Chapter 4 SUFFOCATING PRESENCE

CHAPTER 4

Alpha Greg and Melissa

The presence of Alpha Greg was disturbing to Melissa since she didn't appreciate it when someone walked towards her without notice.

Instantaneously after Alpha Greg left, Melissa gradually fell to the ground, trembling and guzzling in the air. That was the most intense moment of her life. What the hell did that ungodly good-looking man have over her? Why was her body melting under his touch and gaze even after he had said the worst words anyone had said to her in a long time?

"Taking some breaths both in and out," she puffed, blowing her burning face. He also made the most ridiculous statement she had heard in a while. What did he mean by that statement 'She was going home with him?'

He may be an Alpha, the most brutal Alpha known to the werewolf world, but Lloyd was her mate. Despite the reproachful conduct he was giving her, she was still his. They were destined mates.

"Just breathe," she mumbled to herself and placed her hands on her thrashing heart to calm it.

She couldn't comprehend why, notwithstanding all the promising words and views she was giving to herself, she still felt afraid. Her body shivered, her heart battered within her chest, and how her wolf was going crazy in her unconscious.

"There she is," an unknown voice murmured, as the door of her dressing room was thrown open. She was taken aback by this unexpectedness and moved a bit farther away from the door.

"Would you let me know where you have been? Are you not aware that Alpha Lloyd has been looking for you all over the residence? Have you now failed to recall your duties as Luna of Blossom?"

Melissa freed a breath she didn't know she was holding and gathered herself to her feet. She then looked at her impostor for the first time, and it was one of the Omegas Lloyd had been with.

Melissa moved her eyes and then glared at her reflection in the mirror, play-acting to ignore the young miss.

"Idiot, are you paying attention to me? Are you deaf or are you dumb? Alpha Lloyd has demanded that you be at his side instantly. And you are disregarding me!" She fumed.

Ridiculing, Melissa continued to pretend like she was regulating her face.

The young werewolf roared, "You're cocky, huh? You are cocky because you know I can't do anything to you right now. Well, watch what happens after the party."

With that, she stomped out of Melissa's dressing room and banged the door close. It took Melissa a whole lot of self-control to keep herself from bursting into laughter. She always loved placing the disgusting slips in their spaces, even though she understood the consequences would be terrible.

She chose not to worry about that now and even overlooked Lloyd. She allowed herself to fall onto the comfy couch in her dressing room and then puff out.

The past few days had been total ecstasy for her. Lloyd had been too busy with his grand get-together, and she had been loitering in the shadows and avoiding him completely.

"Ugh," she squealed. "All this will be over when that brutal Alpha Greg returns to his pack."

She massaged her temples with her eyes shut, wishing that, by some miracle, something would happen and extend his stay. At least that way, she would have a couple more days of freedom. At the thought of Alpha Greg, a cool shiver snaked up her spine, causing her to sit upright instantly.

Why was the mere thought of him making her body react like that? She laughed grimly as she remembered his intimidations. He was not only impolite and terrific but also out of his mind.

Why would a normal-thinking person believe or even pretend to take away the Luna of a pack? It was hysterical and if she hadn't been so pissed off at him, she would have giggled tougher. Her ears were able to pick up the sound of thundering footsteps heading toward the dressing room, and she jumped to her feet immediately.

"Melissa!" Lloyd roared, throwing open the door, "Are you silly? What the hell are you doing in here after I sent for you about an hour ago?"

Melissa's eyes went around with dread. Her heartbeat became unbalanced, and her breathing became laboured.

"I-I," she stuttered, shifting slowly until she was leaning on the dresser.

Lloyd sneered; the veins on his neck looked like they were about to burst open. He balled his fists, pushed away the chair in front of her, and snarled at her.

"What audacity do you have to ignore me, you stupid girl? How dare you disdain me! How many times do I have to warn you about your disregard for me? Do you think I will not find out?

The girl I sent to you told me the whole thing. You called her names, you disobeyed me, and you dared to stand here and stare at me in the eyes!" he screamed before closing the gap between them.

"I see you've arisen to grow wings again. Because I've been busy for the past few days, do you think you are now free? Have you forgotten your place so soon? Have you forgotten how you came here? Irrational bigot!"

Melissa could barely breathe. Her fingernails dug into her palms as she fisted them. Sweat broke out from her forehead, and her legs shivered underneath her.

"I'm sorry," she grumbled, her hands flying to her quivering lips.

Lloyd laughed maniacally; his eyes flew from gold back to their normal color.

"I could see that you should win a reward for best in play-acting, swine!" He swung his arms and gave her a weighty slap that sent her hitting the mirror behind her.

