Chapter 36
“Viola from the North Pack,” a female voice spoke. It was Elder Ysara, the elder Viola had learned possessed a spiritual connection to the Moon Goddess and was a seer. Being addressed by her made Viola’s throat go dry.
“You claim your parents are omegas and that your wolf has not yet awakened.” it wasn’t a question but more a statement.
Viola felt her heart give a heavy thud, the food she had eaten moments ago threatening to rush back up her throat. She didn’t claim it, the Alpha had made it up!
This elder possessed spiritual powers, and Viola couldn’t help but fear that, as a seer, she might see through lies.
Her ability had been said to be granted by the Moon Goddess herself centuries ago to the first generation of seers and had been passed down through the bloodline for generations.
If Elder Ysara discovered that Viola came from Moonwillow, it would mean nothing but death, she would be killed before even stepping fully into the competition she had dared to enter.
Viola wanted to shrink back, to disappear entirely so she wouldn’t have to face this particular elder, but she forced herself to lift her chin, letting her eyes meet the woman’s piercing gold ones.
“Yes,” she answered.
“Hm. It’s strange,” the elder said slowly. “I can’t smell a wolf in you, and yet you don’t smell human either. Are you p>
She began to probe further as she could sense something utterly strange and wrong about the girl’s aura, but the cold voice of the Alpha suddenly cut her off.
“Go ahead and ask her the important question, Ysara. We don’t care where a nobody like her comes from when it’s obvious she won’t make it p>
Viola’s fingers clenched tightly around the fabric of her dress as his words sent a ripple of chuckles through the she-wolves at the table.
A fire surged through her chest, and she forced herself to meet the Alpha’s icy gaze with her own piercing blue eyes. Every fiber of her being burned with resentment towards him.
The pretentious bastard. Oh, how she despised his arrogance, that cold accent in his voice, the way he looked down on others as if the world owed him obedience. One day, she would slap that cold face with her victory.
’Mama mia! She’s got cold eyes! She despises us now. Fuck you, man!’ Sebastian’s wolf exclaimed inside him. ’You didn’t have to insult her just to save her little neck from Ysara’s probing p>
Elder Ysara nodded at the Alpha’s words, accepting them without protest, then turned back to Viola.
“What do you believe makes a Luna worthy of standing beside an Alpha p>
When Viola answered, it was with a quiet confidence she didn’t know she still possessed.
“I don’t believe a Luna is worthy because she’s the strongest,” she said calmly, “or because she has the loudest wolf p>
“Easy for you to say when you lack a wolf,” came the sneering voice of one of the participants, Emilia. “You know as well as everyone here that what makes a Luna is her wolf. But don’t worry, I won’t burst your bubble just yet, we’ll have plenty of time to do that in the arena p>
A smirk formed on the she-wolf’s face as she looked Viola straight in the eyes. “Isn’t that right, our little suicidal wolfless p>
Laughter rippled through the other she-wolves.
As if Viola’s answer had already bored her, Laila, who had been watching the exchange with silent amusement, finally chimed in, answering Elder Ysara’s question herself.
“A Luna must be powerful,” she said, leaning back arrogantly against her chair. “Strong enough to command respect, feared by enemies, and admired by her pack p>
Approving murmurs moved through the table.
Laila continued, confidence oozing from her words and tone. “She must enhance her Alpha’s status, through her strength, her lineage, and her ability to produce strong heirs. A weak Luna brings weakness to the pack. That is something no Alpha can afford to have beside him p>
Her eyes flicked toward Viola. “So, little girl, you don’t stand a chance. Do yourself a favor and forfeit this competition now p>
As if to emphasize her words to the wolfless, Laila released her Alpha wolf presence.
Viola’s teeth clattered violently as the pressure slammed into her. Her hand jerked against the table, the fork stabbing into her palm. She hissed softly in pain as blood welled up, and Laila smirked.
“You see?” Laila said lightly. “You can’t even fight my wolf energy p>
She laughed, then slowly withdrew her wolf presence, releasing Viola from the crushing force and allowing her to breathe again, while the others found the entire display amusing rather than unfair.
Viola’s chest burned with humiliation and pain, but she didn’t let it show. She was used to being humiliated in front of everyone, and this wasn’t even close to what she had endured before. Slowly, she lifted her head and looked at Laila.
“That was petty of you, Miss Laila,” Viola said calmly, her voice steady despite the burning pain in her palm. “Your display says more about your insecurity than my lack of a wolf p>
Her eyes softened into a mock smile, because she wouldn’t give any of them the slightest satisfaction of seeing her pain.
“But thank you for proving that intimidation is what you rely on when words aren’t enough p>
Saying that, Viola pulled the fork out of her palm and clenched her fingers tightly to stop the bleeding, ignoring the heated look Laila shot her in response, and the equally heated look coming from the Alpha seated beside her.
“Enough,” Elder Halvrek declared as Laila began to speak again. “It has been decided. The competition will take place in four weeks, and Viola of the North Pack is officially a participant p>
Laila looked at the wolfless girl and smiled.
So she won’t forfeit, Laila thought.
Her wolf sneered. One of the she-wolves had forfeited just before Viola arrived upon learning Laila was among the participants. Yet even after Laila had demonstrated her power so clearly, this wolfless girl hadn’t flinched.
It made Laila wonder what in hell gave her such confidence, to stand among them, to believe she could win and rule over a pack like Silver and marry Sebastian.
’We’re going to enjoy this so much,’ her wolf purred. ’Sebastian has always been ours. He gives us everything… and we are his fated mate p>
She hadn’t been interested in settling down with anyone before, but lately, she found herself unable to stomach the idea of Sebastian taking another woman when he had already given her almost everything she had asked for.
There were rumors of his curse, and that the death of his third Luna was inevitable, since Natalie and Evangeline had already died. Those two had been her classmates at the werewolves’ school before Laila had moved to her mother’s family pack to explore life beyond it.
But like everyone else here, Laila believed that any Luna who had died so far simply hadn’t been smart enough to protect herself against whatever had killed them within the marriage.
Though there had never been any disclosure about what truly killed them, nor was the public ever allowed to see the bodies before they were buried and many said the bodies were never buried, Laila was prepared for this. The Alpha family was tight-lipped about many things that happened within the family, but her uncle was an Elder, and he had assured her she wouldn’t die from any curse.
According to him, the curse only befell certain she-wolves, but she wasn’t just any she-wolf. She had an Alpha wolf, and none of his past wives had possessed that.
Laila smirked to herself and sent a wink toward Sebastian, who happened to be looking her way with narrowed eyes. She believed he was proud of her for dealing with this wolfless girl, why wouldn’t he be?
She was his mate, after all, his favorite woman in the entire Silver Pack ever since he had lost his two previous wives. Unknown to Laila, Sebastian was seething.
She had just hurt the little idiot of a woman he was having conflicting emotions towards, and for the life of him, he couldn’t understand why his mate bond toward Viola felt stronger than any connection he had with Laila. Why did he despise what Laila had just done to her right there, in his presence?
’And that is exactly why it’s dangerous for Laila to join this competition. She’ll have her evil eyes on my girl,’ his wolf growled in displeasure.