My hands became sweaty, and I could feel fear crawl through my skin as my entire body shivered. I slowly drew closer, forgetting where I was and not concerned if I would be caught by her. Nothing mattered anymore as I peered intently at the wall, panting in shock.
It was so unbelievable and didn't seem realistic at all, yet I can't deny the fact that I heard her voice even when it sounded faint. My mother, who was announced to be dead two years ago, was the one whose voice I heard behind this wall in the Luna's room.
"Why did the Luna lock my mother up?" What is happening? Does it have anything to do with why she has been maltreating me badly? Is this a dream?" I was breathing heavily as sweat dropped from my face, tears formed in my eyes, and my heart was racing in pain.
I placed my ear closer once again and didn't hear her voice, but only grunts and groans of deep and intense pain from her.
"No. No, I must be having illusions!" My lips trembled as I began to whimper, hitting the wall, looking for which way to get through as there was no visible door to any room there. It was a bare wall, so how did my mother get locked in there? What secret room was this without a door or window?
All these questions battered my head—my heart felt like it was being stabbed. It had been two years since I was made to believe my mother died from drowning. They told me it was suicide.
My father died a year after I was born, and life was really tough for us as we struggled to put food on our tables.
My mother waited patiently for her second chance mate, but no one came by. She suffered insults and scorn from my father's relatives, who accused her of being the cause of the untimely death that took my father. According to them, she was cursed and a misfortune, so no one would help us.
My mother is an orphan and has no siblings.
We both saw hell, wallowing in abject poverty, and that was the reason I couldn't even finish high school before joining her in her menial jobs of cleaning and doing chores for our neighbors, who pay us little.
We both hoped for better days and were so sure things would get better soon. But that night, my mother left the house and never returned.
The strange thing about the whole event was that she was all smiles and unusually gleeful all through that day, with no trace of depression or sadness. She even told me she had great news to share with me.
Just that night after work, she walked out, and I thought she would return very soon, but she didn't. After almost 24 hours, news spread that a body had been found drowning in the river.
It was recognized as being my mother. I only saw her when she was taken to the hospital, and the next news was that she was dead. Because it was a suicide, according to some eyewitnesses, her body was buried immediately, which was according to the culture.
The Luna was all sympathizing with me and volunteered to take me in as her personal maid to help my life, but after a few months, she turned into a monster, deriving joy in making me suffer, treating me like a pig and one who has no life of her own.
I kept wondering why the sudden change and why she suddenly hated me so deeply, as if I had done something so terrible to her.
"What is my mother doing in here?! Alive after two years of being pronounced dead!" I whimpered, my lips trembling as more tears burned down my cheeks.
I couldn't understand what was going on, and my head kept battering with several thoughts as I stared at the wall, shaking my head with sheer shock and disbelief.
Just then, someone gripped my hand and dragged me out of the room.
"What the hell are you doing in there?! Do you want to be skinned alive?" Selene shunned me as soon as we got out. She kept dragging me until we got into her room.
I couldn't say anything as I slumped on her bed, sobbing silently.
"Joy, what is it?" She asked, her voice brimming with care and compassion.
"The Luna has my mother caged in some secret room in her chamber. I heard her voice behind the wall beside the cabinet where I got that antidote!" I shrieked, terrified, as a lump formed in my throat and my heart grew heavier. I couldn't just wrap my head around everything. It was so queer and unbelievable.
"Are you sure of what you are saying?" She gasped, and I nodded, burying my face in my palm and crying more.
"What other secrets does the Luna have? What the hell is going on in this place? First was that demonic mirror; now my mother, who was declared dead!" I moaned, breathing heavily, as the voice of my mother replayed in my head.
I could feel the depth of pain and despondency. It was like a soul cast away in the abyss. Like one who had gone through severe pain, both mentally and physically.
"Gosh! I don't even know what to think now." She sighed and plopped down beside me.
"I gave them the antidotes. They are safe now." I said to her, and she smiled and nodded.
