His Alpha’s eyes, an unnerving shade of deep blue, watched him with an unblinking intensity, his gaze slicing through the tension like a cold, calculated blade. Detroit’s instincts flared, warning him that Ryder’s relaxed deanor was just a ruse, a thin veil hiding the danger lurking beneath.
He ought to be afraid, he’d just angered his Alpha’s woman.
Suddenly, a zap cut through his mind, a sharp, electric jolt that made his thoughts stumble. The ntal intrusion was unmistakable - his Alpha’s signature move, a demonstration of his formidable psychic power.
Detroit’s eyes flicked to his Alpha, who hadn’t moved, but whose gaze now seed to hold a darker, more ominous undertone.
’Let her beat you to her satisfaction, or I will. Choose wisely.’
Detroit’s stomach churned, a cold sweat breaking out across his forehead as he weighed his options. His Alpha’s woman’s fury was evident, like a living, breathing entity that seed to pulse with a life of its own.
Letting her beat him up without putting up a fight was a perilous gamble. As a Luna, Reana possessed a ferocity and strength that few could match, and her wolf was just as deadly, a Luna wolf. If she lost control, even for a mont, she could easily kill him - and his Alpha’s presence seed to suggest that he wouldn’t intervene to stop her.
Consequently, he knew that if he didn’t submit to her wrath, his Alpha would make good on his promise, and the thought of facing Alpha Snow’s punishnt was a prospect too terrifying to contemplate.
With a shaky breath, he shut his eyes, steeling himself for the onslaught.
But just as Reana was about to unleash her fury, Mirian darted forward, dropping to her knees in front of the enraged Luna, kowtowing with a desperate plea, her grip on Reana’s paws strong like a vice.
"Please, Luna, show rcy. Please, show rcy."
Reana’s chest heaved with ragged breaths, her eyes blazing with a fierce, untad light. For a mont, it seed as though Mirian’s words had fallen on deaf ears.
Then, slowly, Reana’s gaze dropped to Mirian, her expression softening ever so slightly as she took in the younger woman’s abject posture, her eyes shifting to Mirian’s hand covering her paws.
’Why should I?’ the Luna’s ntal voice, filled with icy disdain, echoed through Mirian’s mind. ’He attempted to kill your pack mber. And you’d have forgive him? Forget the pain he’s caused Kira?’
Reana’s presence in Mirian’s mind was like a crushing weight, making it hard for Mirian to breathe, to think.
"He– it was a mistake. He didn’t an to hurt Gamma Kira, Luna," Mirian’s voice trembled, her thoughts racing to find the right words to placate Reana’s fury. "He wouldn’t hurt my people. He–"
Reana’s gaze lingered on Mirian’s face for a mont before she suddenly snatched her paw from Mirian’s grasp, laying it on Mirian’s hand, her claws digging into the tender skin with a precision that made Mirian’s heart falter.
The pressure was deliberate, a subtle warning that Reana’s patience was wearing thin, and Mirian’s eyes fluttered closed as she steeled herself for what was to co.
’Why are you defending an enemy?’ Reana’s mind-link dripped with a mix of confusion and accusation. Her claws dug a fraction deeper into Mirian’s skin.
Mirian’s lips trembled, but she bit back a cry, refusing to yield to the pain. She shook her head, her eyes locked on Reana’s, and whispered, "I don’t know." The truth spilled out, unbidden: "He’s not my mate, but... I feel drawn to him. There’s sothing about him that makes want to protect him."
Reana was taken aback. Her wolf’s green eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Mirian’s words had caught her off guard, stirring up a mixture of surprise and curiosity.
Why did Mirian’s confession sound eerily familiar, echoing the sa forbidden attraction she herself felt for Ryder?
"L – Luna," Kira’s weak voice cut through the charged air, shattering the tense standoff between Reana and Mirian. The two won swiveled to face her, concern etched on their faces.
Kira summoned a faint smile, her eyes pleading. "Mirian and the Zeta are innocent. It was my fault." A flicker of fear danced in her eyes; she knew Reana’s nature, and the thought of her facing the brute alone was unbearable.
Kira’s gaze swept the clearing, locking onto Ryder as he pushed off the tree trunk, his eyes fixed intently on Reana. "Ryder, co take the Luna back," Kira urged, her voice barely above a whisper. "Please, don’t let her fight him."
Reana’s claws retracted, and her body contorted as she shifted seamlessly into her human form. The transformation was swift, her limbs lengthening, and her senses adjusting. When she stood before Mirian, it was on two legs instead of four, her skin covered in a fine layer of white fur that glistened under the sun. "I’ll deal with you later."
Suddenly, the Zeta, who had been silently observing the unfolding drama, spoke up, his deep voice tinged with remorse. "Luna, I’m sorry," he said, his words accompanied by a low, sweeping bow, his head dipping in respect.
The gesture was a stark contrast to his usual aloof deanor, and it underscored the sincerity of his apology.
However, Reana remained silent, her expression unreadable. Instead of responding to the Zeta’s apology, she turned her attention to Kira, gently helping her off the ground.
With a fluid motion, Reana transford once more, her body shifting into the majestic form of a white wolf. She gazed up at Kira, her piercing eyes commanding. ’Get on,’ she ordered.
Kira hesitated, her eyes darting to Ryder before she finally nodded, swinging her leg over Reana’s back. Properly seated, the white wolf sprang into motion, dashing forward with incredible speed and agility. The trees blurred together as they sped through the woods, Reana’s paws pounding the earth in a rhythmic cadence.
Mirian stood frozen, her eyes brimming with unshed tears as she watched Reana and Kira walk away. A pang of sorrow and regret twisted her heart, and she bit down on her lip to stifle a sob. The Luna must be disappointed in her once again, she thought, the weight of that perceived disappointnt crushing her.
Without looking back at Detroit, she also shifted, a grey wolf and dashed after the Luna.
And now, Ryder was left alone with his Zeta.
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