The Dead Luna

Beta Hunter:

I was about to crash for the night, literally with one leg on the bed, when I heard Sebs growl in my head through the mind link.

I shot straight up. What the hell now?

"I told you to pass my message to that masked warrior... Phoenix. She was supposed to come to my room to heal me. Where is she?"

He was full-on pissed.

Huh! Healing! I smirked at the choice of his words. The man was trying hard to get laid with that masked chick.

While rubbing my face, I groaned, "Seriously?"

After grabbing my jeans off the chair, I yanked them on.

So that masked warrior had some balls. She didn’t go to him? That was brave of her.

"What did you do last time, man?" I asked while buttoning up, "No offense, but you must have traumatized her by your mere presence."

No reply. Of course.

Deep down, I knew that the guy wasn’t just mad. He was a mess.

He never shared it, but I knew he never stopped looking for his wife. We both knew that she was dead. Now, ever since that witch expressed her concerns, I could see something brewing in his eyes.

Hope.

Behind that Alpha rage and brooding silence, he was still hurting for failing her.

I stepped out of my room and headed down the hallway. It was quiet except for the annoying squeak of my boots.

I was planning for the side exit as I figured someone from the pack must know about her whereabouts.

Though I wasn’t planning to drag her out of her room.

With all the thoughts swirling in my mind, I was walking to the small door, and that was when I saw them.

Tina, Luna Tamia, the pack’s head warrior, Kiara, and yup. Luna Raya... right in the middle, whispering something.

They were huddled together by the corridor bench, giggling like high school girls. Tina and Luna Tamia had their hands over their mouths, trying not to laugh too loud.

There was something else on their faces. Disbelief.

I slowed down. What the fu*ck was going on?

Luna Raya’s voice dropped so low, I couldn’t hear her, but whatever she was saying had the group grinning ear to ear.

Odd.

What secrets were they sharing? That too at this hour.

My beta senses were up. Something felt off.

"Hey, ladies!" I slapped on a friendly smile to my face, "What are you up to?"

They all seemed to jump, not expecting me at this hour, and then froze.

Kiara straightened up way too fast while Tina started fixing her hair real quick, "It’s nothing, Beta," she tried to act casual, "Just girly stuff, you know?" she shrugged.

Yeah. Right.

With a long sigh, I nodded at them, playing along.

Come on, Hunter. At least give them benefit of doubt. They might be enjoying each other’s company. Look at Tina.

My eyes went to Tina’s face, which was glowing. She was happy.

Maybe I was just a bit tired and annoyed at my friend.

Then... BAM!

The hallway door slammed open so hard that I swear the walls jumped.

I turned around and found the same guy who tried to argue with the King the other day.

What was his name again?

Ah. Jai.

His hair was a mess, his shirt was half tucked in, and his eyes were wild. Dude seemed to be on a mission.

Without even glancing at me, he stormed past me and went straight for the girls’ gang.

"Where is she?" It was evident he was trying to suppress his rage.

I didn’t know why, but Luna Raya seemed to go pale when she saw him. It looked like she wanted to melt into the wall and become invisible.

"I’m asking you something, Raya. Where is she?"

He was demanding Luna Raya without even adding her rank to her name. Luna Raya’s lips parted like she wanted to say something, but no sound came out of her mouth.

I narrowed my eyes. What exactly was going on here?

"I’m asking you something, Raya," his voice dropped to a whisper, "Where is Phoenix?"

My ears perked up. I blinked before the name registered on my mind.

Phoenix? The masked warrior?

"Isn’t she in her room?" Everyone turned to look at me when they heard my voice.

That Dr. Freaking Jai pinned me with his gaze, "And why were you going to her room?" he demanded of me.

That’s what I never like. Those silly explanations. Had he forgotten that I was a Lycan beta? Not some freaking werewolf?

My Lycan must have surfaced in my eyes because Luna Tamia was quick to hold Jai’s wrist protectively, "Hunter. Come on," she gave me that warning glare that failed to work with me this time.

This Jai boy needed to know his place.

In a split second, I was standing near him, with my hand on his neck, "Who gave you the right to question me, doctor?" I asked him, and his eyes tilted down to look at the Lycan nails emerging from my human knuckles.

Regret appeared in his eyes.

"Beta!" Luna Raya quickly placed her hand on my chest, "Forgive him, Beta Hunter. Please," she pleaded while controlling her tears that welled up in her eyes.

Such a crybaby she was.

Instead of acting like a Luna, she was crying as if someone had stolen her lunchbox.

My eyes stayed focused on Jai’s face as I started tightening my grip on his neck. In an attempt to push me, he held my shirt, but couldn’t compete against my strength.

"Hunter. Sweetheart," Luna Tamia started rubbing my back, "Move away your hand. Let him go. You’re choking him."

"Let him go?" my voice echoed, "For what exactly? Last time he tried to disrespect the king, and I spared him."

The head warrior also seemed taken aback by the sudden turn of events.

"Hunter..." Luna Tamia was trying to control my Lycan, who was busy staring into Jai’s eyes. I wanted to laugh because finally, he seemed scared.

Ha-ha.

"What’s going on here?" I closed my eyes when heard the familiar sound of Sebastian. My Lycan instantly went back.

There was only one man my Lycan could never disobey. And that was Sebastian King.

"Hunter!" he called me, and I slowly let Jai’s neck out of my grip. Jai held his neck as he coughed a little.

"Your highness," I bowed my head, "It’s about Phoenix. She is not in her room."

"What the hell..." he muttered under his breath, and before I could blink, his hands had replaced mine on Jai’s neck, "Where is she?" he roared, making the room vibrate.

Jai choked, but this time didn’t try to fight back against the king.