Eero’s perspective
“Icy-blonde used to be a unique trait for females who belong to the Xerxes clan,” Cielo said while running her fingers on my hair.
“Are you saying that I could be from that clan too? And you're just telling me this now?” My forehead knotted as my heart had skipped a beat at the idea that crossed in my head.
Cielo smiled at me, and then shook her head. “Back in Regulus and the three kingdoms, icy-blonde is considered a unique trait of female Xerxes. If a female has a hair like yours but didn't grow up in Regulus or the three kingdoms, it's most likely that she is a long-lost member of the family. A bastard, but still part of the family.”
Cielo stopped raking my hair and looked me in the eye.
“But when baby Claudius and I set foot here after sailing from Regulus for months,” A sadness curved in her lips, “I found that, unlike back home, icy-blonde is common to both men and women here. So no, Luna. I don't think you're a Xerxes; neither your parents.”
“Let's go down? We shouldn’t keep them waiting for long.” Cielo led the path.
“Why am I sad at the fact that there's zero chance of me being part of that influential and powerful clan?” Something inside of me got hurt.
Still I shook my head. “I need to get over this petty obsession towards the Xerxes. Now that Claudius is not being blood-related to them, their bloodline must be long gone.”
I then put on a smile after setting foot at the reception for my mating ceremony.
“What took you so long? I thought I'll need to come to you myself,” he said after excusing himself to one of the men he was talking to. I knew that he was talking with an Alpha of a small pack, a friend of his, but I just couldn't remember his name.
“Soleil needed time to treat my wound. How about yours? Did you get it treated?”
He showed me his palm. No signs of any medicinal herb, not even a bandage.
“Where is Caspian? Isn't his job to treat your wound?” I asked with concern. “Never mind. Let me do the job.” I decided to treat his wound with my ability, but got stopped.
“Not in front of everyone. Besides, these wounds we got from the mating ceremony are supposed to heal on their own.”
“Alpha Claudius…" Another male approached. By the crest on his chest, I could tell that was an Alpha too.
“And Luna Eero,” he greeted me. I sized him up, and then figured out why he looked so familiar.
“You used to be Red Moon Pack's Beta, right? You're Leo? The one who challenged Cohen—”
“And effortlessly took the right to rule over the pack.” He took up the theme and continued, “Did you know that you being a breeder of Alpha Claudius while you were still mated with Cohen played a giant part in my victory?” He asked me.
“Every time you and Alpha Claudius fuck, Cohen's wolf gets weaker. By the time of his enthronement as an Alpha, it was easy for me to defeat him.”
Leo reeked of alcohol. He must have had too many drinks. If he was sober, he'd never say these words to me.
My wolf could feel Claudius’ anger, so I intertwined my hand with his.
“Let this one slide, darling. He is drunk. He doesn't even know what he is talking about,” I said through mind link. Claudius remained angry, but calmed a bit after I tighten my grip on his hand.
“I’m glad that you've graced us with your presence, Alpha Leo,” I said.
I was about to drag Claudius away from the drunken Alpha when Leo said something that even my wolf felt insulted and angry too.
“You used to be the most pitiful she-wolf in pack and sold as a breeder. Now you’re marrying the most powerful Alpha of Blood Moon Pack, and even have a chance to become a Luna Queen if he ever wins that battle with Alpha King Codrus. I wonder what that feels like.” Leo smiled, unaware of what was about to come for him.
“I wonder how good of a whore you are, Eero. I would have loved it if I had fucked your pussy at least once,” he said.
He was too loud that the whole reception fell silent.
“Of course, I’m just kidding, Luna Eero. It's just a joke.” Leo looked around and then snorted a laugh.
“Cut off that bastard's tongue!” Beta Caspian shouted at Logan, but before Logan could come close to Leo, Claudius had attacked him first.
He tackled Leo to the ground and dug his heart out. I saw his heart still beating in the hand of Claudius. And then he dropped it to the ground, stepping on it.
“Cutting his tongue won't be enough to atone for his sins,” he said.
“Send someone to Red Moon Pack. Tell the pack members that their Alpha is dead and every one of them belongs to Blood Moon Pack now,” he ordered to Beta Caspian.
I looked down on Leo's heart and his lifeless body. Yet I felt no fear. Satisfaction was all that swirling in my chest.
My eyes roamed around, and I found Soleil vomiting at what had happened. She was one of the few members of this pack who would never get used to how ruthless and violent Claudius could be.
“It's our mating day, Eero. If you're going to get mad at me for what I did to the fucker, save it for another time. I would rather not fight with my mate—”
“Thank you for defending my name and honor,” I said, cutting him off.
“You are not mad?”
“No. Leo deserved it. We let him slide a few times. He had it coming.”