The Luna Who was Spoiled Chapter 03

The Luna Who was Spoiled Chapter 03

Liam watched the color drain from my face, cursed and released his grip.

I crumpled to the floor, gasping and coughing. Finn rushed to my side and was about to lift me up when Evelyn stepped out of the back room. He froze, then shoved me away roughly, sending me sprawling to the ground again.

Liam watched it all unfold, a cruel smile tugging at his lips. “Finn, I thought you’d always take her side. What happened?” He feigned sudden realization. “Ah… I see you’ve finally had enough…”

“Hell, me too! Guess the three of us really do have the same taste in women.” He looked down at me, bloodied and crumpled on the floor, and let out a scoff. “Pathetic.”

Finn met my pleading gaze. He was silent for a long moment, then looked away.

His sudden dismissal shattered me. I just lay there, numb to everything.

“Your arm…” Evelyn’s soft voice cut through the strained silence. Everyone’s eyes fell to my forearm. It was bright red, throbbing with searing pain. They all expected me to scream, to cry.

Instead, I propped myself up on my elbow. I looked at Evelyn. She was gentle and capable. I’d heard she could grow vegetables even in the harshest winter. There wasn’t a soul in the pack who didn’t admire her but me.

Evelyn soothed her crying pup. “Sweetheart, you were wrong. You need to apologize to Zoe, okay?”

The pup buried his face in her neck, refusing to say sorry.

Evelyn gave me an apologetic smile. “He’s just scared. Let me apologize for him. I have some excellent burn ointment here; I’ll go get it.”

“No.” My voice was quiet, but clear. “I want him to apologize himself.”

Evelyn’s smile faded. “He’s just a child. Forcing him now won’t do any good…”

“Apologize.”

“Zoe!” Liam roared, stepping between me and the child. “She’s already apologized! Are you really going to bully a pup until he cries?”

Caleb’s silence was suffocating. Even Finn shook his head slightly. My three ex-mates were united in standing by Evelyn, defending another woman’s child.

My inner wolf howled in utter loneliness.

Evelyn tugged gently at Liam’s sleeve and whispered a few words to him. He finally turned his head and muttered sullenly, “…I’m sorry.”

Evelyn looked at me. “He’s apologized. We need to tend to that burn quickly before it gets worse.”

A cold that went straight to the bone washed over me. I shook my head. “No need.”

Without waiting for their reply, I closed the door behind me and stumbled back out into the cold night, leaving them all behind.

“Have you made up your mind?” Father asked again two days later.

I nodded silently.

I’d locked myself in my hut for these two days, packing the few things I wanted to take with me.

He was chewing a piece of dried mint, his face shadowed with sorrow. “The journey to that island is long. We leave tonight. Bring what you need.”

I gave a dry laugh. “There’s nothing I need, Father. I don’t want to take anything with me.”

On the eve of the drawing, the unmated she-wolves were all restless, their fear palpable. Word of my visit to the Alpha had spread fast. My door was flung open violently.

Liam stormed in, his face thunderous. “Zoe! What did you say to the Alpha this time?”

Finn followed, his gaze sweeping the half-packed room before settling on the handful of items laid out. Caleb stood in the doorway, silent, his eyes fixed firmly on me.

Once, such accusations would have sent me into a rage, screaming until Father stepped in to put a stop to it.. But now, I only felt tired. I folded an old rabbit-fur vest slowly, which was a gift from Caleb, back when he’d seemed proud to have me.

“Out with it!” Liam snapped, his voice heavy with loathing. “If you used the Alpha’s influence to hand Evelyn over to the mermen, I swear I’ll…”

“What will you do? Kill me?”

Liam fell silent. The air seemed to freeze.

Finn stepped forward, his tone coaxing, placating. “Zoe, don’t be like this. Tell us what you talked about with the Alpha.”

I looked at him. Would explaining help? Would they want me to stay? The answer was written plainly for all to see.

No.

I gave a bitter smile. “You’re right. I want Evelyn gone. I’m jealous of her. I hate that she took you away from me. So I went to my father. I told him that as long as Evelyn’s still in this pack, I’ll make everyone’s life miserable.”

Liam clenched his fists. “How dare you!”

“I will. Father’s always indulged me, hasn’t he? Ever since I was a pup, all I had to do was shed a few tears and he’d give me anything I wanted.”

Caleb spoke at last, his voice low. “The Alpha is no fool. He won’t act on just your word.”

I tossed the rabbit-fur vest at their feet. “You’ll find out soon enough. At first light.”

They stormed out, their eyes burning with anger. I picked up my pack. Father was waiting outside, his eyes red-rimmed. He draped a thick wolfskin cloak over my shoulders and pressed a heavy sack into my hand. “Medicines. Food. Things you’ll need. The sea wind is damp. Take care of yourself.”

In the faint light of dawn, I took one last look at the pack’s territory. Then I turned south, my expression grim.

“I will.”