Alpha's unexpected Luna

Why are you smiling?" Gonzalo spoke in a very high and unfriendly tone. "Can you not see you have stained my purity?" He grunted, looking at his stained regalia.

"Oh, I'm sorry, my bad," Ashina simply said, giving a cheerful grin. She turned and took in the view of the countryside in admiration. "The flowers here are beautiful and natural." Her voice was light and teasing.

Gonzalo gritted his teeth, but a high growl escaped anyway. "You swain!" Gonzalo held her wrist tight, his face deepened in a frown.

"Let go of me!" Ashina pulled out her wrist, pushing him away. She stared at him, in an attempt to read his mind. "This is not the way to treat..."

"You should be on your knees begging and kissing my feet for mercy," Gonzalo said.

"What for? Because I mistakenly stained your robe?" She looked around, expecting the random passersby to interfere and put him in his place. "So, I stained your cloth, and I said I was sorry. Okay fine, I'll buy you another one."

"You think I wear cheap wears, made by the local farmers?" Gonzalo straightened. "Kneel before my feet and plead for forgiveness of sin."

Ashina turned around helplessly, signaling every passerby to interfere. Everyone paid her dust. She rather noticed how they all bowed to greet him, some even trembling as they did so. One more close look at the arrogant man before her and she discovered he was royalty!

She looked at the other side, and discovered his guards were on alert, obviously waiting for orders. She raised her gaze slowly, obviously unsure if she had made a mistake.

"From my observations, I see you are a prince." Ashina folded her arms across her chest. "Prince, I am very sorry, if you wouldn't mind, excuse me." She turned to walk out.

"You dare to insult royalty?"

Ashina turned to face him. Her gaze narrowed, unable to believe a prince could be this feisty, frustrating, gusty, arrogant and grumpy. "You're insulting yourself, Prince. This is not how royalty behaves. You rather behave like a frustrated poor, local farmer."

Gonzalo Hemming, alpha Prince of the Poldark pack, watched the commoner walk away, happily flipping her arms. She seemed to be having a good time. Who was she? All his life he had been feared and dreaded by everyone, including the legal authorities. He was the law himself, his words were final. Who was she to trample on his ego and insult royalty?

"Follow her! I need every information about that swain." He spat disdainfully. "As fast as tonight. Now leave!" He walked hurriedly back to the palace after instructing his guards.

***

As Ashina walked past a small market, fading images of a young female child flashed across her head. The place felt familiar, although she knew she had never been there.

"Grab your books! Scrabble books! Buy a copy!" The tiny voice yelled, waving some scrabble books to sample them. "Beautiful one, please buy a scrabble book." She beaconed on Ashina.

"Let me see." Ashina reached for the scrabble book. Suddenly she had a Deja Vu

"Fifty bucks."

Ashina sighed. "I'm out of cash, will you follow me home?" She said. "Please?"

"My name is Chuchin," the bookseller introduced herself, a genuine smile in her voice. "Are you new around here?"

"Yes, Chuchin." Ashina smiled back. "Call me Ashina, I love your name by the way." Her brown eyes sparkled with laughter.

"I saw you earlier, with the prince." Chuchin looked around, then whispered. "Why did you talk to him like that? You shouldn't have, even though I'm happy someone finally stood up to him, but I fear for your life."

"My life?" Ashina asked in surprise. "Why?" She hated any conversation that involved the prince.

"Please go to the palace and make peace with him." Chuchin looked around again. "Do it before nightfall."

Ashina scoffed. "Hell no, I won't! Chuchin, I live over there," she said and pointed to a building, quite a distance from the market. "Will you follow me home? I Ieft some cash at home."

Chuchin nodded. "Okay, let's go."

The moment Ashina and Chuchin stepped into her house, Chuchin closed the door, then held Ashina's hands, looking into her eyes.

Ashina couldn't understand why tears built in Chuchin's eyes. She looked at her in confusion. "Are you about to cry?"

"Please go to him, beg him, kiss his feet, ask for mercy." Chuchin almost choked on her words. She was speaking as someone in a haste to leave. "Prince Gonzalo is not like his father, he is a ruthless ruler. He doesn't care about anyone except himself and his throne."

"Slow down." Ashina placed her hands on Chuchin's shoulders, then settled her gently into a chair. "Relax!"

