*Selena*
I saw a woman with an angry expression striding toward us. She wore a knee-length black skirt and a suit jacket, and she seemed unfamiliar to me. Her presence exuded authority, and it was evident that she held a position of power.
“Please, get up. Please!” I gently held the shoulders of the omegas, pleading with them. “Thank you so much for your love, but I am not your Luna anymore,” I smiled meekly, touched by their loyalty.
“Let’s get back to work before we get into trouble. The matron is coming,” I informed them, keeping a watchful eye on the approaching figure.
“What’s going on here, you lazy asses? Listen to me carefully. If dinner is not ready on time, you will all face the consequences,” the lady threatened, her tone stern and imposing.
“We are sorry. We are returning to work quickly,” I replied on behalf of the omegas, urging them to follow me back to their tasks.
“You!” The woman pointed at me, summoning my attention.
“Me?!” I questioned, gesturing to myself with a confused expression.
“Yes, you!” she asserted, her name “Eden” displayed on her badge. “Luna Avery’s butler!”
I walked up to her, trying to maintain composure in the face of her authoritative demeanor.
“Now get some rules straight in your filthy brain,” she scowled. “Don’t attempt to create unions, and don’t instigate anyone here. You are here to work, and you’ll be provided with a list of tasks for the day. If you cannot complete them all, you will face consequences,” she warned, her eyes narrowing with severity.
I nodded, absorbing her message, and she waved me off dismissively.
“Luna!” Lola called out as I entered the kitchen.
“It’s Selena, Lola,” I gently corrected her with a warm smile.
“Errr… Selena!” she blushed, a hint of shyness in her demeanor.
“You don’t have to do anything. I will take care of everything for you. Just let me know, and consider your work done,” she offered sweetly, touching my heart with her kindness.
“Thank you, Lola! That’s very thoughtful of you. But I have to do my work on my own. I need this job,” I replied softly, my eyes appreciating her gesture.
“I understand,” she agreed, her smile still as warm and genuine as ever.
“Where are Zander’s mother and sister?” I asked curiously, realizing that I hadn’t seen them in the pack house since my arrival. Memories of Blair, Zander’s sister, wandering around the pack house flashed in my mind. Unfortunately, Zander’s father, who had never accepted me as his son’s mate, had passed away shortly after our marriage. It was a devastating blow for us all. On his way back to the pack after visiting a neighboring one, he was attacked by rogues and tragically killed. Zander was left devastated, blaming himself for his father’s untimely death.
“The Alpha King has sent his sister for higher studies, and his mother went with her,” Lola informed me.
I nodded, understanding the reasoning behind their absence.
“That makes sense. So, the Alpha King is living alone here with his mate,” I concluded.
“His mate?!” Lola knitted her eyebrows in confusion.
I emphasized, “Your new Luna, Avery?!”
“No, Selena. Avery is not his mate. From what I’ve heard, it seems the Alpha agreed to marry her because the council of elders put a lot of pressure on him to choose a Queen. After all, as per the rules, a King cannot rule alone. He needs his Queen to rule beside him,” she revealed, leaving me stunned.
They had always been so close that it was easy to assume they were destined mates. Nevertheless, the love they shared mattered more than any bond, whether fated or not. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder why fate didn’t pair them as mates when they seemed so similar and connected.
“And Avery is the most suitable bride for him,” I remarked, mulling over the revelation.
Lola nodded, agreeing with my observation.
“Lola, where is Dr. Anderson nowadays? She used to be my doctor. I was thinking of meeting her,” I asked hesitantly, my mind drifting back to the doctor who had once delivered the most wonderful news of my life my pregnancy. I wanted to know why she had never informed Zander about it. If he had known, he would have moved heaven and earth to make me regret running away with his child.
“Dr. Anderson was found dead in her clinic the day you left,” Lola informed me matter-of-factly.
My heart skipped a beat. “What?!” I gasped, horror washing over me.
“No one found out the cause of her death in her clinic. It is still a mystery,” she shrugged, her voice tinged with a mix of uncertainty and eerie acceptance.
Goosebumps prickled on my skin as the chilling reality of this palace sank in. It had always given me eerie vibes, but now, with the news of Dr. Anderson’s unexplained death, the atmosphere seemed even more unsettling.
Behind those thick and tall walls of the packhouse, there seemed to be an abundance of secrets lurking. However, I had no interest in uncovering them. My sole focus was on completing my job and leaving this place as swiftly as possible.
After finishing all the tasks in the packhouse kitchen, everyone retired to their rooms, and I quietly made my way to my assigned chamber. Locking the door behind me, I retrieved my laptop from my suitcase and connected it to the portable wifi. I logged into the dark website, where I communicated with the anonymous user the one who had hired me for a clandestine task.
A message promptly popped up on the screen.
*Have you reached there?*
*Yes.* I replied, and the chat instantly became active, as if the anonymous user was waiting all the time for me to answer.
*When will you start?*
*Tonight.*
*Good.*
I quickly signed off, mindful of the risks involved in prolonged online activity. Avery believed she was doing me a favor by offering me this job, but little did she know that it provided the perfect cover for my true mission hacking into the world’s most secure and powerful security system, the Moonglow pack’s.