Chapter 10: Chapter 10
For the life of me, I was unable to track down the Luna. It was as if she was avoiding me. I leaned against the wall of the main entrance to the packhouse, closing my eyes to think. Everyone I had spoken to today had directed me to where the Luna was supposed to be, but as soon as I arrived she was gone. I let out an agitated groan running my fingers through my hair trying to think of why she would be doing this? Perhaps the Alpha had told her I was upset? But that surely wouldn’t make her dodge me?
“Laura?” An instant smile spread across my face as I opened my eyes to see Micheal standing nervously near me.
“Micheal!” I exclaimed before hugging him tightly, “where on earth have you been?”
He chuckled returning my hug.
“Did Ellen not mention I… needed to take a leave of absence?” His voice shook a little with embarrassment.
I pulled back to see him looking around at the crowd of people coming and going. I nodded to him pulling his hand to one of the empty common areas. I sat down on one of the soft white leather couches patting the spot next to me looking at Micheal expectantly. He sighed before smirking and sitting next to me. Even though Micheal and Ellen were twins they were so different from each other. Micheal was softer, less prone to anger, and more so kept to himself.
“Ellen did tell me what happened…” I started looking at him sympathetically as Micheal frowned.
“It’s just not fair.” He breathed out, crossing his arms and pushing himself back into the lounge. I nodded readying myself for his incoming rant.
“She always gets everything first, she was born first, she walked and talked first…” He raved about how it always seemed like he was in her shadow.
“And now? Now not only does she get to shift first but she’s found her mate first.” He finished sighing deeply as his frown deepened.
I raised my eyebrow looking at him questioningly, “you still haven’t shifted?”
I had never heard of such a thing, normally if you didn’t shift on the first night it would happen within days. Micheal’s head dropped as I noticed a tear escape his eyes.
“No.” He practically whispered out, his voice breaking. I hugged him tightly, not sure what else to do as I could only imagine the pain, shame, and guilt he must be feeling.
“Even the Alpha has no idea why… I guess… I guess I’m just the weaker twin.” He finished as he sobbed, my heart broke seeing him like this. Although he was the more reserved twin I had never seen him sad before, normally he was the one comforting everyone else. The door suddenly opened causing us both to jump.
Micheal gasped before uttering out “Alpha….”
I scoffed refusing to even look at Clide, I was still pissed off and extremely hurt. A low menacing growl vibrated in my ears as Micheal looked at me and back to the Alpha quickly moving away from me. I looked at him confused and hurt before the door slammed shut causing a familiar scent to waft into my face. I stared at the closed door confused as my heart hammered at the scent before my face dropped as the anger rose in me.
“Why… why did Alpha Victor…” Micheal started asking as I turned to him, my face hot with rage.
He looked at me shocked as I tried to steady my emotions, “So much has happened Micheal…” I started explaining to him everything that had happened. Micheal too shared my rage, his face darkening as I recounted how Xander had lied to Clide and that I was being sold off.
“How…” He asked again just staring at me, “Why?” He was at a loss for words I just sighed and shook my head.
“Does Ellen know?”
“Not all of it, she has been busy lately with patrols and training…” I felt my voice break a little realizing at that moment how much I had needed and missed her.
Micheal gave me a sad look before sighing again.
“Xander… he was never right for you Laura…” He started shocking my heart, I stared at him trying to listen to his words but not wanting to accept them.
“I’m his friend, but Xander he… He doesn’t love you, Laura. The way he talks about girls when you’re not around.” He shuddered as if disgusted by a memory.
“Let’s just say, that even if you are mates and I hope to Goddess you are not, he would never be able to fully give you his heart. It’s just not in his nature.”
I gulped holding back tears as I felt my heart ripping, almost completely as memories of Xander and me spending time together flashed rapidly in my mind. He had always been so sweet to me though? Like that time he brought me wild white and purple flowers cause they reminded him of my hair and eyes… although Sam had been behind him red-faced, giggling with those same flowers stuck in her hair… as if… as if they had…
I gasped loudly staring at Micheal horrified as more flashes came through my mind, every nice thing he had ever done for me… was after he had spent time with her… but… he wouldn’t…
“He doesn’t love you, Laura, he only wants your body. He’s up himself, he thinks that because he is the Alpha to be he can sleep with anyone. And you… you have never let him…” He gave me a cautious look as I felt hot tears brimming in my eyes.