"He doesn't value anybody's life. To him, everyone is a slave."

"Shhh!" Ashina placed a finger on Chuchin's lips. "That's enough. Nothing will happen, if he moves crazily, I will arrest him."

Something in Chuchin's voice sounded like a warning, but Ashina wasn't having any of it. She was determined to keep her day light and carefree.

She removed her jacket. "Tell me something, why are you so afraid of him?"

"Nothing." Chuchin pivoted, her heart pounding in her chest. She looked away, brushing off a tear. "I need to leave now, please make peace with him."

Ashina sensed she was not ready to talk. Maybe she was afraid. "I'll go get the money, Chuchin," Ashina said causally, walking into her bedroom.

***

"That commoner!" Gonzalo snapped, stamping his feet impatiently. He leaned back, arms crossed behind his head in a ridiculous way. Ashina's words consistently rang in his head.

"Don't let it get to your head," Danciana said, as she catwalked into the room, head held high. "Trust me to handle the situation."

"Her voice alone irritates me." Gonzalo clenched his jaw. He exhaled hard. "By the time I am done with her, she'll beg for death yet will not see it."

Silence followed for a while before he spoke again. "Who is she by the way?" He asked with frustration in his eyes. He leaned forward on his elbows.

"A traveller." Danciana narrowed her gaze.

"A traveller?" Gonzalo straightened his shoulders. "Mother please, I need it done tonight." He sounded defiant and angry.

Growing up without a father, his mother assumed the roles of both roles of father and mother in his life. She was his pride, his saviour and idol. She was a woman who spoke her mind about politics and a whole lot more. He loved her outspoken manner and business sense. She was too good that he didn't see a flaw in her. In his eyes, she was perfect.

The only times they disagreed was when she brought up marriage issues. To crown him king, he must be married for at least a year.

The throne belonged to him, with or without the king's crown. He still owned the kingdom, so why the rush to marry? He stated it clearly that he would never haunt for his mate. As royalty, he concluded his mate would have to find him by herself.

Danciana on the other hand, disagreed. Every kingdom needed a king, every king needed his mate by his side, to serve him.

He, however, stubbornly insisted on following his own narrative, leaving his mother to find his mate all by herself, however when his mother told him he had found whom his mate is, he felt disappointed. He preferred to live his life without being married.

Danciana stared at him without saying a word.

"Mother?" He called out. He had no desire to play the dumb game. "Mother, say something," he groaned.

"Have I ever failed you?" She asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Go about the rest of your day. Tonight, meet me at the V.I.P.'s prison yard."

Gonzalo lit up at the mere mention of prison. With a satisfactory wink, he turned and poured a large cup of coffee with a touch of regular milk, then slide the cup across the counter. He took a minute to inhale the fresh aroma before taking a sip.

***

Ashina settled herself into bed, then ran a hand through her hair. "It's been a long day. This town is small but interesting." She blinked, staring at the scrabble book in amusement. "What was I thinking when I bought it?" She laughed at herself, forcing herself to shrug.

Her heart skipped when guards broke into her house, pushing apart each door. She leaned her back on the bed, squeezing her duvet in fear.

"Who are you?" She asked in fear. "What do you want?" She broke into a sweat that had something to do with their unwanted visit.

The guards stood still. The chief guard, Boris, stepped forward, his shoulders squared. "Do you not know why we are here?"

Ashina thought carefully. She recognized one of Gonzalo's guards, but not Boris.

"Why are you in my house by this time of the night?" She asked, panting. "Whatever the issue is, trust me we can settle it."

"That is for the prince to decide."

That was the last sentence she heard! Next she woke up in a dirty room, her hands tied to the ceiling. Her feet didn't touch the floor, they were dangling in the air.

"What do you want?" Ashina refused herself to be suckered by fear. "Why are you doing this?"

Boris emptied a bucket of cold water on her. Just then, Danciana strode into the prison yard. Ashina struggled to recognize who she was, but she couldn't place the face. This was her first time seeing her.

"What? You were expecting pancakes? Eggs? Waffles maybe?" Danciana shook her head in derision. "You have no idea what just hit you."

Ashina's eyes opened wide as she caught her words.

