Chapter 2 Chapter 2
Sophia's POV
"You've got it, Luna. That's me," Lila mimicked with a smug grin upon her lips.
Her face was now unrecognizable from the innocent, begging look at the banquet as she looked down at me with hatred in her gaze.
Her hair was no longer a lovely chestnut shade, but at this very moment the color had altered to a bold shade of red.
Fuck! Was Lila really a witch?! The red wine! She must have spiked the red wine with some poison just now and made me sick.
"What are you doing? What do you want from me?" I questioned feebly in a vain attempt to get to Zyra.
Obviously, the poison had its effect on her too, for I could no longer reach her.
I hated to admit it, but there was nothing I could do. I was completely vulnerable to Lila.
"Pitiful Luna, I bet you never thought that something like this could happen to you, did you?" Lila snorted as she drew a dagger from the holster beneath her arm and waved it tauntingly in my direction.
"Don't do this, Lila. If you kill me, Marcus will never forgive you."
Lila laughed, throwing back her head, shaking with laughter.
"Ah, you're too funny. Perhaps you should have been a comedian instead of Marcus's Luna."
she said as she wiped a tear away from the corner of her eye and sneered down at me once more, the hatred burning in her eyes, "I am Marcus's fated mate, not you. Everything that you had, now belongs to me."
She hissed as she pressed the tip of the dagger to my face, allowing it to pierce the skin on my face.
I could sense my skin splitting painfully beneath the pressure, and the slow trickle of blood that was running down my face, but I was too weak to even lift my arms to shove her away.
"I’ll tell you something else, Miss Sophia Brown, the relationship between Marcus and me … oh, everyone knew," she smiled cruelly as I felt my heart shatter, "His Beta, all the pack members … they’ve known in ages. It was only you that had no idea."
The toxic smile and venom in her speech shattered my heart at the same moment that she lifted the dagger above her head with a wicked glint in her eye.
As I understood what she was planning to do, a chill wave of terror hit me and I looked at her with wide eyes and disbelief all over my face as she drove the kind deep, through the skin of my chest and breaking my rib as the frozen steel went in through my heart.
"Everyone you loved, everyone you cared about left you for me, Sophia."
The incredible sight in front of me seemed to dissolve and I found myself numb.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would die like this.
The fury burned brightly inside of me at the injustice of it all and I swore that if the Moon Goddess would just give me one more chance, I would make sure that both Marcus and Lila would pay for their betrayal with their lives.
I had found myself walking aimlessly in a forest shrouded in mist, with no clue which direction I should be heading.
Without warning a blinding light filled the forest in front of me, piercing through the fog and chasing it away as its gentle rays danced across my face.
Was I dead? Was this the afterlife?
I walked towards the light with my arm outstretched, straining to touch it but suddenly, a loud noise seemed to explode in my ears.
"Luna! Please, it's time to wake up!"
"What?" I yelled in surprise as I sat bolt upright in my bed in an all too familiar room. I looked at Omega Amy in front of me in disbelief, whilst I tried to wrap my head around what was happening.
"I'm so pleased you're finally awake, you were sleeping like a log!" she chuckled., "There's still a lot to do today in preparation for your third wedding anniversary tomorrow with Marcus, not to mention the preparations that need to be made for the banquet."
"Hold up… What? Are you telling me the banquet is tomorrow and not today?"
"Well, yes, don’t you know? " don’t you remember?”
I reached up and pressed my hand upon the spot on my chest where the dagger had been driven so deeply, but I could see no wound.
Had it all been a dream, the whole business?
I leapt out of bed and went straight to my desk, pulling my diary from the drawer.
Such a diary was essential to the carrying on of my everyday life.
I documented my mood on a daily basis and provided a brief overview of the day, and I also noted down major events and meetings I attended on behalf of the pack so I wouldn't forget anything.
Each morning I did a list of what I had to do that day.
I looked at the page where the list I so clearly remember writing as soon as I woke up the day before my anniversary should have been, but there was nothing there, a blank page.
Bewildered, I backtracked to the entries of the previous day but they were what I'd remembered.
Was it possible I’d actually had my wish granted by the Moon Goddess?
Foolishly, already knowing how this was going to end this time was different this time, I trailed Amy to the banquet preparations while Lila and Marcus embracing flashed endlessly in my mind. Her last parting words to me rang painfully in my ears.
"Everyone you loved, everyone you cared about left you for me, Sophia.”
Had it just been a dream or had it actually happened? If it was just a dream, then why did the pain in my heart feel so real?
“ My dear pack members let me welcome all of you here today and give you my thanks for coming on such short notice. So proud to be able to officially say today is the day my fated mate Lila walks into our pack. I believe that both Lila and Luna Sophia would be given the same respect.”
The feast went on just as in my dream and Marcus gave his speech
Was it possible that the Moon Goddess had heard my call for justice and in truth blessed me with a new life?
"Sophia! Sophia!"
"Yes... is that you Kira?"
"Oh thank the goddess that I can finally talk with you again”
" Kira, what the hell is going on We..." I couldn’t even get out a complete sentence without stammering in disbelief.
"Listen my dear, I am as surprised as you are, but the one thing I know is that we have died once. You weren’t dreaming."
"Then why didn't you answer me when I called for you?"
"Becuase of that whore! Be very cautious, Sophia.”
Before I could think anything, Marchs, pushed Lila this time towards me.
“Sophia, this is Lila. I feel awful but I have to confess.. I found my true mate.”
With a watchful eye, I witnessed as Lila took the glass of wine resting on the table and strolled over to me in a queen like manner, she carried herself with respect whatever reason it was.
"My Luna, please take pity on me and allow me to live under your roof. Please, let me show you my appreciation with this glass of red wine."
I peered into the glass in front of me as I took it carefully, squinting and scrutinizing the liquid within, but it looked just like ordinary red wine.
There were no obvious signs of it having been tampered with and if it wasn't for the fact that she had already killed me with this trick previously, I would never have suspected that there was such a potent poison contained within.
I shook my head and pushed the glass back into her hand.
“ No. You've already sullied this glass with your filthy hands, I am not drinking it."
Lila was as though frozen for a split second, as if my refusal to cooperate knocked her in the head, and for that one tiny breath of time a flicker of anger crossed her face. In the next moment the anger was gone, and into that innocent, pitiful expression which she faked so well, joined by the tearful eyes.
"You’re right, Luna. I am way beneath you in rank, I should not have…"
"That’s enough Lila. You don’t have to apologize," Marcus said softly, then turned with a scowl directed at me, "Watch your tongue, Sophia!"
I was so disgusted with this two-faced little bitch! Had I not known better I would have been totally fooled by this “kind, gentle, and vulnerable” mask she was now wearing.
I scowled at Marcus, and was prepared to snap back with something biting, when Lila abruptly took the glass to her lips as she looked at me with the slightest hint of a smile on her face and drinking what must have been mine, the red wine that I had offered her a moment ago. I blinked at her in disbelief.
This time, did she not poison the wine?
Lila fell to the ground coughing up blood in seconds and I took a step back horrified as stunned gasps erupted all around.
Marcus was by her side in an instant with a panic stricken expression etched onto his handsome features.
"Lila! What happened?!"
As Lila sank into Marcus's arms, she looked at me with the perfect imitation of misery written all over her, her bottom lip trembling as she spoke.
"Luna, I really didn't want to destroy your marriage... why would you do this to me?!"
Marcus's head whipped round to face me
and his eyes held my gaze in an icy fury.
He pulled Lila closer into the shelter of his arms as his eyes narrowed menacingly.
"Guards! Detain Luna and take her to the dungeon!"
"Marcus?!”