Chapter Six. Authority

Ruby

"I command you to let me in," I declared, using the authority of Luna's voice. Liam might have rejected me as his mate, but I was still Luna and his equal, with only him having the ability to stop me.

A visible struggle played out on the faces of the warriors as they exchanged wary glances, torn between loyalty to their alpha and the undeniable power vested in my words.

I felt bad for placing them between a rock and a hard place, as they were probably only following instructions given to them by their alpha, but I was also caught between a rock and a stone myself.

I can't believe Liam kicked me out of our pack, which we had ruled together for fifteen years.

I was fucking tired, mentally, physically, and emotionally, and the journey back to Liam's pack was excruciatingly exhausting. Each passing moment filled me with anticipation and uncertainty.

I was weak and unable to transform into my wolf, so I had to lean on Andrew for support, who had carried me on his back after transforming into his wolf, running under the moonlight.

We had decided to travel in the early hours of the morning, and after four hours of travel, we reached the gates of the pack, only to be confronted by the pack warriors who barred our entry.

"I said, let us in," I repeated, my voice carrying a mix of exhaustion and determination.

The exertion of using Luna's voice left me feeling drained, but the urgency of the situation spurred me on not to give up. Andrew, standing beside me, exchanged a glance with one of the warriors, who had a bulky appearance and was twice his size.

"Rot, this is Luna Ruby, our Luna. We once swore to be loyal to her, and right now she deserves to be heard, so let her in," he urged, his words commanding but not as powerful as mine since he was also an ordinary pack warrior like them.

Rot stepped forward, his gaze challenging but wavering. I knew him to be a man of few words, as he was also the leader of the pack warriors, and his goal was to be the gamma of the pack, so why should he disobey his alpha for me?

"We can't just let anyone in, even if she claims to be Luna. She was rejected by the alpha, and besides, we no longer recognise her as Luna; we have another," he argued,his tone laced with dismissal while the rest of the warriors had a conflicted expression.

The pain in my heart deepened as I processed his cruel words, which acted like a merciless blow. The rejection, not only by Liam but now echoed by the very pack I once led, felt like a heavy weight pressing on my chest.

Knowing that they refuse to acknowledge me as Luna, coupled with the realisation of another taking my place, intensified the ache within me. I felt abandoned and betrayed by the harsh reality of a life unravelling before my eyes.

"Alex is alive, my son is alive, and I just want to let your alpha know that his son is alive," I yelled, desperation creeping into my voice in hopes that it would get them to listen, but they all stood there unbothered, like I was disbursing their peace and life.

I felt disappointed that the news of my son's existence failed to stir empathy in their hearts, deepening the profound sense of isolation that clung to me in that moment.

I had no choice but to manipulate them.

"I need to see Liam and set things right. Please let me in." I pleaded this time using my motherly Luna's voice.

Even the strongest of all men would be shaken and could never resist, and right now it was working as tension hung heavy in the air and the warriors communicated among themselves, their eyes shifting from black to red, which indicated that they were fighting their wolf back from obeying me.

If I didn't get to Liam, then I wasted my time coming here, and my quest for answers would remain unanswered.

"You don't expect me to sign my resignation as Luna while standing in front of the gate, do you? Why then did your alpha invite me to come?" I questioned, my voice a blend of frustration and exhaustion.

The warriors exchanged uneasy glances as they looked up to their leader, Rot, to give them the command. I could see vividly my motherly Luna's voice taking effect on them, as it had a softer tone that was penetrating into their hearts despite their resilience.

"Allow us passage, even if just to the pack center. She needs to address this matter properly. Your Luna is tired and weak," Andrew pleaded, stepping forward.

I never expected my journey back to Liam's pack to become an unexpected battleground, not just of physical barriers but also of emotional and political complexities. Why then did he send for me only to keep me standing like a stranger at the gate? Did he truly not want me anymore?

It was embarrassing to have to introduce myself to them.

"He is right; she is still our Luna until she officially resigns," a light voice said, driven by loyalty and a glimmer of sympathy.

I let out a sigh of relief, smiling at the young warrior in thankfulness, who took a step towards the gate, preparing to open it. However, before he could reach it, the air shifted, and the atmosphere grew tense.

A figure emerged from the shadows—I immediately recognised her as the woman Liam had brought in while I lay dying on the hospital bed.

I felt an air of dark energy around her as she moved with a predatory grace, her eyes flashing with a dangerous intensity I had never seen before. The young warrior froze in fear, and I could tell he was caught between his loyalty to me and the looming threat before him.

"No," I screamed, my voice filled with desperation and horror just as Liam's new woman lunged at the warrior, teeth bared.

A gut-wrenching scream erupted from the mouth of the warrior as she severed his left hand with a gruesome bite, ripping it out and throwing it to the ground like it was nothing.

 "Stop!Please, don't!" My pleas were drowned out by the gut-wrenching scream that echoed through the night.

The metallic scent of blood hung in the air, a stark reminder of the consequences the young, innocent man had to face for his disobedience, leaving me feeling lifeless.

"Stop, please! He was just trying to help!" I begged, my voice strained with the agony of witnessing such brutality, and I kept banging on the gate in hopes that it would break and I would come in to assist the man, but it was all in vain.

Tears filled my eyes as I watched him crumple to the ground, writhing in pain, his loyalty to me costing him a brutal punishment, while the gate remained closed for me to at least run and help him.

"That's what you get for disobeying me," she smirked evilly while looking at me.

"There's only one Luna in the diamond pack, and that's me—not this slut and disgusting woman who cheated on your alpha and has now brought disgrace to the pack. I hope I have made myself clear."

"Yes, Luna Lilith," Rot and his other warrior's bowed in union as fear reflected in their eyes, and no one dared to help the warrior who was lying in the pool of his own blood, screaming in pain.

The chilling atmosphere bore witness to the ruthless authority she wielded, leaving me surrounded by a sense of dread and helplessness in the face of this new world created by Liam's stubbornness.

Lilith was not Luna. She was a beast. A she-devil.

I can't believe Liam rejected me for a beast.