Marcel Conway is fresh on the market for a new year of the Mating Season: a sex auction masquerading as a Peace Trade to keep the packs from going to war. But she's gritting her teeth and digging her heels in, determined to come home to her small bu...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
☽☾☽☾☽☾
My brain felt like a feeble, thin thread, ready to snap under the amount of crippling stress. The large estate was warmly lit, warding off the frightening boogey man around each corner as Jane escorted me through the hallways and corridors, giving me the 'house tour' she had apparently been practicing for years.
Her voice was like drabbling in the back ground and I was barley able to comprehend what she was saying. My head felt like it was full of mush. I hardly realized we'd stopped in the middle of the hallway leading to the bedrooms.
"...Marcel?"
I finally snapped my head up to look at the aged woman who was staring down at me with growing concern.
"I've called your name several times. Is everything all right, dear?" She asked, her thin brows knitting together in worry as she gently took my hand. I jolted at the contact of her cool hand embracing my warm one and I swallowed nervously.
"I-I guess I just didn't expect you...What you said? That was really the last thing I expected to come out of your mouth," I stammered, casting my eyes to the ground. "Jane, back there, why did you call Alpha Donovan your grandson?"
She seemed to pause for a moment before releasing my hand and tilted my chin up with a thin finger.
"Because, darling, I am Jane Blackmon. Former Elder and current reigning Luna," She tenderly brushed the hair away from my face, smiling ever so gently. "Today has not been kind to you, has it?"
"It's just..." I trailed off, not wanting to voice the thoughts that had been bugging me since I realized who she was.
"Go on, dear, you'll find I am very open," She implored me to continue, resuming our tour down the hall.
"I-well-you see..." My face began to burn and she nodded.
"No need to be shy, just say it."
"You're not imprisoned!" I blurted, the words spewing from my mouth like horrific vocabulary diarrhea. I cringed and scrambled to take them back, worried that I might have offended her.
However, startled me by letting out a hearty round of laughter, clutching at her waist and throat as she giggled.
"Ah, yes," She sighed when she could finally breathe. "That is my favorite rumor. The gossip, indeed, does its job."
"I-It's job?" I asked. We rounded a corner and she stopped.
"Well, of course! Haven't you noticed? At the mere mention of Donovan's name, fear is struck into the heart of the listener. It's why he rose to power so quickly, on the strong back of scandal. But there would have to be some semblance of truth to any rumor, wouldn't there?"
"I'm being jerked around on a roller coaster, Jane," I rubbed my eyes. "Are you saying he did imprison you?"
She hummed thoughtfully, closing her eyes as if she were recalling a pleasant vacation on the beach.
