"I did as you asked, Luna,"
The mousy little Omega stood in front of Mandy, trembling in fear. She had already been beaten for not getting information for her, so she hoped that Mandy would be satisfied with what she had to tell her.
"Finally. I hope it is worth my waiting," Mandy said. Her frustration had grown to a boiling point. Kenneth's recent behavior had left her feeling uneasy and resentful. He was evasive, secretive, and had been avoiding her like a plague. The joy she had anticipated during the attack had been shattered by Kenneth's refusal to engage with her.
"It is, my Luna. I have found out the reason why Alpha has been acting so weird," the Omega stated.
"Stop wasting time and speak then. What have you learned? Tell me what you have learned," Mandy questioned. She had hoped that the chaos of the attack would be the catalyst for them to unite, to revel in the ensuing power and control. Instead, Kenneth had retreated into his study, leaving her to wonder what was truly transpiring behind those closed doors.
Unable to tolerate his aloofness any longer, Mandy sought out one of the pack's omegas, a discreet and obedient member of their community. She had a request that she hoped would unveil the secrets that Kenneth was harboring.
The omega hesitated, her fear palpable. "I saw... I saw a fight, Luna. A violent one."
Mandy's heart raced, dread gnawing at her. "A fight? Who was involved?"
The omega swallowed hard. "It was Matthew. He assaulted Lily, and Alpha Kenneth intervened. He... he killed Matthew's wolf. He injected him with something and then, I could no longer smell his wolf before he fell unconscious. The warriors are dragging him away now."
Mandy's eyes widened in shock, her mind racing to comprehend the implications of this revelation. "Why would Kenneth do such a thing? What would drive him to that?"
The omega shook her head, her voice trembling. "I don't know, Luna. I couldn't hear their words. I only saw the violence."
Mandy wasted no time. She had to confront Kenneth, demand answers, and understand the darkness that seemed to have consumed him. She made her way to his study, determination etched in her features.
Pushing open the door, she found Kenneth sitting behind his desk, his expression cold and unyielding. "Kenneth, we need to talk," she demanded, her voice tinged with frustration.
Kenneth's gaze met hers, and there was no warmth or affection in his eyes. "I do not have time for this, Mandy."
"You will make time. You have been avoiding me since your daughter returned and now I have heard you mortally wounded her mate. What are you thinking? We were to take ownership of Grey Blood pack not start a war," Mandy retorted.
Kenneth sighed and said, "That does not concern you anymore."
"Excuse me?"
"You are no longer a priority for me, Mandy. You are no longer useful, so go back to your room," Kenneth responded.
Mandy blinked in confusion, her anger momentarily forgotten. "Don't you dismiss me. You owe me an explanation."
Kenneth leaned back in his chair, his tone devoid of emotion. "I owe you nothing. I gave you everything you wanted. You forget who and what you are, so let me remind you. You were nothing more than a stand-in until I found a proper Luna for my pack."
Mandy scoffed, incredulous at his words. "I am the Luna of this pack. I've made sure to prove that."
Kenneth's frown deepened. "If I had known that Abigail was a red wolf, you would have simply remained the slut from a rival pack. You wouldn't have been fit to be my concubine."
Mandy laughed bitterly, her heart aching with betrayal. "Well, too bad. It's a little too late for regrets now. I am your Luna and you will accept that."
Kenneth's gaze turned colder, his voice cutting like a blade. "No, I actually do not. The Moon Goddess has blessed me with Lily. She will be my Luna."
"Are you insane? She is your daughter!" Mandy exclaimed, trying not to dry heave.
"She is not my daughter. She is the daughter of an Omega that I killed a long time ago," Kenneth explained.
Mandy frowned. "No. You can not. We have a mate bond. You are my Alpha and I am your Luna. Are you truly going to give up what we had?"
Kenneth's face relaxed, but his voice still cold. "We had nothing. Are you even listening? You were never fit to be a Luna. You were simply a power hungry whore. I didn't recognize it initially, but you never took your Luna duties seriously. I have done everything to simply have a trophy Luna. I deserve more, my pack deserves more."
"That is all a lie. I have helped. I have done more than that bitch, Abigail, ever did," Mandy snapped.
"Don't you dare say her name. She was a proper Luna unlike you," Kenneth growled.
"I refuse to allow this to happen," Mandy said. "I will never relinquish my role as Luna." Kenneth snarled, lunging at Mandy. They fought viciously, but Kenneth got the upperhand, slamming Mandy into the coffee table. He kneeled over her, gripping her neck. Mandy remained still as she felt his claws dangerously close to her jugular.
"Good try, Mandy, but you have no control here. You have no choice," Kenneth chuckled. He ran his claw up and down her throat, pressing slightly down until a bead of blood bubbled up under his claw. "I could snap your neck right now and no one would bat an eye."
"Kenneth, please," Mandy pleaded, earning a smirk from Kenneth.
"That's a good girl," Kenneth said as he released her and stood up.
"I thought you loved me," Mandy muttered.
"That was your mistake. You will keep your mouth closed and fall into place or be thrown out of the pack. Since you are a good lay, you will remain my concubine. You should be happy for the honor."