CHAPTER THIRTY NINE
ROXANNE
My gut twisted and my heart raced as I reluctantly turned around to be met head on with Ryker. His demeanor was as frigid as the winter wind and his voice sliced through the air like a blade. His red eyes burned— like they did when he was furious.
“What do you think you're doing?” He demanded, his tone laced with fury.
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I tried to comprehend his question. What did he mean? Was it about the blood staining my clothes, or the tree that was ablaze behind me? “I'm soaked in blood,” I whimpered, my voice trembling. “Can't you see? Look— the tree—it's burning, but the birds…”
“Stop it!” Ryker snapped, his voice cutting through mine like a whip as the murmurs swirled around us.
The whispers once distant, now roared in my ears. My eyes swept over the growing crowd and dread crept over me. My worst nightmare unfolded— ridiculed, humiliated.
“Stop,” I yelled, trying to drown out their jeers. “The tree’s burning and I'm drenched in blood. The crows aren't burning and no one is doing a damn thing,” I sobbed, my voice cracking.
“Enough!” Ryker warned. “I don't want to hear a thing about trees and birds.”
I pushed him back in anger. “You think I'm crazy don't you? Well I'm crazy and I'm seeing things.”
“She's lost it,” someone muttered.
“Who's she?” Another voice chimed in.
“Why's the Alpha keeping a nutcase around?”
“Maybe she reminds him of his mother. This was how she was,” someone laughed.
“She's like the crazy Luna.”
Ryker’s grip tightened around my arm, nails digging into my skin, pain shooting through me. He turned to his guards. “Drag them out and slay their heads.”
Fear rippled through the crowd and their eyes were wide with terror.
“Alpha please,” Beta Miles pleaded.
“Do you want to be added to the list?” Ryker demanded, his voice hard like steel and the Beta backed off.
I looked him square in the eyes but he ignored me. Everyone watched in confusion as the guards moved forward.
“Alph—”
“Do it now,” he authorized. “Fish out the people who gossiped and slay their heads. I want it hung up on the tree by the evening. And if anyone dares run, wipe out their family.”
“What do we do with the body?” They asked.
He shot daggers at the guard. “Make a feast of it.”
I felt shivers run down my spine not from the cold but by how dangerously soft his voice sounded . I shuddered, mouth agape, unable to speak. What if he decided my fate too?
Their pleas fell on deaf ears. He hauled me roughly by my wrist and dragged me towards the pack house. We had barely covered a distance when we heard screams. I froze in my tracks and looked back— although I wished I didn't. I screamed when I saw one of the women's heads fall to the ground and blood splashed.
“Let's get going, Roxanne. Stop slowing me down,” he growled as he yanked me by my wrist and kept going.
I couldn't hold back my tears. They were afraid of what he could do. What had triggered such judgment? Was it me? What was about the past Luna? What did they mean by she was crazy?
He pushed me into my room and slammed the door shut. “Leave me alone,” I shouted.
“What is wrong with you? Why do you have to embarrass me all the time?” He demanded.
Pain, so intense, consumed my whole being. Did I really embarrass him? Tears streamed down my cheeks, his words scorched my being.
He sounded like Zane. I always embarrassed everyone.
“If you know I embarrass you all the time,” I said. “Why did you come to get me? You could have just stayed back.”
“You couldn't even help yourself out there. You think screaming like a maniac is going to save you?”
I swallowed. “You don't believe me do you? You think I'm crazy, don't you?”
“I told you it's enough already,” he said. “I don't want you embarrassing yourself nor do I want to hear a word about flames and birds. If you're going to be crazy, let it stay within the walls of your room,” he spat. “Or I would have to help you end it all.”
“What are you going to do?” I asked in anger. “Kill me like you killed those women?”
His face hardened as he grabbed me by the neck. “You don't know anything. Stay out of matters that do not involve you,” he warned.
“I swear Ryker you've got to believe me. Sooner or later the Red Moon is going to be in danger.”
But he wasn't listening, nor was he looking at me. His gaze drifted down, fixing on the necklace swaying in my hand.
“What's that?” Ryker asked.
“What's what?”
