THE ALPHA’S VENGEFUL LUNA

CHAPTER 5: STUPID MATE BOND

TAVL 6

ICARUS

I stared at Freya wide-eyed, and she wore an equally surprised expression on her face.

“Wha-what is going on?” She asked, staggering backwards. Her eyes moved from me to the scratching men who were wailing in pain.

“Arrrghhh I can't...I can't stop scratching!” My adviser, the old wolf who had reprimanded Freya, cried out in tears.

“What is happening?” The clan's general exclaimed, fighting the urge to scratch his already sore skin.

“Help us!” they cried out in different voices laced with anguish.

My eyes wandered between Freya and the men who scratched their skin. I looked around at my councilmen, every one of them writhing in pain as their skin fell off like scales.

“I need to get help!” I said, dashing out of the room in search of the healers. I could have sent a servant, but I dismissed them all before the meeting. I did not want any of them listening in on my most intimate plans.

As I was on my way, I encountered some servants and they were perplexed at how disoriented I appeared.

“Master, what's wrong?” The older servant quickly asked before I uttered a word, taking in the panic on my face.

“Where are the pack healers and physicians?” I asked in a haste, and the younger servant stuttered.

“E-er they are in the healing chamber. We shall send for them now.”

They both went on their way and I followed after them.

“What is the emergency?” The head healer asked as the servants barged in, but at the sight of me, they cowered on their feet, bowing lowly.

“Master! To what do we owe this visit?” The head healer asked with her knees bowed low.

“The meeting hall has been thrown into a frenzy with the councilmen scratching uncontrollably. We need your help!”

The head healer and physician glanced at each other before they grabbed all they needed, rushing out after me.

When we got back to the meeting hall, the scratching had stopped and Freya was nowhere to be found.

“Oh goodness!” Thea, the head healer, exclaimed as she approached them.

“It is even worse than I imagined.” Said Galen, the physician as he quickly put on some gloves, closely inspecting their wounds.

“Look at how deep the scratches are...one would think they were in a fight with some feral wolves…” said Thea as she cleaned their bloodied wounds.

“How did this happen?” Galen asked one of the councilmen as he took some skin samples from them.

“The meeting was ongoing and as Freya, the Alpha's new Luna spoke, we all suddenly began to scratch. All of us except the Alpha and Luna.” He explained with a voice tired from screeching.

“Strange…” Thea said as she continued tending to their wounds. “Did you all eat or drink anything?”

“Just some special tea which we take during meetings. It stimulates our minds and keeps us alert.” The old adviser said, hissing in pain as the alcohol-soaked rag came in contact with his skin.

“Ahhh, now we know where to start our investigation.” Said Galen, and Thea nodded.

“But this was not the first time they had drunk it.” I said.

“Well, some irritants or poisons work slowly until their signs suddenly get revealed.” Said Thea. “We would need help taking them back to the infirmary to begin proper treatment.”

I called some servants to assist them, and they soon carried every one of the councilmen away.

“Well, we will be going now.” Galen said. “We shall give you the report of our findings when we are able to detect the cause.”

“Do so as soon as possible.” I commanded. “I need to get to the bottom of this.”

There I sat, my mind swirling with confusion. What happened here seemed very unnatural. There was no physical irritant I was aware of that would make twenty men scratch themselves uncontrollably with just Freya and I unaffected.

I rose to my feet, storming out of the hall in search of Freya. I still had not gotten over what she had done during the meeting.

Everyone gave way the moment they saw me prowling down the hallway. When I got to Freya's room, I barged in, slamming the door shut after me.

There she laid on the bed, playing with some odd looking pebbles. She jumped immediately I got in, her face squeezing in confusion.

“What is wrong with you?” She yelled at me.

“What is wrong with me?” I jabbed my fingers at my chest as I regarded her with disbelief. “What is wrong with you?”

Freya laid back down on the bed, still throwing the pebbles and catching them quietly.

“What was that you pulled earlier at the meeting, huh?” I barked at her. “Do you have any idea the calibre of wolves that were summoned for that meeting?”

Freya stayed silent, still throwing her pebbles, almost nonchalant. At least she had learnt to be quiet. I needed to talk some sense into her because if I did not, she was going to keep disrespecting me and the entire clan.

I wondered what I did to the goddess to bestow on me such a terrible, foul-mouthed Luna. My first Luna was the kindest, sweetest soul.

I was beginning to think that something had to be wrong. Either the gods had made a mistake, or this was a form of punishment. And to think we have only known each other for less than two days?

Her menace had to stop and I was ready to deal with it.

Her face was pulled into a frown as I spoke, but her silence was good enough for me. She should always learn to shut up like this when important men were speaking.

