Luna Isabella

X. She Betrayed Us

Isabella’s POV:

Damien punches the wall, crumbling it into tiny white pieces. “I told you...to never mention her name,” his eyes darted heavily towards Ian, who firmly stood his ground.

Ian’s eyes match mine momentarily, but it quickly jolts back to Damien, who seems to be distracted by his anger to remember I’m still upstairs.

“Get over that b***h already,” Ian stated.

Damien grabs his neck, squeezing it tightly as he stood there, not a single flinched present. “Do not call her a bitch.”

I bit my tongue lightly, feeling the tightening sensation deepened inside my chest. My nose began stuffing, making it harder to breathe. The water hit the floor, and I looked down, seeing tiny droplets.

Ian laughs slowly, capturing my attention. “Why are you still defending her? She betrayed you! She betrayed all of us!” he shouts.

I held onto the sweater tightly and stood up, wiping the water off my face as I walked back towards the bedroom.

I don’t understand why I’m feeling this way.

I hate it.

“I don’t ca-”

My feet squeak against the boards and Damien stops talking, realizing my presence. I didn’t care and continued walking with two pairs of legs quickly pacing behind me. When I reach the bedroom, I immediately step inside. “Luna Isa-” before one of the guards could finish, I slammed the door shut and locked it.

Sliding down the wooden door, I wrapped my arms around myself and rested my head against my knees. “Stacey,” I mumbled to myself, then chuckled.

“Stacey,” I repeated, then a peal of laughter erupted as I buried my face into my knees. I scrunch my hair with my hands, desperately wanting this uneasy feeling to evaporate.

Taking a few blinks, I feel the soft covers surrounding my body. A warm arm was wrapped firmly around my waist; a hot body pressed behind me. A light puff of air escaped my lips, and I grabbed his finger.

His hand sways around mine, tangling our fingers together. “Don’t leave, little flower,” he mumbles into my neck.

I closed my eyes, biting my inner cheeks. “Alfie?” my voice was a lot cracker than I intended. Slowly, I turn around, eyes meeting his dark ones, surrounded by a red envelope.

He lifts his hand, stroking my cheek lightly. A hazy breath left my lips as his thumb caressed across from it. I grab his wrist and stop him. He flinches slightly at my rejection.

“Who’s Stacey?” those two words involuntarily escaped my mouth, and I desperately wanted to take back my question.

I didn’t know why I asked that question, but I desperately want to know who she is, why Damien overreacted whenever he hears her name.

Alfie laid there, the edge of his lips tilting upward slightly. “You’re jealous,” he said slowly, almost in a teasing tone.

I shook my head and sat upward, causing the sheets to fall off my body. “I’m not...I don’t understand...I just want to kno-” I grip onto the sheets, staring at the blank space in front of me, unable to puzzle together a sentence.

Alfie wraps his arms around my waist, inhaling a deep breath, and exhales, “Stacey was our first mate.”

I twisted the fabric around my hands, feeling my body shaking slightly. “Don’t be angry, little flower.” He tilts my head towards him, and I taste the metallic blood oozing inside my mouth.

My lips scrunch up involuntarily as the pounding increases, “I’m not angry,” I ground my molars against one another, feeling the edge of my lips twitched momentarily.

Alfie tilted his head, lips grazing against mine. “She means nothing to me now.”

My teeth chattered against one another, “And Damien?” my tone was a lot harsher than I intended.

Alfie released a deep breath, “I will not keep any secrets from you, so I will be honest. Damien loved Stacey before becoming mates. Stacey was his first love.”

I stay quiet, feeling the churning inside my stomach tighten. Without looking in a mirror, I knew there was a vein popping in the side of my temple, I could feel it.

“What had you heard from Ian?”

I inhaled a deep breath through my stuffed nostrils. “He felt guilty for not being with Damien the night his mother killed his father. How he still believed in soulmates after that, but something-” I stopped talking, while the mini electric wire inside my mind sizzled, puzzling the scenario together.

Alfie chuckled lightly, an unamused sound, “History has a habit of repeating itself. SilverStone’s Alphas seemed to be cursed with backstabbers.”

“You mean...”

“When Stacey became Damien’s mate, everyone was ecstatic,” a somewhat puff of air mixed with a chuckled exited his nostrils, “even me.”

