Chapter 9 - Beast

As everyone was heading to the supply shed, Lucine was still waiting for Aram, who was talking to some older men. The fact that beta came to talk to her, slightly decreased the discomfort of feeling hated by everyone there. Not that she would care about anyone's opinion, but feeling sharp gazes in her direction wasn't pleasant.

Szafir had also given good advice, which she needed to always bring in her mind. He said Aram was a good Alpha, but that his patience was not known to be infinite. That she'd have more to gain if she didn't test him in clashes and preferably not offer him any more dog food. She smiled as she remembered his relaxed speech. He had given the advice and withdrew, leaving her pensive, moments later she realized that the Alpha was coming to where she expected him. He had a very serious expression, with the countenance closed, not for nothing, the spirits had become very exalted in the meeting.

— Let's go to the supply shed, I have to supervise, and we also need to get our share.

She followed him to the huge wooden building next door, two long lines had already formed and people were removing large boxes with food. Aram led her to a corner of the large warehouse.

— Stay here and try to stay out of trouble, people are stressed and afraid, any spark can be enough for a fire.

— Okay, I swear I'm going to stay here, in this very spot.

He nodded and went towards where the food was being distributed. Lucine was committed to being practically invisible when a confusion started at the beginning of the line. At first she couldn’t figure out what it was about. In a matter of seconds a general disorder set in, some people argued, others pushed each other. It didn’t take long and some began to exchange punches. In the middle of the confusion someone pushed Lucine, who fell on another group of people. She was pushed back and cannot dodge a punch that hit her in the corner of the mouth. Some might think she had only been a victim of the confusion, but she heard well, someone uttering the words "dirty wolf" before being hitted.

With the force of the blow she fell to the ground and was sure that she would be trampled by the angry crowd. When she was on the ground, she heard a deafening and slightly familiar roar, a Lycan who had jumped from somewhere landed beside her, transformed into a beast. The beast threw some men who were closest to her with force against a wall and all the others were scattering cautiously.

Lucine knew it was Aram, not only because she had seen him in the beastly form, but the smell was unmistakable. And he was angry, he stood in front of her like some kind of barrier between her and the crowd. His roar was menacing and he faced the crowd as if challenging someone to attack them.

No man dared turn into a beast either, because the alpha command was clear and left no gaps for contestation. Slowly, everyone was moving away and lowering their heads as a sign of respect.

When the situation seemed controlled, the beast looked towards Szafir and the beta went to her, taking her in his lap and going towards the exit of the shed, the beast quickly left for the other side. Lucine tried to hide her face in the man's chest, she was shaking a lot. She thought that this time she would not survive, until the Alpha came to help her. The beta put her in the car and took her home, he made mention of carrying her again when he opened the door of the truck but she pushed him away.

— It's not necessary, I can walk.

— You're badly hurt, do you need to see a doctor?

She denied it with her head.

— No, the punch just scratched me, it was more of a scare.

— All right, let's go in now.

She looked around when she asked.

—Where did the Alpha go?

— He couldn’t return to human form in front of everyone, his clothes had total loss. Rest assured, in a few minutes he should arrive, I’ll stay with you.

He said, already heading for the front door of the hut. At that moment, a light came on inside the hut and the door opened, presenting a fully dressed Aram.

— Thank you Szafir, you can go now. - He said, sounding short and rude.

The other man didn’t seem very convinced, but he had no choice.

— All right, I’m leaving. If you need me, give me a call.

He turned his back and got in the car to leave.

— Come on, you're going to freeze out there.

The Alpha spoke in a commanding tone and she obeyed. He closed the door and unexpectedly held her face with both hands, examining her closely.

— Are you badly hurt?

— No, just the mouth wound.

He directed his attention to the wound caused by the punch in the corner of her mouth.

— This is going to turn purple, but I don’t believe it's broken anything.

Being in evidence made her uncomfortable, his gaze was intense and seemed worried.

— I'm fine Alpha, but I thought I'd die trampled.

He dropped her, walked towards the living room and fell apart on the couch.

— I also thought, I guess I never turned so fast. Didn’t I tell you to stay out of trouble?

She approached him more, walking towards where he was.

— I don’t know if you noticed, but the confusion kind of came to me.

— Yeah, they must have hit you in the middle of the fight.

She was in doubt if she revealed what she had heard, thought it best to be sincere.

— It wasn’t a coincidence. I heard a male voice call me "dirty wolf" just before they hit me.

He sat with his back straight again.

— So someone took advantage of the situation to attack you! In other times no one would have the courage to do that to a Luna in the Pack, but these are difficult times. I lost a good part of the respect I used to have, getting it back might take some time.

— I understand. - She said simply, lowering her gaze again.

— Understand a fuck! — Aran said, showing a little irritation while speaking the dirty word. — You are my Luna, that was a direct offense. They should have known it was dangerous, I almost couldn’t control the call.

She sat on the couch, not understanding his words.

— What call?

He stared at the ground for a moment in silence before answering.

— Luna 's call. When you were attacked I did what was necessary to help you and I turned into that shed full of women and children. I couldn't behave rationally, I just followed the impulse to protect you above anything else. It could have ended much worse if you'd really been hurt, I think we could have had a bloodbath.

Lucine could see how shaken he was, she got up from where she was and went to sit next to him on the big couch.

— But it's not finished, Aram. No one could predict anything that happened today.

He still seemed immersed in thoughts.

— This had never happened to me, I had only heard of it.

— The call, but I thought you... Well, you once had a wife.

— But unfortunately, when I arrived it was too late for her. And I only realized there was something wrong when I didn’t find her anywhere. No call, no divine help, nothing for me. I only had one body left to bury and no chance to change things.

From the tremors of his body, Lucine realized that he was crying in silence. She couldn't explain it, but she could feel all the guilt, anguish and pain that male carried. These feelings were around him like a gray aura that she could visualize. That was new, it could be her abilities as supreme Alpha, which were finally emerging.

From what Lucine had understood, even if a union was made for convenience, a link was built between the male and the female. Aram didn't want her at all, but he couldn't help but turn and face everyone inside the shed to save her. Maybe that was the way to break free, she would have to learn to use this connection to her advantage.

When she was with the Gammas, she learned that the easiest was always obedience, if she obeyed she got beat less. She should follow the same principle with her husband. He was supposed to believe that he dominated her, and wisely she would exploit that connection between the two.