This book contains rape, abuse, and violence scene. 18+. Kindly skip if you are not, please.

***

Fear clouded my mind but it wasn't time to chicken out. Jenny needed me. She was in this mess because of me. I would do anything to get her out. Even if I had to play the devil's game.

Looking at his smug face, I felt a shred of fear. But I pushed it to the back of my mind and took a deep breath.

"If you don't help me, Rocco, I'll tell everyone in the Pack that you're my mate," I stated firmly. "I am sure you don’t want that. So you have to help me and I will keep this secret till death."

"Right. But then again, only a living person can tell a secret, my darling mate. If I kill you right here, right now, no one will ever find out about the dirty, little secret between us.”

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Chapter One - Luna's Death

Ivanna's Pov

Strolling the hallways of the Packhouse, I headed to Luna's quarters with a bright smile on my face.

"Good evening, Miss Ivanna." One of the servants greeted me.

"Good evening to you, too." I waved at her.

"I love your hair, Miss Ivanna." Another random servant complimented, giggling with her friend.

"Thank you." I ran a hand over my straight, black hair with a chuckle.

"You look beautiful, as always, Miss Ivanna." Another one complimented. And just like that, the compliments flooded into my ears.

Like always, I tried to politely thank every one of them. I get this every day. The constant compliments. The requests to be friends with me. The constant gifts. And from the guys, of course, endless wooing.

My name was Ivanna Devi. I was the Beta's only child. But as much as I can remember, I'd been treated like the Alpha's daughter or even like a princess.

I grew up with so much love from my parents and the whole Pack. Everyone had a reason to admire me, and I must confess, I loved the attention. It felt nice and it made life easier.

It didn't inflate my ego or make me snobbish like some thought it would. On the contrary, it made me more accessible and loving. I was always ready to put myself out there. Always ready to help. Because I knew they all loved me.

"Ivanna, you're here." Luna Eleanor said as I walked into her room. She hugged me and made me sit next to her on her bed.

One of those who loved me exceptionally was Luna Eleanor. Ever since I clocked 6, she had me always visit her quarters and play games with her.

"Yes, Luna." I smiled. "How are you?"

"Better now that you're here." She held my hand and was staring sweetly at me. Her maid, June, was beside her. Of course, I greeted her too. But she only nodded.

I blushed at Luna's sweet words. "You know I'm always gonna have time to come see you."

"I know, Ivanna. That's why you're my baby." She pinched my cheek playfully. "You know what? I can't wait for you to meet Rocco tomorrow."

My eyes dilated at the surprising news. "Rocco will be returning to the Pack?"

"Yes, dear. Can you believe it? After six years of being away from the Pack, he's finally decided to return. I couldn't contain my excitement when he called and dropped the news. I will get to see my boy again!"

Yeah, Rocco was Luna's only child and also my childhood friend. He left the Pack when he clocked 10 and hasn't returned since then. Well, until now.

"You've missed him so much, haven't you?" I laughed at her childish display of excitement.

"Of course, dear. Haven't you?"

"Well, more or less," I shrugged.

She gave me a pinned look and a pout. "It breaks my heart when you say it like that."

"But why?"

"Because…" She huffed with a shy smile. "You know I've always fantasized about you being my son's mate. Ever since you were born, you have held a special place in my heart. And I've prayed endlessly to the Moon goddess to bring you both together."

"Geez, Luna." I stood, taking her clothes and sending them to her closet, trying to avoid her gaze. Conversations like these made me shy. Especially since we had an audience. And also, especially because I've always had a low-key crush on him. On Rocco.

"I'm serious, Ivan. You were his playmate when you were growing up. It wouldn't hurt if you became his mate. It would be like those fantasy love stories with happy endings."

Her eyes were shut dreamily, and she placed her hands on her chest. It was really childish that I had to laugh. On the outside, she puts up a stern face. But behind closed doors, she was the complete definition of a child.

