Luna's Cruel Fate

Luna's POV:

Cold seeped into my bones, my fingers numb and raw as I scrubbed the stone floor. The small kitchen was dark, barely illuminated by a flickering candle that cast shadows over the worn, chipped walls. My hands shook-exhaustion clung to every muscle-but I kept working. If I stopped, even for a moment, I knew there would be consequences.

"Luna!" Lady Seraphine's shrill voice cut through the quiet in the house. I stiffened, my heart racing. I knew that tone; it was laced with cruelty, dripping with disdain.

"Yes, my lady," I whispered, rising to my feet and dusting off the dirt that scattered on my thin, threadbare dress. I took a deep breath to steady myself, but the dread had already settled in my stomach.

I entered the great hall, and there she was, waiting for me, her arms crossed over her chest, a snide smile twisting the corners of her full lips. She was perfect, as she always was, her dark hair twisted in an elegant coiffure, her dress flawless and costly beside my worn and tumbled appearance. Her gaze roamed over me, her sneer deepening.

"Have you ever seen yourself, Luna?" she hissed, the malice in her tone like a cold, vicious spread. "You are pitiful, a blight on this house. I am surprised you would even dare show your face."

I clamped down on my rejoinder, setting my tongue aflame. She enjoyed it when I reacted like any display of resistance was a reason to goad me further. I cast my gaze down to mask the rise of ire swelling within me.

"I'm so sorry, milady," I whispered, the words bitter on my lips.

"Apologize?" she spat, her pace slow as she circled the predator assessing its prey.

"Apologies mean nothing from someone like you. You think you're suffering now?" She leaned in close, voice low, a hiss.

"This is only the beginning. You have no idea what true suffering is, but I'll make sure you learn."

Her words sent a cold shiver down my spine, and I never batted an eyelid to give her the pleasure of knowing she had caused me fear.

"And what of the tax?" she jumped in right away, shrill and high-pitched. "I noticed you're late again, Luna. Or maybe you think you're above the rules?

I felt my bristling skin flush as desperation set in. The tax. She knew quite well that I could scarcely afford enough to feed myself, let alone the usurious taxes she insisted on taking. Every little coin I could gain running errands or doing odd chores barely covered the mere essentials. Nothing was left of that for the tax, and she knew it.

I'm... I'm working to get it, my lady," I stammered, hating the tremor in my voice. "Just a little more time, please. I'll have it soon.

Her laughter was cold and echoed in the empty hall. "Soon? You have had weeks, and yet here you are, still making excuses. You are nothing but a useless leech, sucking off my charity." She seemed to narrow her eyes, and a dangerous glint flashed in them. "I will not tolerate it anymore.

I opened my mouth to beg, to plead, but before I could utter a word, she raised her hand, beckoning to someone behind me. Heavy footsteps sounded, and I spun around as two guards came into the room, their faces impassive, their eyes glacial.

"Take her," Lady Seraphine ordered. "She refuses to pay her dues. See she is made aware of the consequences.

The guards took a step toward me, and I retreated backward, panic scratching at my chest. "Please, my lady," I pleaded, my voice cracking. "Just a little more time. I'll have it, I swear!"

Lady Seraphine's lips curled into a pitiless smile. "Too late, Luna. You've had your chance. Now, perhaps a little time in the dungeons will teach you respect and remind you of your place.

One of the guards clutched my arm in a bruisingly tight hold, and I struggled, deathly fearful. "Please!" I cried, but my plea fell on deaf ears. They dragged me from the hall, my feet barely touching the ground as I struggled against their iron holds.

They hauled me through the house and out into the cold night air, everything a blur of hallways. The village was dark and quiet and empty, the few houses shuttered and silent. I could feel eyes watching from the shadows, but no one dared to step forward. No one would risk Seraphine's wrath for a girl like me.

The guards pushed me in the direction of the main square with rough, unbending hands. I fell against the stones with the screaming pain of my bare feet. I tried to steady myself, but my legs felt weak, my body shaking with fear and exhaustion.

"Please," I whispered hoarsely. "Please, I shall get the money.

