CHAPTER FOURTEEN

RYAN

Murdering a wolf has never crossed my mind until these past months.

I can’t just help but wonder if he will struggle against my grip. Will he shift to fight me back? Will his pathetic pack wipe over the loss of their pathetic Alpha?

I see red as I grind my chin. My thoughts are filled with all things bloody, things that align with his murder.

I had been doing what I do best.

Just watching.

Till I saw that lone tear run down her face. Her pretty pretty face.

Then I pledge to myself. It is more of an oath that I plan to keep.

Even if I bleed.

He will pay.

RILEY

Maybe, I had hurt my head at childbirth, or my doctrines have been built by the weirdest occurrences, but all along in events in my life, I have realized that the way most reacted to things was far from mine.

One certain day, during my early years of serving Stefani’s parents, an accident that ended up making me sleep in the chicken cage for two nights took place.

I was new to the activity of raising chickens, so I knew almost nothing of the chore. Then my harmless ignorance became harmful to one of the chickens, as I stepped on it, mistakenly, and broke its both legs.

In panic, I took the hurt chicken to Stefani’s Ma and told her, in all truth, what had happened.

Her reply that day, made me feel weird.

“And you came to tell me that?” she had shouted with a red face.

And then I was told to sleep with the chickens to learn their ways and as well nurse the harmed chick.

It was very much later that I realized that she had no idea how many chickens she owned. So if I hadn’t told her of that, she wouldn’t have even noticed its absence.

But I would still do what I did if that day is replayed, as after spending two nights in the cage with the chickens, and watching them closely, I learnt how the lived and became an expert in raising healthy chickens.

I was determined to learn.

Now?

I am determined to change Jude’s mind about me.

Yes, I admit that those words I heard hurt me. A lot. But I have been wired to get motivations from being rejected. If I am abused, I’ll do better, to become better.

I did that wiring myself from experiences, so it holds a lot of strength and won’t be broken easily.

Jude’s words are not my motivation. He, my strong handsome husband, my Alpha.

He is my motivation.

And I will get better for him.

“You want to know what men dislike?” there is surprise in Theresa’s eyes and voice.

I nod attentively.

I had asked her that, breaking the thick silence that hung between us as she cooked. I am tired from doing nothing all day and even now, I sit doing nothing as I have learnt to no longer offer to help Theresa, as though she might obliged, she does very little to hide her disdain of the act.

Today, being a week after I heard…well, Jude. A week since I have set my eyes on him. A week. And now I feel ready to act on my plan to make him fall for me.

And I have no close human contact that could help with ideas apart from the wide eyed girl sitting in front of me at the other side of the fire.

“Why do you want to know that? You are the Luna, which means you have the Alpha all to yourself. Or… never mind.”

I take it that way and don’t persuade her to speak on it, as I have a feeling I won’t like what she has to say. So I remain quiet.

Regarding her question, I wanted my husband to want me. But this would, even at the point of death, never fall out of my mouth.

I have never heard of mates that fought for each other’s love. They just meet, look into each other’s eyes and fall head over heels for each other. That’s how it’s meant to be.

But not for me.

I have to struggle for everything. Even my husband’s love.

I had thought that this was my own gift from the Moon Goddess.

Was I wrong?