Selene's POV
Joy was the first to wake up and nudged at me with confusion and disbelief in her eyes.
"What is happening? How were we left to sleep all we wanted, and someone even came in here and took away the alarm so we could sleep to our "How were we left to sleep all we wanted, and someone even came in here and took away the alarm so we could sleep to our hearts' content?" She gasped, staring at me with widened eyes, and I quickly sat up, darting my eyes at the clock.
"What?" I shuddered in shock. It was past 1 p.m.
"Who took away the alarm and why?" I asked rhetorically, knowing that neither of us has the answer to that, but we both know that it can never be for good after all that happened last night.
"Selene, I think we are in danger. What if Luna had reported me? Remember, she knows everything that we did. How did she even find out? And my mother...." She screeched the last part, burying her face into her palm in distress.
"Luna is the real enemy, and we have to find a way to destroy her. I don't know why she is doing all this. I sighed and placed my hand on her shoulder, rubbing it gently.
"I don't want my mother to die. I have to see her again. I am dying to see her after so many years," she muffled.
"It has been years, and the Luna didn't kill your mother. If your mother is the true Luna, she can't kill her and will only wait for her to die naturally. Before then, I will save her. Promise: "I cooed, and she jumped in joy, her arms spread apart.
"Yes!! Oh God, Selene, you are a blessing to my life. I love you!" She squeaked, her face graced with happiness as she laughed uncontrollably.
"You deserve it after helping me meet my fated mate." I smiled, and she paused, crouched, and gave me a cheesy smile.
"Jaden is your fated mate." She asked, peeking at my face with a funny look.
"Yes, and Jake belongs to you." I replied with a giggle as she grimaced and slumped on the bed.
"You have a vampire gene. I don't have How can a vampire be my mate? It's stupid to think of it." She shrugged and laid back on the bed.
"Look how we are relaxed in here, not knowing the danger that awaits us outside." I sighed as a rush of sadness coursed through me. She sat up hastily.
"Oh, God. I am scared already!" She swallowed hard, and before I could say anything else, the door burst open, and we both darted our eyes at it, and what we saw sent a cold chill of terror down our spines.
Luna stepped in, clapping her hands with a sinister smile on her face as she directed her eyes from me to Joy. Joy began to tremble, and she clutched my arm frantically.
"How was your sleep? You enjoyed the bliss, right?" Laura asked Joy and let out a sardonic laugh.
"Laura, end all this! We know your secrets and will expose them! It's still early to repent, confess, surrender yourself, and make right your wrongs!" I snapped at her, and her laughter increased. She threw her head back and clapped her hands as if the laughter were uncontrollable.
"You say what? Repent? Surrender? Oh, how pathetic." She snickered and shook her head pitifully at me.
"And you just called me by my name?" She added, letting out a wry smile.
"Yes. You are not the Luna, so it's an abomination to call you a Luna. You are fake! You are evil and pathetic!" I fired back, and she drew closer and crouched, peering into my eyes.
"You were lucky your vampire beast side kicked in. You are also lucky that your mother initiated that curse. If not, you would have rotted 6 feet below the ground. Now, what about her?" She paused with a scowl, gesturing at Joy, who was clinging to me.
"If you touch her, I will kill you. I swear!" I snarled, my voice deep and filled with venom, rage burning in me uncontrollably.
She laughed and stood straight.
"How will you kill me when your life ends tomorrow night? Your mother's curse has limits for preserving your life. As for Joy, she will join you in the land of the dead soon. You both are too little to stop me, so chill." She winked, a smug look plastered over her face.
"Who will kill me? Who?!" I shouted at her, but she only let out a sly smile, then turned to Joy.
"You know I have to punish you for waking up late and not doing your duty as my personal maid? Do you know I can decide to fire you, and you will end up on the street, hopeless and starving? I can ruin your life in a snap, so you still owe me your loyalty, baby girl!"
These words made Joy tremble; her eyes brimmed with tears as she whimpered in silence and deep sadness.
"She owes you nothing!" I barked, but Laura hissed and began to walk away but stopped as she got to the door.
"Joy, get dressed in your uniform and follow me. Selene saved your life with her hybrid powers that come and go; she won't always be there for you, so stop being delusional and face your fate!" She ordered without turning and left immediately.
"What am I going to do?" Joy cried, her palms sweaty and shaky as she stared at me hopelessly. I felt really pained seeing her in this broken state. Laura was blunt, but right.