One of the guards sneered-his face a mask of contempt. "Shut up, girl. We're tired of hearing your whining.".

And they just kept pulling me on and on, deeper into the middle of the square, until one of them gave a push forward, and I went down onto my knees, a shock right through my skeleton. My eyes blurred over with unshed tears, looking up into the implements of the stocks facing me, a portent of humiliation, a punishment. My stomach was twisted in dread.

Put her in," one guard grunted, grabbing my wrists and forcing them into the rudimentary wooden holders. I felt the coarseness of the wood as they secured the stocks around my wrists and neck, entrapping me in their place. I was exposed, vulnerable like an animal on display.

They took a step back, each wearing satisfied smirks at the way I flailed under the tight restraints helplessly. The square had turned silent and empty save for the scattered figures that passed by, looking in my direction with pity and disdain. I fought the shame inside, the burning humiliation growing in an attempt to get the better of me.

This was all a product of Lady Seraphine. She gloried in my misery, reminding me of the fact that I had nothing and that I was hers to do with as she pleased, to punish as she so wished. It was she who stood over me, her puppet in the sadistic games she played, and naught was to be done about it.

The night wore on, the cold gnawing at my skin, my body shaking uncontrollably. My muscles screamed in agony, and my wrists were on fire from the rough wood that dug into them. All hours melded together into some sort of torturous haze of discomfort and humiliation. I couldn't move, couldn't get away. I was trapped-must endure this punishment, this reminder of helplessness.

With the first light of dawn, a gray thin haze permeated the square, and people came out one by one. They mumbled to each other and turned toward me, some with a glance of pity, others full of spite. I didn't lift my gaze from the ground and wouldn't allow these people to see the depth of my shame.

The crowd grew, and with it, the murmurs. I could hear them talking, their voices one indistinguishable mass of judgment and speculation. They spoke of my failure, of my inability to pay the tax, of my place as Seraphine's scapegoat. In their eyes, I was nothing more than a cautionary tale, a reminder of what happened to those who dared defy the powerful.

And then, finally, Lady Seraphine arrived.

She swaggered up, head held high, a satisfied smile tugging upward on her lips as she looked down at me. The crowd parted for her, their eyes wide with that mix of awe and fear. She was untouchable, the queen of this small world, and she knew it.

"Well, Luna," she said, her voice carrying across the square, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Maybe now you understand what happens when one disobeys. Maybe now you will remember your place."

I said nothing; my jaw was clenched as I fought the tears back that wanted to spill. I wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of seeing me break here, not in front of everyone.

She leaned in closer, and I would hear her speak in a low tone, the smile spreading over her face. "This is only the beginning, dear. You have such a long way to go, and I will be right there with you, making sure that you feel every bit of it.".

With that, she straightened, turning to address the crowd, her voice like silk. "Let this serve as a reminder to one and all," she announced. "Disobedience, failure, and disrespect will not be tolerated. We must all contribute, must we not? Everyone has a role to play, even the lowest among us."

Mumbles of ascent sounded through the crowd, each nodding in unison as though she were some kind of benefactor, not the monster I knew her to be. I longed to scream-to tell the truth for all to hear. My voice was stuck, my words stifled by the wood stocks and the weight of my shame.

With that, she turned and strode away, the crowd breaking off to go their various ways, leaving me quite alone in the square figure frozen in place by humiliation and despair.

And in that instant, I vowed to myself that one day I would find a way to break free. One day, I would make her pay for every ounce of suffering she had forced upon me.

For now, I was ready with bated breath, caught in this waking nightmare, holding onto the little spark of hope buried deep within my heart.

Chapter 2

Luna's POV

Dark and hopeless was this dungeon-the sun never came. I just curled up in a ball in the corner, pulling my knees up to my chest to conserve all the heat I could. The stone walls were all wet, and the smell of that damn mold made every breath hard to breathe. But cold metal cuffs now encircled my wrists and ankles, their razor-sharp edges cutting deep into my skin. Sleep overcame me, ready to drag me, kicking and screaming, into a sleepless nightmare.

