Lunar Temptations

Ch 45

My eyes widened as I frowned, looking at him.

What did he just say? That I would apologize to Esther?

I kept on blinking for what felt like forever. All I could think of was the hurt panging in my chest while I was being made to apologize for something I didn't do wrong. How could Zayden be blind to her tricks? He was an Alpha; he was supposed to see through everything, yet there he was, making his mate apologize to his mother for something she wasn't responsible for. My eyes became blurry as my fury turned into tears. I gulped, holding back the humiliating sob threatening to break from me. I was not only proven wrong and lost both the culprit and the evidence but was also badly insulted.

"Go ahead, Raya. Tell her that you were mistaken," he urged me, watching my hesitation.

With clenched jaws, I inhaled deeply. "I am sorry, Esther. I was mistaken." With that, I stormed out of the room and didn't look back.

I didn't know what they talked about afterwards or what happened. All I remember was running out of the Estate with tears in my eyes, spilling one after another. The passing servants watched me stride off towards the exit, and I bet at some point, I even heard Nicole calling me, but I wasn't in a state to face her. She might end up becoming a witness too for Esther's innocence, but that was the least of my worries. Zayden's words were the only thing that was clouding my head on the entire way home. For a moment, I considered going somewhere else instead of home, but Danna's thought troubled me. I needed to make sure she was fine, and I had to get to her before the men do. That poor woman didn't deserve to be framed for something she didn't even have any idea of.

Though I should have expected Zayden to take his mother's side. Who would believe my word against hers? She was the magnificent Luna of a powerful pack, and I? I was merely the girl who had intercepted her son's engagement and somehow gotten the next Luna's title. Tears poured down my eyes, and I was a sobbing mess the entire way. Whatever progress we had made, it had become dust. The kind of dust that hurt my eyes to even look at.

But what did I want him to do then? Favour me over his mother? That was impossible, and I should not have hoped for it, but not only that, he made me apologize in front of everyone. I looked like a foolish girl pulling stunts; I had no idea when all I really wanted was to help.

I wiped my tears with the back of my hands and ran inside the house upon arriving.

"Danna?" I called out in the dark. Lights were out, and not a single soul could be felt around. "Is anyone home?"

My voice echoed in the silence, and I headed straight towards the servant quarters. My heart thumped loudly with each step as I neared it. Terrible thoughts ran through my head. Danna was one of the most important people in my life, and something bad happening to her was like a nightmare. Not only to me, but Zayden had also always regarded her too, and he would lose all my respect if he silently watched Esther being dragged into this.

My footsteps echoed as I approached her room and knocked on it. There was no reply, and after several unsuccessful attempts, I pushed the door open. The room stood empty, but her scent was still lingering around.

"Miss Dawson?" A voice caught my attention, and I turned around, breathless. "Where's Danna?" I asked the maid standing in the doorway. Her face looked pale like she had seen a ghost. Her eyes began to water, and in a moment, she was sobbing.

"What happened? Where is she?" I said, panicking. My nightmares were slowly turning into reality as I waited for her to break it to me.

"They took her a few moments ago," she managed to speak in between her sobs.

"What?!" I said, knowing well that it would have been a command from Zayden, thus she was taken in such a short time. That asshole didn't even wait for the night.

"The guards, they took her somewhere, saying it was the Alpha's order." The poor maid looked terrified, and I quickly regained my composure.

"Don't worry; I'll make sure that she's fine," I reassured her. If I were to reveal any sensitive information here, then it would cause unnecessary chaos that would do no good. What Danna needed right now was to be proven innocent, and I was determined to do it even if I had to break into Esther's office again to achieve that. After giving her several reassurances, I decided to head outside to get some air. The fresh air hit my face like a harsh slap, not calming at all. Instead, all of my emotions started pouring out of me in waves, and I wanted nothing more than to lie down on the grass and roll into a ball. Everything about the world and its existence began to bother me right then. The lightest chirp of a bird, the rustling of trees, and even the moon's shine above began to exhaust me further.

I didn't know how to use nature to calm myself right then. Maybe because all those minimal noises pumped up the ones in my head and were slowly making me lose my mind. What was I supposed to do? Why did I apologize when I wasn't the one in the wrong? Why did he make me apologize for merely trying to help a girl get her justice, and especially when he knew damn well what my intentions were? I did realize the depth of the situation, and the odds were clearly against me - but him? He could have stayed by my side. Why did he not? Was I that worthless to him? Didn't he say he wanted to earn my trust back? Well- he has lost the chance.