Dead Meat

Chloe's POV 

Pain radiates from my arm all the way down to my heart; grinning my teeth all the way down my wrist as the ache grows. Although it was hours after the incident in the restroom, the injury she left on me was still healing.

How was she so strong?

Fuck! 

She was supposed to be dead. She wasn’t supposed to return to Moon Crest five years later looking healthier and stronger than when she left. I cursed under my breath as I thought about the humiliating experience, I had endured with her in the restroom.

The pain and terror she had inflicted on me.

My body still trembled despite all my efforts to relax. I looked at her where she was talking to a group of people I didn’t recognize. Her long, red hair flowed down her back, making her look even beautiful –

Goddess, what was I thinking?

I was going to pay for what she did to me and this time, I was going to make sure she stayed dead. 

Tristan was mine and no one else. I didn’t care about whatever bond they shared. 

Seeing as I had nothing more to do here than stand around and loathe the very ground that devil walked on, I excused myself – not that anyone of them seemed to care. My blood boiled as I hurried off to the kitchen where I knew I was going to find Myra.

That slimy bitch who couldn’t even do anything right.

“Get out!” I growled at the omegas in the kitchen as soon as I entered. “Get out now! All of you!” Anger and resentment at that bitch pumped into my veins, acting as fuel to drive me to insanity.

The omegas scurried away, all of them giving me a wide berth as they ran past me like rats being chased by a cat. Reya used to be like them once. Where did she even get all of that power and confidence from?

Fortunately for Myra, she had the common sense to stay put. If only she put that much sense into carrying out my orders and doing them just the way I want. 

She trembled as I approached her, lowering her head into her neck. She almost resembled a tortoise, except in her case she had no shell to hide into. 

“Are you daft?” I snapped. “How could you ruin a perfectly laid out plan? Answer me what I fucking speak with you.”

“I – I did as you ordered, Miss Chloe,” she cried.

Miss Chloe? Did I just hear her refer to me as Miss Chloe? What happened to Luna?

Rage cackled like lightening inside me. “Miss Chloe? I bit out,” fisting her hair in my hand the way Reya had fisted mine. “And who is Luna? If I am now back to Miss Chloe, who is your damn Luna! Is it that good for nothing Reya? Do you prefer her better now that she is back looking stronger and better?” 

“I’m sorry,” she said pathetically, tears streaming from her eyes. “I’m sorry, Luna. It was a slip of the tongue –”

The rest of the words died in her throat when my palm met her face in a thunderous slap that sent her flying across the room. 

She stumbled to her feet immediately, still keeping her head low. 

“Did I not say ‘Dump the water on the bitch’s face’ when I gave you the order?” I snarled. “Were my instructions not clear enough?”

“I – I didn’t know you were talking about Reya.” She presented. “I didn’t think – I wasn’t expecting –”

“Oh, shut up with your lame excuses!” I snapped. “I gave you explicit directions and you failed. Or do you still see her as your Luna? Is that it?”

“No!” she cried, eyes widening as she tumbled to her feet. “You are the only Luna I know. I swear. Reya has never been a Luna to me and she will never be. 

Please, give me a chance to prove myself.” I rolled my eyes, sucking on my bottom lip. “How am I supposed to trust you next time?” 

How was I even supposed to trust anyone after it was clear that those assassins I sent after her lied to me? They told me they had killed her off, yet here she was alive, well and thriving.

If I didn’t already kill them to cover my tracks, I would have found them and made them pay for deceiving me. The idiot they claimed they killed was back, bigger and stronger than ever before. 

“I know how to get Reya,” Myra said. “I knew her for a long time so I know what makes her tick. I’ll help you get rid of her.”

I scoffed. Reya was no longer the same weak and vulnerable girl who could easily be exploited and bullied. She had changed and we needed to deal with her with caution else, I was afraid of what was going to happen.

I shuddered simply thinking about it. 

Still, I nodded. “If you think you can take her down, then do it. But make sure you don’t fail this time, because I will end your life with my hands.”

Her eyes widened and fear crossed her face, but she nodded. “I understand, Luna. I won’t fail you this time. You have my word.”

“Your word means nothing to me,” I spat. She was nothing but a lowly omega. “Your actions will speak for themselves and I better start seeing some action.”

I left the kitchen immediately after, making my way outside the pack house and into the moonless night. I glanced around to see if anyone had seen me leave or was following me and was somewhat relived to see that I was alone. 

I walked quickly, my feet leading me to the one person who I knew was always going to help me. 

I bit my bottom lip as I thought about the help, he had rendered me five years ago and all the things that had happened since then. When I got to his house which was completely removed from the pack, I glanced around one more time just to make sure I wasn’t being followed before pushing the door open. 

As I expected, he was already waiting for me and he spoke up before I could. 

“We have a problem.”

I sighed, plopping into the couch in his living room. “Yes, we do.” I replied. “That bitch Reya isn’t dead. She’s back and I think Tristan might give into their bond. If I lose my hold on him –” my voice wavered, no matter how strong I tried to be. 

I hated it. 

“She isn’t the only problem we have, Chloe,” he snapped. “They are far bigger problems than her bond with Tristan and I’m afraid that if we don’t act fast, we might lose everything we’ve worked so hard for all these years.”’

I frowned, pulling myself up from the chair. “What do you mean?” I queried, my heart falling to the ground. “What’s going on? Tell me everything you know.”