Chapter 22: Chapter 22

"My wedding ceremony is coming soon!" Alpha Damon’s voice boomed across the silent square. He stood there with blood on his face, looking like a king of shadows. "I urge you all to prepare. The day of the Great Moon is not far. Every member of this pack must be ready for the union of the Alpha."

With those final words, he turned around and walked back into the darkness of the palace. He didn't look back at the dead man. He didn't look at me. He just disappeared.

The crowd began to move. People were whispering and walking away, their faces full of excitement for the big party. But me? I couldn't move. My feet felt like they were stuck to the stones. It was like a invisible string was pulling me toward the balcony. I was drawn to the body in a way I could not explain. My heart was beating fast, but not from fear. It was something else. Something hungry.

I started walking toward the stairs. I felt like a puppet and something else was pulling my strings. I reached the balcony where the body was lying in the sun. The smell... oh god, the smell. To everyone else, it probably smelled like iron and death. But to me? The blood smelled pleasant. It smelled like the best perfume or the most delicious food I had ever tasted in my life.

I looked around. No one was watching. I reached out a shaky hand and touched the edge of the man’s neck. My fingers came away wet and bright red. Without even thinking, I brought my fingers to my mouth. I tasted the blood.

I froze. My eyes went wide. Wait... why am I doing this? Why am I tasting the blood of a dead man? But as the liquid touched my tongue, I felt a spark of electricity go through my whole body. It tasted so damn good. It was sweet and warm and it made my head feel dizzy with joy. This was the first time in my life I was experiencing something so crazy. Was I going insane? Was there something deeply wrong with me that I didn't know about?

I couldn't stop myself. I touched the neck again, getting more of the red liquid on my palm. I licked my hand, cleaning the blood off like a hungry animal. Oh my god, I was crazy! I was licking blood right in the middle of the palace square where people were still passing by!

"Luna Amanda!"

I jumped so hard I almost fell over the railing. I heard a voice from behind me. It was no one other than Ava. She was running up the stairs, her face full of worry.

I moved fast. I hid my hand—the one stained with blood—behind the fabric of my dress. I tried to look normal, but I could still taste the sweetness on my lips.

"You left my side so fast!" Ava said as she reached me. She was breathing hard. "I didn't even realize you were gone. Were you shocked? I told you that you would be surprised by the Alpha. That is what happens every single time. He likes to show his power. No one really knows why he is so hell-bent on killing every vampire he finds."

Ava kept talking, but she didn't realize what I had just done. She didn't see the red stains on my dress where I was wiping my hand behind my back. I felt a cold sweat on my forehead.

"Okay... Ava, can you go?" I said. My voice sounded strange and thick. "I just need to be alone for a minute. We will talk later, okay?"

Ava looked at me with pity in her eyes. "Okay, Luna. I understand. You are suffering from trauma. This is probably the first time you have ever seen someone lose their head. It’s a lot to take in. But don't worry! With time, you will get used to the blood. And remember, the Alpha never kills his own pack members. So you don't have to be scared of the sword."

"Okay," I replied. I was trying to stay calm. "Just... run along. I'll catch up to you in the room later."

"Okay, see you soon!" Ava said, and she started walking back down the stairs.

I let out a long breath. I thought I was safe. But as soon as Ava’s head disappeared, I heard the sound of slow, heavy footsteps coming from the other side of the balcony.

I turned around, and my heart dropped. It was Mary. She was walking toward me with a mean, sharp look in her eyes. She looked at the blood on the floor and then she looked at me.

"You thought you could escape from me?" Mary asked. She stepped closer, her shadow falling over me. "You thought you won that little fight on the stage? You think because the bell rang, you are safe?"

She stopped just a few inches away. She leaned in and sniffed the air, her nose wrinkling like a wolf.

"And what exactly are you hiding behind your dress, Amanda?" she hissed. "Why are your hands shaking?

And why do you smell like a fresh kill?"