Enrapture: The Luna's Three Guards

AKARI - The Betrayal

“f**k! Can’t you do anything right?!” I hissed for the nth time at the unfamiliar maid behind me who worked my corset to be a perfect fit.

“I am sorry, Luna,” The maid replied fearfully. Unable to meet my gaze as she tightened the corset properly.

Her fingers fumbled on the lace, she was new, she was scared...i didn't have the time for new, scared maids.

Not today.

I'm not one to wear dresses on a normal day, I am a Luna, the most powerful werewolf leader in the empire.

The most cruel.

The most beautiful, I thought to myself as I stared at my reflection with a smug grin. It slowly morphed into one of distaste as I observed my blue eyes in the mirror. My blond hair was pinned up in an elegant updo and riddled with gems that made me seem like royalty. That was the goal, but the sight didn’t appeal to me.

I was a woman who loved to roll in the dirt and wear men's trousers held up by elastic suspenders, giving my legs free rein to do whatever the f**k they wanted.

But today was different. Today I was going to see my fiancé, the prince of the empire, Damien.

Yes, try as I might, the woman in me came out whenever I thought about him, the man whom I had fallen hopelessly in love with.

He had given me everything and in turn, so did I. I hadn’t seen him in three months, pack business holding me back so I always sent my beta and best friend Luke, to deliver my letters personally, The last thing I wanted was another scandal roaming in the streets about the prince and the Luna exchanging such explicit letters.

My lips stretched into a grin as the maid finished with the dress.

It was perfect.

A blue, flower-patterned dress that hugged my slim was it snugly and accentuated my curves, my bountiful chest that men could never look away from. I was taller than most, my skin tanner than most of the women my age obsessed with glamour but I wore it like a crown. I am a woman who clawed my way to the top, who managed to even become the empire’s crown princess.

In three weeks. I reminded myself.

“Soon…” I muttered to myself as I observed my reflection with a satisfied look.

In less than an hour, my carriage was ready and I did not hesitate to go in, despite knowing it was a four-hour journey from Midnight Pack to the Prince’s home in the empire. The thought of Damien’s warm eyes, his soft lips pressed against mine just like it always did. The fever he always seemed to stir in my core, I knew I had to see him. Four hours was nothing compared to the three months I’d gone without him.

“Faster!” I had urged the rider. Unable to hide the excitement in my tone.

By the time we’d reached the prince’s mansion, the sun had already dipped into the horizon and my legs and head ached, yet, the second they rounded the corner, every trace of exhaustion in my bones had faded and I felt almost rejuvenated.

Forgetting I was supposed to be ladylike, I’d jumped off the carriage before the horses stopped and almost tripped when my feet touched the ground. The coachman reached to help but I held up a hand and shook my head, signifying I was fine.

I cleared my throat and righted my dress, making sure there wasn’t a crease in sight.

Elegantly, I made my way into the mansion.

It was almost empty, which was strange because the prince never let his servants off on a day like this.

His butler was the only one available to welcome me. As usual, Hansel, the rather young butler had a wide grin on his face as he greeted me with a deep polite bow.

He was human, just like the rest of the Royal Family.

I nodded at him.

“Good evening, Hansel, it’s been a while, is your master in his study or the bedroom?” I went straight to the point, my excitement overriding everything else.

Hansel's expression shifted slightly, before returning to his usual smiling self. He must’ve thought my eyes wouldn’t notice, but I did and I raised a brow in question as he remained silent.

“Well?”

“His Highness can’t see anyone right now as he is…occupied, milady,” Hansel said in his usual polite tone, hands clasped in front of him as well. He was blocking my path.

“Excuse me?” I said, my voice low, my tone almost sounding like a threat.

Hansel's eyes widened slightly with fear and he took a step back.

“His high…ness s…said he didn’t want any disturbance…maybe you should come back later, Miss Akari,”

I was getting pissed off, eager to s***h a part of the man's face just to remind him who the f**k I was.

I figured whatever it was Damien didn’t want to see others for shouldn’t apply to me.

Until I heard it.

My ears were more sensitive than those of humans, so Hansel didn’t hear it but I did.

A grunt. No, a moan, long and obviously Damien.

My heart dropped to my stomach when I heard it, first, it was anger, then fear, then trepidation as I pushed Hansel out of my way and made it upstairs.

“Just like that…don’t stop…”

I heard him say again, his voice getting louder the higher I climbed and the closer I got to the stairs.

So there was not a chance in hell he was pleasuring himself. There was someone there with him.

