The Alpha Luna's Veiled Emotions

FIFTEEN

I smoothed my hands over the red fabric, trying to calm the knotting in my stomach.

If our mate bond was at full strength, Kane would be able to tell how I was feeling, but it was so dull it was almost silly. I could hardly feel him, and my wolf could do nothing but growl in unease when he was in the room. However, he was still excellent at reading people, so I plastered on a smile, and gave him a small nod.

"Of course, My Alpha," I said softly, "How were your travels then?"

He hooked a brow at me, that twisted smile on his face as I stepped forward to take his extended hand, "They went just fine, pet. No need to worry that pretty head."

I forced a small laugh, and he yanked me towards him, bowing his head to run his nose over my shoulder how he always did. A once romantic gesture in my eyes, now made my skin crawl. I could hear him inhale deeply, and I tensed slightly. Could he smell Maxis?

"You know, I smelled you in my room when I returned, and I thought to myself, 'What could she possibly be looking for?'" he chuckled darkly, and I forced a steady breath, "But then I realized that you and your sweet wolf must have just missed me. Once you have my pup in you, you can have the privilege of joining me there, sweet one."

My nose wrinkled slightly, and I was thankful he couldn't see my face in his current position. Did he really think I was so broken still? Was I so good at faking this mate bond that he couldn't even tell how distant I was from him? Could his wolf not tell that something was wrong? I suppose that the fact that we hadn't had relations in quite a while helped. I wasn't shrinking from him in fear or disgust during our brief interactions, but still - I couldn't help but be surprised.

"Well then," he echoed, standing to his full height, and roughly pulling me into his side, "Off we go."

He escorted me down the hall, and down the staircase, and I suddenly realized that this would be my first trip through these old oak doors since I had arrived here. It was a strange feeling, to know that the place that I had called home for just over eight months was so unfamiliar to me. The whole packhouse was dingy and dark, and sometimes, I was surprised that certain beams still held the roof.

I wondered how it would hold up to flames.

Kane was the type of Alpha who dumped money into himself instead of his pack. He wore nice clothes, used high-end products, and updated his own quarters, while the rest of the pack suffered. And I wouldn't even get started on the thousands of dollars he was spending on illegal Moons Bane shipments each month. Other than Max, that was the greatest accomplishment of my time here. I knew where all the offshore accounts were, the ones that even Kane didn't know about. I knew where the money went. And I had funneled countless records through Sarah, who promised to keep them safe until we could smuggle them out with us. I refused to leave this pack without every type of evidence, multiplied by five, that would be able to prove Kane's illegitimacy, and crimes. Truthfully, I didn't have all the proof about his bloodline yet, but the heinous acts he had committed would be sufficient for them to shut him down. He would more than likely face death.

Two guards opened the front doors for us, snapping me out of my own head. I was surprised by the sight before us. If this was what Blood Moon considered a full moon celebration, I wasn't surprised morale was so low, even among his own guards. There were a few kegs of Moons' Bane to one side of the round, open gathering space that doubled as the head of the driveway. The house Omegas stood to their left, hands behind their backs looking absolutely exhausted. Warriors, and the Deltas that lived semi-normal lives working for the pack's few and dwindling businesses, and the pack hospital milled around. Some talked, and some drank, looking solemn. There was one rowdy area where several wolves - Kane's personal warriors - hung around, barking orders at scantily clad she-wolves who had surely been hired.

It was a disgrace to the Goddess.

Kane led me to the right, where there was a hastily pitched stage. I honestly wasn't even sure it was safe to stand on. But a metal table and two mismatched chairs stood in the center. Kane led me up, and I didn't miss how several of his people looked at me, eyes lustful over my half-exposed body, and I felt the distinct urge to rip their throats out. Others looked at me with sadness -pity. It was uncomfortable. But Kane didn't seem to notice, or simply didn't care, plopping me unceremoniously into one chair, before he slumped into another. An Omega quickly ran up, setting down drinks in front of both of us. I simply straightened my dress, and folded my hands in my lap, while Kane downed the entirety of his, and beckoned for another.

"Leave the bottle here, Omega," he ground out, before gesturing at me, "Your Luna can serve me."

I had to bite my tongue to keep from snapping at him, the tension in my gut rising like a tidal wave until I felt like it was going to consume me. Something wasn't right, and if there was anything I wouldn't do, it would be drinking any of the Moons Bane in front of me, so I smiled, and turned to Kane, fluttering my lashes at him. I reached forward to grab the bottle, and tipped it into his glass, the cup filling with the greyish liquid. That color was how I discovered he was getting the bootleg, illegal stuff. True Moons' Bane was a pure, clear tonic.

"What a good little pet. Keep sitting and looking pretty, and keep my drink full, and maybe tonight I'll be easier on you," he murmured.

This time I couldn't avoid how I stiffened and grimaced. He knew. I knew that he had full control over his actions, but up until then, I was sure that he still believed I didn't know that. But to so openly threaten me - he knew. And it was less what he said, but more the door that opened to what he could know.

"Smile," he reminded.

I did, instantly, like an obedient animal, and my wolf snarled so loud in my head that I almost couldn't hear anything else.

We just sat then. I refilled his drink every now and then, as he grew drunker, and the crowd followed. The sultry music playing from the speakers grew bolder, and the whores that Kane had ordered were in various stages of undress now, some completely nude. Soon, I started to see some of the older people leaving, Omegas heading to bed, and Kane seemed to notice as well. His hand fell heavily on mine where it fell on the table, and he didn't even bother to smile in my direction.

"It's showtime."