Ashina spat out blood, panting profusely. She blinked her eyes repeatedly , struggling to try and remember who the woman beforeher was. From her regalia, she knew the woman was royalty.

Danciana stretched forth her soft hands and arranged the hair on Ashina's head. "You like it?" Then she pulled her hair, laughing hysterically while Ashina cried out.

"You insulted my son, how convenient." Danciana took a breath."So now you cannot talk?"

Ashina wanted to talk, but she couldn't. She forced herself but ended up coughing out blood. Her pathetic condition didn't stop Danciana from slapping her across the face. "Speak!" She roared.

"I don't think she can speak, my queen." Boris said, carefully observing Ashina. "She is in a very bad state."

"Untie her." She instructed. "Lock her in the pig's cage with little food and water. Stale bread." .

Boris bowed. "As you wish my queen."

Danciana strode out of the prison.

Gonzalo furrowed his brows as his mother reached the throne room."How is it going mother?" He asked. "Can I see her now?"

Danciana shaked her head. "No, she is unconscious at the moment."

"Already unconscious when we haven't started?" Gonzalo scoffed.

Their conversation was interrupted when a guard walked in,whispering into Danciana's ears. When he was done, Danciana ushered him to leave. She looked up at Gonzalo, her countenance changed.

"What is it mother?" Gonzalo asked.

"The gods are with us." Danciana smiled. "Long live the moon goddess!"

"What happened?" Gonzalo asked with a frown. He didn't believe inany god or goddess. He stopped believing in them a long time ago.

"Her name is Ashina Diego." Danciana said, raising her shoulders dramatically. "Does that remind you of anyone or anything?"

"No," Gonzalo shaked his head. "Who is she?"

"Follow me." Danciana demonstrated with her hands.

She walked to a golden decorated wall, and stopped in front.Danciana pressed some buttons and the wall shifted, opening and revealing a transparent list.

"This is my black book." Gonzalo stated, staring at his mother in confusion. "Whoever that is in this book, is as good as dead."

"Diego Walmart.." Danciana bit down on her lower lip, wondering whether or not to continue. "That commoner is Diego Walmart's daughter. Diego, your late father's slave, that was excommunicated and banished with his family, for murdering your father." she pointed at a name on the list. "Here's their family name."

"Ahhh!!!" Gonzalo screamed, then pulled out his sword in anger."That daughter of a murderer!"

Danciana was fast enough to signal the guards to hold him down.

Gonzalo cocked an eyebrow, groaning. "Tell your guards to get their poverty infectious dirty hard hands off me!'

Danciana again gave signals to let him go. "Hold on, Zalo.." She stood in front of him.

"Mother I will not!" He raised his voice. "Finally, I will give my father the justice he deserved, the justice I swore on his grave to give him! Mother, move out of my way."

"Don't be foolish!" Danciana scolded. "You want to give her an easy death? Common! You want to go and behead her straight away?That is easy death! That is kindness to a murderer."

Gonzalo exhaled slowly, his tempers dropping. His brains started to reason in different angels.

"You won't kill her, at least not now." Danciana said. "She will work as a servant in this palace for the rest of her life! Day, night, underthe rain, sun, in pains and tears..I will take it upon myself to torture her..she will die slowly and painfully."

"I cannot stand her sight mother!" Gonzalo spat in despise. "I hate her!"

"Okay, fine. Do whatever you want. After all you're all grown now and can make decisions for yourself, mine don't matter anymore."Danciana said.

"Fine!" Gonzalo frowned. "Do whatever you want with her, I don'tjust want to set my eyes on her again."

***

Danciana instructed the guards to nail Ashina to a large wooden cross and, for five hours. After that she listed the punishments thatshould be given to her, which included, rat torture, heretics fork tearer.

She took pleasure in watching Ashina bleed and cry in pain.

"Please spare my life." Ashina cried out. "I promise I will do whatever you ask of me. I beg you."

"Why did you come back?" Gonzalo demanded. He was the one to ask, ignoring her groans. "To finish what your murderous wretched father couldn't complete?"

"I've never been in this town before, I don't know what you are saying." Ashina responded.

"Lying Swain!" Gonzalo yelled.

Ashina's heart pounded hard, over fear, anxiety and confusion. she had never been in that town all her life. Were they mistaken her for someone, maybe her look alike or they only needed a reason totorture her, not minding creating false stories?

