"WHAT HAPPENED?!"
The kitchen, which was always filled with mouthwatering smells, suddenly was overpowered by a metallic, blood-like stench. Lynette, the Luna of Red Lightning Pack, was gripping a bloody knife tightly, her lips uncontrollably trembling. She couldn't believe what just happened.
She pricked his husband's lover, Thiana.
Her husband Xander, the new Alpha of the pack, burst into the kitchen with the sound of a fiery roar. His eyes blazed when they met Lynette's.
The knife immediately fell from her hand. Fear washed over Lynette.
"Xander, this hurts so much... aah... luna.. she tried to stab me," Thiana said with pain in her bloody belly.
"No... Xander, it wasn't me... it wasn't like you saw." Lynette quickly realized how terrible it was gonna be and tried to grab her husband, but before her fingers reached Xander's arm, he slapped her hard.
Her back violently collided with the marble counter in the corner, causing her to moan and whimper, but Xander didn't give her any attention. He immediately pulled Thiana into his arms.
Lynette wanted to get up and explain again, but Xander’s sister Eva shot Lynette a look full of hate, then turned to Xander. "Xander, I saw Lynette stick a knife into Thiana's belly. I always warned you! This chick from nowhere is a nasty bitch! She's so jealous of Thiana she could hurt her. What are you gonna do about James if something dangerous happens to Thiana?"
“No! Eva! Why you lie?!” Lynette shook her head faster. Ignoring the pain in her back, she quickly grabbed onto Xander's leg, trying to show how sincere she was with her tears.
She pleaded, “Trust me, Xander, thinking over what I did for you all over these three years, please. How is that possible I would hurt Thiana that much? I’m your wife.”
But Xander's gaze turned icy, he kicked her away. The disgust in his eyes seemed like she wasn't his wife of three years but a rugue he hated.
"Guards, lock Luna Lynette in the dungeon right now." Xander commanded in a flat emotionless voice.
"Xander, don't go, please, I didn't hurt Thiana," Lynette pleaded through tears that wouldn't stop flowing. Through her blurred vision, she saw Thiana smirking, as if she'd fulfilled her threat before the Luna ceremony.
‘Lynette! You won't be the Luna of the Red Lightning!’
Maybe, she made it.
Lynette’s head pounded as if she got hit with a sledgehammer, the open cuts on her hands were also hurting, but unlike the unbearable pain that stabbed her heart, Lynette couldn't hold back all the suffering she'd endured and fainted amidst all the chaos and her own blood on the floor of Red Lightning mansion's kitchen.
===
Four hours earlier.
Lynette wiped the cold sweat on her forehead with the edge of her apron, then filled a glass with mineral water and drank it until it was finished.
She shivered and felt all the joints and muscles in her body screaming for rest. However, she couldn't do it, not until the ceremony she had been waiting for was over.
It has been determined that tonight the Alpha of Red Lightning Pack succession ceremony will be held. Lynette's husband, Xander Lee Ryker, will be named successor and become the new Alpha for the Red Lightning Pack. Of course, as his wife, Lynette will be Luna.
Before the ceremony was over, she wouldn't let herself just crumble.
She'd been married to Xander for three years. Even though she wasn't recognized as Xander's wife a single day. Every day, she had to face constant verbal and physical abuse from Xander's mother and sister. She was seen as a slave of the pack, an invisible figure in the family. But whenever she saw Xander's face appear before her, that wounded heart would instantly stop moaning.
Goddess, she could even tolerate another woman in Xander's life. She knew her love had turned her into Xander’s slave, not his wife. But the reason why she was such a fool was that when she was about to be killed by rogues, it was Xander teared off their claws by his strength.
She still remembered that evening, she passed out in the forest, and Xander emerged, glinting in beautiful sunset glow above her head. When he stabbed through the throat of the rouges, the veins on his muscular arm were clearly visible. She felt thousands of butterflies deep inside her stomach. She forgot to breathe until she smelt his rainforest-like scent, and she snuggled into his strong chest and fell asleep.
When she woke up again, she found her wolf in hibernation. She freaked out, when in the midst of panic, Xander suddenly proposed to her. He told her that he needed a Luna. And Lynette was the perfect person.
