CHAPTER 7
BRIANNA’S POV
“So you come into my castle as nothing more than a slave my husband had bought out of mercy,” I stood, glued to the ground as the Luna walked around me. Like a razor, her eyes prickled my being and her voice sounded somewhat jealous, angry, proud and above all territorial. At that moment, there was no difference between her and a tigress waiting to feast on the flesh of her prey. “Wear an exquisite gown befitting only for a Luna like me and still go ahead to have dinner with my husband,” she stressed the last word.
Oh goodness! I have stepped into another hell of a castle as I thought so. Crossed paths with the double ganger of Hermes’s sister. Only this time, it was only her alone, without Hermes. But I couldn’t be so certain. I was used to things taking dangerous turns in my life and wouldn’t be surprised if Sebastian turned out to be Hermes’s double-ganger. But deep down, I kept praying and hoping he wouldn’t.
I tried to talk but the words knotted in my throat. The knotted so tight I swear I would have choked if not for my constant gulps. My eyes rolled around helplessly, trying to avoid her killer gazes.
Of course, I was bought out of mercy by her husband. Bought out of pity. I had no right to appear in an exquisite gown befitting for only a Luna like her. Had no rights to have dinner with her husband. But it wasn’t my fault. I never asked for any of this. All I ever asked for was a peaceful, happy life far away from my past. The last thing I wanted was to create a rift between the tigress lurking around me and her husband.
“And where the hell did she get this gown?” she finally stopped walking around me and turned to scream at the maid whose heart almost jumped out from her chest on hearing her.
“The…king had it sent to…her when she came,” she stammered. She was afraid of her mistress and I couldn’t blame her.
The Luna scoffed and murdered me harder with her glare. But I still stood, unable to move my lips. Unable to utter even a syllable. If only she knew I was as surprised as her when I saw the gown packaged for me in a box, she wouldn’t be murdering me like this. Her husband sent it, not me. I only followed orders to avoid being punished. After all the punishments I received at Hermes’s hell hole, the last thing I wanted was another round of it.
Suddenly, her angry look was quickly replaced by a sinister one. I knew that look. The type Hermes’s sister always had when she had something bad planned out. What was she thinking?
“See her off to her chamber then,” she said to the maid but her eyes still on me.
Without any delay, the maid hastened down the hallway, leaving me behind. Being in the presence of her mistress was burning her and she would give anything to escape the heat.
I struggled to raise my legs. It was as if an invisible glue was plastered on my feet, wanting me to stay longer with the tigress.
Finally gathering the strength to raise it, I tried to jog to the maid when the cold palms of the Luna held back my elbow.
She came closer. Closer enough to bite off my ear and whispered something to me. “You come here looking all pretty and innocent like a kitten. But I know what you are up to and I just want you to know that I do the worst to kittens who try to drink the milk that wasn’t kept for them.” She paused for some seconds before continuing. “I almost forgot to introduce myself,” her tone a slow burn, trying to provoke me. Make me feel her power. “I am Catherine Stan. Wife of your master and Alpha King, Sebastian Stan. Only child and daughter of late Alpha King Castriel Hardwell. The Luna of Cornerstone pack. Your new mistress.” She released her grip and pursed a smirk.
I didn’t stay a second longer. Like a block, my heart dropped and sank in the juices of my stomach as I took to my heels.
***
By the time I got to my chamber, my heart sank so deep in the juices of my stomach that I couldn’t feel it anymore. Slamming the door shut, I held onto the knob, leaning my forehead against the wooden surface, taking time to assimilate everything that just happened.
That was my new mistress marking her territory, comparing me to a kitten, and threatening me. Should I tell Sebastian?
“No, no,” I muttered, my fingers grazing my hair to a mess as I left the door to sit at the edge of the bed.
Telling him will make matters worse. I just arrived. It was just my first day and things were already getting out of hand. Turning out the way I never wanted.
Staring blankly at the room, I could hear Hermes’s voice and his sister’s echoing in my head. I covered my ears with my hands and the next thing I knew, my stomach roared with hunger, the voices fading away.
I winced as I snaked my hands around it, the smell of that roasted meat and delicate spices filling my nose again. My food imagination was wounding me at that moment. Torturing me from the inside.
I managed to remove my heels and put them back in the dresser where I had seen them. I wondered who owned it or if was it purposely kept for me. I won’t be surprised. I reached for my dress and just when I was about to slide the sleeves down my shoulders, I was startled by an unexpected knock on the door.
Sliding my sleeves back to my shoulders, I approached it cautiously, wondering who it could be at this time of the night.
I opened the door only to see the maid that escorted me back to the chamber, smiling faintly and holding a small tray in her hands. On the tray were a steaming cup of hot chocolate and a plate of warm chocolate chip cookies.
I was amazed and my stomach grumbled louder in response. I couldn’t help but feel grateful for the thoughtful maid who had anticipated my hunger and arrived with the perfect remedy.
“Thank you so much for this.” She handed me the tray and I carried it.
“Oh! Don’t thank me,” she interjected with that faint smile still on her face. “Thank the king. He had me bring this to you since he wasn’t sure if you had anything to eat before arriving here.”
With that being said, she left. A wave of something I couldn’t describe washed over me. Who was this man and why was he punishing me like this?