"Enough of the fantasies, Luna. Let me go get you a drink,” I offered. Butterflies were letting loose in the pit of my stomach from the discussion. I was feeling giddy, and I didn't want her to see that. Or she'd never stop.

"Alright, dear. But we'll talk more about it when you return. And you'll allow me to dress you up tomorrow."

"Oh, Luna." I sighed softly.

"Promise me, Ivanna. Promise me."

"Fine. I promise. I'll let you do whatever you want with me tomorrow."

"Yes!" She squealed, tossing the pillows in the air. June was giving her a weird look, but I left them both and went to get the drink.

When I got back, June was arranging her box of jewelry and Luna was rummaging through her closet.

"There you are, Ivan." Luna Eleanor beamed at me. "Come, tell me which one of my clothes you like. I'll have the exact dress made for you for tomorrow."

I set down her drink on the nightstand and went to look through her clothes. But I couldn't even make a choice. They all looked pretty. I would want a replica of all of them. But I can't say that. I would come off as greedy.

"Don't just skim through them. Make a choice, Ivan. So they can start making the clothes today." She said and went to grab her glass of juice. The one I brought.

"Alright Luna," I replied and took a deep breath before skimming through her clothes again, forcing myself to make a choice.

A loud retching sound made me turn around in fright. Luna Eleanor was wriggling on the floor and was vomiting blood.

"Luna!" I ran to her side, picking her up. "June, go get help, please!" I yelled to the maid who was with us in the room. She ran off hysterically.

I was already in tears, and it got worse when Luna coughed again and took her last breath in my arms. A sad smile was etched on her face.

"No!" I shook her body repeatedly, crying profusely.

Heavy footsteps rushed inside the room. June was back, but she brought the whole squad of soldiers with her. They stopped at the door, staring at me.

I quickly stepped away from the dead Luna, but my hands were covered with her blood. I was in a daze from what just happened, but for some reason, I felt the need to explain myself because of the way they were staring at me.

But before I could, June pointed at me and declared, "Arrest her. She poisoned the Luna. Ivanna just murdered our Luna!"

What?!

Chapter Two — The Luna’s Killer

Ivanna’s POV

“No, I didn’t!” I finally got my voice back and snapped out of my daze. But it seemed it was already too late to defend myself.

The soldiers were glaring at me, and their limbs were itching to grab me and cut me in two. Why did June say that? Why did she accuse me of Luna’s death?

“Yes, you did,” June said firmly. “She died after drinking the juice you brought. Quit lying, Ivanna. We both know you killed her. It was you. It couldn’t have been anyone else.”

“I didn’t!”

“Shut the fuck up, you lying bitch!” June yelled in my face, delivering a hard slap to my cheek. What?!

“How dare you slap me?” I asked, looking at her with eyes wide as saucers. She was an Omega. She never addressed me without a ‘Miss’ attached to my name. She never had enough boldness to look me in the eyes. Now all of a sudden, she had enough guts to hit me.

I expected the soldiers to do something, but they didn’t move. And somehow, I was too weak to hit her back.

Alpha Dean walked in with another entourage and every one of us quickly bowed. “What’s going on here?” He asked in his hoarse, authoritative voice.

“It’s the Luna.” One of the soldiers replied.

“Why? Where’s my mate?”

“She’s dead, Alpha. Look.” He pointed at where the Luna was lying lifelessly.

“Eleanor!” Alpha Dean let out a wild yell and bent beside her. I could hear his guttural sniffles and it made my toes curl in fear.

More tears left my eyes and goosebumps covered my skin like a coat. I was silently hoping and praying that June wouldn’t repeat the narration she gave a while ago. I prayed she wouldn’t tell the Alpha that I had killed Luna. Because I didn’t. I had no reason to.

“What happened to her? What happened to my mate?!” Alpha Dean shouted.

“She was poisoned, Master,” June replied. Merciful goddess, please don’t let her say my name. Please.

“Poisoned? Who would dare poison my mate in my house?!”

