Chapter 66
“I will make her life here a living hell, your choice, Alvira threatened. The betas looked at each other before their eyes turned to Rygan, seeing how their alpha’s face had become filled with rage, his pheromones saturated with bloodlust as he muttered in a grave tone.
“What did you say?”
“Rygan, maybe she just- Kaide started.
“Both of you, out now,” he growls to his betas. They knew this was a direct command, more than they could handle or talk Rygan out of, as they walked out of the room.
The minute the door shut, Alvira felt a strong hand slam into her as she hit the wall. She looked up to meet Rygan’s lethal stare, both his hands pressing on her shoulders. “Say that again,” he snarled.
“What, Rygan?! Are you going to kill me and let me join my sister Alana in the afterlife because of another wornan? Then go ahead and kill me now so I can join Alana!” Saying that name brought back so many memories and torment for Rygan that his hold softened on her shoulder.
“What the hell do you want, Alvira?”
“You are supposed to mate me, Rygan Andras, and not her; you are supposed to be on my side, but right now I can smell that * *all over you. If you don’t do this, I will announce to the whole pack that she has tried to seduce and steal you; even trying to kill me wasn’t enough for her, and there will be a death penalty on her head; the whole pack will hate her; she will be banished.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Try me, Rygan; you don’t know to what extent I’m willing to go to get you as my mate, and you don’t know what I’m thinking; you’ve made me lose my mind these past few months because of her, so try me and see how much of an outsider your mistress will be! Then you will see how crazy I’ve become,” she snarled back.
“My wolf has chosen her.”
“Then choose me! love me!” She cried out, “… If you accept this, maybe I will let her be your concubine if you are still so obsessed with her as time passes, but she will not be your Luna, never,” she declared.
The wheels in his head were turning; he knew that if she was threatening more than possible, Elise would be labeled an outcast if she spread words about it, and she would be blamed for everything, especially since she was known as Dexton’s daughter.
Elise has suffered enough and shouldn’t be an outcast because of him; no matter how much he wanted her, he couldn’t ruin her, not when he promised to make her a free wolf.
“Is it the title you want as Luna? Fine, you will get it from me; I’m holding on to a thin thread of how much I can take, just for the respect I have for our old friendship and Alana, but don’t you dare touch her; I will give you what you want,” he said calmly.
The victory on Alvira’s face was evident as a ghost of a smile appeared before his hands dropped from her shoulders, only if he’d known the horrid things that she did to Elise.
They were interrupted by a knock on the door, with a guard calling on Alvira and saying that her mother needed her. “Think about my offer and how much I love you, Rygan; I would do anything for you,” she called, caressing his face, but he slapped her hands away.
It felt like a bitter stab to her heart, but she remained stoic the moment she left the door. Rygan was left alone; he felt his wolf roar in anger, scolding him, saying that he should have killed Alvira for manipulating him.
He reached for a table, slamming the wood across it, making a mess of the place. He went to the bathroom, needing a thorough cool-down. He looked down at his reflection in the mirror, a shell of what he felt inside and his conflicting emotions.
What was he going to do? This was the only way to keep Elise safe.
After a well-needed bath and conversation with her friend and assurance, Elise made up her mind that at that moment, she was going to see what Rygan was going to choose, but she knew her soul had already chosen.
The moment they reached the moon house, this time the main hall banquet was filled with busy s**ts. Elise went up to her chambers, took another bath, and dressed with the help of Hana, who was waiting in her chambers.
Hana felt a tense silence, and this time she didn’t know how to make Elise feel less pressured. Elise fidgeted with her finger, her eyes desolate with thoughts, till the door opened quietly.
She heard Kaide speak from outside. “I’d like a word with Miss Elise,” he said to Hana.
“It’s alright, Hana,” she told her. She knew they needed to talk, especially after what she did with Rygan.
The moment the door closed and Elise turned to him, his face was cold and stoic, his demeanor stronger and quieter, and she felt nervous, biting her lips as she peered up at him.
“Kaide, look, 1-”
“I know you slept with him again,” he said, cutting her off. Her gaze immediately shot to his; she could see he knew everything.
I’m sorry I am, my heart… No, I can’t blame that; I wanted to do it, and I can’t blame anyone else because it was a decision that happened between us.”
“Look, Elise, I told you I’d give you time; I don’t care,”
“You should care that I slept with Rygan after promising you, and I’m so sorry, but I can’t accept your proposal anymore; I’m ending this,” she told Kaide
“You trust him after just one f**k? Rygan will see you as nothing but a mistress; he will hide you in secret just to keep you by his side,” he said coldly. She had never seen him act so cold. She couldn’t blame him; he was hurt. “Congratulations, Elise. I hope you are making the right choice, and I’ll see you at the engagement,”
“Kaide, wait,” but he had already slammed the door. She had that feeling of anxiety churning in her stomach as she raced to the bathroom and spilled her guts into the toilet.
She flushed, rinsing her mouth as Hana came back in worried. “Are you alright, El? You can call in sick and not go.”
“No, I will,” she muttered, arranging her curls. For once in her life, she was desolate with shame yet filled with determination. She hated how she didn’t deny that she could be Rygan’s mistress if she was that desperate.
But for love, she was willing to do everything; she only hoped that Rygan was going to choose her. And she couldn’t falter- not when she’d been preparing for weeks to meet the monster that would soon arrive.
She went to the ceremony: Kaide barely looked at her, and ironically, it’s Taz who she stayed with till the majestic doors of the hall were opened wide as Rygan was announced in, and by his side was Alvira with her arms wrapped around his and her face smug in triumph.
Elise felt a slight tug at her heart and tried to hide it. Bowing slightly for the couple that the whole hall cheered for, a part of her prayer was that Rygan would at least look at her once, but when he did, she could see the guilt and something else in his gaze before he turned away.
Elise didn’t even have time to feel the numbing pain that spread through her body as the door opened once again. The sounds of shocked whispers around the whole room came from guests who walked into the hall.
The alpha of the Dark Night pack, Kyren Gerwolf, had just arrived in the Black Moon pack!