Chapter 49

• HAERA
• I was being molested. Or should I have said I was being Tormented? It wasn't surprising anyway. I mean, hasn't torment been part and parcel of my miserable life? I would have been unbodered but Princess Ilvira...No. The new Luna was what everyone has been calling her yet I haven't been able to address her as such. Don't get me wrong, Princess Ilvira deserved to be a Luna but she wasn't destined to be the luna of the Imperial pack. Although how she shoulders her duties had me questioning my destiny. I would have questioned the mate bond too but the soul wrecking pain that consumed me that night after my destined mate and his new luna left the ceremony was beyond what I had imagined and I couldn't bear it. I didn't even want to relive the experience by thinking about it. The pain was far greater than all the pain I had felt in my life. Even if all other painful experiences were to be combined to be one, it still wouldn't have been as painful as what I felt that night. I haven't heard a single whisper or whimper from Dezra since then but I trust her words to never leave me. I held onto her promise to be with me for the rest of my life. She couldn't leave me because what would I do without my wolf? I had lost count of the days and all I was able to do was try to live through each day....it felt like three months had passed because Dezra had been mute but It couldn't have been more than three days. Princess Ilvira chuckled and if I wasn't in the deepest darkest phase of my life, I would have said she sounded magical but I was terrified. Why? Princess Ilvira's happiness simply meant she had succeeded again and her laughter reminded me of the last look she sent my way on her coronation night. "This is just the beginning." She didn't need to say it for me to understand and a few minutes later, I could boldly say she was right. It was just the beginning. And here I was, a few days after the coronation of my destined mate Luna, scrubbing the floor of the new luna chamber and begging Dezra to talk to me. "Does this bring out the color of my eyes?" Princess Ilvira asked Dina as she held out one of her luxurious dresses. Dina complemented her as usual as she tried to style Princess Ilvira's hair. Even though she had multiple duties to oversee as the pack chef, Dina had taken it upon herself to attend to princess Ilvira anytime and everywhere. Dina was seeking her Luna's favor while I suffered from their wrath. "This dress is lovely, are you expecting the Alpha's return today, Luna?" Dina asked with the sweetest tone I had ever heard her use. "I don't know when he plans to return but I have to be ready. It might be any day and I can't wait to enjoy more intimate moments with him." Princess Ilvira responded and I heard a low wince in my head. "Dezra, is that you? Are you alright?" I searched through my mind for my link to her but I didn't receive her response. "Your intimate moment with the Alpha should be private matters, Luna." Dina mumbled. I felt anger growing in me and I poured it out by scrubbing the floor harder. Princess Ilvira had it all and I was jealous because it was meant to be mine. "We didn't have sex after he marked me until my coronation night and I haven't seen him after that day. He had been traveling to perform his Alpha duties, forgetting that he had a mate to satisfy." Princess Ilvira explained despite Dina's attempts to stop her from sharing the details of her sex life with the Alpha. That explained the cause of the pain I felt that night. That explained Dezra's silence. My grip tightened around the rag I was using and my teeth clamped tightly too. My mate must have enjoyed himself while I and my wolf suffered as a result of his selfish actions. Oh, Dezra. I stopped scrubbing the floor and attempted to leave her chambers but Princess Ilvira stopped me. "Where do you think you are going, ugly servant." The princess inquired, obviously referring to me. I clenched my fist as I veered around to give her an answer but I wasn't able to because princess Ilvira's palm struck me across the face, forcing me to collapse. Her soft hands clasped a handful of my hair as she used it to yank my back to where she had been seated. It was painful but I had been through worse treatment after she was crowned Luna. Princess Ilvira has become a tyrant to me while she had tried to maintain her nice act with other pack members. She was the tormentor behind my torment. "You are yet to learn how to respect me. Next time, bow before you leave my presence.is that clear!" Princess Ilvira yelled and for once I wished Dezra was there to tell me I should fight back. To tell me to let her fight for me but she wasn't and I couldn't insult the Luna of a pack without severe consequences. Well, I was more than ready to face whatever consequences....even death. "You aren't going to be killed by this bitch while I'm still here. Never!" I laughed when Dezra's voice chimed in my head. Her voice wasn't stable nor