His lips twisted to the side, and he rests his head against my shoulder, laying both legs beside me. “Damien was finally pulling himself together after the death of his father and the disappearance of his mother. SilverStone was slowly recovering, and everything went well until Stacey decided we weren’t good enough for her,” his arms tighten around my waist, making it slightly harder to breathe.

“She said we were too weak,” his voice cracks.

“She said we weren’t fit to be Alpha,” water laced down my shoulder.

He sniffed through his blocked nostrils. “She said she wished she wasn’t our mate.”

Alfie began laughing hoarsely, “She allied with our enemy pack and tried to kill us. After we treated her so f*****g well, she stabbed us...physically...mentally...and emotionally.”

He fell back on the bed, eyes staring at the blank ceiling. “Damien would train every day to become stronger for her so that she wouldn’t be pushed around by other packs. He would stay in the office late at night, determined to make SilverStone stronger because we were considered one of the weakest packs. Damien even learned how to cook for that ungrateful b***h. We treated her like a f*****g Queen and never force her to do anything she doesn’t want to do.” his voice sounded angrier and angrier with each word.

Alfie’s chest expanded, attempting to calm down. “After the incident with his mother and Stacey, Damien doesn’t believe in soulmates anymore. He thinks-”

“He thinks I will betray him,” I whisper. There’s a long silence lingering in the air before a burst of laughter left my throat. “I’m being treated like dirt because of them?” I turn around, eyes meeting Alfie, whose lips tilted downward sadly.

He sat up, embracing me in his arms. “I’m sorry... I’m sorry... I’m sorry.” he repeated endlessly while rubbing my back as if it can comfort me.

“Why are you sorry?”

Alfie’s hands stop its motion, and he bit his lower lips. “Because I was as bad as Stacey and Damien’s mother.” he grips onto my shirt, “When Stacey left...I did too.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, wondering how Alfie can leave; after all, he is a part of Damien.

“He called for me, but I was too deep in depression, and I left him. I blamed him for Stacey’s rejection. I said-” he swallows, “I told Damien that I wished I didn’t have such a weak Alpha as my human.”

Alfie lifted his head, glossy eyes meeting mine. “Then, I left him...I didn’t speak to him for years...I was one of the reasons why Damien broke...If only I weren’t so selfish, he wouldn’t be like this.”

I placed my hand on his wet cheek, “Alfie,” I whisper.

He shakes his head. “I should’ve been there for him...when he needed me the most.”

At that moment, he cracked, as if he’s been holding all this inside of him. I didn’t know when or how, but the tears refused to stop rolling down my cheeks. I wasn’t sure whom I was crying for, me or him....or Damien.

I wrap my arms around his shoulders, feeling him freeze slightly by my sudden return in affection. Quickly, he gathered his composure and held me tighter.

Later, we lay there, staring at each other. “Can you take this off, Alfie? It’s uncomfortable,” I said, wrapping my fingers inside the collar.

Alfie chuckled, placing his hand on top of mine. “I kind of like it,” he smirks.

I glared at him, “I don’t.”

He released a deep breath, “Damien felt like it was necessary to put this on you.”

“Why?”

“He won’t say it, but he’s afraid you will run away.”

“Damien is a weird guy,” I mumbled.

“And you are, too, a weird little flower.”

My brows scrunch, “How?”

His feet kicked mine lightly, “You had many chances to escape this place, and yet you stayed.”

“Because of my fr-”

Alfie tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “Are your friends truly the case?”

I lowered my head, backing away. “Yes,” I responded, turning my back at him as my hands scrunched up the blanket.

He snaked his hand around my waist, “We love you, our little flower,” Alfie whispers sweetly into my ear.

“I don’t feel like it,” I mutter, pulling the blanket farther up, covering up everything except my eyes.

“Liar,” was the last word Alfie whispered before our conversation ended.

I laid there, feeling his chest-beating against my spine as I stared at the blank wall. My eyes grew heavier with each blink as I wonder...why am I still here?

When I woke up in the morning, a rush of fresh air ran through my body. The door creaked open as I dug myself farther into the sheets. A soft hand ran down my tangled hair, “Wake up, Luna Isabella. You need to take a shower and eat breakfast,” the voice sounds soothing.

I glanced up, meeting a soft pair of chocolate eyes. “Hee-Young.” I wrap my arms around her waist. I’m not quite sure what it is, but Hee-Young always manages to make me feel safe, for some unknown reason. Perhaps, it’s because Hee-Young upheld the same presence as my late mother, soft and warm.

