The Luna Game

Chapter 4

Melissa’s POV

It's been almost a week since I made the dreaded journey from my pack in Austria to the Alpha Supreme’s territory in Ireland and I am yet to meet him in person.

None of the girls have either, at least from what I've heard. I have met some of the girls who I'm competing with but for some other reasons known only to the hosts, I have not met some.

When I got to the pack in Ireland, they had welcomed us with a set of rules that were not so new to me which I was thankful for. They put five of us on one wing and I heard that the other five were on the other wing of a grand mansion in

Connemara.

Everything here except those rules is different from what I know in a way that relates to the natural world and the impact of human activity on its condition.

I opened my window and looked out into our little patch of the backyard from the room that was provided for us. The moon was completely covered, so my eyes had to adjust to the darkness before I embarked on my journey around the grounds of this vast palace.

The other girls were allowed to go partying, and even though Ava —one of the girls– had asked me to come with them to the packed pub, I thought it better to stay back where the atmosphere would be more peaceful and less intense. The night is beautiful here. I don't think there was a way I would have traded this beautiful view with the noise and smell of ale. Although a dance would have been nice. I have always wanted to learn the infamous Italian dance steps. I heard they were popular in the area because of the alpha supreme who is both Irish and Italian. I have always wanted to learn the tarantella dance. Maybe if that was available I just might have considered missing this breathtaking view.

I stepped out of the door and headed towards the woods which were just at the backyard in my cutest underwear that I had managed to take with me. I could have left with my full clothes on but I knew no one was going to see me. No one was around anyway, We have pretty much been isolated since we got to the pack and it felt way better and free.

No one had come with me, my family had gotten a letter that very morning which stated that I was supposed to go to a destination that was provided, and also that there was no need for an escort, hence, my maid could not come with me.

They had written that we would not be needing anyone except the competitor and the essential things she would need. Everything had been prepared for us, including the clothes that we should be seen in and the food we would eat.

The Beta who came to attend to us on the second day had said the remainder of the week was going to be a test of how patient we were and of course if we would obey the set rules. And also to get familiarised with our new environment. When one of the girls had raised the question of seeing the alpha supreme and if the competition would start soon. The beta replied that whether we see the alpha supreme or not, the competition would start.

“This is going to be your new house if you eventually get picked out to be the lucky one. So get accustomed to it” She had instructed.

She had also said that the competition was going to start the following week and that was fine with me, we were spending a longer time than I had thought we would be.

My mind was with Luka and how we had ended things, even though it had been for the best, I didn't like the way I made him feel at the end. I didn't like the way my stupid luck ended our sweet and beautiful love story. I just hope there is still going to be a way to go back to him and tell him how sorry I am.

The night was beautiful no doubt and it was helping me get my thoughts together but I could not go beyond the pack wall though I would have really loved to explore more. It was already getting dark before I started to make my way back.

Each step back was a relief. It wasn’t much of a distance, but from here it felt like all my problems seemed to have melted away to a bare minimum. Here I didn’t have to be anyone’s princess, I didn't have to put so much worry on my shoulders, I didn't have to think about how I had to be the great Alpha’s daughter with all the eyes that were always fixed on me were no longer there. Although it was not any better, I believe all the ill attention I have been receiving from the other girls on my wing is only because they feel threatened by me and what they think I can do, so that helps.

As I climbed over the small demarcation from the pack’s wall to the path that leads back to my room, I heard a slight sound, and I knew I wasn’t alone.

Someone around there was hiding somewhere in the night. My breath quickened, I couldn’t help it so I stopped moving to see if something was going to happen any further but there was no movement so I resumed my walk again. This time, I quickened my pace.

But that didn't help the matter because the figure of a man in the darkness was already before me, though I couldn't make out his entire profile, I could clearly see a sly grin spreading across his face.

“What do we have here? una fuga?” He spoke, his voice felt like it was laced with honey to my ears. I know I'm supposed to be scared and trying to get as far away as possible from this person but I could not.

Something about his presence felt safe, as crazy as that might sound, I felt a strange feeling with a stranger who might actually be trying to kill me and dispose of my body in a strange land. If he succeeded, No one would look for me, no one would even know I was missing. It would probably just be reported that I never made it to the competition.

“Uh?” my mouth moved on its own accord. I wonder what language he just spoke, was that Italian? It definitely sounded Italian.

What would my mother think if she saw me now? With my feet glued to the floor and my eyes wide because of a man with no face or identity but a sexy voice with an Italian accent in Ireland.

The man didn't even bother replying to my short question, instead he moved closer. I still could not move. It was as if I was spellbound to keep my feet just where they were.

“You smell so nice, Cara mia. I could hear you from across the grounds” he replied, reaching out a hand to caress my cheeks, his hand felt too good.

Who was this man? How could he command so much charisma, charm, and power in so little time I have spent with him?

“What are you doing?” I finally found my voice. “Is this how you harass someone you had just met? Do you even know who I am?” I asked, challenging him but still not moving.

“I know now. You are one of the alpha king’s properties” He said with the least care for the word. How dare he have call me a slave?

“I am nobody’s property.” I refuted.

“But you are his slave” he replied.

Now he was beginning to get on my nerves. I wanted to see his face but with the way he was positioned, his huge physique blocked out the moon so I could only see a side. That was not helping much. I wanted to see his face so that I could rightly point him out to the guards once I'm safely inside the house. This level of rudeness can never be ignored.

“No! I am nobody’s slave. This whole competition was a bad idea. I wonder why your so-called alpha supreme can't find a woman for himself. Why does he have to host a competition to find a suitable luna? Some of us don't want to be here, you know?” I said, still trying to see his face clearly, but it was proving futile.

“ You are one of those who don't want to be here?” he asked, attentively as if he was hearing my complaints for the first time. He was still very close to me but he removed his hand from my cheeks and somehow my body found that to be hurtful. It was almost as if I didn't want him to stop.

“I have someone waiting for me. I have had my whole life planned with an amazing guy who happens to love me very much and so much for my stupid luck that I happened to have been picked even when I didn't apply” I was not sure why I was telling this stranger everything about me but he should know that not everyone is impressed with the stupid rule.

“Hmmm,” He murmured as if he was thinking if he should believe it or not.

“Yes. If you as well please, but don't use the word slave when you are talking about someone you don't know” I urged.

“Well, we will see about that.” And all of a sudden, without a preamble, He pulled me towards him, then he placed his lips down to mine and slowly devoured my lips, as if he had all the time in the world. His tongue slowly melted in mine and my brain seemed like it was not working well for the first time in my entire life.

“Now, I know you,” he said and left me, hanging there in the middle of the woods, bathed in the beauty of the moon to revisit the sinful kiss in my head while my feet stayed glued to the ground.