Chapter 4: Alpha's Rules

Adelie

Just as I was about to pull my hood over my head, Alpha Kairos intervened.

“Never put your hood back on,” he commanded.

His gaze didn’t meet mine, but his tone was authoritative. He was using his Alpha voice, making it clear that this was an order. Now that he was my Alpha, I had to follow his rules.

Alpha Archibald had once suggested I keep my hood down, but it was never a demand. Besides, Alpha Kairos was my mate, and I was determined to be a good one.

He exited the car and I followed suit. There was only one other person present. He emanated power, though not as intensely as Alpha Kairos. He must be the Beta.

He approached me and bowed. “My Luna!” he exclaimed, then looked up. Was I really destined to be Luna? I felt too weak for such a role.

How could I possibly be Luna to a pack? I was matched with a second alpha. Why did the Moon Goddess believe I was worthy of being a Luna? A wolf pack needed a true wolf to lead, and I was far from it.

“I am the Beta of this pack, Raphael,” he introduced himself. His face was round and covered in a thick beard.

He was large, in a good way—tall and muscular—though still smaller than Alpha Kairos. “I am thrilled to meet you. You are incredibly beautiful, my Luna. Your beauty is unparalleled,” he said, his smile flirtatious, which made me slightly uncomfortable.

I responded with a broad smile. “Thank you, Raphael. You’re very kind, but I prefer Adelie, not Luna.” I didn’t feel like a Luna. I felt undeserving of the title.

“As you wish, my queen,” he said, taking my hand and kissing it. His flirtatious behavior continued, and it felt wrong to let him carry on. I tensed up, and I think Alpha noticed.

“Raphael! That’s enough,” Alpha Kairos growled. But all Raphael did was smirk and step back.

I had a feeling he was flirting intentionally to provoke Alpha. “Take her bags while I show her to her room and explain the rules,” Alpha instructed.

Even Raphael seemed momentarily confused, but an order from Alpha was not to be questioned, so he got to work.

Alpha didn’t say anything else, so I simply followed him. The house was permeated with his scent. It was obvious he spent a lot of time here. The house felt dark—not in terms of lighting, but in atmosphere. It was as if the walls were yearning for a bit of light, a breath of fresh air. The house was clean, but it felt neglected.

What saddened me most was the sight of dying houseplants adorning the walls. They had clearly been neglected for a while. Was it really so difficult to water them a few times a week?

Alpha led me up the staircase. The house was too large for one person. Did he live here alone? The only sounds were our footsteps. Didn’t he ever feel lonely? He must have felt more alone than he realized. He turned right and continued walking.

Alpha opened the door to one of the many rooms we passed. Inside was a king-sized bed, a closet, a cabinet, a table by the window, and a mirror. Everything looked expensive and tidy, but also gloomy and sad.

“This is where you’ll be staying,” he said, his tone stern. “Now, let’s discuss the rules you need to follow.” He walked to the window, crossing his arms and staring into the distance, his back to me.

My mother always told me that my beauty would make people fall in love with me. She never mentioned that my own mate would be the one to shun it. If I was as beautiful as she claimed, wouldn’t he at least glance my way occasionally? But then again, every mother sees her daughter as beautiful. Maybe that’s all it was—motherly love.

I didn’t dare to inch closer to Alpha, despite Madeline’s urging.

“The left wing of the house is off-limits to you. That’s where my room is. There’s no reason for you to ever be there,” he stated, making it the first rule of our cohabitation.

He brought me here, yet he didn’t want me. I was just a placeholder, an obligation he didn’t want but couldn’t live without. I was his drug—unwanted, yet necessary for his sanity.

“Stay out of my way as much as possible,” he commanded, his words stinging. He spoke as if it was nothing, as if he had planned it all along. I was to be just close enough to keep him sane.

Did he feel the pain I was feeling? My heart ached at the thought. I hoped he didn’t. I wouldn’t wish this pain on him.

“Don’t speak to me or question me unless it’s a matter of safety. I don’t want any meaningless conversations,” he continued. I was nothing to him. Maybe he was as heartless as the stories suggested.

“And don’t touch me. Ever. I don’t want you to.” His words formed a lump in my throat. I wanted to cry, to scream. My wolf howled in my mind, mourning the loss of a mate.

“You’ll be the Luna of this pack, but you won’t have any duties to fulfill.” An empty title.

“Get settled in. I’ll introduce you to my pack later,” he said, turning to leave without a backward glance.

Home is not a place, it’s a person. Would I ever find a home here?

Once he left and Raphael brought my luggage, I unpacked. I hung my dresses and tucked my books into a cabinet, hiding them in the back. Alpha already suspected I was more than a werewolf.

If he saw my books, he might think I was a witch. I didn’t like this room—it felt cold and dark. I needed some plants. Sometimes, I found it hard to breathe without any living plants around.

A knock sounded at the door. I rose from the chair, smoothing out my dress. “Come in,” I called.

Raphael entered. “Luna... Adelie, the alpha is waiting for you downstairs. He wants to introduce you to the pack. Come down when you’re ready.”

“I’m ready,” I replied. He looked me up and down, as if searching for the right words.