Hee-Young continued stroking my hair, a low chuckle leaving her throat. “Come on. You terribly need a shower.”

I curled the sweater over my nose. “Do I smell that bad?”

She plucked her nose for a dramatic effect. “Horrific,” she said, and we laugh lightly.

Hee-Young helped me stand up and walk me towards the bathroom. Her eyes traveled down towards the collar on my neck, and she sighed, “Alpha Damien isn-”

I shake my head, “I heard everything from Alfie,” I said, and she smiles grimly.

“I’ll bring you a new set of clothes,” she said, and I nod.

Hee-Young closed the door, and I released a deep breath of air. Stripping myself, I look in the mirror to see myself in all bones and skin. Ribcage was apparent, where the pale exterior stuck firmly on it. Closing my eyes, I walked towards the shower and twisted the knob. Glancing upward, I felt the warm water run down my skin, and a breath of relief automatically exited my throat. I wash my hair with the joint shampoo and conditioner. Running my wet skin with body soap, I smile, feeling cleaner than ever.

When I stepped out of the bathroom, a new set of clothes was on the counter. I was so immersed in cleansing myself that I didn’t notice Hee-Young entering. Grabbing the white undergarments, I slipped in. I grabbed the pair of grey sweats and slipped it on, then the black shirt—finally, a red sweater to keep me warm.

Walking out of the bathroom, I noticed a pair of blue slippers waiting for me. Hee-Young smiled and set it down. “You don’t want to get cold,” she said, and I smiled, slipping it on.

“Come on.” she tilts her head towards the door.

“I thought I’m supposed to be in here at all times,” I said, a finger pointing at the floor.

She smiled brightly, biting on her bottom lips. “Alpha Damien has lifted that this morning! He told me you could have breakfast with everyone else.”

I stuck my hands inside the pocket, twisting my lips as my mind wonders what Damien is thinking. Perhaps this is all one big fat trick to test me.

Hee-Young grabs my hand and eagerly leads us out of the room. Once we stepped out, two guards began following us as we went down the hallway.

When we reached the kitchen, Ian and another guy were present along with some other werewolves.

“Good morning!” Ian chirps.

I nod, “Good morning.”

Hee-Young sat me down, then popped beside me as a man placed two plates in front of us. “Thank you,” I said, and he smiled at me.

“Good to finally meet you, Luna Isabella,” he said smoothly then left.

Ian grins widely, “Isn’t this great?” he scooped some eggs into his mouth and chewed it...very loudly.

I flinched, and then looked down at the bowl of soup with some crackers on the sides. My eyes glanced upward, seeing everyone with pancakes and better-looking food.

“Alpha Damien, pick it out for you,” Hee-Young whispers.

“He wants me to starve?”

She rolled her eyes, “You haven’t eaten in a while, so he’s afraid you may puke if you eat something heavy.”

I nodded and began sipping the soup. After a few sips, I found myself full, unable to finish it.

Ian was leaping in his seat, legs shaking uncontrollably as he stared at me with wide eyes. He cupped his hands over his mouth and leaned forward, “Guess what?” he whispered.

The nice man came in and took my soup, placing a small cup of fruit in front of me. I smiled, and he returned it and left. “What?” I said, holding up the fork, trying my best to consume a little more food.

“Damien said you could go to school!”

I placed a small strawberry into my mouth, “School?” I muffled and began chewing it, allowing the sweet sensation to touch my buds.

He nods, “Well, not directly, but he said and I quote let her do whatever she wants as long as she stays in this territory and make sure to watch her every move." he blasts a smile.

Wow...so much freedom.

Ian sighs, “Look, it’s not much, but at least you get to go around and meet everyone.”

Hee-Young held my hand, resting an elbow on the table with a broad smile on her face, “And we can go to school together.”

I returned her smile and nod. Releasing a breath of air, I tilt my body back towards the bowl of fruits. Feeling an intense stare on my side, I look up, eyes meeting the guy.

Ian rolled his eyes, “Stop glaring at her, Carter,” he said, and gave me a tight smile. “The glaring asshole here is Beta Carter.”

I nod, remember seeing him around a few times, but we never really interacted. His lips tilted upward into a lite smirk, “Are you going to try killing our Alpha too?” he asked, voice sounding utterly innocent as if he didn’t ask a forbidden question.

The air thickens in the room as a low growl etched out of Ian’s throat. “Be careful what you say, Beta Carter.”