"I don't know what you saying." Ashina repeated.

Gonzalo made attempt to move closer to her but Danciana held him back.

"Don't give her the privilege." Danciana said. "I'll take it from here."She walked closer to Ashina, then pulled out hot iron that has beenplaced in fire over hours, she lifted the iron with all her strength, she pressed the iron on Ashina's face.

Gonzalo smiled in excitement as Ashina cried loudly. This was a lot better, watching her in pain everyday, this was the best way to give his father the justice he deserved.

"I ask again," Gonzalo glared at her with deadly eyes. "Why did you come back, to kill me? I know your intentions, I just need to hear itfrom you, so confess! If you confess, I'll lessen your punishment."

"I wish I could agree, if it were true I'd agree." Ashina pushed the words out, in pain.

"Where's the rest of your family members?" Danciana asked in avery provocative and aggressive tone.

"They're at.." Ashina stopped there. Her brains clicked at once. She would be a fool to tell this heartless souls where her family were at.

"Continue," Gonzalo said with authority. "They're where?"

"I..I don't know." Ashina answered.

"That's it!" Gonzalo faced his mother. "Torture her until she dies!Lying Swain!" He stormed out in anger.

***

"Long live your majesty." Lupe said as she entered the large room,after a bow.

"My princess.." Danciana smiled.

Lupe slid her hands into the back pack pockets of her skirt, which had the effect of thrusting her breasts tight against her lacy T. She handed Danciana some sweets. "My mother made them herself."She said, her face flattered as she smiled.

"Send my regards." Danciana set the sweets aside, on the tray pan,placed on the large table before her.

Lupe flashed Gonzalo a flirtatious smile as she made way to sitopposite him. "Greetings my prince."

Danciana was obviously impressed by Princess Lupe. The princess was not only beautiful, but well groomed and from a rich home.

Gonzalo didn't pay much attention to her. When his mother came to him informing him about Princess Lupe being his destined mate,and he needed to marry her soonest. First he tried to be stubborn and refused the marriage proposal but as usual, his mother found waysof making him change his mind. She reminded him marriage was necessary, so he could be crowned the Alpha King.

To Gonzalo, the only interesting thing about Princess Lupe was thatshe came from a very wealthy and powerful royal home, which wasgood for his business. His mother went out of her way to make wedding preparations and fix a date.

The wedding ceremony was in a week! Yet Gonzalo didn't feel the slightest of love for his soon to be bride.

Lupe on her part spent her childhood dreaming about getting married to a handsome, charming prince someday, and become areal housewife, the Queen of Queens. When she discovered she wasmated to the great Alpha Prince, Gonzalo, her joy knew no bound.

"Mother, my wedding dress is ready, you would not believe howmany karate gold is on it!" Lupe laughed.

"Tell me." Danciana smiled, glancing briefly at Gonzalo. See? Shewas the prize, a potential daughter in-law.

"Fifty!" Lupe screamed in excitement, obviously trying to impressGonzalo. "Fifty karate gold."

"I can't wait to see you in that beautiful dress my child." Danciana said, stretching out her hand across the table to gently squeeze Lupe's fingers. "May the goddess be with you."

"And you too mother." Lupe smiled. "My prince, is your wedding suit ready?"

"It should." Gonzalo answered, uninterested in the conversation."Mother I have business to attend to." He rose to his feet then looked at Lupe. "My lady, enjoy the rest of your time."

"You too, prince charming." Lupe smiled.

Gonzalo stormed out of the room, very quickly.

***

Boris pushed Ashina into the smelly small storage room. "This is your new home. Get some rest, and in thirty minutes, be at thekitchen to scrub the floors." Boris instructed then left the storageroom.

Ashina laid on the floor, wincing in pain. She was badly wounded and bleeding. She glanced up when she heard someone's footsteps.

"If you want to stay alive, then you must avoid my son, he will kill you on sight. Understood?" Danciana asked.

"Yes your highness." Ashina managed to let the words out.

"You are now a slave to this palace, forever." Danciana stated.

Ashina nodded her head understanding everything that was said.She had left her luxurious city to come to this small town for holiday, to unwind and enjoy. She was in for a long ride, sponsored by some ruthless alpha prince and his witch of a mother.