I hugged myself tightly feeling violated, disgusted, and used as tears flowed freely from my face.
“Laura! Oh, my Goddess! Please don’t cry!” Micheal exclaimed as he hugged me tightly.
“I’m so sorry Laura but you need to understand! I would hate for you to find out later… after…” I sobbed harder, everyone’s warning making more sense.
How could I have been so blind? Was this what they meant by love is blind?
“Laura…” Micheal whispered his voice pained and full of regret.
I pushed him away, he looked at me hurt but gave me room. I breathed in deeply steading my emotions again.
“I need to talk to him,” I muttered out, a piece of my heart still refused to believe his words. My mind screamed at me that he was right but I couldn’t shake the second thought that this was all a misunderstanding. Micheal stared at me for a moment before nodding.
“Okay, but be careful. Xander can be… convincing when he needs to be.” Micheal’s eyes pleaded with me as I gave him a small smile before patting his arm dismissively.
“Thank you for telling me.” Micheal gave me a worried look as I stood ready to track him down, looking over my shoulder back to Micheal before I left.
“We’ll catch up later okay?”
He nodded but still had that worried expression.
I was surprised as I walked towards Xander’s room to hear the Luna’s voice practically screaming in anger through the door. I stopped and listened, part of me knowing that was rude but I felt as if this was about me.
“How could you Xand?” the Luna screamed, her anger causing me to flinch.
I couldn’t hear Xander’s voice, I imagined he was pleading with her. The Luna scoffed before I heard something break.
“I told you to stay away from her! She was and is not your plaything!” I gulped, yes she was speaking about me.
“I did not raise you to be like this? It’s absolutely disgusting! If I find out that those rumors of you sleeping with that girl are true…”
“Mum please!” Xander’s voice called out.
“Please believe me! They are just that, rumors! I would never dream of hurting you by doing anything to tarnish our reputation!”
“How. Dare. You.” She scoffed out, her anger practically radiating out the door causing me to shake in fear.
“I am not your father. Reputation?” She screamed as something else broke. “Why would I care about such a thing? NO. This has nothing to do with reputation! This has to do with emotions! How dare you.” She stopped curtly.
“I’m leaving to cool down. You better pray to the Goddess that those ‘rumors’ are in fact just that, Xander you don’t seem to understand the gravity of this situation.”
“Mum please, even if they were true she’s just some girl…” I felt my heart drop as he pleaded with her.
“Some girl?” the Luna scoffed. “That girl is Alpha Victor’s sister!” she screamed.
I felt my heart stop as my eyes widened.
“I… I had no clue…” Xander sputtered out.
“So the rumors are true. You slept with her.” The Luna screamed coming closer to the door, I felt panic rising as the door handle moved.
“Mum, please… I didn’t know… I wouldn’t have…”
“What?” She yelled as the handle stopped moving, I breathed a sigh of relief but couldn’t move my feet.
“Are you telling me…?” She breathed heavily. “That you wouldn’t have cared if she wasn’t someone important? Who are you? My son would never.” The handle rattled again as I heard Xander sob as a loud crack rang out.
The door opened as I saw the Luna’s back facing me, Xander held his red check with tears streaming down his eyes as an imprint of a hand started to form. He stared at me with a mix of horror and shame as the Luna turned slowly, her eyes darker than I had ever seen as her lips were pulled into an aggressive snarl. She blinked rapidly as if not really seeing me before she glanced back to Xander.
“Let this be a warning son, ANY more of this behavior and you will be severely punished. I don’t care what your father says.”
With that she slammed the door behind her, her full attention directed at me.
“Laura. You know it’s incredibly rude to eavesdrop.” Her eyes were still darkened with her anger as I felt my body shake. She breathed out a heavy sigh before clasping my hand gently.
“Come, we need to also have a talk.”
I gulped again, wishing I had just stayed with Micheal.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone