Reborn: The Rejected Luna

#14 - He Lied

She didn't get it. Alphas couldn't just change beta's, could they? Or maybe his first beta was killed in an attack and he was forced to pick another one. Or maybe…

Irabel shook her head as if that would loosen some memory she had forgotten that would help her figure this out. She needed to remember. For her sake. She needed to know that the life she was desperately holding on to had been real and not full of lies. She had thought about asking but decided against it, just because she could not guarantee that she would be told the truth.

"Are you okay?"

Irabel shot Ken a look and nodded even if she wasn't, so as not to worry him. She was right about him. He didn't believe a single word she had said. And being Maxith's beta, he was going to stick to her even if she asked him not to.

Her attempt at convincing him that she was not Maxith's mate and that she was fine had clearly fallen short as the guy still insisted on taking care of her.

"As the beta of this pack, it's my duty to take care of you in the absence of his highness."

She figured that was the short version of "I'm the one who can make my alpha and you see reason and shield you in case he loses it".

Irabel remembered that about her father's beta. The king of Belmont was usually a calm man, but he had his moments. Irabel remembered walking in on those few times her father was bent on committing murder, while her uncle, his beta, stood by his side pleading. Sometimes they would be shirtless and tackling one another in a fierce argument.

She wiped away a tear that rolled down her face at the violent but warm memory. She had no doubt Ken fell into that protective category. It was written all over how delicately he guided her through the forest away from the building she had spent hours in. He genuinely cared about what happened to her and she was going to take it. God knew she needed him now that she had decided to stay and have her revenge.

She didn't know how many hours it had been exactly, but the setting sun gave her a pretty good idea. They were at the edge of the boundary to the castle. In all her struggling while she was led away from the pack hospital, she hadn't realized how far they had gone away from the majestic building until their walk back. Ken had absolutely refused to leave her alone until now. Not that it made any difference as he was just a few meters away talking to a hooded figure. Whoever that was, Irabel knew Ken didn't want her listening to their conversation as they kept their voices low.

With no wolf hearing to tune in to that conversation, she decided to gaze at the crystal palace. The castle's view pricked her heart again. Maxith's home.

He had promised her a trip to his humble home once they were married. She should have known that his promise was as much a lie as saying his home was humble. Against the Crystal castle, Castle Belmont would definitely be the humble one. Not just in size, but in design too. The Crystal castle's walls were of a more recent design, making it a more recent building than her kingdom's ancient one. There were no flags flying high on each turret except on one.

The huge flag bearing the print of an alpha male wolf flew majestically on top and for a moment she wondered whose wolf the print had been based on. It couldn't be Maxith's. His brown wolf was beautiful. She remembered it clearly. It looked nothing like the deadly midnight black beast with its insane canines protruding out of its mouth on that piece of cloth.

Her hand went to her neck unconsciously. She strangely found herself wondering how deep those canines would go if they were to be sunk in there. Would she scream out in pain or pleasure? Or pain and pleasure like everyone claimed they felt once their mate's teeth sunk in their flesh during marking.

"Are you insane?!" A female voice exclaimed, drawing Irabel's attention from the sparks that had invaded her body from her own thoughts.

She was surprised to find that the hooded figure was female. Judging by the hands resting on her hips defiantly, Irabel knew the figure did not agree or appreciate whatever Ken had just said.

"I just need a few days and he'll be back to his senses." Ken was calm. Irabel had concluded that that was his default setting. She thought it made him a perfect beta to the otherwise hot-headed Maxith.

"He'll kill you!" The girl protested and Irabel agreed. If this was Maxith they were talking about, she had no doubt he could if they were planning on crossing him. She knew that first hand after all, and she had done nothing but love him at the time.

"We both know he won't."

"Still I can't bear to see you in bruises." The girl held out her hand aiming to caress his face.

"Were they mates?" Irabel wondered, but the awkward way the girl retracted her hand just before touching him made her think otherwise.

"Alright." The girl huffed instead. I'll kill him myself and you, if you end up in a fight."

"I promise it won't come to that."

"That's what you said last time."

"I told you I'd be fine and I was. What's the worst that can happen, hmm? Being beaten to pulp? That's what my wolf healing is for."

"That's not funny." The girl took off her hood and revealed a pout on her lips. "Besides, I stopped taking care of big boys who are bent on being stupid, so you'll be on your own. You and your wolf healing."

"You don't mean that."

Irabel noticed the girl blushing when Ken pulled her into his arms. Weird.

"It's just for a couple of days. Until he calms down. And I'm pretty sure after seeing her, half of my job will be done for me." Ken gave the girl an assuring smile, making her blush even more.

Irabel would have continued watching their subtle romantic gestures, the girl's anyway, because Ken seemed to be oblivious to how he affected her, but Irabel looked away.

There was a prickle to her heart after hearing Ken's words.

I'm pretty sure after seeing her, half of my job will be done for me. No matter how much she fought the thoughts that ensued with that statement, she couldn't get them out of her head.

"Her." Did he mean Rayna? Had Maxith gone to see Rayna to get himself calm?

That should be me. The thought escaped her without permission. Damn that bond!

"Welcome to the Crystal Moon. I'm Nykka."

Thankful for the distraction, Irabel looked up and realized the two were done with their insane plan to go against their alpha. She didn't like it. She would have endured Maxith's torture until he let her go, but Ken wouldn't have it and now he was getting an innocent girl involved.

"Irabel." She smiled, extending her hand. The girl was beautiful and she seemed nice too, making Irabel hate their plan even more. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but listen to you talk. I really don't want to get you in any trouble."

"Nonsense!" Nykka dismissed her with a wave of her hand. "The king is many things, but he wouldn't hurt his beloved little sister."

"Sister?" Surprised, Irabel turned to Ken and found him smiling.

"She's right. You are safe with her."

That was his plan? Hide her from Maxith? Irabel gaped at him.

"I promise nothing will happen to you. And this is temporary."

So Ken was big on making promises too, but that was not what was bothering her.

Lies. Her fears reared their ugly head, making her stare back at the girl.

Maxith was an only child. She knew that. He'd told her that countless times. That's why he was willing to leave his pack and join hers instead. He had said nothing was tying him down to his pack and was willing to follow her to the ends of the world if she wanted. Some end of the world that was.

He'd claimed his father had agreed to their pack's alliance and Maxith had every intention of merging their packs once he was alpha, making the bond between the Ordovics and her pack strong. It was a lie. Of course it was. Irabel thought, looking at Nykka.

For a girl, she did look a lot like Maxith in more ways than one, making whatever she had said true. Her hair was cut short, but the hair color, that deep shade of midnight, was a replica of Maxith's. The blue in her eyes seemed like a family trait. They weren't as electric as Maxith's but they came pretty close. Her smile was a dead give away. No means alluring but an almost perfect replica of her brother's. It was in how the ends of their lips curved in a similar fashion when they smiled.

"He lied." So far, that had been consistent with her mate and as much as she wished for the opposite, Irabel found the lies convenient for how she felt towards him. A little more of those and maybe she'd hate him enough to drown the pull of their bond. Her heart ached, because now it was getting pretty clear how much of what she shared with Maxith were lies. But instead of feeling sorry for herself, she would channel all that hurt where it mattered. Right into her revenge.

"You have lovely hair."

"What?" A tug on the band that held up her hair jolted Irabel out of her thoughts. Nykka had stepped closer and was doing some kind of inspection of her head. The girl's unmistakable carefree nature had abandoned the more serious matter at hand, it seemed, forcing Irabel to do the same.

"Mind if I do something with it?"

"I guess not." Her hair was still a little matted and the enthusiasm on Nykka's face promised a good free hair do. She couldn't say no to that. It had been a while since she got such treatment. It would give Irabel something else to think about too. No doubt some warm memories from when her own nanny did her hair in their palace.

"This is going to be fun!" Nykka squealed before pulling Irabel along. Thanks to the pain meds Ken had offered her, she didn't feel a thing while she was dragged towards the castle's entrance.

"And princess…"

They both stopped, with Irabel sensing the tension in Nykka's hand that held hers.

"Let me know if you need anything, okay?"

Irabel didn't have to wonder any more. "If Maxith was a king, Nykka had to be a princess, but somehow being called that by Ken seemed to mean something else altogether. At least for Nykka.

"Sure." Nykka's voice trembled a little and Irabel realized she was not going to be the only one bent on hiding how she truly felt.