Silence came between them, and she felt her heart almost give out because of the pounding, and just as Xander was about to turn around with disappointment, she grabbed his arm in rush, telling him ‘Yes’.
Later, she was ushered into alpha's mansion by Xander, she imagined her life was going to be filled with happiness, but she didn’t expect, her nightmare just began.
No way! She couldn't let go of her love for Xander. Maybe if she made everyone at the party remember her today, Xander would see her worth as his Luna. With this thought, she wiped the dishes on her hand even harder.
Since early this morning, she was assigned in the kitchen, she was dying to see how dashing Xander looked in new clothes, she knew that Thiana must be around Xander now, for Thiana was really good at mingling.
She was jealous, but she couldn't say anything, because if there was any chance, their marriage would look more peaceful.
Lynette sighed again, continued to wipe the water stains on the dishes, she need to ensure everything was done before Xander announced her to be the Red Lightning pack’s Luna.
But the just washed dish shattered on the floor because the water stains on it weren't dry yet, clattering as it hit the ground, Lynette wanted to reach for it, suddenly a cloth was thrown in her face.
Followed by it, was her mother-in-law's angry voice. "Lynette! You useless she-wolf, can you actually do anything? You're as dumb as all omega, your mind and behavior are equally retarded! I just don't get why Xander chose to mate with you?!"
The middle-aged lady was standing in the kitchen entryway with her hands on her hips. Her thick make-up couldn't hide her annoyed look.
Lynette quickly swept up the broken dish pieces on the floor, then shuffled towards Gwen. "I-I'm sorry, Mom," said Lynette meekly. "I-I just--"
Slap! Before Lynette finished her words, she received a loud slap in the face.
"Stupid she-wolf!” Gwen snorted harshly, "I'm so annoyed because you're going to become Luna and replace me. I can't imagine what would happen on Red Lightning Pack by having you as the Luna."
Lynette's face instantly had five finger marks, her hair got even more messed up. She took a deep breath, again swallowed the anger down, Xander mustn't like her causing trouble at his ceremony or embarrassing his mom.
Luckily, Gwen stopped scolding at Lynette and left. She knew everything was ready in the kitchen, it was just her habit of making Lynette feel bad, reminding her that even if she was about to be crowned as the pack's Luna, she was still a outsider, not the family member.
Lynette glanced at the clock on the wall, almost twelve o'clock, she had to get ready for the coronation and dress up looking like a Luna.
But when she stepped out from the kitchen, she was blocked by an unexpected person. It was Xander's old flame, Thiana. A year ago, after her husband James, Xander’s best buddy passed away due to a rogues’ attack, Xander brought Thiana to Red Lightning Pack.
From then on, Xander's family showered all their pity love on Thiana, and she threatened Lynette to leave Xander more than once. Although Lynette had told Xander, but Xander thought she was just being jealous, he warned her, if she slandered Thiana again, he would break their bond.
Lynette started smartly keeping quiet, she chose to avoid Thiana. So, what was she doing in the kitchen now? She looked at the minute hand on the wall clock again, it was almost at 12 o’clock, she didn't have much time left.
"Lynette, you're stoked about today's coronation, right? You're gonna be officially introduced to the pack and crowned as Luna of Red Lightning Pack." Thiana approached with a playful grin, at the same time, she picked up a fruit knife from the marble countertop.
Lynette pounded the counter weakly. "What do you want, Thiana? Why do you always bother me?"
"What do I want? ! I want Xander!" Thiana hissed. "You are the piece of shit that stands in my way of Xander and I will get rid of you!"
Lynette was shocked to see Thiana pointing the knife in her hand. She was shivering between the fever that was getting higher and also the feeling of fear that Thiana would act recklessly, kill her so she could have Xander.
However, what happened next made Lynette wide-eyed. Thiana plunged the knife into her stomach and she fell to the floor covered in blood.
Lynette screamed in surprise and grabbed the knife in Thiana's hand. Her attempt to grab the knife injured her hand because Thiana deliberately pushed the sharp object into her hand, then before Lynette realized what was happening, Thiana crawled out of the kitchen and screamed loudly.
"Help! Help me! Xander, HELP ME!"