"Hello.. hello..?" Ashina bit her lips in disappointment when she discovered no one had picked the call. "Pick up! Please! uncle please pick up!" Her hands trembled as she struggled to hold the telephone in her hands.

She was cleaning the passage when she saw a telephone, she tossed the mop aside and reached for the telephone. She dialed her uncle's number repeatedly but no one answered.

She jerked and froze at the spot when she heard footsteps accompanied with a loud laugh. She recognized the voice. it belonged to the Alpha Prince.

"Who were you trying to call?" He asked, moving closer to her."Your mother?" He nodded. "Hmmm, interesting, please go on and call him, call the murderer! I want to speak with him!"

The telephone fell down from Ashina's trembling hands. Her whole body was squeaking.

"Pick up the telephone, call him, invite him to come over for dinner at your friends place." Gonzalo ordered.

"My father is dead." Ashina said, her lips shaking. "I was trying to call my uncle."

Gonzalo smiled. "It's good for you that your father is dead, I would have.." Gonzalo paused when he saw his mother walk towards them."Oh mother," He said. "She was trying to call for help."

Danciana walked to Ashina, glaring at her with resentment. "I see you are not tired of suffering and torture.."

"No please.." Ashina fell to her knees begging in tears. "Please, I am sorry.. it'll never happen again."

"Who were you trying to call, the police?" Danciana demanded.

"No, my uncle." Ashina answered sharply.

"She said her leprosy infected father is dead." Gonzalo stated.

"Lucky him." Danciana responded.

"She might be lying.." Gonzalo said. "It runs in the veins, it is a generationally curse."

"Guards!" Danciana called out.

Ashina fell on the floor, crying and trembling, she already knew what awaited her, next. Torture.

"Give her two hours of the tub torture," Danciana instructed the guards. "After that have her rest for thirty minutes, with stale bread,no water."

"Yes your majesty." The guards prostrated, dragging Ashina away.

"Please have mercy on me your majesty!" Ashina cried aloud as the guards pulled her away.

"Did your maggot poverty stricken father have mercy on me when he killed my father?! Did you have mercy on me when you walked back into this town to kill me?!" Gonzalo yelled.

"I have no idea what you are talking about!" Ashina's voice was distant. "My late father was an honorable man, he was celebrated where I come from and still celebrated as a legend!"

Gonzalo pulled out his sword in rage. "Legendary murderer!"

Danciana stood in his way, shaking her head disapprovingly."Don't."

"Let me split her throat, mother." Gonzalo charged. "No amount of torture will tame her!"

"Relax." Danciana said. "I will tame her. Now prepare, your wedding is in couple of days."

***

"What do you think of the Alpha Prince?" Lupe asked her maid,Jane. "Handsome right?" She smiled dreamily. Lupe was back to herfather's house, sitted in her bathtub.

Jane gently massaged her feets.

"Jane?" Lupe called out.

"My princess.." Jane answered, applying essential oil on her feet.

"I said, what do you think about the Alpha Prince, my soon to be husband?" Lupe repeated the question.

"Do you want my honest opinion?" Jane asked.

"Yes." Lupe replied excitedly.

"He is rude, proud, disrespectful, arrogant and ruthless.." Jane didn'tfinish her sentence when Lupe hit her across the face in anger.

"How dare you?!" She screamed. "Blasphemy!"

"I'm sorry my princess.." Jane knelt to apologize.

Lupe kicked Jane into the hot bath tube, then emptied a gallon of detergent into the bath tube. Jane cried out, wiping and closing hereyes. She struggled to breath, see and get out of the bathtub.

"You will stay there until you drown!" Lupe yelled. "wretched slave! You can never have someone as honorable as my prince!"

***

Chuchin traced the voice of someone sobbing, until she discoveredthe cage where Ashina was locked in. Poor Ashina laid in the cage,sobbing with her last strength. Chuchin's father worked as a prison guard. She had come to bring food for her father, she had Ashina in mind while she embarked to the palace.

The news about Ashina's imprisonment was everywhere in town.Chuchin looked around to make sure no one else was there.

"Hey.." Chuchin whispered, forcing food into the cage. fried chicken and baked potatoes, with water. "Ashina.." She called warily.