"Oh yes, I already knew when I saw the hunters returning, downcast and confused. I thought you wouldn't succeed and had stood beside the palace door, ready for them to be brought in, so I would actually tell the alpha to allow me to kill myself and set them free. I know how much they want me dead, so I was sure they would agree." She relayed, exhaling heavily.
"Wow, you wanted to die for him?" I exclaimed, and she sighed.
"If he dies, there will then be no reason to be alive." She muttered under her breath.
"Don't you still have those vampire powers? Please use it to save my mother." I begged her, but she shook her head sadly.
Before she could say anything, the door was kicked open, and two guards busted in, looking so aggressive and furious.
"Today, you will regret associating with this witch!" One of them growled at me, and before I could say anything, a punch struck my face and stomach, followed by another heavy kick over my chest. I felt a sickening crack as excruciating pain washed through my entire body, forcing a sharp scream off my lips as I stumbled and fell in pain.
"Leave her alone!!" I heard Selene yell angrily at them, but it didn't make any impact as they kept hitting me till I couldn't scream anymore. My voice was fading.
"Get off her!!" Her voice rammed in again, this time sounding so deep that it was quite hard to recognize her voice, but the man was deaf and wasn't moved.
"If you don't leave her now, I will...."
"You will do what?" The voice of the Luna broke in at that moment, and the men stopped hitting me and moved aside. The Luna stepped in and shut the door, locking it before turning to face us.
"You are really unfortunate." She said to me, shaking her head pitifully while I winced in pain, spitting blood from my swollen lips as my face and body ached really bad.
"Why did you send these stupid men to come in here and beat her? What wrong has she done again, you evil witch?" Selene snarled, a sudden courage laced in her voice that left me surprised as I wondered what was giving her the gut.
"Are you talking to the Luna like that? Do you want to die with her?" One of the bodyguards growled in warning at her, and my body flinched as cold chills ran down my spine.
Did he just mention that I would be killed?
"What nonsense are you saying?" Selene sneered, and the Luna chuckled, her face displaying pure wickedness and cruelty.
"He isn't saying nonsense, darling. Your new friend is dying today, and my order to the bodyguards is to beat her to death in front of you so you will see that you are a bad omen who brings death to anyone who associates with you."
I was sweating already as everything I was hearing hit my head like bullets, consuming me with horror.
"You are a big clown if you think I will allow that to happen." Selene shot back, leaving everyone shocked and confused as we all peered at her with one question written on our faces. "How will she stop it?"
"I know everything that happens in my room. I know you stole the antidote, and I know you went to spray the vampire scent. I know you found out about your mother being caged in there. I also know you found out about that mirror. I'm sorry, I can't allow you to leave after finding out all these secrets!" the Luna blurted angrily at me, venom in her eyes like a poisonous snake.
"You really locked my mother in there for two years!! What did she do to you? We were just poor souls, striving to survive and make something out of our pathetic and shattered lives. What was her crime?" I screeched, tears falling like rivers down my cheeks as my lips shivered and several lumps formed in my throat.
My heart was burdened as the picture of my mother filled my head. I couldn't tell how she would look now. After two years of not setting eyes on her, I felt like I would collapse upon realizing she was actually alive and caged like an animal.
The Luna's face contorted, and she hissed, seething as she gritted her teeth as if she were struggling to speak.
"You are really devilish!" Selene yelled furiously at the Luna, and two guards attempted to hit her, but the Luna gestured for them to stop.
She then turned to me with a sinister smile.
"Since you will be dying right here and now, I think you should know the truth and take it to your grave."
She squatted and faced me with a smirk plastered over her face, her brown eyes dripping with everything defined as evil.
"Your mother's second chance mate is the Alpha. She is the one who should be Luna, not me, and you know I would rather die than allow that. Now you know why she will never come out of there till she dies naturally." The Luna's words struck me like a bomb explosion, and it was like my world came crashing down.
She stood straight and snorted before gesturing at the bodyguards.
"Kill her!" She ordered and walked away.