How will I save Joy when I can't even save myself? The powers come and go with no trace, and I have no control over them. We are both miserable.
"You won't want to be fired, so please do your duty. Laura has our hands tied down, and I don't know what she means by saying my life will end tomorrow night, but I could feel the affirmation in her tone. I have to think. I don't want to die." My voice was cracking as I felt a rush of fear down my spine.
Joy jumped out of bed and hurried to the bathroom. In a few minutes, she was done cleaning up. She dressed in her uniform, and I hugged her before she left.
It was as if I had forgotten who I was. Not realizing that the fake Luna took away the alarm so I would be severely punished for ignoring my house chores, and the vampire powers that emanated yesterday won't be there to save me again. It was gone.
I was about to head out to my room since I had been in Joy's room all this time when the door was kicked open again and the Alpha's son barged in with three hefty bodyguards, their eyes glinting in fury.
Callen was like a mad dog at that moment, and I knew he was here to do something really wild and dangerous to me.
"So my mother was right!" His thunderous voice struck at me like a spear. I could feel the venom in every word, and his eyes were so cold and dangerous.
"About what?" I asked, my voice inaudible as I drew back frantically.
"My father might be blind enough to see it, but I am not. So you are among the vampires that have been destroying my people. You only had wolf form to deceive everyone! You, Selene, are from the vampire clan!" He roared, storming forward, while I quickened my pace back until my back hit the wall.
"I am not. It was my mother who had a relationship with a vampire and bore me. I am not from the vampire clan, I swear!"
"Then who killed those bodyguards? The ones in the storeroom, and the one in your own room. What about the antidote you stole and gave to those vampires that came to my party to kill me? Selene, my mother also told me the mate bond between us was fake and manipulated by you, so you will have the chance to kill me just as your vampire kingdom sent you! He thundered and wouldn't allow me to say a word before gripping my neck tight.
"Let me..go..." I choked, struggling and fighting to free myself, which was futile. His grip tightened as he raised me above the ground, pinning me to the wall as I let out a strangled sound, my tongue poking out as air seized from my lungs.
My eyes widened in sheer panic. The grip around my neck was unyielding, constricting my windpipe with his iron grip. A wave of tightness surged through my throat, squeezing my airway and making it increasingly difficult to draw in a breath. I gasped desperately, my chest heaving, but each attempt for air felt futile.
The sensation of suffocation overwhelmed me, causing a surge of fear to course through my veins.
My hands clasped at his strong hand, my body convulsing, tears pouring down as my life came flashing before my eyes.
He then released me and slammed my head on the wall almost immediately. The brutal impact of my head against the ceramic wall sent waves of searing, pulsating pain throughout my skull, and even my wolf abilities couldn't do much to reduce the pain.
I burst into a loud cry, holding my head as the sharp, excruciating pain forced me into dizziness as I coughed and breathed heavily.
"No one will save you this time. Tie her hands and legs wide on the bed!" He ordered, his disdainful voice echoing in my head, and even when I badly wanted to run away, my legs and entire body failed me.
Strong hands gripped me roughly, and the next minute, I was shackled on the bed, tied to each edge facing up.
"Please, leave me alone. I did no wrong to you! Don't...." I screeched, scared to death, but he landed a hot slap on my face and spat on me.
"I can't have sex with a despicable vampire like you. For real, you disgust me, and It will defy my royalty!" He snorted disdainfully and made a sign to the guards.
"What do you want from me then?" My voice trembled as I saw how dark his eyes were on me.
"Who was that guy that saved you from me that other day? He had a dreadful aura. Who is he to you? He doesn't have a vampire scent, so I wonder what kind of wolf he is." Callen growled, furrowing his brows at me.
"Are you scared? Oh, I saw how you were trembling and sweating profusely in his presence. You had to scamper like a baby that day." I scorned and laughed mockingly at him as his face turned red in shame and anger.
"You must be a fool to think I was scared. I will singlehandedly beat him till he passes out." He boasted.
"Here he comes again!" I snapped, directing my eyes behind him.
"What!" Callen shouted in great fright, jumping from the chair in which he was sitting and almost stumbling as he swirled in terror, thinking Jaden had come again.
"Stay away from me!" He shrieked fearfully, turning sharply, but he saw no one except his bodyguards while I burst into uncontrollable laughter.