Ruby:
“Selene was right. I came at the perfect moment.” The beautiful lady wearing a similar white dress to mine laughed loudly, and a shiver of discomfort ran down my spine as her words sank in. I closed my eyes briefly, trying to quell the frustration rising within me, before running my hands through my hair in embarrassment.
It felt like the universe was conspiring against me, and Ava’s mocking laughter only added fuel to the fire burning in my heart. I shot her a glare, hoping to silence her, but she just smirked back, enjoying my discomfort.
Turning to Damian, my jaw clenched as I watched him stand there like a statue, his eyes locked on the resurrected figure of his dead mate, a look of disbelief etched on his face. I reached out to him, my fingers trembling as I hoped to break through the invisible barrier that seemed to hold him captive.
“Damian, snap out of it!” I yelled with desperation as I fought to get his attention. But he remained unmoved, his gaze fixed on Ava as if she held him in a trance.
I sighed in understanding, empathising with the shock and confusion he must be feeling. It wasn’t every day that one’s dead mate appeared unexpectedly from the land of the dead. Ava noticed my reaction of disappointment, and her laughter grew louder and more mocking with each passing moment, which irritated me to the core.
I was getting pissed off at Damian for just standing there and doing nothing because he needed to snap out of it quickly.
“Enough, Ava. You have no right to be here, disrupting our ceremony.” I snapped my patience, finally wearing thin, but she simply smirked, her eyes glinting with malicious amusement. “Oh, but I think I do,” she replied.
“After all, I’m still his mate, aren’t I?” She smiled, her voice laced with a mix of nostalgia and possessiveness, as she rested her hands lovingly on her chest, her gaze fixed on Damian.
To be honest, the picture did no justice to her beauty, and if not for the bitter truth in her words that I struggled to accept, which was like a punch to the guts, I would have no reason to hate her. However, I tried to remain composed, but the reality of the situation glared at me mockingly. My jaw clenched tighter, and my fists balled at my sides as I thought of a way to grapple with the impossible situation unfolding before me.
“Y-you died,” Damian finally managed to say, his voice trembling. His brows were furrowed in confusion, and his eyes were wide in shock. I could see the conflict waging within him, torn between the past and the present-between duty and desire. But Ava gave him a mocking look, and I refused to let her manipulate him any longer.
“The full moon. It happened yesterday, and that was my main reason for coming.” Selene’s voice cut through the tense atmosphere, interrupting the moment. I turned to look at her in anger and watched as she walked confidently to stand beside Ava, their smirks mirroring each other, and I realised that Selene had orchestrated this disruption deliberately.
It’s clear that she went to great lengths to bring Ava back, all to sabotage my ceremony and assert her dominance over me. I foolishly underestimated a crazy woman in love. I should have seen this coming.
“So, you brought her back from the dead without my permission, even after I warned you,” Damian chuckled wryly, his tone laced with bitterness.
“Yes, I did, and you should be thankful to me for that. I’d rather have you with Ava than her,” Selene retorted, smirking in my direction with a sense of triumph.
“You… fucking bitch!” Damian’s anger boiled over, and he moved as if to grip Selene’s neck. Reacting quickly, I stepped forward, closing the distance between us. I took his hand in mine, squeezing it gently, trying to anchor him back to reality.
“Damian, look at me,” I urged softly but firmly. “They don’t matter. Focus on me, and let’s continue with the ceremony,” I said, meeting his gaze and Slowly, Damian’s eyes shifted from Ava to me, clouded with uncertainty. He gave me a small, apologetic smile, silently acknowledging the chaos of the situation.
Through our bond, I could feel his disappointment in himself and anger at his sister for orchestrating this disruption, but dwelling on it wouldn’t change anything. I refused to let them see that they had succeeded in rattling me. It didn’t matter if she was back from the dead. I was his second chance mate and Luna. Nothing would ever change that.
“You’re right, my Luna. I’m so sorry about them, and I promise to make it up to you tonight,” Damian smirked, his eyes sparkling with mischief as he looked into mine. I blushed at his words, feeling a warmth spread through me, and I reached up to hold his chin, shaking my head in understanding. I was definitely looking forward to tonight.
