Chapter 5||

5. Ray.

A huge lump formed in my throat but I swallowed it back and shook my head. "You are lying. My uncle isn't dead."

Alpha Edgar's eyes remained fixed on me, in a way that tore my heart into tiny pieces. He didn't have to use his words, those dark eyes were enough to echo the words in my head.

"No, Uncle Jonathan can't die! He will never—"

My words hung in the air as Alpha Edgar clapped his hands and the doors burst open. A hefty guard walked into the room and placed a tablet before him.

My heart started racing as Alpha Edgar typed on the screen and turned it in my direction.

"The plan was not to tell you in this manner. But your enemies will stop at nothing until they have their hands on you..." He whispered but my brain could barely take in his words as it was focused on the image on the screen.

My legs developed a mind of their own and before I knew it, I was standing with the tablet in front of me, watching the gruesome video play out.

"You will never harm the moon wolf!" The man cried out just as his head was severed off his neck.

My eyes narrowed at the scene, trying to convince myself that the man wasn't my uncle but just then the murderer picked the bloodied head from the ground and flashed it at the screen—

"Oh my God!" I gasped as the confirmation I feared stared at me in the face.

The slight bend on the side of his jaw that I always mocked. The little strands of white hair; his gray eyes... It was really my uncle.

"I am sorry, Rachael..." Ethan mumbled as he came towards me.

"Your protection is my priority and marrying one of my sons is the only way to ensure that..." Alpha Edgar commented and I felt my heart squeeze in pain.

I wanted to scream and say so many things, yet nothing left my lips. Tears danced in my eyes and my body began to tremble as I fought the reality I had fallen into.

This couldn't be true... I had to be dreaming—

"Come on father!" Nathan hissed, snapping everybody's attention to him. "If it has to be one of your sons why not just pick Ethan! The fool probably fucks her already—"

"Nathan! Have some respect!" Alpha Edgar roared. "The girl is in shock and that is the best thing you can think of saying?"

"Look, I don't care what state she is in!" Nathan snapped defiantly. "All I want is for her to be far away from me. Marry her off to Ethan if you want to protect her so much but not me!"

"Nathan you know why she can't be with your brother! Do not make this harder than it already is!"

"But father—"

"That's enough!" Alpha Edgar roared. "Now it's better you start getting along with her before the engagement party. If the council gets a sniff that you are putting on a show, then I can promise you that your days in this palace will be numbered!"

Nathan glared at his father, a vein popping on the side of his head. But even his father had the same stubborn stare. At the end, he let out an irritated scoff and walked out of the room.

As Nathan left, the attention was slowly returned to me. Alpha Edgar took the tablet away from my sight and Ethan tried his best to console me. Yet all I felt was emptiness.

Even the tears that were about to fall earlier froze back in my sockets, letting only the pain of my loss eat deep into my organs...

"M—may I be excused please?" I managed to let out, my voice barely audible.

"Sure. Ethan please, take her back to her room." Alpha Edgar instructed and Ethan slowly took me away from there.

The scene of his death played in my mind once more and my legs weakened but I kept walking, telling myself that I could break down once I got to the room.

After what felt like the longest walk of my life, we finally got there. Ethan placed me on the bed and slowly started turning to leave. But just before he got to the door, he stopped.

"Rachael, I want you to know that, I'll protect you... No matter what. I'll take care of you..." He whispered.

I knew he was only trying to comfort me but in that instant, the only thing that mattered was my uncle.

"C—can I see him?" I asked.

Ethan took slow steps back to the bed and crouched in front of me.

The lump in my throat expanded and the tears in my eyes started filling up again. Just thinking about the words I had to let out, made the whole thing even more real.

"Is there a way— maybe to... Uhm have his body? Ca—can I at least put his body to rest?"

Ethan gently took my trembling hands into his own and squeezed them.

"My men are already tracking their location... They'll find his body and we'll bring it to you for a proper burial."

"Thank you," I whispered and he slowly straightened up.

"I'll let you rest now. If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask for me." With that, he walked out of the room, the echoing sound pulling me back into my head.

I got up from the bed and went to the bathroom. This time, I didn't bother taking off my clothes. I stood under the shower and let the cold water, wash away the pain I felt inside.

All I wanted was to get enough money to go to college and become a doctor. I wanted to earn enough money and respect to drive the wolves away from us... But now, my uncle was dead and I turned out to be one of them.

How cruel could fate get?

I stood in the shower crying for as long as I could. Hoping the water would take away the pain and loss. Then all that was left was anger.

I had to take revenge. I had to find those who killed my parents and my uncle. I had to give them a taste of their own medicine.

If I was truly the moon wolf, then I had to have some sort of power, right?

Ethan would know.

Quickly, I slipped out of the soaked dress and wrapped myself in a large towel hanging in the bathroom. Then I stepped out, hoping to quickly pull out a dress and go after him.

But the moment I stepped out of the room, Nathan's wicked stare met mine. My heart skipped a beat as fear filled every cell within me.

"W—what are you doing here?" I stuttered, hoping to sound brave but failing.

A wicked grin covered his face as he took slow steps towards me. "I am here to proffer a solution to our problem..."

My legs also moved back, creating as much distance between us as he was closing it.

"...I don't want to marry you and with the responses you gave earlier... I am sure you don't want it either, right?"

There was something about the tone of his voice that I just couldn't place a finger on. But whatever the case, I felt unsafe.

"So what solution do you have?" I asked, hoping to get the conversation over with.

But his grin widened as my back hit the wall behind me.

"I am here to kill you, Rachael."