“Are you going to wear that?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

I glanced down at my long coat. “Yes... is there something wrong with it?” I asked.

“No, it’s just... you might be a bit overdressed,” he said, stepping aside to let me pass. He must have noticed the slit in my coat that revealed the dress underneath.

In my old pack, no one dressed like me. The other females usually wore pants, and if they wore dresses, they weren’t like mine. But they never saw me fully dressed because of my coat.

My dresses were long, but not so long that they brushed the floor. They were adorned with delicate details, flowing and light.

As I descended the stairs, Alpha barely glanced at me. “Lose the coat. It’s warm outside,” he said, heading out the door. I followed suit, with Beta by my side, removing my coat and hurrying to keep up with Alpha.

I felt naked without my coat. I clung to it, but Beta took it from me, handing it off to a guard with instructions to return it to the house.

The pack house wasn’t far, but as we approached, a crowd had gathered in front of the mansion-like building. Alpha joined me, and Beta fell back. Alpha gave me a once-over, having not seen my dress earlier due to his rush.

“You didn’t have to get all dolled up,” he said.

“I didn’t.”

“You always look like this?”

His words stung, but I nodded anyway.

The crowd began to notice us, their eyes turning our way.

“Everyone’s staring,” I blurted out, forgetting I wasn’t supposed to speak to Alpha unless necessary. I quickly looked down, shaking my head.

I wasn’t used to being the center of attention. I was always told to stay in the shadows. Now, I was on full display.

Alpha ascended the stage first, leaving me with Beta. I looked up at the crowd, their attention now on Alpha. The pack was smaller than I’d imagined.

It was hard to believe this was once the largest pack in the world. There were a surprising number of children. Did they have parents?

“The Moon Goddess has given us a second chance, Luna,” Alpha announced. “Allow me to introduce your Luna, Adelie Murrell.” He gestured for me to join him on stage, not even offering his hand for support.

The pack members began to clap and cheer. They loved him! But the stories about him were so terrible. Why did they love him so much?

Alpha made a hand gesture to the crowd and stepped back. I didn’t understand its meaning until everyone began talking at once.

“Luna, we are so happy to have you,” an elderly woman said, her eyes welling up with tears. “This pack needs a strong Luna to return us to our former glory.”

I was anything but strong. My mother always warned that revealing my powers would bring danger. I didn’t want to be a Luna who harmed her pack.

“Luna, we believe in you,” a man said, hugging a young boy tightly. Even this large man had tears in his eyes.

I felt dizzy. I didn’t deserve this praise.

“She’s so beautiful,” someone exclaimed, clasping their hands together.

My palms were sweaty, my breaths coming in short gasps. My mother always said my beauty was a danger, that people would try to exploit it. I thought I was safe...

“I can’t wait to see the Luna’s wolf,” a boy said. My wolf. I didn’t have a wolf form. I was a freak, that’s what my first pack called me.

“How did you meet our Alpha?”

I looked around nervously, my hands fidgeting.

“Mommy, why is she wearing that weird dress? It’s not a ball today,” a toddler asked, but was quickly shushed by her mother.

“Who are your parents?” They could never know.

I could feel my forehead throbbing.

“Luna, what family do you come from? What pack?”

“How old are you, Luna? You look so young,” a nymph trait. My mother said nymphs always looked young and beautiful.

“What do you think of this pack?”

“What happened to your original mate?” What would they think if they knew he rejected me?

Rejection was the ultimate disgrace. They would know something was wrong with me once they learned about the rejection.

All these questions. I could never answer them truthfully. I couldn’t take it anymore. I pushed through the crowd, half running, until I was outside the crowd, my back to them.

Whispers followed me. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to hide my panic.

“Listen up!” Alpha’s voice boomed, silencing the whispers. “Luna Adelie doesn’t have the ability to shift. The Moon Goddess didn’t bless her with a wolf form, but she carries a wolf spirit within her.”

He didn’t stop there.

“Your Luna needs time to adjust, so stop bombarding her with questions. Now, get back to your tasks,” he commanded, and the crowd dispersed, leaving me with a few lingering stares.

I turned around, only to find a girl standing there, her gaze fixed on me. Her dark, curly hair and hazel eyes mirrored Alpha’s. She exuded an aura of anger and intimidation, clad in a leather jacket, black pants, and heavy boots.

She approached me, her stride making me recoil.

“Fala!” Alpha’s warning growl echoed.

“It’s fine, brother.” She didn’t break her gaze from me. They were siblings. “I won’t harm her. Clearly, she can’t defend herself. Our new Luna is weak. I just hope she doesn’t lead our pack to ruin.”

Her words stung. Was this how the entire pack saw me? If Alpha’s family despised me this much, how could Alpha ever accept me?

“Fala. Enough!” Alpha intervened, grabbing her hand and leading her away.

“Just look at her. She’s weak. Probably why Kairos doesn’t want her,” she spat at me. Tears welled up in my eyes. My heart ached.

Alpha paused and looked at me. For a moment, his eyes reflected pain and regret, but then he masked his emotions. I lowered my gaze, my eyes now red and teary.

I knew it was true. I didn’t want to believe it, but when his sister confirmed it, there was no escaping the reality...