Episode 4

ARIANNA

I've never known what it feels like giving people a taste of their own medicine, but I have heard about it. Turns out it was way sweeter than the way people portrayed it.

I heard a commotion from out front and turned to see my mum and dad fighting against the guards as they tried to rush towards me.

"Take your hands off them." Sergio's voice filled the air, and it was like the entire world came to a complete standstill as the guards retreated and I rushed forward to my parents.

"Is this really you, Zora?" My dad asked, staring at me like he didn’t want to touch me, but I knew otherwise. I was different from what I used to be, and it was kind of hard for them to take in that it was their daughter standing right in front of them.

"It is really me." I held their hands, and they pulled me into a warm hug. Oh, how I have loved these people. How I have missed them.

After the little short reunion and blast, we went on with the ceremony, though I knew that I had given each member of the Red Oak Pack food for thought.

It was nightfall, and just as the ceremony demanded, all the Lunas where to stay in one room and the Alphas in another quarter.

"Wow, Luna Arianna, you really need to divulge your skincare routine. Your skin is dazzling," One of the Lunas said, and I chuckled slightly.

"What skincare is better than a mate’s love? And a pack at your command?" I was actually poking my cousin indirectly because she was in the room too.

I would do anything to make sure she felt attacked. I was totally moving all out for her tonight.

"For real. I see the way your mate looks at you like he can't get enough of you," Another Luna chirped in, and I laughed.

It was almost like they were ganging up with me against my cousin, who just sat in a corner, stealing occasional glances at me.

"You know, Luna Zora, your story is almost similar to mine. I heard from the pack members. For me, the stupid guy I was supposed to get married to was having a quickie with a maid a few minutes to the procession. I couldn't be more grateful for breaking the marriage because how am I supposed to be sharing my husband with a maid?"

Okay, now I’m sure that they're all against my cousin sister.

"Anyways, I found my Alpha right there in the hall," she finished, and we all clapped, squeaking happily when Luna Selena of Red Oak Pack stepped in.

"Oh mother, you're here. What took you so long?" My cousin rushed up to meet Luna Selena, and a Luna from Greenville sighed out loud.

"Do we have a problem, Amelia?" Luna Selena asked, forcing a smile, and Luna Amelia rolled her eyes.

"Of course we don't. I'm just wondering what the world would be like if every Luna was like you. Would be a bad omen, right?" She squinted her eyes, and I wondered what was going on. From the look of things, there’s going to be a very huge war right here because each of these women are all powerful Lunas that command their husbands' packs.

"There has to be something worse than a bad omen, and that's what it would be," another Luna who had a face mask on said and sighed again.

"Let's get down to the order of the night. Each Luna is to share—"

"I’d rather be sleeping." Luna Amelia got up and headed straight to the bed, and almost immediately, other Lunas followed suit, leaving my cousin Annika, her mother-in-law, and of course, me.

"Other Lunas are sleepy, but I'm not particularly feeling sleepy. Let's catch up on old times, shall we?" My cousin instinctively took a step forward, her face scrunching up in anger.

"Are you that pained that you didn't get married to Logan? He was mine from the start." She stuck her tongue out and I scoffed, throwing my face sideways, then turning to face her.

"Am I that pained? Do I look pained? Don't I look ravishing instead?" She gulped, unable to form her words, and I stood up.

"Y'all are no fun at all. I'd rather go to the nursery and see how my daughter is faring." I stood up and exited the room when I felt someone following me.

My wolf was on high alert as I kept walking, and the person kept following, so I decided to turn and confront them.

"Who's there?" I queried as I turned, but no one was there. I know I'm not tripping, all right. I know someone is trailing me.

I kept on walking, still aware of my surroundings, but this time, I didn’t feel that nostalgic feeling that someone was following me. It was more like the person had stopped the instant I had asked.

I got to the nursery, and the caretakers informed me that they were about to come and call on me as my daughter wasn't shutting her eyes. She wasn’t crying or disturbing, but she wasn’t sleeping either.

I walked over to her bed, and she squeaked when she saw me.

"Did you come alone? Where’s daddy?" She pouted, and the caretakers laughed alongside me.

"Well, daddy is at a meeting right now." She feigned anger for a few minutes before falling asleep after I read her a bedtime story.

"Your daughter is angelic. She was raised by the best parents she could have," one of them complimented, and after a few chit-chats, I decided to return to the Lunas' quarters.

As I walked back, there was that nostalgic feeling again, and no, this can't be good.

I doubled my pace, and it was as though whatever was following me doubled its pace too. I broke out in a little run and same as the thing following me.

Fear coursed through me as I turned to check when strong hands came over my mouth, dragging me into a dark room.