I closed my eyes and wished hard for just a few more seconds without the pain. My heart pounded because heavy, slow footsteps were coming down the hall, growing louder. Panic seized me: Who was coming, what other torture awaited me? I pressed up against the wall, wishing I could fade away into the shadows.

And then, to my surprise, he showed up.

Alpha Kieran.

And his huge, forbidding form cast a shadow in the doorway and his eyes scanned the wet and dismal cell and landed on me. I straightened, my heart racing crazily. What was he doing here? The last time I had seen him was at the induction ceremony, where he'd looked at me with nothing but disgust before ordering me and walking away. I never thought I would see him again, let alone here.

For a moment, he just stood there, his face unreadable, as if searching for something in my eyes. I dropped my eyes, fearing he would see, afraid of the remembrance of his harsh rejection that was still raw and bleeding.

"Luna," he said, softer than I remembered. How soft his voice sounded surprised me, a bit subtle with some subleness that I didn't know.

I looked up, wariness and confusion written across my face. "Alpha Kieran... why am I here? I couldn't even manage to complete the words as they slid out of my mouth unbidden.

He continued forward, never removing his eyes from mine. "I wanted to see you, " he replied bluntly, as if that is all there is to be, as if wanting a thing is just the simple matter of desiring to know. "I wanted to know... how you're holding up."

It sounded real, but it only served to further confuse me. I swallowed hard as my mind started to race. Why should he care? He'd made it clear at the ceremony that I meant nothing to him. But there he sat, in this cold, damp cell, with a look in his eyes that I just can't place.

"I'm fine," I whispered, shaking a little. I didn't want him to see my pain, didn't want him to think of how deeply he hurt me. But the body is a betraying thing, and shivers, bruises, tiredness-all there for everyone to see and impossible to hide.

Kieran's gaze softened at the sight of my condition, his jaw clamped on something. They have been so wrong to you, he said almost to himself, his voice a degree or two angry. "You don't deserve this, Luna.".

It kind of just washed over me, I don't know, I just felt this strange heat that I hadn't felt in a long time. And no one had ever talked to me like that since they took my parents away from me. There, for a second, I thought that he might have cared, that behind that stone-cold exterior, there was a shred of decency that I hadn't noticed.

Why... Why do you care? I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. I don't want to seem ungrateful, but the question burdened my heart. So if it is all the rejecting and the coldness and the contempt, why then is he here now?

He gasped air, and his eyes clouded with some sort of emotion that was indistinguishable from me. "Because nobody deserves to be treated in that manner," he whispered. "Not even someone I misjudged.

I blinked, taken aback by his words. Was he sorry? It didn't make sense, but something in the look of his eyes and that glimmer of remorse sent shivers down my back as I wondered if, indeed, he was sorry for his actions.

He knelt beside me, and as tall as he was, he seemed taller in that cell, and he reached up to put his hand on my shoulder. His touch scorched through my thin dress and at least for a few seconds, stilled the pain in my chest. "Luna," he said softly. "I want to help you.

It is almost as if my breath gets caught in my throat, and this wave of hope and disbelief washes over me. "Help me?" I managed to repeat, still hardly grasping the word.

Yes." His eyes were steady, honest.

"I am declaring you free. YOU ARE NOT OF THIS PLACE NOR THIS KIND" He loomed over the guards, which lurked in the shadows, over the expressionless faces. Take her chains off, and let her go at this very moment," he barked deep and firmly.

The guards paused, unsure, and exchanged uncertain glances, but a chill from Kieran's glare left no room for argument, and they quickly moved across the room to unlatch my chains, releasing my wrists and ankles from the cold, biting iron. Chains fell from my arms, and as I started to rub my wrists, the pain kicked in-bruises that would probably last for days.

I had managed to stand, legs a bit too weak from the days confined there. I looked up at Kieran, my heart racing wildly in a jarring mix of gratitude and fear: he'd rescued me from this living hell and allowed me to breathe once again, but still, a question remained.

"Thank you," I could barely say above a whisper. They seemed so trivial yet, they were the greatest of my ability.

