Chapter 8

• Roxanne let out a loud yelp as Russo threw her on top of his bed. She could not understand how he had turned into a monster just because she had somehow misplaced the earrings she was wearing. She was further confused by the fact that he was still mad even after they had found the earrings.
• "I am sorry about the earrings." She apologized as soon as she comported herself .
• Roxanne had made up her mind for the worst but in the face of it, she realized she wasn't ready to die, but she could already see why all the ladies who had come here had died mysterious deaths. Russo had a bad temper and he probably had killed them all in a fit of rage.
• “No, the earrings is one thing, your disrespect is another.” He growled at her.
• Roxanne stared at him in confusion. What the hell was he talking about? She had not disrespected him even for a minute during breakfast.
• Alpha Russo could see the confusion in her eyes. "Just because I was benevolent to invite you to breakfast doesn't mean you should make friends with my friend."
• "I am so sorry if I had disrespected you by talking to Cecile, sire " Roxanne apologized.
• Russo glared hard at her and let out a breath. He wasn’t supposed to be mad at her. He did not have any business getting mad at her. The person whom he was supposed to be mad at was Cecile. She had no business being nice to Roxanne and telling her how special she was. But he was going to put an end to all of these right away.
• "If you want to keep your head on your body, I have only one instruction to you, make sure you do not make friends with anyone, including Cecile, and in no instance should anyone know about the mark on your shoulder." He warned sternly.
• “Yes, Alpha.” She nodded nervously, wondering why he was bent on ruining the happiness she could get in this short time.
• "Return to your room immediately and do not move a muscle until I give you further instructions," he commanded sternly.
• “Yes sire.” She nodded and ran out of the room as fast as her legs could carry her.
• She got into her room and rested her back on the closed door. Her heart was beating so fast and she couldn't believe that she had been so close to death today. It was a miracle that she was still alive and she intended to remain so for as long as she could.
• *
• "You know, I can really see you for what you are," Simone said to Cecile as he took a seat beside her in Russo's office.
• Russo had told him via mind-link to bring Cecile to his room as he wanted to talk to her.
• “And what do you think I am?” Cecile asked with a sultry smile, running her hands down his chest.
• “A snake, that is what you are.” He glared at her and swatted her arm off his body.
• “Ouch, that hurts. Well, you are wrong. I am not a snake but the future Luna of this pack.” She made a seductive three hundred and sixty turn. "And you shouldn't raise your voice at me."
• Simone scoffed as soon as he heard that. With the recent development of the cup marking Roxanne instead of her, he knew the possibility of her becoming Luna was zero. Though Russo was actively looking for means by which he could transfer the mark from Roxanne to Cecile, he knew that the probability of that was nut but he dared not say that to Russo.
• “A thief can not be a Luna. I saw you slid that earring off Roxanne’s ear.” Simone said with a smirk on his face.
• Cecile smiled on hearing this. "Oh that?" She took a step closer to him and leaned in. "In that case, why didn't you call me out?"
• Simone was speechless as he was trying hard to contain his displeasure.
• "Let me answer on your behalf since you're tongue tied." Cecile began. "You couldn't call me out because you know Russo won't agree with you."
• "I did it to save your face," Simone fired back. "The next time, you pull such a childish stunt, I won't hesitate to call you out."
• Cecile sighed. “Why are you so worked up?" She l asked. I gave it back to that slut, so what is the big deal?”
• Simone was about to go on a tirade about how evil she was when Russo stepped into the office and filled them with his aura.
• “Alpha Russo.” They both chorused on their feet as he walked in.
• “Have your seats.” He ordered the both of them and sat opposite them.
• “Hello, my love.” Cecile beamed at him.
• "Cecile, what was the meaning of what you did down there?" He asked looking disappointed, hoping to get a logical explanation as to why she was all nice to Roxanne knowing Cecile was never nice to his women so he knew there had to be something up her sleeve. Most importantly, he wanted to know if she knew of the mark on Roxanne.
• “What? Can’t I be nice to her? You are the one always telling me to get along with every member of the pack and I decide to be nice and suddenly I am the bad person?” She answered with an undertone of sarcasm.
• Simone rolled his eyes at her performance. She was a snake and only a fool would not see her for the pretender that she was. Well, maybe Russo was a fool for her because he grabbed her hand and ran his palms over hers.
• "Cecile, I did not say you should not be nice, but it is unlike you. Look, I am sorry. I am just so preoccupied with a lot of things and seeing a different version of you has got me worried. I am sorry." He apologized.
• “I know you are busy and I really do not want to bother you. That is why I think it is high time I have a friend and Roxanne looks like the perfect option.” She announced gleefully.
• Russo and Simone shared a look among themselves and Cecile moved her gaze between the both of them.
• “What is going on? Is there something you both are not telling me about?” Cecile asked, feigning ignorance about the mark on Roxanne’s body.
• "Nothing is going on, we are just surprised that you would specifically want to be friends with Roxanne even when you can always have anyone else," Russo said, trying to dissuade her from making friends with Roxanne.
• “Well, I like Roxanne and she will be my friend from now henceforth, so if there is nothing else to talk about, I'll like to take my leave.” Cecile vowed her head slightly towards Russo and rolled her eyes towards Simone.
• “Russo, are you really going to let the both of them become friends? She could find out about the mark on Roxanne.” Simone warned as soon as he was certain that Cecile was gone. "Would you be able to handle it?"
• "You do not have to worry about that. I have made sure that Roxanne would never allow her to find out. In fact, I doubt Roxanne would be willing to be friends with her right now." Russo said with a knowing smile, knowing that his warning to her was going to keep her lips shut.
• "Well, you seem to have things under control," Simone said, deciding to keep the rest of his worries to himself. He had the feeling that Cecile would try to hurt Roxanne and he had the weird urgent to protect Roxanne from any potential harm.
• “I am in control and that is why I would need us to focus our attention on finding a way to transfer the mark on Roxanne’s body to Cecile.”
• "But my Lord, that could be impossible. I don't think we can find our way through the prophecy." Simone replied to his Alpha.
• "Simone, there is no impossibility with me. We will find a way and I am tasking you with this job." Russo said, with so much finality in his tone.
• "Yes, Alpha," Simone answered and walked out of the office, leaving Russo alone to his thoughts.
• *
• Roxanne was already undressed and ready to begin her life of solitude when a knock on her door jolted her to her feet.
• She stared at the door wondering who could be there at this time. She was dressed in a sheer dress and her shoulders were bare. Russo’s warning about her not letting anyone else know about her mark rang in her head and she knew she had to be careful about whom she let into her room.
• “Who is there?” She asked, hoping to know what to do.
• There was no reply, but instead, the door handle twitched and she knew she had to act fast.
• In a split second, the door came open, and standing before her was Cecile.