"The next time I call you, you will answer my call!" He knotted, beating her again before she could recover.

This time around, she fell to the floor crying. A rupture of hurt ragged through her body. Her eyes began rotating, and she curled up as stinging tears seeped out of her eyes.

"I would have dispensed with you terribly if not for the party!" He puffed, and sweat dribbled out from his face. "Get the fuck up from the floor, clean yourself up, and join me at my table!"

With that, he stormed off. As soon as the door closed, Melissa broke into silent tears. Her wolf raged within her. She tried getting to her feet but fell back to the floor. The door swung open again and a couple of chitterling Omegas came in. Approximately when they saw her sprawling on the floor, they laughed hilariously.

"I am not surprised that he was going to deal with her rightly," one ridiculed, "Come on, get up bitch." Another one said as they pulled her up and discarded her on the upholstery.

"Ugh, I hate this. Why do we always have to be the ones to clean her up?" Another one complained.

"Shut up and let's do this."

Melissa winced as they dabbed and cleaned the cuts on the visible parts of her body, and then forcefully applied makeup to conceal the healing wounds. Irritation and agony teemed within her, but she sat stiff as they worked on her body

.

"Stupid thing, always making us go through rubbish," one said, universally stabbing the wound on her arm.

Melissa let out a soft moan and snatched her arm away from her. Her eyes were turning black and red again. Melissa's wolf fought for control because Lloyd wasn't nearby.

She bared her teeth at the Omega, releasing a low growl that made the girl jump back. No matter what, she was still the Alpha's mate and Luna of Blossom, so even if Lloyd preserved her like shit, she still had power over them.

At the sound of her growl, they all stepped back and stared wide-eyed at her. Melissa's wolf fed into the fear oozing out from their bodies. It is reinforced, and soon, it gives way to control out of Melissa's grasp.

Melissa matted, clutching her bruised arm. Her wolf gazed at each Omega from its red and black eyes. This was the first time it had been in control in a long time. Lloyd had always made sure to compel it to stand down. It wanted blood. It wanted to tear out the skins of the stupid Omegas.

It wanted to escape and run free into the forests.

Knowing what would happen and the consequences it would bring, Melissa struggled to regain control.

"You get out of here!!" She growled, banging her hands on the dresser as she shook her head to push her wolf back in and take control.

The girls hobbled out of the dressing room, shivering like drenched dogs. As soon as the door closed, Melissa leaned back into the chair and exhaled.

Her heart began beating in her chest. If she didn't follow suit immediately, they would report her to Lloyd and she would collect a worse penalty.

With an effort, she pushed herself up, almost losing her balance. As soon as she tried to move her feet, pain shot up her leg.

"Fuck," she hissed, closing her eyes and leaning onto the dresser, as the intense aching pounded in her left leg. She pried open one of her eyes to inspect the leg.

"Fuck," She murmured again, knowing that she needed to move quickly. Piercing her lips slowly, she took another step and let out a penetrating scream.

She inhaled more air as the agony moved onto her chest and cuddled it. In a few minutes, she normalized her breathing and was able to take another step toward the door.

Every step she took hurt more than the one before, but she pushed forward, hobbling until she held onto the door knob.

Taking a deep breath, she twisted the door and allowed her face to slip into that of quiet, impeccable, earmarked, and pleased Luna.

Although her mind was about to detonate, she steered through the corridors until she got to the main hall and located Lloyd's table.

Getting closer to him, anger lashed in her chest. There, he was amused and excited by the members of the Shadow Moon Pack after beating her up. The worst part of her situation was to smile and pretend to be Luna of Blossom when she was worse than a slave.

"So tell me, Lloyd, how do you keep your enemies at bay? Do you sign accords with one and all?" A familiar voice asked.

Melissa stopped in her tracks and held her breath. Her senses began raucous horns as Alpha Greg suddenly turned up beside Lloyd, with animosity lustrous in his eyes.

Melissa saw Lloyd's expression at his question. It was a trick question as well as an insult. Lloyd's eyes hastily swept through the room in search of a quick escape. Weakling. Melissa pondered.

"Oh, there she is!" Lloyd cooed, standing up, drawing her into his arms, and fiercely kissing her. His lumpy arms pierced into the wounds he had created earlier, causing her to whimper, but that wasn't the only thing Melissa noted.

Why did Lloyd's kiss rebuff her so much? He was her mate, and despite the cruel handling she had received from him all this while, her body always desired his touch.

Then why did a certain man flash in her mind as her mate rough-handled her all in the name of being sold to him? Why had she felt the eyes of that certain man tedious into her skin as she held her mate?

To some degree, something appears not to be in order.