Lucy’s POV
No.
This wasn’t the plan at all. I never planned to put my own people under public scrutiny. But my mouth moved too fast for my brain, and now I was facing the consequence of that action.
I didn’t know for certain that no one from Bloodbath could have been the killer, but we were already enslaved and watched over like hawks. Would one of us really have been so willing to risk their own life?
No man had made it out of the pack with us, but what if out of all the rubble and flames, some people had actually made it out and were looking for a way to avenge the pack?
No, it was just mere conjecture. I could only protect those I knew about, who were the young women that had also been brought here with me as well after that terrible raid. We were already discriminated against because of our status as slaves to the Moongrowl pack, we couldn’t be branded as potential murderers as well. The only thing that would accomplish was making our situation even worse.
Once Ahmad made the suggestion, it took all I had in me to not express my fear and shock at his words. I could only ask why he decided to start from there, and he told me, “They have been slaves to us for a very long time. Maybe they hunger for a taste of freedom.”
The meeting ended soon after that, and I left for my room, making sure to avoid looking at anyone lest they caught a glimpse of my inner turmoil.
I had been so lost in thought that I didn’t quickly notice that I was being trailed by someone until he grabbed me by the arm and pulled me into my room.
I jumped around wildly and threw my fist even if I hadn’t gotten a clear view of my target.
Shaun stopped my fist with a hand, smirking. “Do you really think that’s going to hurt me? If I wanted to I’d have ripped you apart already.”
I tried to pull my hand away, but his grasp was too strong, even if it looked as easy as breathing to him. “Why don’t you try it?” I hissed, feeling irritated by the way the warmth emanating from his body felt a little . . . pleasant. My brain started to fill up with that strange sudden fog again, and thinking clearly became difficult.
“Oh, believe me, I would love to,” he dropped my arm, “but that wouldn’t be as fun as tormenting you.” His eyes dropped to my clothes again, and his lips twitched. “You know, for someone who claims to not be a whore, you sure a doing a great job at contradicting yourself.”
“Did you just come here to insult me?”
“No, actually, but this is more fun. Fucking my father must have been so good that it messed up your brain, because why then do you keep trying to hard to be seen as more than what you really are?”
I clenched my fists, feeling my belly boil with rage. If I was actually a killer, he would have been dead already.
“You’re just a pretty-face, nothing more, and nothing less,” he said, lowering his voice.
A devilish thought crawled into my head, and I didn’t push it away this time. I gave him a smirk of my own, “Then why were you looking at me back then like you wouldn’t mind fucking me too, hmm?” Two could play this game. I pressed a finger into his chest and brought my face very, very close to his. So close that the heat of his breath kissed my face. “If you find me so disgusting and repulsive, why then did you follow me all the way to my bedroom? Are you hoping that perhaps I’ll show you the same thing that made your father crazy about me?”
I watched his pupils dilate a little. I had stayed around a sex-crazed man long enough to be able to detect when someone was getting aroused. But it confused me, because why then was he always on my case?
Perhaps I was right, and he also just wanted a piece of me but didn’t know how to go about it, and thus resorted to acting like a hot-headed child.
Just when I was about to pull away, Shaun’s hand went under my gown-right where had been exposed my the slit-and cupped my bottom. Something dangerous flashed in his eyes, taking my breath away.
“I think you have things confused, girl,” he said, bringing his other hand to hold the back of my neck. “But nothing in this world would ever make me stoop so low as to bed someone like you.”
With that, he pulled away from me so fast that I nearly fell down on y bed. For the sake of my dignity, I remained rooted to the spot, glaring at him. The place where he had grabbed me burned from the strength of his grasp-but it wasn’t painful or unpleasant, which annoyed me more.
“Get out,” I hissed with the strength left in me. I didn’t understand why his presence stirred up so many conflicting emotions within me, but I didn’t want to feel them anymore. “You act like you hate me but it’s only because you found out that I’m your stepmother.” I’d never used that word to describe our relationship, but now that I had, something invisible snapped. “I remember how you treated me that first day we met, when you knew nothing about me. You still know nothing about me, so don’t ever make the mistake of thinking you have me all figured out, or you’ll find out that this rose,” I pointed a finger to myself, “can make you bleed.”
His lips twitched again, like he was trying to not laugh. “You know, it’s very strange that my father was killed. And just like you said, he had a lot of enemies. From what I’ve seen so far, you were devastated to find out that you wouldn’t be becoming Luna so quickly.”
“What are you insinuating?”
“The same thing you just mentioned. A rose that can make me bleed. Perhaps father’s death was really done by an insider. One that he had been sleeping with for so long that he couldn’t envision it being the end of him.”
I scoffed, too shocked to deliver a full laugh. “You think I killed your father?”
“It wouldn’t be a far-fetched idea. You try so hard to look and act innocent, but what you’ve just shown me here confirms my suspicions. definitely hiding something, and I’m going to find out what it is,” he turned around to leave.
He had been baiting me, and I fell for it head first like an idiot. Everything he had done so far was to catch me slip, and while I hadn’t exactly done that, I had given him an opening wide enough to peep into.
Shit. Now, I had to be extra cautious, because not only did I have to protect my people now, I also had to keep my plans from being uncovered. The stakes had just gotten a whole lot higher.
If there was one thing I had learnt from the past three years though, it was that the best offense was a good defence. He thought he had won, but I had more tricks up my sleeve.
A low growl rumbled deep in my chest after he left. “You’re welcome to try.”