I stood at the front of the door, finally. Unable to push it open but instead staring long and hard at the golden door knob, my heart beating so fast that I could hear my blood pumping in my ears. My beast was restless, whining and growling the more we heard those sounds.

Okay. This isn’t that bad. He’s a prince, it’s normal for him to want a woman, after all, I’ve always rejected him, wanting to wait till marriage as my grandmother had instructed me.

If he apologizes, I’ll forgive him.

Yes.

I decided to myself. Swallowing thickly and reached for the doorknob with shaky hands, turning it and pushing the door open.

“More…yes! More…fuck! Luke!”

I let out a strangled sound at the sight before me.

It was enough to have both of them freeze and turn in my direction.

My cousin…my beta, my best friend…and the man I loved.

“Goddess…” I rasped, my throat suddenly feeling like it had been scratched raw by claws.

“Akari!”

“Cousin!”

They both called out at the same time, pulling away from each other and scrambling with the sheets, trying to cover their sweaty, naked bodies.

A lump in my throat rendered me speechless and then it slid down to my chest, causing me unimaginable pain that made my eyes water.

I haven’t cried since I was ten years old but goddess help me at that moment I wanted to both claw my eyes out and wail like a child.

“It’s not what it looks like, Luna—”

I held a hand up, stopping Luke’s words with a glare, letting my anger show as my eyes changed color and my beast struggled for the reins.

Breathe.

Breathe.

I turned to Damien. My Damien. He looked just as handsome as the day I’d first met him, the day I had fallen in love with him.

“Damien…my—” I inhaled sharply, unable to find the right words, “How could you?” I finally whispered brokenly.

He couldn’t meet my eyes, neither of them could.

The f*****g audacity.

“How long has this been going on?”

Silence.

“I said—”

“—two years,” Damien responded gruffly. His beautiful eyes finally held mine, dark emotions lingered in them, all I could identify but neither was guilt. He looked rather…smug.

“Two years?!” my legs almost gave out.

What the actual f**k?

Damien and I have been together for three years, so for the past two years since we've been engaged...

“So what have I been to you?” My voice shook as I asked that question, it held so much importance though I knew I didn't want to hear the answer.

“Listen Akari, I love you but…” Damien shook his head, “With Luke…things are different,”

Oh goddess, I was definitely going to throw up. The scent of their lovemaking filled the air and thanks to my stronger sense of smell, I was sure it would be seared to my memories as well.

“Wow...” was all I could muster, “Does…the emperor know about this?”

Damien's eyes turned cold and my cousin looked downright panicked.

“You can’t tell him!” Luke exclaimed like he had a right to speak.

“Shut the f**k up!” I yelled back at him, pinning him down with the pressure from my wolf.

Damien glared. “Don’t speak to him like that!”

“I will tell the king!” I retorted. Unwilling to show just how broken this sight had made me.

It hurt. Oh how my heart burned, how it ached so much that I wanted to curl up into a ball and cry.

“And then let him know that the Terian cliffs will no longer be given to the empire, Midnight pack's connection to the empire is done…and so are we!” I announced with conviction in my tone.

He didn’t even feel guilty. He still lied about loving me.

I wouldn’t show weakness in front of him.

“You can not do that!” Luke snarled, “You know how important this joining is to Damien, or do you intend to steal his birthright like you stole mine?”

I laughed, no humor in my dry chuckle as I met my cousin’s blue eyes, almost identical to mine.

The nerve of the bastard saying s**t like steal.

“I stole your birthright?" I scoffed at the audacity of Luke's words.

"If it’s so f*****g important then you can give the cliffs to him when you become alpha dear cousin…” I said, my words dripping with dark sarcasm. I was shaking with anger, with hurt, and none of them even bothered to apologize!

Luke’s eyes narrowed with a hatred I’d never seen in them before, “I will, become Alpha that is,” he announced confidently.

I snorted and rolled my eyes, “Sorry, but that seat is taken and you’re too much of a p***y to challenge me for it,”

That much I was certain of.

Then Damien stepped down from the bed, no longer hidden by the sheets in all his naked glory, he only stopped when he was right in front of me, I strained my neck to meet his angry gaze.

“He won’t have to defeat you, but he will replace you!”

The nerve.

I gritted my teeth and glared just as fiercely as he did, at the man I loved with every fiber of my being.

“Oh really?” I raised a blond brow, “And what makes you think I’ll be leaving my seat?”

“You will…” Damien's voice dropped low, filled with venom, “Because you, Akari Quinn, have just committed treason against your crown prince and the empire…and you will be executed for it!”