Chapter 8

SELENE

Her face alone pissed me off, and though I tried to contain myself and keep my pleasantness on my face, Ryker's reprimands as the girl had left made me furious.

I remembered what happened only minutes before I left the dining hall fuming.

After my comment on the girl's disrespect, I didn't expect Ryker to lash out in the way he did.

'Be quiet. You have no right to treat Keileigh that way, much less act like you're better than her. She has a higher rank than you, Selene. Don't forget that,' Ryker had said. I was dumbfounded then.

Ryker, of all people, who was so slow to anger had become that new girl's greatest defender. His warnings had bite to it, for unlike Arnold's anger that could be easily soothed, his was like a hurricane that swallowed everything in its path when he lost it. And very rarely did he do so.

Arnold came to my defense, rising up from his seat, and pointing his fork in his twin brother's direction.

'You're too hung up on this girl already, huh,' he remarked with a hint of mocking. 'But she's not to be trusted.

Selene is only looking out for our interests. That's her duty as our mate.'

However, Ryker didn't respond. He only picked up his glass cup, downed the water in large gulps, and stood to walk away.

Arnold seethed and so did I, but for entirely different reasons.

How could that girl, who only just came in here, dare to steal my Ryker from me?!

Arnold's touches, his affections and attention, were nothing compared to what I craved from Ryker. He was the one I truly wanted. The one I wanted to be MINE.

After that I had searched the girl out but she wasn't to be found in her room. And when the maid told me that she saw her headed towards the courtyard, I immediately went in that direction.

"So," I began, clasping my hands together.

"So," she breathed. "What is it, Lady of the house?"

Her addressing me as such only made me more furious.

"You seem to know who I am but you do respect my position, so you?" My lips quirked up in a semblenace of a sweet smile. But my words had edge which was designed to cut through her defenses.

"Remember my words to you, Kara?"

"It's Keileigh," she corrected, even when she knew it was me goading her.

"And yes, I remember what you said.

Rest easy. I have no interest in your Alphas."

"Oh? Then why are you still here? Trying to take advantage of our goodwill, aren't you?" I asked her to which she pursed her lips and didn't answer. Yet I could see I had hit a mark, because her eyes were filled with something akin to pain and grief.

What did she have that I don't?

That question ran through my mind as I looked her up and down. She was beautiful, I had to admit. And though she had come in haggardly and dirty like Arnold had told me, she behaved with such grace that made her appear like royalty.

That didn't mean she could compare to me however.

If only I could get rid of her once and for all.

But Arnold had told me about that damned deal Ryker of all people, made with her. And now that she had to be a guest in this house, it left me considerably irked. If she was their so-called 'real' mate... then what was I?

"Look," my voice was soft in the courtyard that was empty save for us.

"I'm not going to say this again. But perhaps you need it to be explained to you like a child..."

I took a step forward, but she didn't move, keeping her doe-eyes gaze on mine.

"Stay away from my Alphas. They're MINE. You missed your chance," I smiled triumphantly. "And I don't take kindly to people who try to take what's mine."

She didn't move, but I knew she had gotten the picture. Satisfied, I stepped back, turning around to walk away from her.

But the sound of her voice stopped me.

"I told you before," her voice was trembling. "I don't want anything to do with them."

Liar, I thought, clenching my hands into tight fists. My long nails dug into my palms, as though it would break the skin and make me bleed.

Keileigh's voice rang out in the entire courtyard, "I hold no interest in whatever fight you want to start. All I want is to be left alone. If it displeases you to see me so much, then I'll have my meals in my room. But..."

... I don't intend to take your threats, Selene," her words drove me to turn and land a glare on her pale, beautiful face.

"I'm not your enemy, nor do I intend to be," she stated, not flinching from my acidic gaze.

Then without any more words said, she walked away, turning in the opposite direction from me, and leaving me rooted to the spot and filled with increasing fury.

The sounds of birds chirping and scent of nature around me only served to give me a headache. It was anything from calming.

And the fact that this girl walked away from ME, making her have the last word...

Oh it boiled my blood. I itches to reach her a lesson she would never forget. But I quickly remembered Ryker's warnings.

This girl... she was dangerous. But if she didn't mind her own business, then I wouldn't hesitate to cut her down.

I heard footsteps and turned to see Kara, the old woman looking at me with an unreadable gaze.

"What is it?" I asked with an air of unbothered elegance.

But she didn't bother giving me a bow.

She was older than all of the maids here, and even had some part in raising Ryker and Arnold when they were little.

Perhaps that was why she was so disrespectful to me.

"Alpha Ryker sent me to find Keiliegh.

Have you seen her?" She asked in a straightforward manner.

Of course. That girl again.

"How am I to know?" I shrugged neatly and walked away from the woman. She gave me a look as if she could see through me, and until I turned a corner, I could hardly breathe.

Once I cemented my place as the one and only true Luna, I would force that old crone into retirement.