Chapter 26 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
ZARIA’S POV
I kept replaying his words in my head “The Luna is pathetic, Clumsy, and weak” How can he do this to me? How Can he call me that?
A lot of questions roamed around my head, ones I couldn't give answers to, making my stomach roll and my mouth run dry.
I wrapped myself in the bed, soaking the pillow with my tears, I turned my head to Elara, who silently patted my hair.
She has been like a mother to me, sometimes I feel my mother sent her to me to ease the pain in my chest, the lump in my throat.
“I went to see Max,” Elara stated but I didn't respond.
I don't want to hear his name, because it always brings me pain that I can't explain.
“Don't tell me,” I said in a sob.
Elara pushed my hair to the side, so I could face her.
“You can't cry here all day!” Elara sat up a little, drawing me into her arms.
“I’ve tried not to cry numerous times,” I said, with a shake of my head before looking up at her.
“You need to eat,” Elara said, pushing the tray to my lap.
She brought the food a while ago, but I was in no mood to eat, not right now that my life is in danger and I have no best friend nor husband.
I would surely get a punishment for making the moonflower touch the floor, but there would be no punishment greater than losing your best friend.
I frowned at Elara, before taking the plate from her.
I pushed the potatoes around my plate. In truth, the meal was wonderful, but I couldn't take another bite. Since yesterday, nausea has been rolling through me in waves and the thought of eating has not crossed my mind
The thought of Max’s face annoyed me, he thinks I was born and bred to just be his stoolfoot because he the Alpha
He might be right to some extent, but that's not my sole existence.
I'm so much more than a pawn in this little game he is playing, and I intend to show it, one way or the other.
"Is there a problem with the food?" My eyes latched onto Elara’s wrinkled face. Whatever answer I give won't be good enough, She knows this as much as I do, and yet she is still asked.
I cleared my throat. "It's fine. Thank you. I'm full, that's all."
His eyes narrowed on me. "You've barely anything,” she said softly.. "Eat please"
I gave her a slight nod, before cutting the vegetables. Each mouthful was filled with anger, fear, and pain. The uncertainty of my existence began to crawl in, what if my punishment is death!
Elara wiped the corners of my lips with a napkin. “Would you like some dessert, Your Grace”
I have instructed Elara to call me by my name when we are alone, but she blatantly refused.
“No Elara,” I said, faking a smile.
Just in that moment, the door burst open and Max walked in with fear on his face.
I tried not to care about it, I tried to ignore the fear I saw in his eyes, but it was futile. I felt a different kind of panic in my chest.
“I would excuse you two,” Elara bowed, before leaving us alone.
The smell of his cologne filled the room, putting me in a chokehold.
I didn't know whether it was his cologne or just his presence that kept me in a chokehold.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, diverting my attention from him to the window.
He stepped closer to me, but I stepped back, putting a reasonable distance between us
“Who made you trip?” he replied to my question with a question, he asked like he cared.
“That is none of your fucking business” I hissed harshly, folding my arms underneath my breast.
His nose flared, and his hands formed into a fist, “WHO!” he growled with his voice dark and loud.
I jolted in shock, he is fucking asking me that? After making me the laughing stock in the hall.
Hate bubbled inside me, and more. So much that I could barely contain it.
“It doesn't matter” I responded, not wanting to put Gwen in trouble, that would tarnish her dream of being the Luna.
He stepped forward, “It fucking matters!” he growled aggressively, but I wasn't frightened.
“No, it doesn't. What matters is that your pathetic wife is going to face a fucking punishment, so whatever you are thinking about doing to the person, abort it!” I said, coldly. I had no intention to elongate the conversation.
His expression turned into guilt, he could not look at me again, so he shifted his gaze to the floor.
“About that, I'm sorry,” he said, with his head tilted sideways.
I burst into a round of laughter, making him confused.
“Don't say what you don't mean!” I scoffed, raising my head, so we stared at each other.
“Tell me,” Max pressured, with his voice low.
He placed his hands on my shoulders, massaging me gently.
I pushed his hand away and shoved past him. “I refuse to let you hurt anyone I care about, Max.”
His body jolted in shock. “Care?” His temples tightened, his irregular breathing would have been palpable if the air wasn’t so thick with danger right now.
“Yes, care,” I snapped back at him as I picked up a discarded bra from the floor and place it in the laundry basket.
I turned back at him, his eyes were fixed on me, and his face lacked expression, I could not read through him.
“Your punishment has been decided, “ he said, allowing the argument earlier to die down.
My hands trembled when I heard that, my feet became unsteady, and the lump in my throat grew.
“What was their decision?” I asked, acting nonchalant about it, even though every cell in my body gives a shit.
“You are supposed to fight the beast and get the moonflower,” He said, and immediately I felt light-headed and weak.