon as I walked in, whispers and whispered talks stopped, and interested eyes looked at me. Skepticism and uncertainty weighed heavily on the air, like an unsaid query demanding a response.I felt the wave of unease that went through the group, a sign of their misgivings about my abrupt promotion to a leadership role. Many were confused by the swift change from a Luna behind confinement to a leader guiding the pack's future, and the doubt that pervaded the atmosphere was reflected in their gazes.The scrutiny became more intense as I got closer to the temporary platform where pack leaders normally addressed the members. The looks on the sea on faces ranged from mistrust to flat-out incredulity. It became very apparent how difficult it was for me to gain their trust.I inhaled deeply before going up on stage, with everyone in
CATHERINE'S POV I was faced with the enormous issue of bringing the pack together, which was weighing heavily on my mind. As two women propelled into roles of authority, Lizzie and I took the lead in this initiative, trying to mend the broken strands of trust and create a unity of sorts.Lizzie and I met in the large study, which was filled with expensive cherry furnishings and bookcases that held innumerable books. As we sat opposite from one another, the weight of duty falling on our heads like a thick blanket, the environment crackled with a feeling of purpose."I had not signed in for this one," Lizzie said, her resolve and doubt visible in her eyes. I sympathized with her; the unanticipated course of events had thrown us into unanticipated roles."Not a single of us did," I said, looking her in the eye. However, we have been given the responsibility of keeping this pack together. We must figure out how to make it function."The stone walls of the study, covered in the understand
CATHERINE'S POV The load of Philip's faith descended upon me as I neared the magnificent assembly hall, the scene of the pack's gathering for a funeral. Seeking a ray of light amid the ocean of sorrow, the weeping werewolves shifted their focus to me. I realized then and there that true leadership is a careful balance between sensitivity and power.I inhaled deeply, calling up the inner power, and entered the hallway prepared to face the obstacles that lay ahead. The mansion, which had once been a stronghold of authority, now served as a furnace whereby the pack's connections would be put to the proof and renewed.The force of the Luna cloak pressed down on me as I waited at the entrance to the magnificent assembly hall. The collective look of the pack, looking for guidance and comfort, made the weight of my newfound responsibilities even more real. I looked to my confidante, Lizzie, and saw tenacity and compassion in the deepest parts of her eyes.The weight of the mission ahead hun
CATHERINE'S POV The devastating news that brought shivers of sadness through the Blood Slashing Pack was heavy on every stride, and the vast house resounded with solemn tones of loss. With sad heart, I made my way through the corridors, dodging the sea of dejected expressions and muffled cries that seemed to permeate the space. The pack was enveloped in grief as word of Philip's passing raced like lightning.The group was in disarray after learning of Philip's alleged death, and their souls were left with a chasm that could not be filled by words of sympathy. I felt the burden of the pack's sorrow bearing toward me as Luna, and I had a duty to stand as a rock of support at this time of sharedThe somber tones of sadness filled the vast estate, resonating through the enormous hallways and passages like an eerie sonata of sorrow. As Luna, I felt the weight of duty bearing upon me, the sorrowful news that had covered the whole Blood Slashing Pack in sorrow weighing down on myself with e
CATHERINE'S POV Every day that passed seemed like a lifetime spent inside the confines of my room. What had previously felt like a golden prison had become a painful expanse of loneliness over two weeks. Furnished with opulent furniture, the room had turned into a haven and a jail.With Ana, my darling little daughter curled up in my arms, there was only one thing to feel better in this stuffy environment. Her innocent look was blind to the struggle swirling inside of me as I attended to her needs, the burden of duty pressing down on me. Even with the room bathed in a subdued brightness from the glowing sunlight filtering through the drapes, the cold that persisted in my heart persisted.The loud ticking of the elaborate wall clock reverberated throughout the room, serving as a constant reminder that time was passing at an excruciatingly slow pace. Two weeks had passed between my fingers like sand grains, and I was left entangled in the opulent maze of affluence that had become a res
LIZZIE'S POVI jumped through the table, my chest still thumping from the rage, and the opulence of the mansion's dining room vanished behind me. I was drawn outside by the scent of the neighboring garden in the evening air. To process the storm of feelings Philip's plea had unleashed inside of me, I wanted the comfort of wide-open spaces.Stepping out of the warm shelter of the evening, I was met by the expansive estate stretching before me. The sky was tinted pink as well as orangeas the sun sank low in the horizon, creating a pleasant glow. I took cover from the deluge of contradictory ideas on a seat tucked away in the garden, the calming sounds of the natural world providing a moment's reprieve.My thoughts raced with questions as I sat down on the bench. What made Philip decide to stage his death t