Clarisse rose from her seat calmly, looked Declan in the eyes, and said, “Then, I shall concede my seat and return to being an Omega.”
A rush of gasps echoed within the room. Divorce between Chosen Mates, an Alpha and his Luna at that, was sure to blow up into a huge issue within the kingdom. Not to mention that the pack had risen above others since the two’s imprinting five years ago.
She started to walk out of the room, but Declan rushed to block her and said, “Don’t leave for good, my Silver Moon. You can still stay by my side if you want to.”
“Don’t you think that’s too cruel, Declan?” she asked with sad eyes, “I am staying, but I politely refuse to become your mistress, when all my life I lived as your Chosen Luna.”
Clarisse sidestepped and went out of the room, the door lightly slamming close. Shannon stood outside and fidgeted at the sight of her. It was clear that she felt uneasy about the atmosphere. She knew it wasn’t the girl’s fault if she really was Declan’s Fated Mate, but Clarisse still couldn’t help but feel hatred towards her.
“Are you alright… sister?” she asked Clarisse.
‘Sister?’
“I am fine, girl,” she replied coldly, “Congratulations on becoming the pack’s new Luna.”
“The new Luna?” Shannon asked, as if confused. “But I thought you were the pack’s Luna, Sister Clarisse.”
Shannon pushed her face closer towards Clarisse, and suddenly, Clarisse smelled something off from her again. It was a strong scent that she couldn’t quite put a finger on. It wasn’t the stench of wounds and dirty clothes anymore, nor was it perfume, so what was it?
“Sister?”
Clarisse shook her head and blinked several times before she realized she had zoned out. “Declan and the council will explain it all to you,” she replied quickly.
Clarisse walked out of the hallway and within a few steps, she surprisingly bumped into Brielle. She was rushing towards her, gasping for air as she reached out and grabbed Clarisse by the arm, a crazed look in her eyes.
“Is the news true?!” Brielle asked.
Clarisse’s brow shot up and asked in return, “What are you talking about?”
“Clary, tell me that bitch isn’t your husband’s Fated Mate!” Brielle shrieked, “Tell me she won’t be our new Luna!”
SLAP!
“Brielle Whitaker! Keep your voice down,” Clarisse slapped some sense back to her, “You spied on the council meeting yet again, didn’t you? You know you should be more mature for your age already, Brie.”
The young girl reached for her cheeks as tears started to pool in her baby-blue eyes, “Clary… I just… it’s just so unfair! How could he?”
“Yeah, you are the only Luna we accept!”
“True!”
Clarisse’s head whipped at the voices that seconded Brielle’s ugly wailing. Peeping inconspicuously around the corner, several cubs a few years younger than Brielle had their brows scrunched together angrily. Clarisse’s heart was wrenched.
“Who is that bitch to take your place?” one of the youngest cubs asked.
“You guys…” she gasped.
Just as she was about to say something more, Clarisse heard the council door open and close behind her. They all turned to look at Declan with the council following behind him. By his side, Shannon stood pale like she was walking on thin ice.
Shannon yelped and grabbed Declan’s arm when she was glared at by Brielle and the cubs. Although Clarisse knew it wasn’t much help, she somehow felt relieved. At the very least, she wasn’t the only one who didn’t like the girl.
There was truly something off about her… if only she could name what it was.
“Let’s go,” Declan said, leading Shannon forward and passing by Clarisse and the rest. “You will have to learn a lot of things.”
Her mate turned his back on her like he completely threw away the fact that they were married. Clarisse steeled herself for what was surely to come. The rise of the other Luna was imminent, and the downfall of the old one was not too far away.
***
Laughter echoed inside the manor as Declan and Shannon walked their ‘daily rounds’. Shannon had lately integrated into the pack as a somewhat probationary Luna, to which Clarisse was weirdly still involved with considering all the official works she was handed despite declining. The couple was closely followed by selected pack members, a handful of which were women who supported Shannon’s role as Declan’s Fated Mate.
“Ugh,” groaned Brielle, “she’s such a snake.”
“I know right? Plus, haven’t you noticed her wearing expensive perfumes Luna Clarisse used to wear on special occasions only?” a cub added.
“Girl, the audacity!” another gasped.
Clarisse would’ve normally chastised them, but today she wasn’t feeling like she needed to. She turned her eyes and cleared her mind from everything that was happening. She didn’t want any negativities to ruin the peace she found by herself.
“I’m gonna have to take a short break. Anything you guys want me to grab along the way?” Clarisse finally said.
“Oh, bring more cookies, sis,” Brielle nonchalantly requested, “Checkmate!”
“No fair!” the cub she was playing with complained, “You never let me win.”
“Dummy, I gave you several chances but you didn’t even notice,” Brielle stuck out her tongue.
Clarisse laughed as she got up, flicked her sister’s forehead playfully and chided, “Brie, give the cub a break.”
After she finished at the toilet, Clarisse grabbed a few cookie tins from the pantry and noticed there was tea simmering by the stove. She quickly turned it off, thinking how stupid it was to leave the fire open without anyone around. A thin whiff of smoke rose from the pot’s spout, and Clarisse quickly noted it smelled like her favorite blend.
But who would be making her favorite tea except her? It seemed like someone was trying to get on her good side but unfortunately forgot they were brewing and left for some other new thing. Thinking the tea was going to waste when it turned cold, she grabbed a teacup and poured herself one serving.
At first, the taste was as she expected, but all of a sudden, Clarisse felt a sharp pain in her chest that quickly spread throughout her body.
“!”
Gasping for air, Clarisse tried to reach the door in a bid to ask for help. Her eyesight turned darker by the second, and she fell to the ground along the crashing of her teacup and clanging biscuit tins. A familiar scent permeated inside the room, and Clarisse strained to turn around to see who it was.
“Your loved ones will be next,” the voice said.
***
POP! POP! POP-POP!
“!”
Clarisse opened her eyes to what looked like a scene she definitely had seen before. The whole pack was gathered and colorful confetti rained. From the second floor’s balustrade, she could see a picture of her and Declan on their Imprinting Day four years ago.
“Happy Fourth Imprinting Anniversary Alpha Declan and Luna Clarisse!” the pack congratulated jovially.
Her head was ringing from the loud cheers and noises. She was clearly confused. Didn’t she just… die?
One deep kiss and Declan’s go signal for the party to start later, he whispered in her ears, a concerned look in his face, “My Silver Moon, are you alright?”
Clarisse could only stare at his handsome face and wonder, ‘What the fuck just happened?’