Carter tilted his head towards Ian, resting his elbows on the table. “I’m just joking, calm down” he looked back at me and smiled, “Welcome to SilverStone, Luna Isabella. Please don’t betray us.”

Ian pounded the table, “Carter,” he hisses.

Carter shrugs, “I said please." He scrunched up his lips and stood up, “Well, see you all around.” he gave us a two-finger salute then left.

Ian sighed, resting his forehead on his palm. “That’s Carter...He can be a bit of an asshole sometimes.”

I gave him a tight smile and said nothing in return. Instead, I returned to the bowl of colorful fruits in front of me and began picking on it silently.

It seems like everyone thinks I’m a terrible person around here.

Ian coughs, “How about the three of us go around and explore the town?” he suggests, and Hee-Young eagerly nodded along.

Strolling around town, I noticed many curious eyes laid on us. I tugged the turtleneck farther up to ensure the collar was hidden as I lowered my eyes, not wanting to meet theirs.

Ian and Hee-Young show me the movie theater, where we watched Malevolence with popcorn and sodas.

It was....interesting.

Ian liked it, but Hee-Young said it was too scary.

I find Malevolence quite realistic.

I mean, the villain won, which is a likely scenario in the real world.

Afterward, they showed me the mall where Hee-Young showered me with new clothes and shoes. I stand there, staring at the piles of items. “Are you sure this is okay?” I ask.

She pulled out a black card, “Alpha Damien said to get you anything you want.”

Ian leaned against the counter as the cashier swiped the card, his brows nudging together, “You mean Alfie, right?”

Hee-Young grabs the card and shakes her head. “No, Alpha Damien.” she clarifies.

Damien...is a confusing man

We stroll around the mall.

My eyes wandered up, seeing the high ceiling made of beautiful glass. The walkways flow like rivers as if everyone knows exactly how to merge. I looked down, noticing my grimy reflection, and the frown implemented on my face. In the background is music to soothe, gentle flowing notes to take the shopper’s cares far away. In a world so chaotic, this is an order.

An order that made me feel uncomfortable.

They treated me to salty pretzels, ice cream, cupcakes, and anything that I even took a single glance at.

Sitting in the cool reddish metal chair, I stared at the melting pink yogurt. My eyes wandered upward, seeing Ian and Hee-Young staring at me. My sweaty palm grabbed the tiny white spoon and scooped a small piece, placing it inside my mouth.

Hee-Young clasps her hands together. “You’re finally smiling!” she spoke gleefully then hugged me. “I’m so happy,” she mumbled into my neck as Ian sat on the other side, a slight chuckle exiting his throat.

After we finished our divine dessert, we walked back to the cars. My eyes lurked around, noticing many werewolves smiling gleefully. “It’s nice, isn’t it?” Hee-Young said.

I nod, “Yeah.”

“Watch where you’re going, you f*****g filthy omega!” someone shouted, and I whipped around to see a guy fallen onto the cement ground.

Hee-Young blew out a huffed air and stomped towards the guy. “I saw how you bumped into him!” she shouts, and my eyes widen in surprise. I looked at Ian, who crossed his arms, a massive smile on his face as he watched the scene unfold.

The man scoffs, wiping off his shoulder while Hee-Young helps the guy. Once he stood up, she shot him a nasty glare. “We don’t tolerate this type of behavior,” she hisses, and a crowd around them began to form, whispers frolicking in the air.

“Should we go and help?” I ask.

Ian shook his head, leaning back into the car. “Hee-Young got this.”

“Apologize,” Hee-Young demanded.

The man growl, which increased the whispering around him. He blew out a breath of air, single eyes constantly flinching. “I’m sorry,” he ground his teeth and turned around, walking towards a group of werewolves.

Slowly, the crowd began to disperse. “What happened?” I asked.

“A pack is like a pyramid where the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma are at the top,” Ian stated then continued explaining about the rest of the members. “At the bottom of the pyramid are omegas...Hee-Young is an omega.”

“I’m not following.”

“It’s a simple hierarchy that the Moon Goddess has set for werewolves. Omegas aren’t supposed to have any power, usually abused by their pack members with chores or physical abuse.” Ian smiles, “SilverStone is the only pack that doesn’t operate that way.” his voice was filled with pride, “-and it’s all thanks to Damien.”

I began playing with my sleeves, pulling out the string, “Why would he help them?”

“Because he believes all werewolves should hold an equal standing despite their birth status. Damien may seem cruel on the outside, but he thinks best for his pack members. That’s why SilverStone has the largest number of omegas compared to other packs.”

He bit his lower lips, “Although not everyone is happy with how things are run around here.”

My eyes glanced over at the group of men who wore a scowl on their faces as they glared at Hee-Young.

“And it’s quite unfortunate that the world doesn’t know about this,” Ian whispered.

My eyes scurried towards him, “What do you mean?”

“Damien doesn’t like promoting this to the public.” he sniffed lightly, “Probably because we can’t handle accepting anymore omega.” a hefty breath left his throat.

“Why not?”

“A pack can’t run with only omegas.”

Hee-Young ignored the glares to her side and skipped back towards us. “Ready to go?” she asks.

While Ian drove us back to the Pack House, I rested my elbow on the armrest and closed my eyes. Today wasn’t bad, but it was quite tiring to walk around continuously. I appreciated what they had done for me, but being surrounded by so many others was quite uncomfortable. It made me feel like I had entered the facility.

Opening my heavy lids, I closed it, repeating that same pattern relentlessly. The car was shaking back and forth, but it wasn’t unpleasant. There was a low melody playing in the background, quite soothing to the ear.

“Subject 35, stand forward!” he shouted.

Gripping tightly on the knife, I can feel my trembled legs somehow maneuvered itself. I inhaled a hazy breath, feeling the water dampening my skin.

The man raised his other hand. “Subject 88, step forward,” he declared, and a lifeless man walked towards me. His complexion paled, similar to everyone else, eyes steady as it lies on me. My vision dropped towards his fingers, twitching senselessly. The fear traveled in his veins but never made it to his facial muscles or skin.

The man a few inches away from us raised his hands, as the rest stood around us, tightening their grip on the machines to protect themselves from us. It’s quite humorous, they were the ones who put us in here, forcing us to shred each other piece by piece, and yet they are afraid of us. They are so scared of dying, but they wouldn’t care if we die.

The man dropped his arm. “Fight!” he screamed and took a step back.

Without a hint of hesitation Subject 88 leaped towards me, bending his right arm opposite to his shoulder, he was ready to kill me. I slid my body to the side, grabbed his wrist, and kicked under the chin. He scowled, blood dripping down his cheeks, but before he could retreat, I grabbed his arm and twisted behind, breaking his scapula, forcing an ear-wrecking scream to leave his throat.

The man nodded in approval of my actions.

My heart was hammering, but I kept my features emotionless with no hint of hesitation. Subject 88 was ready to kill me, and I wasn’t going to back down because the only life that matters in here is you.

Gripping tightly onto the knife, I felt his blood spit onto my forearm. Raising the blade in the air, I whispered an “I’m sorry.” before I slit his throat, making it as painless as possible. Subject 88 fell on his knees, as the sweats glisten down his chin. There was a smile on his face, almost as if he was content with death.

I wanted to laugh.

He wanted to die, but at the same time, he wanted to live.

However, I couldn’t laugh...I couldn’t cry...I couldn’t do anything except stand there and stare at him as he dropped to the cold hard ground with a loud thump.

The man walked up to me, placed a hand on my shoulder, and nodded, “Excellent Subject 35.”

My breathing was uneven as three guards came to us; two of them grabbed Subject 88 to dispose of their body. The third grabbed my wrist and began shackling me. “Get a good night rest Subject 35,” the man said, then waved his hand to dismiss me.

My eyes locked with the limped body as they shoved me out of the battle room. Taking one step at a time, I can feel my toes dug deep into the tiles, eyes cast on the filthy floor. A horrific scream caught my attention, but I didn’t dare look up.

“Subject 6 has escaped once again. I repeat Subject 6 has attempted to escape once again. Currently, Subject 6 has overdosed with Beta XVI. Be cautious when you retain her. Do not fire; we want Subject 6 alive. I repeat, Subject 6 must live.”

The man shoved me back with the butt of his gun. “Get going,” he commanded, and my feet continued to move. With a single step inside my cell, the bar door slammed closed. I retreated to my corner, resting my head on my knees as I stared at the wall.

I wished...if I could, I never want to kill again.

“Isabella.” someone shakes me. “Isabella.”

Slowly, my lids lifted, meeting dark orbs, “Hee-Young?”

Hee-Young began dabbing my forehead with her sleeve,” Are you okay, Isabella?”

I swallowed, running my forearm across my sweaty head. “I’m okay,” I whispered.

I was not okay.