Kieran smiled, a rare, almost gentle look since the rest of his face was so severe. "You don't have to thank me, Luna. You deserve better than this."

It's short-term, I even felt willing to believe, like how a warm smile must have seemed upon his face that now somehow seemed so inviting while a part of my head seemed to be questioning; that maybe he indeed isn't the cruel alpha, a mean rejectionist-which also meant that somewhere down that hard exterior I wanted desperately to believe cared, yes, cared a part.

He offered his hand; after a few seconds, I accepted it, and he grabbed me strong, yet with an air of delicacy-so that he hauled me from that cell. He held me as we stumbled blindly through that dark, winding passageway of that dungeon-so he supported me. For every step was freedom, every breath life-giving. Something that never even dared to creep into my dreams.

We reach the door, and the white of the light coming from outside is like pure white against the black of the dungeon. My eyes closed, feeling the sun on my face, something I hadn't felt in like a million years, it seemed.

I looked up to find Kieran releasing my hand. Then, the well of appreciation in me became so overwhelming to share with his eyes alone, "Why did you do that for me? This time, I didn't keep my mind from it because I desperately needed to understand, see if all that was this kindness, this act wasn't yet just another delusion, some other mere illusion to test me some more".

He looked away, his face unreadable. It was as if he wrestled to give words to an answer. Why? Because sometimes he said in a low voice, "We all need a second chance.".

I looked into his eyes, trying to figure out what he meant by that riddle. That was all he would say. He kind of smiled this really sad, almost guilty-looking smile, and his footsteps slightly echoed down the hall.

So, as I watched him walk out, I had this surge of confusion well up in my body. So why did he come here? Sahara has more questions for me than answers. What did he mean by giving me a second chance? And perhaps even more: was this kindness real, or was there some sort of hidden agenda that I was too innocent to catch?

A shiver ran down my spine, as in my stomach, I had mixed feelings of anxiety and unease. I wanted to think that Kieran had finally changed, and there was a part of him that felt for me, no matter how small. But nothing seemed to rid the nagging feeling in the back of my head, stating there had to be more than what was above.

It had been a little after midday when I stood there, letting morning sunbeams spill through the doorway of the dungeon into my face, realizing for the very first time that such freedom came with a cost question that would plague my mind until I knew why.

Why did Kieran help me?

Luna's POV:

The leaves were still, rustling softly in the cool night air. I grabbed the scroll as if my life depended on it; the wax seal bit into my palm as I ran with all my might along the narrow path. Running messages between the packs was not originally part of my usual duties, but Lady Seraphine had a soft smile on her face still lingering in my ears.

"You're just a slave she'd sneered at, "so go on and be useful for once.".

Her words stung, but I'd learned long ago not to let them show. It didn't matter what she thought of me-I would see this task through without complaint. It was my life, a life of suffering in silence, a life of surrender. Even then, however, I could not help but hope that this little shindig would provide me with a bit of rest, a respite from the incessant slavery.

The trail grew darker as the sun dipped below the horizon, leaving shadows that stretched across the ground to cover the floor of the forest. I decided to hasten my pace because I wanted to make it to the next camps before nightfall. Then at that time, a very sudden rustling of some bushes next to me made my body freeze and my heart beat out of my chest.

And then, from nowhere, two dark shapes ran down the path with wicked gazes in their eyes. Rogues.

"Look what we have here, " one of them sneered, a cruel smile curling his lips. "A little messenger all alone in the woods."

I took a step back, suddenly afraid, but they moved too quickly and cut off my angle. Instantly, my heart began to pound, my mind racing for an escape. After all, I wasn't a warrior, wasn't a fighter-what could I do against them?

"Please," I whispered, desperation edging into my voice. "I have nothing you want.

Oh yes, you do," the other one hissed, his eyes traveling down my body, and my skin crawled.

Just as they stepped forward, a blur of movement shot past me, slamming into one of the rogues with a force that sent him sprawling. My heart stopped because I recognized the figure.

He screamed like a wild beast and dived for the second one movement quick, powerful, a dance of death where a mistake meant a loss of life. I just stood there watching him; he kicks ass, he is so strong and good. After like a few seconds, the thugs lay on the ground, dead.

