Lunar Temptations

Ch 56

I remembered my attackers lying on the ground before I had run away. There was no one else who could hurt them enough to throw them unconscious and that left me to be the one responsible for Sage's fragile state. Her wounds looked partially healed which was surprising since they should have healed fast. New questions started to surface but I put them aside for now. Her lack of reply confirmed Zayden's revelation. I wanted to ask him how did he know but figured that she had been here for 2 days and the interrogation had already been conducted. Though, what intrigued me was the fact that they weren't healed yet. It had been long- too long for those wounds to remain unhealed.

"What did you want coming after me?" I cut to the chase. She did not like me and it was clearly visible.

She scoffed, lowering her head. Then slowly lifted it enough to give me a look with her eyes. It would have creeped anyone out with the way her hair was falling in long strands, covering most of her face and leaving her eyes partly visible and equally terrifying looking. Laughter resounded from her, the devilish sound echoing off the walls and creating a sinister aura around her. The air was already tense and her actions only increased it.

"I never hurt you or Elio and I thought we had something," I said when she didn't reply. "Oh no-" She instantly looked up.

"You have it wrong Raya, you aren't the problem." she shrugged, carelessly.

I frowned, raising a brow at her waiting for her to continue.

"You were just unlucky enough to be his mate."

My eyes marrowed, realizing that Zayden was right. She did want revenge on him thus she went after me. It was saddening to see the extent people would go to get revenge. We once shared a good friendship and watching her turn into an enemy and now one of our prisoners was devastating. A part of me wanted to forgive her but the other one knew she had no regrets and would try to hurt me or my close ones nevertheless.

"Do you think Elio would have let you do this? I meant something to him too." I said, trying to talk some sense into her. Another laugh came out of her as this once she threw her head back and laughed like she genuinely found my words funny.

Meanwhile, Zayden stiffened beside me. He wasn't appreciating my words and it made sense now as I was his mate. I too, wouldn't appreciate it if he talked about any woman like this even if she was his past. It was surprising truly how far we had come with this mate bond and maybe the myths and stories weren't wrong about it after all.

"You don't know- do you?" Sage asked and her gaze travelled to Zayden. "You didn't tell her."

My mate remained stoic as if none of her words affected him and I wouldn't doubt it for a second though but I cared. I clenched my jaws, done with whatever she was playing it.

"Get to the point, Sage," I told her. I would have asked Zayden because he really seemed to know but doing this in front of her wasn't the right option. "Will you do the honours or shall I?" Her gaze didn't leave him as she continued to tell him.

Now, I was truly intrigued. What was this about? What did I not know that Zayden didn't tell me either? At this point, it could be anything and I would be ready for it but I knew it wasn't just anything. It had something to do with Elio and I would never be prepared for anything related to him, not after all this time. My heart began to pound harder against my rib. In the quietness following, it became the only sound ringing in my ears.

"What is it?" I asked, urging them both as they continued to glare at each other. Sage eyes held a challenge as her lips lifted into a smirk, almost mocking Zayden. While the man beside me remains unfaltering and cast her into his typical stoic and unmoving look. Eventually, she gave up and looked away. I bet nobody could hold onto his burning gaze that long. He possessed the power to overpower someone with a bare look.

"What do I not know?" I snapped, getting both their attentions back to me. It took Sage a moment to reveal what she was talking about but when she did, my whole felt crashing once again.

"You meant nothing to him, Raya." She spat out.

I watched her, unmoving. Then c****d my head, not understanding yet awaiting something horrible to be revealed.

"I didn't know you were hallucinating too." I scoffed, not amused by her attempt to hurt my feelings. "It's the truth. He was only doing what he was told to do," she said, her eyes never leaving mine. This time, I was the one amused. A smile reached my lips as I shook my head, unbelievingly.

"Why did you think Alpha Zayden went after him?" she taunted, her lips stretched thin. I gulped slowly then slowly took her words in, "It's not true. It can't be true, what we had was real." I clarified or tried to reason but to no avail. "Well, he did well seeing you're still fooled." She laughed but it was becoming a faint noise.

"You want to know why I did it? Why I attacked you?" Sage said, leaning forward now. "It was a play, the entire thing between you and Elio from the beginning till the end. f**k, everything was going smoothly, until-" she paused and raised a lazy brow at Zayden, "he came into the picture."

Her words were sinking slowly but as they did, the pang in my heart only intensified. I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to gather myself. "So, you meant nothing to him." She hissed at me, "If I had been the one killed instead of him, he would have done nothing differently. You would have still been attacked and probably dead by now." Her expressions remained serious but mine had turned into a terrified one.