Moonless

Chapter 17

Author note! Hey hey hey! Baby, it's cold outside so I'm curled up with my cat and my computer typing away. Hope y'all enjoy this chapter. You all have spoiled me with 718 reads and 151 votes!  Thanks for reading! Sam<3
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I stared numbly at the road in front of me. This couldn't be real, it felt like a nightmare.

Being a Lunrea, I was no stranger to loss. But three all at once..and which three? I tried to keep the images of Beatrice, Benedick, and Caesar out of my head. But their lifeless faces bubbles from my subconscious and crept into my mind. Whoever I had just lost would devastate me, but if I had lost any or all three...

"Who?" I asked while a particularly gruesome image of Caesar with his face mauled flashed before my eyes.

"Numbers 107, 96, and 65. I didn't have time to look up their names. I wanted to get to you first. I knew you would probably be upset since you grew up with them."

He reached out towards me like he was going to pull me into a huge, but I shrugged him off. I didn't really crave his touch at the moment.

He didn't even know there names, and yet he wanted to be the one to tell me about their deaths?

"Their names are..were Bert, Theodore, and Charolette. If the numbers you told me are right. Where were they found?" The scream that I had heard this morning drifted back into my mind. I knew I hadn't imagined it, so why had I gone into that stupid truck?

"At the moon box. The girl was found stuffed inside, the man was found beside it, the boy was found halfway between there and the house. The attack was planned somewhat, citronella was strewn all over the place, so the killer's scent could not be picked up. I suggested to my father that we should at least move the Lunrea in the integration program into the manor. Since we weren't notified that any assassinations were being carried out, so we aren't sure of the motivation for the attack."

"Weren't notified that any assassination attempts were being carried out!?" I repeated.

Grayson's eyes widen and he jerked his head towards me. I could tell from the look on his face, he deeply regretted letting that slip.

"Explain now."

Grayson looked away from me and leaned back into his seat.
"Sometimes a family decides to kill their Lunera child or family member long after they dropped them off. Sometimes it's because they get paranoid someone is going to find out about their dirty little secret, or the child is growing up to have too much of a "family resemblance"."

"How would they even know what their children look like?"

"The Alpha's estate sends pictures to the families of the Lunera through anonymous sources. If there is a request that is."

They took pictures of us without us knowing! The thought made me sick. My family, whoever they were, did they ask for pictures of me?

"When do they even take the pictures?"

"Why do you think the Lunera come to clean the Alpha's house every Sunday? There's hidden camera's in the house, everywhere. I would protect you if any such order was carried out on you. Don't worry.

I let my eyes drift down into my lap. Here I thought if I kept my head down and my wits about me that I would be able to survive. True I had never anticipated becoming anyone's mate. But a family that had abandoned me could decide if I lived or if I died!?

I swallowed hard while I tried to keep the anger out of my voice. "Two years ago, there was a girl named Cleo. Or according to pack number 29. She fell down the riverbank, hit her head, and died. Was that an accident? And Athena or number 73 who died last fall when a lone wolf wandered into our woods. Was that wolf sent here on purpose?"

Grayson let out a sigh, "I don't really keep track. Partly because I'm never here, I don't like to be in Pine Ridge that much. This is probably the longest I've stayed here since I was 14. But I will stay until I can leave with you."

I reached for the handle of the door, and I fumbled with it for a couple of moments, unable to get a grip on it with how much my hands were shaking. By some miracle, my fingers found the handle and I was finally able to push it open.

"What are you doing?"

"I want to walk the rest of the way."

Grayson reached his arm across me and closed the door.

"It's freezing and we are miles away from Pine Ridge. And three Lunrea were killed for yet-to-be-determined reasons. You aren't walking."

I managed to pry the door open again and immediately slipped out of the truck. I began to walk.

"Aurelia!" Grayson called after me.

I heard the pounding of his feet behind me and I began to run, knowing full well that he would be able to catch up with me easily

And sure enough, he did. A couple of feet down the road and promptly yanked me into the woods, and out of sight of anyone driving by.

I spun on him. "Let go of me!" I snarled. "While I tried to use my free arm to pry myself out of his grip.

"Get back in the truck now! Don't make me drag you!" he said through gritted teeth."

"No!"

"It's not safe!"

"I don't care!"

Grayson's eyes flashed an intense yellow. "I do, I order you to get back in the truck!"

"Yes, Master Grayson."

"Don't call me that!"

"That's what I'm supposed to call the alpha's son. Apologies, what should I call you instead? Because the alpha's son orders me around!"

"I'm not playing this game with you, not now," he took a step towards me and I took a step back.

"Oh so now we are playing games!?"

Grayson took another step towards me and I once again backed away.

"All I wanted to do was comfort you and keep you safe!"

"And all I want you to do is find another mate and leave me alone!"

"Is that really what you what?"

"Of course not!" I covered my mouth in shock.

What had just come out of my mouth?

"Then if you want to be my mate, be my mate! Stop fighting it."

He took another step towards me, but this time I did not move away.  It felt like I was being pulled towards him by an invisible rope.

We both froze when somewhere behind us a twig snapped.