Temptations of a Luna

Stripped

Hailey's breath hitched in her throat, her eyes meeting his. It felt like she was running through the depths in his eyes, yet reveling in the coldness that hid behind, like the pack's bushes on a snowy day. She swallowed, begging rationality to take over. She couldn't give in to the things she felt. These foreign feelings, the tingle in her skin, the rapid beating of her heart.

It was maddening.

"I am...I do not belong to anyone. I am a..."

His hand suddenly came up to the side of her exposed neck and he slowly moved, tracing the outline. His eyes followed his finger, and she could feel the tingles from both his finger and his eyes.

"Not belong to anyone?" His voice was husky, and she hated how her heart picked up even faster.

He moved his hand and pulled her waist further to him. She turned, meeting his eyes, fear and an inexplicable want coursing through her body. She couldn't quite understand what or who she was at this moment, and she was not sure if there was a proper answer to the question of whether she belonged to him or not.

Before she could think, his lips slowly brushed against the skin of her neck. She gave a gasp, then moved, her hands attempting to put distance between them. But his hand was stronger. His allure even more so.

She pushed, a little weakly, but it didn't stop him as he left small kisses on her neck, as if preparing her for what was to come next.

She did not know, she never did. Priestesses stayed pure and away from that sort of knowledge, so when his kisses became a little hurtful, she thought he was doing it because he was losing control.

She tried to move away, her eyes shut tight, her breath in her throat. She pushed at his chest with her hand, and he suddenly used his free hand to grab it, stopping it in place.

"You told me you do not belong to anyone. How can you explain this desire to mark you, then?"

She swallowed. She could, if she knew. But she couldn't even convince herself why she was still standing there, like someone whose legs had been cut off. Why she wasn't running in the opposite direction.

Suddenly, he was back in her neck again, his teeth sinking into her. It was his fang, his wolf's fang, and suddenly her wolf went feral.

She couldn't keep it at bay like she knew how to, and suddenly, it burst through her, taking control of her body.

His teeth sank deeper, and she could feel the wet trickles of her own blood. Suddenly, he moved away, then kissed the spot. Slowly, the pain was gone, but he wasn't. He moved further into her, like he hadn't quite had enough.

The door creaked open slowly, and Hailey's head snapped up to it, her eyes wide. It suddenly opened, and the grand priestess, accompanied by two others, walked in, each holding a bowl.

"Hailey!" Came the grand priestess's voice, and Alpha Morales spun around, his lips reddened with the taste of her blood.

Hailey's eyes widened, and tears stung at the back of her eyes. The steel bowl the grand priestess had been carrying clattered to the ground, and the contents spilled to the ground in front of them.

Alpha Morales raised a brow, as his eyes moved from the grand priestess back to Hailey. Before he could say a word, Hailey moved past him, her eyes wide and pleading. She saw the twenty years of her life flash by, and turn into dust because of this one moment.

"Grand priestess. Please. You have to listen to me. Please. I swear, I..please."

The woman seemed too shocked to talk for a while, before suddenly, her eyes focused on Hailey's and in hers was raw unadulterated anger. Suddenly, she lifted her right hand and slapped Hailey's cheek hard, sending her sprawling across into Alpha Morales's hand who had come up behind them.

"What do you think you are doing?" he asked, his voice cold and steely, his brows raised. Hailey moved away from his arms, and he met her.

"Grand priestess, please."

The grand priestess swallowed. "How could you do this? How could you stain yourself like this on the day you are supposed to..."

"Since when was my mark a stain?" Alpha Morales cut in, his brows knitting together. He stepped between her and Hailey, his eyes coming down on her. He was much taller, over six foot three, and had the demeanor of someone who had taken something he knew was rightfully his. Even though he had nothing but his own desires to prove it.

"I am sorry, alpha. But the temple of priestesses and all the apprentices there, including her are under the direct jurisdiction of the moon goddess."

"I am alpha, and I have absolute authority over the entire pack."

"I am afraid not this time, alpha." Without another word, she moved to Hailey, then grabbed her arm, her nails digging into her pale flesh as she dragged her out.

Hailey followed, her hand on her face, her face flooded with her own tears. Suddenly, everything seemed to break in front of her, and she found herself loathing that one moment she had let herself go.

She didn't quite have the time to think before the priestess let her go on the floor, the same ground where she should have been anointed.

She looked up, and the entire gathering of priestesses were there, each carrying a slightly confused look. A few were already judging, and she lowered her head.

"You have disgraced us, Hailey. You have brought shame to the temple!"

She stood up, tears choking her. "I swear, priestess. It was a mistake. I didn't do it intentionally. I have waited twenty years. Trained hard twenty years...."

"If you cared about those twenty years, you should have not let it all crumble before you tonight of all times."

Hailey went silent, her side eye catching alpha Morales as he came forward, his hair falling on his side, his brows furrowed darkly. She swallowed and looked away, her fists clenching.

"Please." She managed to utter again, but the priestess would have nothing of it.

"Kneel."

Hailey didn't argue, and she immediately went on her knees, her body spasming with tears. How could she have lost it all just when she was about to have it all?

"By the power vested on me by the moon goddess as the grand priestess of waning moon, I hereby strip you of your rights to become a priestess. You will become an ordinary onega, and never be allowed back into the temple."

Hailey raised her head, her ears streaming down uncomfortably. "Grand priestess, please. Please."

"So be it," The woman said, her eyes set in a cold, determined gaze.