Then he stood, taking a few steps toward the edge of the stage. He didn't direct me, so I stayed sitting, but I was drowning by now, the wave of tension, and unease so far over my head I had no idea how I was going to break the surface.

"Blood Moon!" he boomed loudly, "Thank you for celebrating with us tonight. As many of you know I was gone for a week, out tending to pack business, and I'm now going to reveal a little surprise I've brought for all of you and your soon-to-be Luna."

The pack had congregated closer the edge of the stage, and there were murmurs as some of the members whispered to each other, confused looks on their faces. I saw MaryAnn in the crowd, and she was frowning deeply, which told me that whatever happened next, it would break the surface for me.

"As you all know, after my late Beta died committing treason, our poor Luna has just been quite out of sorts. So I thought I would bring her justice, against those that turned Alex Clearwater against us all."

"No," I whispered, standing up quickly.

"Dear Beta, would you bring forth the prisoner?" Kane called, flashing me a brief look that could only be described as psychotic.

I was immediately aware of the three guards that surrounded the open sides of the stage. The crowd parted ahead of us, and I saw Beta Brosnith stepping through the crowd, two warriors flanking him, and clearly dragging someone behind them. A familiar scent hit my nose, and the dam broke. I emerged from the surface like I hadn't breathed fresh air in days.

"No!" I screamed, bolting forward.

Kane caught me around the waist with his arm, pinning my arms to my sides while his other hand tightened around my neck.

"So eager to get started, aren't you?" he laughed in my ear, the sound like nails on a chalkboard.

The three animals entered the open space not ten feet from the stage, and Brosnith moved to the left, and there he was.

My father.

He was broken, his right leg twisted at a sick angle behind him, and his clothes were dirty and torn, his shirt completely removed. His back had been whipped, and I could see the flayed skin hanging off of his tall, wiry frame. One of his eyes was almost swollen shut, and they had clearly been using a silver knife on his stomach. His hair looked twice as grey as when I had left.

"Daddy," I croaked from Kane's grip, tears streaming down my face.

My wolf snapped and howled inside me. Her Alpha, her true Alpha, and her father kneeled in front of her looking like he went through a meat grinder, but I was too paralyzed by fear to say much else. My single word though had been enough to trigger a few gasps from others in the crowd.

"Yes, yes you heard that right," Kane shouted from beside me, "We may have had to pick off a few innocents, but her father, this Alpha offered himself up to remain Blood Moons prisoner until your Luna bends and gives me an heir."

The way he said Alpha loosed a growl from my own throat, and Kane simply laughed at me. He lowered his lips to my ear and started to speak, but my father suddenly groaned.

"Daddy!" I choked out again, my voice frantic.

They planned to keep him alive? He looked like he was within an inch of death! My father would've never allowed this to happen. He wouldn't sacrifice himself for me! He loved me, Goddess knew that, but I was just one person. What had happened at home? My heart beat frantically in my chest as I tried to connect the dots. Hadn't Eric told him to leave it alone? I had tried to give him a better hint.

"C-Camilla," he groaned, "Sweet..."

I couldn't hear his words, his voice was too tired, too quiet, too far away. I struggled in Kane's arms.

"Please, please let me talk to him," I forced out through my teeth.

Kane's grip on my neck softened slightly, "What's that, pet?"

"Let me talk to him! Please! I'll do anything. Please," I cried, the tears white-hot against my cheeks.

"Anything, huh?" he chuckled darkly, before he released me, "Fine. You have one minute and then we go upstairs."

He dropped me unceremoniously, and I practically fell off the stage in my long dress, before I scuttled over to my father. I embraced his face tenderly with two hands, crying harder as he winced.

"Daddy," I cried softly, "Why are you here? You shouldn't be here."

"Camilla," he whispered, his voice sounding less strained, "Your pack-your pack needs you, sunbeam."

My heart hammered at my childhood nickname, and a sob wracked my body. This felt all too similar to a few months ago when Alex died in my arms, but this was somehow worse. A fate worse than death. I wasn't going to be able to leave now, but Max needed me to. I felt like I was being torn in half.

His eyes lifted slightly, the one that wasn't swollen, and purple looking right into my soul.

"I was coming home, I was coming back home," I whispered, "I tried to tell Eric, daddy."

He shook his head, the motion minute to spare him any more pain, but he still winced, "He-he told me. He told me, Cami."

I shook my own head, the tears flowing freely, "Why?"

He knew what I meant. Why did he come? Why was he here? Why was either one of us here?

"Come, pet, time is up," Kane called from the stage, but they would have to drag me from his side.

"Why?" I said again, my voice breaking as I searched his eyes for answers.

"Your pack nee-needs you. He will...will never stop. Time to go home," he croaked, his voice growing hoarser.

"I can't get you home!" I cried out, my voice too loud.

I felt Kane's hand wrapped around my arm but I yanked away from him, grasping my father's face again, "I can't get you home!"

This time, when Kane grabbed me, my hold on my father broke. I screamed in frustration, thrashing in Kane's arms.

"You'll be good now, won't you?" Kane laughed loudly in my ear, pulling me away.

But I fought, hard, screaming as he dragged me. We reached the edge of the front porch when a growl ripped through the clearing, and even Kane stopped, turning slightly. My cries died in my throat. Kane's Beta stood there, in front of my father, a silver knife in his hand. It was like slow motion. I heard a scream that I couldn't place, as my father jerked his arm up, eyes on me.

"I know," he mouthed, his hand wrapping around the silver blade.

He roared in pain as he pulled it from the Beta's grip, before he loosened his grip to move to the hilt, and jammed it into his heart, his eyes never leaving mine.