Lola stood in disbelief staring at the empty spot where Mrs. Blackwood had stood when she gave the order. Lavina was gone since a while back and again, she stood alone in the room that her husband had left her in less than an hour ago.
She leaned back her head and looked at the moldings around the ceiling. In the middle of the roof hung a lamp consisting of a cluster of glass orbs- around the lamp were moldings with beautiful leaves and branches stretching around.
Lola shook her head and dragged her hand over her face, she couldn't stand there forever and also didn't want someone else coming in with more news so she decided to finally move her heavy feet and go for a walk.
She only made it to the hallway when she saw Ash disappear out the door so she followed, figuring that she could hang out with him for a while and maybe receive some helpful advice about Lavina. His company has shown to be a pleasant time consumer these days.
The weather was as it usually is in Wild Cliff, still and cloudy with hints that rain would fall.
She took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air filling her lungs before she searched for him and saw him disappear around the house towards the edge of the hill where the bench was placed.
Lola followed, noting how nobody else was around made her both calm and curious- usually the grounds around the mansion had at least a few people walking about it or gardeners tending to the plants and the flowers.
He was walking down the hill and circling the fence, she hadn't been on that part of the estate before and thought that maybe she should stop and turn back but then again, she thought, it could be good for her to get to know the place better.
As she circled the fence and got closer she started hearing grunts and thuds. Loud panting and kicks of sorts as something whipped against leather.
Lola slowed down and carefully walked closer without being seen. There she saw them on a big open field that couldn't be seen from any road- the warriors dressed in uniform practicing and fighting one another.
She stopped and gawked at the trained men and women, the way their bones twisted painfully only to be pushed into place with a loud crack and then slam another hit towards their opponent.
The kicks could break stone and their punches would kill a human on the spot if ever they were ever unfortunate enough to experience one.
"What's this? Is the faux Luna stopping by to see the people train in case her humanly weak life needs to be protected?"
Lola turned around. The amber-colored hair was strapped in a high-tight ponytail on the top of her head and her hands were placed softly on her hips.
Her sleek figure was model-like, just like most of the girls here. Sleek and fit, all muscle.
The leather uniform hugged her body and she sneered as she looked Lola up and down.
"Hi, I'm Lola," she said and reached out her hand. She tried to disregard the girl's comment and keep it civilized.
The girl lifted her brow and scoffed obnoxiously.
"I'm aware. Knowing who our leaders are is quite important to us."
"Oh come on, Chels, don't be a bitch. She couldn't have known, she's not one of us." Another girl said as she came up beside her friend. She lifted the water bottle to her lips and chugged it down, then she panted after the heavy workout she'd just come from and she put her hand on her hip, pushing it out.
Lola was at a loss for words, trying to regain her composure but instead felt like she was being beaten against the pavement with each word.
"I don't understand the hostility," she said once words would form.
Chelsea laughed maniacally and dragged her ponytail through her fingers.
"How about you do us all a favor and get lost? Let Lavina take her rightful place next to Alpha Jax and we'll have component leaders. Nobody wants you here, little human, Jax and Ash have just denied you the truth, forbidding us to speak of it but you came here willingly so listen up," she leaned in closer, holding a few centimeters over Lola, enough to feel like she was shrinking back, "pack your shit and get lost because if ever we're at war, I'm not protecting your weak ass, nobody here is. You've had your fun fucking Jax and shitting on our traditions, now leave." Towards the end, her tone took on an edge that showed her rage and her eyes glowed yellow. Lola faltered back a step when a growl rumbled from Chelsea's throat and her friend just laughed as Lola shrunk back.
Chelsea's eyes turned back to their green, the growling stopped and she smirked.
"Our Luna ladies and gents," she spat.
Lola's eyes doubled in size when she saw Chelsea's face contort in a grimace as she started to choke. No air was coming out and her eyes were turning red- her arms were stiff at her sides and she was being lifted in the air.
Her friend stepped back with a fear-stricken gaze and her eyes widened as she watched Chelsea being lifted a few inches off the ground before she was dropped, only then could she draw a breath and she tried to fill her lungs as she stood on all fours on the ground.
Ash looked at the body he'd just dropped, his claws extended and bloody. Lola saw the blood oozing from Chelsea's back, just above her tailbone, and had she been human she would be suffering from paralyzation or worse right now.
But Chelsea's back slowly healed under her ripped shirt, her flesh pulled itself together and her friend fell to her knees beside her. Lola watched the blood trickle down Chelsea's side and pool underneath her. Just as the skin was healing itself she noticed a chunk of Chelsea's flesh lying next to Ash's foot and gagged, she raised her hand to cover her mouth and looked away. Ash noticed, he looked down and kicked it away with his foot and watched as it flew down into the grass and Lola could relax.
"Who is she to you, Chells?" He asked while wiping his fingers clean with a napkin.
she looked up, her eyes bloodshot red and her hands drenched in her own blood.
"My Luna," she rasped out.
"And what is the punishment for threatening, harming, or otherwise disrespecting the Luna?"
Lola watched him in awe, he was in control of his tone and his emotions in such a way that it seemed rehearsed.
Every word was carefully chosen with no emotion ringing out as he spoke.
"The punishment is being shunned from the pack,"
Lola looked at Ash, her eyes flickering over his face and she shook her head.
"Or?" He asked.
She looked at Chelsea.
"Death." She answered.
Ash kneeled beside her, he lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes with an impassive glare.
"And which one do you think Jax will choose for you if you ever bitch at her again? Hmm?"
Chelsea's eyes sunk into her orbs and slowly flickered to Lola.
"I'm sorry," she said, genuinely.
He removed his fingers from underneath her chin abruptly and her head fell back.
"Good girl," he said and got up.
Chelsea's friend helped her up on her feet and they walked away. Everyone else who had stopped their practice to watch went back to fighting as though it hadn't happened and Lola realized just how different their cultures were. Here it was normal for a girl to have her back sliced open on the training grounds because she healed and nobody batted an eye- they saw the warning that it was.
"Are you okay?" Ash asked, scanning Lola as if to see if she was injured.
"Yes, thank you," she answered.
Ash stood between Lola and the field of fighting warriors.
"Don't listen to her. Chelsea's a nasty bitch, great in the sack but her personality sucks."
Lola's jaw dropped and she gawked.
"You've slept with her?" She asked, flinging her head and her eyes almost bulging out of their sockets.
"It was a long time ago after a pack event," he turned his head and smoldered at Lola, "I was drunk." He said.
Lola scoffed, unsure of how anyone would want to be with someone who was capable of being that mean.
"What was her excuse?" She said jokingly.
"She was horny." He said with a wink. "Follow me, I'll show you around."