“How could you embarrass me and yourself in such a manner? What kind of ill-mannered, foul-mouthed Luna are y-”

I had barely finished scolding her when she leaped to her feet, her lips uttering even more sour words.

“You embarrassed yourself first by speaking like some foolish wolfling!” Freya fired back. “Of course you would expect me to sit back and listen while you utter nonsense, but I just could not. Someone had to talk some wisdom into you!”

I had thought she had finally conceded to submission, but I was wrong. I watched her spew words like fire and they consumed me with so much anger that my wolf shook within me, threatening to come out and tear her apart.

I quivered vigorously, trying to quell the sizzling hot anger, but the more I tried, the more it forced its way out.

I growled, driving my fist into the wall closest to me. Cracks decorated the wall after I retracted my fist and I turned back to Freya, glaring at her with all the anger in me.

“You…” I spat at her, holding her equally burning stare before storming out of the room.

“Icarus!” She called out, following after me and I ignored her but her cries made me stop in my tracks.

***

FREYA:

As Icarus walked out of the room, I could not just let him go. Pride would not let me allow him win the argument , so I followed after him. I had barely taken a step out of the room when something very hard knocked me to the ground, slashing my skin in the process.

“Ouch!’ I cried out in pain, nursing my aching head. It was at that moment I began to regret my decision to follow after him.

I glared at the hefty alisman that had fallen on me, with its sharp edges. This had just been added to the many reasons I hated talismen.

Footsteps drew closer to me and so did my mate's scent.

Great. Now, he was going to see me looking hurt and vulnerable. I quickly wiped the tears of pain that escaped from my eyes.

I looked up from underneath my lashes to see him bent over me. The anger in his eyes had been replaced with concern, soft and beguiling.

“What happened?” he asked, and I pointed at the golden wall talisman by my side.

“That stupid thing just...fell on me.” I explained in anger, ripping a part of my shirt to stop the bleeding. “Must have fallen because of the way you punched the wall.”

“f**k. I am sorry, Freya.” Icarus apologised. I could see the sincerity in his eyes, but I was not ready to give in just like that, so I frowned.

“You are just a harbinger of doom.” I accused him. “First, the councilmen. Now look, I am hurt and it is all because of you.”

“It is just a coincidence, okay? And I just said that I was sorry.” He said, guilt written all over him.

“Well, apology not accepted.” I rolled my eyes, wincing at the searing pain that coursed through my head as I did.

“Come on, let us get you to the healers.” He said with a sigh.

He tried to help me rise up, but I swatted his hand. “I do not need your help.” I huffed, pushing myself up on my own.

“I insist.” He said, lifting me up in bridal style.

“Hey, put me down!” I protested, pounding on his chest. Unfortunately, the body I was living in was soft and feeble, so my punches were like air to him.

“Stop it, Freya. This is faster, okay?" Icarus shunned me. “Can you not see you are bleeding out? You have already lost a lot of blood and we need to get you to the healers as soon as possible. Quit being stubborn.”

I murmured under my breath. Why did he have to be right?

As he held me in his arms, I felt our hearts beat in sync and our soul ties tugged on each other. Stupid mate bond. I looked down on the floor to get my mind off the feeling. I could not let it weaken my resolve.

“Oh my, is that not the Luna? What happened to her?” The healer asked as soon Icarus brought me in.

“Yes it is, Thea. A wall talisman fell on her head and she is badly hurt." Icarus explained.

“Sorry, sweetling. ” Said the old healer with a kind smile as she cleaned my wound. I hissed in pain and glared at Icarus.

She prepared a herbal mixture which she applied on my wound, bounding it with a bandage.

“There.” She said, “Ensure you eat and rest well, so your body can replenish the blood that was lost.”

“Thank you.” I muttered, feeling a little better than I did earlier.

“If you need me, I will be at the back, brewing some medicine.” she said before exiting to the backroom.

Icarus and I were left alone, and I looked everywhere but at him.

“Are you still upset with me?” He asked but I ignored him.

He rose on his feet, walking towards me. I turned to face the wall as he sat on the bed next to me.

“Freya... I am really sorry.”

The sincerity of his apology softened my heart and I found myself giving into his words. Slowly, I turned to face him.

“Does this mean you forgive me?” A tiny smile began to grow on his lips.

“Hmph.” I huffed, but the smile tugging on the corner of my lips gave me away.

There we were, staring into each other's eyes like we were hypnotised. His wild gray eyes seemed to call on me, flickering from my lips back to my eyes. His face grew closer and closer to mine until I realised what was happening.

I turned my face away, my heart hardening in disgust.

“I will be going to my room now.” I said, rising to my feet before exiting the infirmary, leaving behind a frown of confusion on his face.