was it clear but I had never been this happy to hear my wolf's words. "What's funny, Ugly face?" Princess Ilvira yanked my hair, pushing my face upward as she stared down at it. "Nothing to worry your perfect self about, Princess Ilvi-" Her other hand smacked my face. I was confident her hands left imprints on my cheeks due to the force she was applying. "It's Luna to you, Servant. You have no right to address me as anything other than that." Princess Ilvira exclaimed. Her well-powdered face turned red as she demanded the title that was originally mine from me. Isn't it funny? Princess Ilvira pushed me to the ground, ordering Dina who had been watching the whole time to disorganize her chamber so I can clean it up as my punishment for disrespecting her. The princess stood up from her seat, carried the juice she was drinking, and ambled around her room, pouring the juice on the floor as she went while Dina scattered other things. The duo did a tremendous job generating a mess for me to tidy. "You have ten minutes." Princess Ilvira said to me, pouring the rest of her drink on my body before she left her chamber with Dina strolling behind her like a jobless hag. "I have luna duties to perform." I heard the princess say as she strolled through the corridor. I couldn't be unnerved by Princess Ilvira's stunt at that moment because I was distracted from it by Dezra who had been cursing her the entire time. I lay still on the floor as I communicated with my wolf. "You scared me, Dezra. I thought I lost you." I cried out through the mind link, wishing I could hug my wolf but I had to make do with the warmth she released into my body. I missed her so damn much. "You can't get rid of me. As I said, you are stuck with me...forever." Dezra said. I could feel her emotions like mine so I knew she wasn't okay nor was she herself yet. "What happened? Why did you keep to yourself for so long? I was worri-" "That's exactly why I had to keep to myself. I didn't want you to worry. T-that night, I felt you giving up. I couldn't watch you share the pain caused by our mate with me when I knew you couldn't bear it." Dezra explained. "So what did you do?" I feared the answer to my question but I asked my wolf regardless as tears pricked my eyes. "I took all of it." Dezra whispered and tears rolled down my cheeks. "You could have died. I could have lost you. You shouldn't have made such a decision without my consent!" I shouted at my wolf but I felt bad for being fine while she bore all the pain alone. I sobbed quietly as the thought of losing my wolf sneaked into my mind. She was still with me but I feared the future. "I'm fine, Haera." My wolf assumed me. "No, you aren't fine! Don't ever do that again. Promise me you won't carry our pain alone, Dezra." I requested but she didn't reply. I lay on the floor of the chamber of the woman who was causing me and my wolf pain together with my destined mate, sobbing for my wolf. "Share the rest with me, please." I begged Dezra because I knew bearing the pain alone would make it last longer than usual. "I can't. You have been through enough." My wolf protested. "You will or I will force you to. I'm not the only one who has been through hell and back. You were there with me and that is how it should be at all times." I protested too. Dezra remained adamant but I searched through our link which she had opened and released the pain to myself too. "No, Haera!" My wolf howled in my head, trying to stop me but it was too late. My eyelids dropped as the grief took over my body. Darkness took over and I fell deeper into its embrace. I didn't know if I was dying or falling asleep but I shut down my eyes regardless....for a long time. "What the hell!" I wriggle off the floor when the cry of princess Ilvira gored my ears, waking me from my slumber. Okay.....I was asleep. I couldn't tend to my sore body due to the princess's obvious irritation. I looked out through the huge window in her chamber and I was stunned to see that the sky had become dark. It was night already and... Oh, Goddess! I haven't cleaned Princess Ilvira's chamber. "Why should you clean it up when she put her room out of order herself along with that crazy witch." Yay, Dezra was back to normal but I'm not excited. Trust me you wouldn't be if you are in my shoes. Princess Ilvira was gasping for air as she scanned her dirty chamber. "What a way to show me you are back, Dezra." I gritted out to my wolf but she responded with her funny wolfy chuckle. I was in trouble but she found it funny. Within seconds, hefty men came to their luna's chamber and dragged me out according to the princess's order. I saw Opaline and some other maids rushing in the direction of Princess Ilvira's chamber as I was dragged through the corridors and out of the palace. "This is all thanks to you, Dezra. Are you okay though?" . I couldn't help but worry about my wolf even in my situation. "Yes. Thanks to you." Two other guards showed up with a huge stone, taking