Kieran looked at me, panting, a small rivulet of blood running down his forehead. "Are you all right?" he said, his eyes losing their hardness as they took in my scared face.

I nodded, still too shocked to find my voice. A wave of relief washed over me, mingling with the strange warmth that he'd come to my rescue again. It was the second time he'd saved me, and I couldn't ignore this tug of gratitude with something deeper within my chest.

Then I saw the gash on his arm, his sleeve wet with blood. "You're hurt," I said, stepping forward instinctively to reach for his arm.

No, it's not." He smiled weakly and brushed it off. "Just a scratch.

But I knew from the pain in his face; the way he held his arm, etc. "You need to rest," I insisted, looking for shelter. It was darkening and the forest was thick. "There's a clearing nearby. We can rest there for the night.

He hesitated for a moment, nodded, and I led him onto a small patch of grass: a glade of sorts, enclosed by trees. We sat down in the silence between us, which was heavy yet somehow comforting. The suspense of the attack slowly ebbed, and tranquility washed over me; the quiet of the forest enveloped us like a shroud.

The stars were just beginning to twinkle above, and I couldn't help but glance in his direction, my heart racing with every passing moment. There was a gentleness about him now, a vulnerability that I had never seen before. I had to know this side of him to see whether it was real or another passing mirage.

"Thanks," I whispered, my voice small. "For saving me... again.

Kieran turned to me; his eyes were warm, a small smile playing on his lips. "I told you, Luna. NOBODY deserves to be treated the way you have been.

A mix of hope and longing stirred inside of me with his words. I hadn't dared dream of kindness, not after all I'd endured. It has been. "I said, "Tough." The word hardly left my lips. "Since my parents were taken, I've been nothing but a burden and treated as a slave, even prayed-yeah I prayed to the Moon Goddess to help me out and give me a husband who loves me and takes me out of all this.

I felt my cheeks heat up, embarrassed by my admission, but Kieran's gaze didn't budge, still listening to me with intent. He didn't interrupt me; he didn't condemn me. He just listened, and that was more than anyone had ever done.

I PRAYED EVERY NIGHT FOR A MATE", I continued, and my voice broke with the weight of my years of longing. Somebody, anyone, that would notice me, that would show some care for me. But it is like the Moon Goddess herself has abandoned me.

Kieran's face slackened, and for a moment, I could have sworn a look of regret crossed his features. He did, and the tips of his fingers merely grazed mine, and a hot sensation coursed up my arm. "The Moon Goddess hasn't forgotten you, Luna, he said softly. "Sometimes she tests us in ways we don't understand. But I promise... your pain won't be forever."

His words caught in my throat, and a glimmer of hope pierced through the darkness I'd grown so accustomed to. I just looked at him, searched his face, searched for some kind of hint as to why he was here, why he was being so good to me.

I don't know," he muttered, "I don't know, maybe your mate is a lot closer than you think.

My heart stuttered in my chest, catching in my throat as his words washed over me. Was he saying what I thought he was? The warmth of his hand against mine and the gentleness in his eyes felt so real, so unlike the cold rejection I'd known.

"Kieran..." I started, her voice shaking. I didn't know what to say, didn't know how to process the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside of me.

He smiled, soft, his eyes never leaving mine. If Luna Goddess permits it, Luna". You could be mine.

My heart was racing wildly, and my mind awhirl, as his words seemed to echo through the still night. Was this an offer of himself as my mate, the one I'd prayed for all those years? Or was this another shred of moments, just another nice gesture that would blow away as fast as it had come?

The question 'Why' kept echoing inside my head, and I could feel the hopes and doubts welling up and clashing into chaos. I wanted to, really wanted to; I wanted to believe in him, wanted to trust the smile, the warmth of it, those eyes, those eyes that seemed so honest. But the scars of my past, the sting of his first rejection of me, lingered on and cast dark shadows over the hope that dared bloom in the chambers of my heart.

As I stared at him, into his eyes, one thing kept running through my mind in the stillness.

Why now?