“What’s the meaning of this, Pearl Moon Pack? Don’t you all remember the face of your real Luna? I’m back, so welcome me, all of you!” Ava’s voice pierced through the murmurs of the crowd, causing heads to turn in her direction. I snapped my neck quickly to look at her, frustration evident in my expression at the interruption, and I let out a frustrated sigh.
“Give me back my crown and title. You are nothing but an imposter who is just here to take my place and steal my man,” Ava demanded, her glare filled with venomous hatred. But I refused to cower in the face of her accusations, standing tall and unwavering.
“You have no right to demand anything from me,” I retorted, matching her hard glare with mine. “You’re the one who should return to the realm of the dead, where you belong.”
“I’m his mate, the mother of his child, and the Luna of this pack. You have had enough time to enjoy what isn’t yours, so don’t be a selfish brat and leave because the real queen is back,” Ava continued, her voice dripping with malice and entitlement.
“You died, Ava. Now quit talking nonsense and go back to the pack house and wait for me. My Luna and I will figure out what to do with you once the ceremony is over,” Damian said firmly, causing me to blush at his words and smirk in Ava’s direction, seeing her face turn red with anger.
I felt a surge of happiness, knowing that Damian had openly chosen me.
“Damian, you bastard! You have no shame after cheating on me. Instead of being on your knees, begging for a second chance, and finding a way to redeem yourself, you’re treating me this way. Don’t you care about our daughter? Let’s go back to the happy family we once were!” Ava’s voice echoed, filled with desperation and anger.
I glanced at Damian, seeing him roll his eyes at her words, which boosted my confidence even more. “He never cheated on you. You died because of your foolishness. Don’t you get it, Ava? He doesn’t need you anymore,” I interjected, my voice firm and resolute as I defended Damian against her accusations.
Before Ava could respond, a group of strange warriors emerged from the shadows, their presence sending a chill down my spine. Their eyes bore into me like a raw piece of meat, and I felt a sense of unease wash over me.
“What the hell? Who let you onto our pack land?” Damian growled, his voice laced with irritation. One of the warriors with dark eyes stepped forward, holding a letter.
“We have a warrant given to us by the council to bring a woman named Ruby immediately to the council for questioning,” the man declared, his tone stern and authoritative.
“Questioning? What are you talking about?” I demanded, my voice trembling with anger and confusion. But the man ignored my question, pressing on.
“Are you Ruby?” he asked, his gaze piercing. I hesitated, refusing to give him the satisfaction of an answer.
“Yes, she is the one,” Selene spoke up, her voice smug as she confirmed my identity. I shot her a glare, feeling a surge of annoyance.
“My Luna asked you a question, and if you’re not prepared to provide an answer, then leave,” Damian intervened, his voice commanding and filled with authority.
“Sorry, Alpha, but she is being accused of being an imposter and threatening the life of the council president,” the man explained, shocking me to the core.
“What?” I gasped, disbelief coursing through me. My gaze shifted to Damian, whose expression darkened with anger.
“How dare you trespass onto my land and spout such nonsense? You must not value your lives,” Damian snapped, his voice filled with fury. The man quivered back in fear, realising the gravity of his mistake.
“We are sorry, Alpha Damian, but we have to do this, dead or alive. Take her,” the warrior with dark eyes instructed, his tone resolute. His men, with their faces impassive, closed in on me. Panic surged through my veins as one of the men held me tightly, his grip unyielding, eliciting a yelp of pain from me.
Suddenly, his hand was ripped off his arm, and I watched in awe as Damian threw the severed hand to the ground like it was nothing. He then moved to grip another warrior by the throat, his eyes ablaze with fury.
“Can you see this, everyone? Your Alpha brought a criminal as a Luna,” Ava yelled to the crowd, which began murmuring again. I couldn’t let Damian’s reputation with his pack be stained because of me.
“Let them go, Damian!” I demanded, frustration evident in my voice as I struggled against the warrior’s hold.
“Your pack is watching you, and I won’t be the cause of why your pack hates you. So please let me go. I will be back after the interrogation.” I begged, and his grip faltered, uncertainty flickering in his eyes as he struggled to comprehend my words. For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath as we stood locked in a silent battle of wills.
“I won’t allow them to disrespect you, be it my pack or anyone else,” Damian declared, his voice resonating with determination as he sneered towards Selene and Ava’s direction. I could feel his instinct to protect me through our bond, and I knew I had to make him let me go the hard way, even if it hurt.