my attention off Dezra. I could see that even the guards had problems lifting the stone. "Make her carry the stone. She must be left alone in the cold throughout the night." Princess Ilvira ordered and my heart sank. That couldn't be happening! But it happened. The guards forced my hands above my head and placed the stone into my opened palms. "I'm sorry, Princess Ilvira. Please-" "Stop calling me that. I'm the Luna of this pack and you would respect me!" The princess screeched angrily. "Next time, you will think twice before making a fool out of me. The only way you can escape that stone is if you drop it on your head. Do that when you are tired and rot in hell." She added, swiveling away from my panicking body and walking back into the Alpha's palace. Before I knew it, I was left alone to bear the crushing weight of the stone. There was nothing I could do. This could only end one way just like the princess had said. Dropping it on my head and dying. I tried to prolong my death for as long as I could, hoping that Opaline or anyone else would somehow find a way to rescue me. But who else would help me if not Opaline. "This is my fault. I'm sorry my silliness eventually led to our death." My wolf apologized but I focused my strength on keeping the stone above our head. It got harder with each passing second and when I knew I couldn't hold on anymore, I decided to part ways with my wolf. "I'm sorry you had to be stuck with me, Dezra. You are the best companion a girl can ever ask for. Goodby-" "Don't you dare! Please Don't." She cried. The cold weather was making it more difficult and by now, the stone was merely a few inches away from my head. My hands began to tremble under the weight. It's finally over. "No!" "What the fuck is going on here?" It was his voice. I didn't feel the usual tingles perhaps because of the heavy weight of pain that I was forced to be lifting. But it was really him. Alpha Zachary...my destined mate. My hands gave up without my permission and I was expecting the crushing weight of the stone to end my life anytime soon as I held my mate's gaze. Alpha Zachary rushed towards me but my eyes gave up on their duty just like my hands did a few seconds ago. "Stay with me. Open your eyes, Haera!" My eyes flickered but I could still see his handsome face looking at me like he was actually worried about me. "Can you hear me?" Alpha Zachary asked when I said nothing to acknowledge him, not that I chose not to. I was helpless and tired and the sparks I felt on my skin whenever he touched me were messing with my speech. The tingles moved to my face as he buried it into his chest. My heart was pumping blood rapidly and my stomach was producing that mushy butterfly feeling. "Why are you in this state?" The way he asked me made me think his heart was breaking for me. I wished it was because that would make me and Dezra whole again. "Princess Ilv-" "Shush. Don't waste your strength. Can you stand?" He got the message even though he shut me up. His eyes said it all. I tried to stand as I clutched his shirt with my trembling hands. When Alpha Zachary perceived my struggle, he helped me up and I wished his hands would stay on my waist forever. We held each other's gaze once again and I wished his eyes would remain on me for the rest of our lives. The stone was forgotten and I didn't question how he saved me from dying under the weight of it. I was just glad he did because how else would I have been enjoying his touch? "Alpha Zachary! My love! I'm so delighted you are back safely." Princess Ilvira arrived, smiling widely like she didn't just plan out my death. Her questioning eyes settled on Alpha Zachary's hand on my waist and she examined how he was holding me like his most prized possession. "Like it should be." Dezra said while I tried to free myself from Alpha Zachary's hold but he didn't let me and he didn't smile back at his marked mate either. "I have just one question to ask you, Ilvira. I know you made her carry that stone and my question for you is, can you hold that stone for three seconds?" Alpha Zachary asked his Luna. I could sense that he was holding himself back. He didn't want to lash out at her because of me. I was completely a nobody and she was his marked mate. "She disrespected me countless times an-" "Answer the damn question, Ilvira!" He roared at her and she jumped back from us out of fear. If he wasn't holding me, I would have done the same. "You can't, right? Why make others do it?" Alpha Zachary asked but his marked mate said nothing. He cleared his throat and announced my freedom for servitude. "As from this moment, Haera cease to be your maid or that of any other person in this pack. Not even me. She will assume her place in the kitchen as the assistant chef of my pack. Understood?" I couldn't be happier or I could if he made me his mate and Luna. "But my father gave her to us as our wedding gift. You-" "Your father gave her to me to be mine and she will be mine alone."