Chapter 8 Chapter Eight

I sat on the edge of my nerves getting the best of me. After Killian suddenly announced to the Luna that he was intending to mate with me, things sort of went downhill. She, naturally, Luna Sarah, had thrown a fit, followed by a lot of not-so-pleasing words directed at me. Killian, of course, did not appreciate her constant ranting and tried to assert his "dominance" by growling at her so loudly that it was as if the house quacked. Then his personal guards restrained Luna Sarah, causing the male werewolves of the Red Hallow Pack to try and "protect" her, causing the kitchen to turn into a warzone.

And now I was here in the living room, in between Kilian and Andrew, who I had just found out was Kilian’s Beta, Luna. Sarah was sitting across from us on the love seat with her husband, Alpha Michael, who was nursing a large bruise on his chest. He was a bulky man with a tangled mopy mess of a beard and a drum for a stomach, but not quite as tall as Kilian. Kilian was exceptionally tall, a feature that I have grown to admire in that man.

The three pack elders had been summoned from their night’s sleep to tackle the events of today. They were tensely sitting on the large L-shaped sofa next to the large French windows. On either side of them, standing ever so still, were two Lycan guards staring into space.

It was deathly quiet. No one wanted to be the first to speak. I, on the other hand, wanted to run out. I wanted to tuck myself into my cozy bed and stare off into the snow and leave this awkward situation behind.

"Ehmm," Agatha, one of the elders, cleared her voice. No doubt she’d had enough of the testosterone filled room. "My lord, it is a pleasure to meet you once more," she spoke, tilting her head in submission towards Killian. He didn’t say anything. He remained still, staring coldly ahead. "I’m sorry for our Luna’s disrespect. You must understand, as the Luna, her instinct is to keep the pack together. That’s why she reacted the way she did. The girl by your side is a fragile one; Luna reacted out of concern. "

I held back my tongue. How dare she? I was not the defenseless creature that she was making me out to be. She didn’t even know me. And yet again, I felt the deep, scorching heat of my anger. I felt a hand on my thigh, the heat blocked by the fabric of my worn out dusty blue jeans. Killian was now looking at me. Had he felt my anger? I gave him a small smile, letting him know that I was okay, and he nodded and turned to face Agatha,

It was obvious that Agatha hadn’t appreciated the slight show of affection Kilian and I had given. It made me feel happy.

"My Lord, the girl is too young to be the Queen," Paul said. I knew Paul. He had been in charge of the Pack pups' schooling for decades. I remember him coming to the pack house on Sunday evenings to tutor Ivan, the alpha son, and Noah in their school work. He was a sweet man, but believed that a female wolf should be submissive and tend to her den. His words had rubbed a few females and males within the Red Hallow Pack in the wrong way. It even got to the point that all the women in the pack wanted to hang him by the boots. Even Luna wanted him hanged. That’s the one thing her and I can agree on.

"I have had enough of this," Killian spoke, and it was as if the whole room went dark. While everyone was shaking in their boots, I was relishing in his voice, Kilian’s voice was like honey to me, even in its harshest form.

"She is mine and she will come with me. If you want to object, then go ahead, but I must warn you to be careful because you don’t know what I might do."

"Lia doesn’t want to go," Luna said. Sarah’s voice stood out from the silence; it was clear that she didn’t want me to go.

"Genesis," a small, raspy voice spoke up. I winced at how my voice sounded. It was quiet but firm. I was aiming for proud, but it will have to do. "My name is Genesis, not Lia, Lia was the first girl, and she left with her mate three years ago. I’m not that young and I'm not a member of this pack.

My parents were from the Shadow Pack. You raided them and took their lands, the lands that are now yours from the east of here. I survived and went to live with my grandmother in the Dark Moon Pack across the river from here to the west of here that you also took.

'I was among the eighteen children that you had taken from that pack and brought here as slaves, Some of your pack members adopted; others became warriors in your pack. One became the next in line to be the Beta. Others found their mates and left. Five you welcomed into your pack and held a pack initiation ceremony for them. I am the only one left.

I have cleaned this house for the past eight years. You have hidden me in the attic. You let me work only at night. You don’t pay me. I have to eat your leftovers.

I am not a pack member. I do not have family here. The only family I had was killed. I have no friends. I have no reason to stay. I want to leave."