“This,” he said and snatched it from me. “Where did you get it from?” he demanded, his voice trembling with fear and surprise.
“I found it,” I replied stubbornly. “Why do you care about some necklace?”
“Tell me where you found it!” His tone grew sharp with demand, his expression shifting from shock to anger.
“Why are you so bothered?” I challenge.
“This isn't yours to keep,” he snapped back, clutching the necklace tightly. “I know who it belongs to.”
“Whose is it?” I pressed. “Is it Lilith's?”
His nostrils flared when he heard that name but he ignored me and proceeded to leave. I grabbed his arm and tugged at the necklace. “Give it back.”
“Don't even try to test me,” he warned and shoved me away before storming out.
***
RYKER
I motioned for Beta Miles to bring her in, the woman from Blue Moon who identified as a seer. The door slowly opened and the woman walked in. He had expected to see an elderly looking person but she was a young woman. She bowed.
“Alpha Ryker, it's an honor.”
“Please sit down,” I said and motioned to the chair before me.
She nodded and took her seat.
“I asked for the most experienced seer and you were who they recommended. So tell me, can you identify a seer?”
“Yes Alpha, I can,” she replied courageously.
“Good,” I said. “Let's not waste any more time.”
I led the seer to Roxanne's room. I pushed open the door and found Roxanne on her bed munching gummies.
It's not even an hour and she's already eating. She really lives for food. Whenever I see her, her mouth is always busy.
“Didn't I tell you, no more sugar?”
She glared at me and jumped to her feet. “Why didn't you knock before coming in?” She turned to the woman and eyed her. “Who is she and what are you doing here?”
“I'm a seer,” the woman said, “And I'm here to speak with you.”
She scoffed and stared at me. “This is all you, isn't it? This was your decision.”
“It won't be long,” I said flatly.
“Whatever,” she said and grabbed the jar of gummies and began popping them in her mouth, shooting me death glares whenever she got the chance.
“So tell me, have you been having visions? Probably weird ones?”
“I don't have visions,” she said. “That's for seers and I'm not one.”
The seer nodded. “I understand it can be hard to tell them apart sometimes. But they look real and you'll think you're living in it and the next, you're back to how it all started.”
Roxanne swallowed and tore her eyes from the woman's silver ones. “I do not understand what you're talking about.”
The seer watched her expression. It was almost like she could tell Roxanne was lying. “How about the name lilith? What do you know about it? What do you hear and what does it make you do?”
Roxanne slammed her hand on her drawer in anger. “Enough, I said. I do not know anything.”
“Your demeanor gives you away,” she said calmly. “I see through you and I can tell you're lying. Talk to me, I want to help you. I can't do that if you don't comply. So help me see what you see.”
“Shut up!” Roxanne yelled in anger.
“Roxanne—” I started.
“Why are you prying?” She snapped, her anger rising. “I don't know what you're talking about.”
“Of course you do,” I said impatiently. “Tell her everything about the birds, the burning tree, tell her about the wall. How you scratched it by writing the name lilith.”
“Fuck you,” she cursed, pointing at me “And go to hell retards. You think I'm lying, yeah? You think I'm a seer? Well then I am, happy now?”
I turned to the seer, “let her be for now, I'll talk to her later.”
The seer nodded and took Roxanne’s hand in hers. “I know you don't trust me but if you're having anything weird, mostly bad ones you should tell me.”
Roxanne snatched her hand and frowned at the woman. “I don't know what they told you, but I don't see visions. I'm a white moon.”
***
“I'm sorry about her behavior,” I apologized.
The seer nodded, “it's alright. But since she's white moon I doubt she sees visions.”
I sighed deeply, “So… do you think she's lying? I mean she can't see visions right?”
The seer shook her head. “I'm sorry Alpha, but I really don't know. She looked disappointed, scared and angry. Like she can but that's not what baffles me.”
“What is it? Tell me,” I urged.
“Usually, whenever I touch someone or something that belongs to someone, I know everything about them. It's the art of psychometry given to us by the moon goddess.”
“Okay?” I pressed.
“But when I touched Roxanne, I couldn't see anything about her. No image came to my mind. It seemed as though my sight was blocked by the goddess.”