“It was her!” June pointed at me. “It was Ivanna, Master. She gave the Luna poisoned juice. I saw her. I was the only one here with them.”

“No…” My lips quivered, as I fought for a logical explanation.” I didn’t…”

“Arrest her!” Alpha Dean ordered fiercely. “Go get her family too. She’ll pay for killing my mate.”

“Yes, Alpha,” The soldiers replied. I got dragged out of the room. And while I repeatedly screamed my innocence, the Alpha wasn’t ready to pay attention to me.

In the evening, my parents and I were lying at the Alpha’s feet, at the Pack’s meeting ground, ready to be beheaded.

“Alpha, please, my daughter is innocent. She was framed.” My father begged. The Pack members were watching us, and I could feel their glares and spiteful stares directed at us.

“By whom?” Alpha Dean asked. “The maid was there when she fed her the juice. Your daughter isn’t innocent. She killed my mate, and she has to die!”

Alpha Dean was inflexible about my parents’ pleas, and it didn’t help that the Pack members were angry, and they kept asking for my execution. I couldn’t believe it. Didn’t they used to love me a lot? How could they easily believe that I was a murderer? Why couldn’t they give me the benefit of the doubt?

“Please, Alpha. Let my daughter go. She’s just a kid.” My mother pleaded in tears.

“Then die in place of her.” He howled.

“We will happily die in place of our daughter. Please pardon her.”

“Okay, if that’s what you wish. Grab the Beta and his wife and put them on the execution stand.” He commanded. The soldiers did as they were told. “From here on, I strip you from the Beta post. You’ll die as a traitor and your generation will be tagged as traitors forever. Execute them.”

They were both dragged and forced to bend their heads.

“No. Please. Don’t kill them. I beg you!” I pleaded hysterically.

“We love you, Ivanna. You know we do. Never stop fighting, dear child. You’ll be fine. We promise!” Mother shouted out to me. And then her head was cut off. And Father too.

I screamed out in horror, falling on the ground, crying my lungs out. There was no consolation for this. No way I could be quiet. Not when my parents were lying headless and lifeless.

“Shut up, Ivanna, before I send you to hell!” Alpha Dean growled with hatred.

“Kill her. Avenge the Luna’s death!” Everyone chorused. I could feel their rage, their anger. They all wanted to tear me apart.

“I am pained by the death of my Luna, but I must honor my promise. Ivanna won’t be executed. She will be demoted as a maid. She will work as a maid for the rest of her life. Starting today, she will no longer bear her real name. From here on, she will be called ‘The Luna’s Killer’ and she will be treated as such.”

Everyone cheered to my misery, but I was still just sitting motionless, as my tears poured down.

“Throw her back into the dungeon!”

“Yes, Alpha!”

I got dragged away but I couldn’t stop looking at my parents’ bodies. They got thrown into a bonfire and it was the icing to my misery.

I could never give them the proper burial they deserved. I could never say my final goodbyes. Because they were gone. Literally. My parents were gone. Forever.

Everyone threw stones and hard objects at me as I got dragged away. I got locked up in the dungeon and no one came for me. I had neither food nor water for weeks. It felt like I was forgotten.

I grew more and more breathless each day. Weak. Almost dying. And then one day, someone came for me.

“Open the cage.” The voice was bold and dry. The soldiers opened it and a tall, muscular guy walked in.

Almost breathless with my eyes dim, I couldn’t see his face. He squatted in front of me and then his green eyes rang a bell in my head.

“Ro— Rocco?”

“Hello, Ivanna.” He said with zero empathy and a venomous tone that had me shaking more than earlier. “Would you love to come home with me?” He stretched out a hand.

I took it. With no hesitation. I grabbed his hands, relieved that finally, someone was here for me. Someone believed in my innocence. And it was the guy I’ve loved all my life.

“Please, take me with you,” I said, in tears. But he wasn’t fazed. And he was giving me a cold stare. Still, he helped me to my feet and carried me out of my cage.