Tied By The Moon | Editing

Chapter 28

I was awake before Orion, I knew that because when my ears became aware of my surroundings, I could still hear his faint breathing and the steady, serene beating of his heart. It's funny how such a calm thing could belong to a monster.

When he finally awoke, I did my best to feign slumber so he would leave me alone, which he thankfully did. I remained in bed for the length of an hour and a half before I got up.

The day was bathed in a sea of grey, it was low hanging and left a gloomy feel in the air. Still, I got myself ready and headed downstairs for breakfast, making sure to wear something that covered all of me up.

What was still present in my mind while I sat alone outside eating my breakfast, was the fact that Orion wanted to take me out even after he had done all he had to me. It was amazing, really, how this man thought that I would say yes, that I would be so weak as to give in to him that easily.

Well, I wasn't going to betray myself like that, I wasn't going to put myself in deliberate danger just to satisfy the views of the pack that had shunned me before.

Never.

I sighed, throwing away the barely eaten breakfast without batting an eye. I had gotten slimmer over the past few days, be it my constant fear and anxiety, or the fact I already had too much on my mind, and food wasn't one of them.

I looked up at the blank sky again, shivering as the wind brushed over my skin. The air seemed...off today, I couldn't quite place my finger on it, but the scent of the air had something in it.

"Alastrine."

I heard a voice behind me, my breathing immediately becoming faster as I spun around. A low growl under my breath caused Orion to step back, showing submission with a tilt of his head. A deep frown was his expression as he turned back to me, his head still bent down as he spoke.

"I was wondering if you considered my offer." He said, hands in pockets like he hadn't a care in the world.

I growled again, hating that he was showing submission to me, trying to get me to forgive him like I was one of his weak females. My patience was wearing thin with this naive, insolent male.

"Yes. I did, and my answer is a firm pass." I muttered with little emotion in my voice.

Orion sighed, creating a swirl of condensation as he folded his arms across his chest. I bristled without my teeth exposed, wanting to leave so I wouldn't have to talk to him.

Another scent entered my nose and a male appeared, his eyes not leaving Orion's as he whispered quietly into his ear. I picked up a few words, but none enough to decipher the message that Orion himself had received. A few words were exchanged between the two before the male left, leaving Orion and I alone again.

"The dinner is cancelled. Something else has come up." He said, looking up to sky as if that had something to do with it.

I was disinterested, I wasn't intruiged at what he had to say, nor did I want to know what it was. I began to turn around, my feet carrying me to anywhere that wasn't with him.

"You are required to attend," He said again, faster this time, "As my Lun-"

"I am not your anything. Not your Luna, not your friend, I am only your mate, but don't think for one second that I want to be that, and neither will I go anywhere with you." I said quickly.

"You must attend. Don't be stubborn. It's mandatory." He shouted, losing his temper quickly. A growl mustered beneath the words was all I needed, he was holding himself back, everything I was doing was pushing him further off the edge, yet he was trying to hold himself back.

But for whose sake?

"That's it," I said, turning to face him, "Shout at me, go on. Do your worst, because as long as I stay here, I will not do what you say."

Orion looked away, then looked back at me with a snarl. His eyes flickered between black and brown, before he clenched his fists and snarled again. An internal battle with himself, was what I concluded. Past Orion was somewhere in there, just waiting to come out and finished what he started on me.

"It's an Oracle viewing for the whole pack. It's something that happens only once in a few years." He answered without a stumble.

"I don't-"

"Don't say anything else. It's in ten minutes, be there or not." He muttered, heading back in the direction of the chatter.

I watched his back until he was out of sight, cursing at him while I pondered on whether I should go or not. No matter how much I didn't want to go, time with the Oracle was time nonetheless.

-

The sound of chatter intensified as I got nearer to the Oracle's podium, and the scent of nervousness seeped out of me, causing people to turn back and stare with judging eyes. I gulped down my fear and stood next to Orion, which wasn't reslly next to him at all, I was near him, but it was like we were total strangers.

Good.

The Oracle stepped up onto the podium, her little feet echoing amongst the now silenced crowd. She closed her eyes, whispering something incoherent and lifting her hands to the sky. And just like that, darkness descended upon the sky.

-

Whoops *sheepish smile*

So...two days late, but oh well. You know I've been slaving away and all that crap. I wanted to add the ceremony to this chapter, but I decided not to because I wanted to leave you with that feeling of Alastrine and Orion's tension.

Anyway, isn't he such a dick. Jeez, the guy needs to just slip into a coma and never wake up.

Anyway, just a warning, this book may not end up how you want.

Any theories for the end?