Ashina turned in pains to look at her. She could barely talk. "Hey.."She managed to say. "Chu.." She stopped, trying to remember hername.

"Chuchin..the scrabble book seller in the local market." Chuchin said. "I brought you food, hurry up and eat." Chuchin said.

Ashina found strength from nowhere and sat up, hurriedly devouring the food like a beast.

"I warned you..there is no one to prevent injustice in this town."

Ashina gave her the most alluring smile. "Yes you did, I should have listened. Thank you for the food, but how did you get here?"

"My father is the chief prison guard, I came to see him today."Chuchin said.

"Oh..I see, thank you." Ashina said gratefully, bursting into tears."That means the news about me is everywhere, why hasn't anyone called the police?"

"Prince Gonzalo controls them." Chuchin answered. "Don't you understand, he is evil.." She muttered an expletive.

Ashina heard the anger and pain in her voice. "What did he do toyou?" She asked.

"He banished my mother after she refused to keep quiet when his personal slave, Boris, raped me."

"What?!" Ashina exclaimed in shock. "How can he treat his subjectslike this? I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"I have to go now." Chuchin said. "Avoid arguing with him or the queen mother, whatever they say agree to it and apologize. It will lessen your punishment."

"How can I agree to false narratives and stories about me?" Ashina asked.

"You don't listen, do you?" Chuchin shook her head disappointedly."I have to go now, don't say a word about my visit to anyone."

"Please will you help me Chuchin?" Ashina pleaded.

"What do you want?" Chuchin looked around to make sure no one was in sight.

"Help me call my uncle and tell him I'm in trouble, explain the situation to him and let him know I'm in this town..tell him to hurry and.."

Chuchin didn't let her finish, she cut her off. "I can't."

"Why?"

"Because he will kill me if he finds out I helped you, my father doesn't even know I came here. I'm sorry but I can't help you."

"No one will find out, I promise you."

"I'm sorry."

Ashina swallowed hard at the refusal. "Can I make the call myself?"

"No. He will find out."

"How?"

"I will advise you not to even involve your family because he will enslaved them too when they come to rescue you. And then he will trace to find out how your uncle heard about it, then what next?"

Ashina scratched her hair. "Nothing of that sort will happen..I promise.."

"I'm sorry, this is your cross, carry it without involving your family if you love them." Chuchin hurriedly left the cage.

Ashina fell to the floor, crying uncontrollably.

***

Gonzalo was in his bedroom drafting out plans when his motherwalked in. He was going through papers and important document.He walked to his task board outlining his game plan.

"Zalo.." Danciana called out.

"Come in mother." Gonzalo concentrated on the board.

"What are you doing?" Danciana inquired.

"Drafting the perfect plan, we're attacking the rogues tonight."Gonzalo said firmly.

"Tonight, is it not rather sudden?" Danciana tried to suggest."Besides your wedding is close, you shouldn't be going to war, letthe soldiers go alone. I don't want you with a bruised face on your big day."

"No mother, I'm going with them." Gonzalo said with finality in his voice. "I want to wipe this particular pack of rogues myself. Their leaders has challenged me to a battle and I accepted."

Danciana placed a hand on his shoulder. "I trust you."

"Don't worry mother, your son will be fine and victorious." Gonzalo assured her.

"What do you think of Princess Lupe?" Danciana smiled.

Gonzalo shrugged. "She is a beautiful princess."

"And?" Danciana inched to hear more.

"That's all, she's beautiful." Gonzalo muttered. He was starting toget irritated by the discussion. He wondered the nicest way to get ridof her.

"You don't feel anything for her? That's strange."

"No it's not. What were you expecting?" Gonzalo dropped his pen,looking at his mother. "I feel nothing for her."

"Because you have not searched deep down in your heart.. searchyour heart and soul and you will find.."

"Blood.." Gonzalo sharply said. "It's only blood you will find in my heart."

"She is your mate! Very soon she will become your Luna."Danciana scolded.

"I know, have I said otherwise, the essence of this mating thing is for us to get married, yeah? Have I refused? I'll give you and your goddess what you want, so relax."

"Zalo.."

"Mother please not now, I have a war to plan." Gonzalo said dismissively, then turned to focus on his board.