Elizabeth's POV
There is a guard standing in front of almost every cell, holding a small gun which I'm sure is loaded with silver bullets.
The guards keep their heads down to avoid looking me in the eye, yet I still feel intimidated by them.
I follow Xavier down to the very end where there is a dark cell with 2 guards standing outside of it.
The guards look up and nod at Xavier as one of them pulls out a key and hands it over to me.
I look at Xavier nervously, unsure of why I was being given a key. I definitely didn't want to go inside.
"It's okay, he's too weak and chained to the wall so he can't touch you," Xavier whispers.
I take another glance at the guards to see them staring at us both, they catch me looking and give me a small nod of assurance.
I cautiously unlock the cell and walk in with Xavier directly by my side.
The guards hold up a flashlight behind us creating a small light, shining directly on Av's face.
To my surprise he wasn't beaten to a bloody pulp. He actually looked alright but I knew that under his clothes lay a litter of cuts and bruises.
He smirks as we walk in. "If it isn't beauty and the beast."
"Bit cliche don't you think? Enough with the jokes, you wanted to talk to my mate so talk," Xavier growls.
"Not talk per say...taunt is probably a better word to use," Av smiles unkindly, showing his sharp and deadly canines.
"I'm not letting you waste our fucking time," Xavier growls and grabs my arm so we can leave but I tug it back and stay where I'm standing, curious as to what he thinks he can say to me.
"I'm not going to stand here and listen to your bullshit lies, you don't even know me what could you possibly taunt me with?" I hiss.
"Oh no no no, they are not lies Lizzy..." he trails off, pretending to be in deep thought.
I growl and kick him without thinking.
"Do not call me that."
Av groans in pain and I feel Xavier move to stand closer to me. He slowly looks up and growls viciously at me before spitting at the ground near us, making Xavier growl at the blatant disrespect.
"So Luna how does it feel to be a leader of wolves yet you are human? Does Mr Alpha over here really want that for his pack? You are weak and not fit to lead."
My chest constricts but I will myself not to show how much his words affected me, he only wants to taunt me and get a reaction from me. Despite not getting a reaction from me, he receives one from the angry Alpha standing beside me.
Xavier growls and approaches him slowly and threateningly but I grab his arm and stop him.
I lean close to his ear and whisper quietly, "he only wants a reaction," as quietly as I can so no one else can hear us.
Xavier nods and looks at me, checking to see if I'm alright so I nod reassuringly at him.
"You know what's sticking in my mind? How you said I don't know you, which is technically true but I did know your mother..." Av trails off.
I tense and wait for him to continue but I know where this is leading.
"I'm guessing you were there every time your dad's mark burned? That had to hurt like hell, but I can't put all the blame on Bates, I just couldn't resist," he smirks venomously but he doesn't stop there. "Your mother was more than happy, I'm betting she even knew how much pain your dad was in and I'm betting she knew you were there watching it all happen but she didn't care. Not one bit. It wasn't just a one time thing either, she kept coming back, again and again and-"
"Shut the fuck up!" Xavier roars, smashing his fist into the side of Av's face again and again until he sees blood.
I turn away, shocked, and walk past the guards, trying to create the impression that I am calm, and up the dark corridor, too ashamed to look at anyone knowing they heard everything.
"Can I have the key please," I ask the nearest guard desperately.
"Of course Eliz- Luna," she coughs, trying to cover up her mistake.
I look up at her to see her staring right at me, usually this is a sign of disrespect and my wolf would have been angry but I'm too upset about my mother to care so I just grab the key and flee, forgetting to give it back to the guard.
I hurry to my office, still trying to appear as calm as I shut the door over and sit over on the loveseat by the window.
The future warriors are outside with Gamma Luke, being trained to be the best warriors they can be. Some of them are close to their first shift and aren't required to start training yet but I can see their dedication and determination.
I slump back down on the seat and look around my office. I haven't done much work as Luna since the ceremony as Eartha is gone now and I wasn't sure if I could do it anymore. I wasn't cut out to be a Luna without my wolf, my wolf was the leader inside of me.
My eyes start to sting slightly as I feel the tears making their way down my face but I wipe them away and stand up and walk over to the pack files.
I pull out all the files I have on the orphans in the pack and read through them, including Justin's file. I haven't had the courage to go see him as I didn't want to break down in front of him. He reminds me of my mother in some ways which makes me angry, but not at him.
I stare at the pile of files but the words don't seem to process in my brain as I'm reading them. The only thing on my mind is my mother and Justin. How can someone cheat on their mate and leave their child with a heartless bastard? I would never understand it and I didn't care to, my opinion on my mother changed daily but it will never change the fact that I miss her.
The door flies open and a heavy breathing Alpha stands in the doorway.
I stand up when I realise Xavier is furious, the angriest I've ever seen him.
"What is it?" I ask, my hands trembling at my sides.
He just shakes his head and stares at me.
He slams his fists into the bookshelf causing all the books to tumble off into a messy heap on the floor, "fuck!"
I take a step towards my mate and reach to put a hand on his shoulder but as soon as I reach out my wrist is grabbed tightly in mid-air.
I gasp in surprise and try to tug my arm away but Xavier only squeezes harder.
"What is your problem? You're hurting me," I yelp.
Xavier lets go immediately and kicks the heap of books, making them scatter around the room, some of them hitting my legs causing me to hiss in pain.
I look at Xavier and wait for him to calm down or at least explain.
He looks up at the blank ceiling and growls, "the guards want a new Luna."
"All the guards?" I question, afraid to know the answer, if enough pack members wanted it, technically the Luna or Alpha could be overthrown.
Xavier shakes his head numbly, "not all of them, but most."
"How do you know?"
"They bombarded me in the cells when I was leaving."
"What did you say?"
"I fucking snapped at them, they are disrespectful and need to be taught a lesson," Xavier hisses lowly.
I back away and walk towards the window to stare out at the training grounds.
Without turning around to look at my mate I ask, "do you agree with them? Even just a little bit?"
I hear a sharp intake of breath and his presence behind me, burning holes into the back of my head as I stare out intensely with my arms crossed.
"Of course I don't, you were destined to be Luna, it's in your blood." Xavier runs his hand lightly across my back. I move forward, away from his touch.
"It was meant for Eartha, not me."
"That is not true, you just need more time, the guards don't understand that, they have their wolves."
I spin around, "exactly, they have their wolves, I have nothing anymore, I am a human leading an entire pack of wolves. That can't be done. I can't lead a species that I am not one of."
"It's not like you've never been a werewolf, you've been a werewolf your whole life, you were born to lead, wolf or not, you are only doubting yourself now because you feel alone and isolated now that Eartha is gone but you will see that you were born for this."
I slowly make my way towards the door, stepping over all the books Xavier flung around the room.
"I'm going to sleep, clean up your mess," I demand before shutting the door over and heading to our room.
I reach the bedroom door but when I open it I'm shocked to see my little brother sitting on the floor, fiddling with a small toy, giggling to himself.
Justin looks up and grins, "hi Luna."