Poor Luna: My Cruel Alpha

AVA

As I gradually stirred from my slumber, I opened my eyes to the familiar sight of my bedroom. The soft glow of morning light filtered through the window, casting a warm hue on the walls. I sat up, rubbed the sleep from my desk, and gazed over to my desk, where my calendar lay open. My heart sank as my eyes landed on the bold, red circle drawn around today's date—my birthday.

I sighed heavily and said, "Happy Birthday to me," under my breath. The words were full of sarcasm.

Another year had passed, and yet again, nothing was positive about it. Instead, it reminded me of my tragic loss. I was still here, but my mother was not.

Alone and isolated, I had no one to share this day with. The only company I had was the bleak four walls surrounding me. I felt like an outcast, a girl forced to navigate life with no sense of belonging.

My thoughts drifted back to the memories of my mother, and I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt wash over me. I couldn't help but think she would still be here today if I had done something different. Despite knowing deep down that it wasn't my fault, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was somehow responsible for her passing.

I pushed those thoughts aside, forcing myself to focus on something positive. As I scanned my room, my eyes fell upon the modest surroundings that constituted my living space. A small single bed was pushed against one corner of the room, and the walls were peeling from years of neglect. My clothes were crammed into boxes, and the only decoration in the room was a full-length mirror.

As I sat there in contemplation, I realized that I needed to find a way to move on from the past and make a better life for myself. I deserved to live a life filled with happiness, and it was up to me to make that happen.

The attic was a dimly lit space, filled to the brim with piles of old and unwanted belongings carelessly stacked on each other. There was no order or organization—just an assortment of items no longer in use.

It was as if the attic was a dumping ground for anything that no longer had a place in the house. The stale air was thick with the scent of dust, and the cobwebs that hung from the ceiling gave me the creeps. I couldn't help but wonder why they had stored so much unnecessary trash up here, as most of it was utterly excessive.

As for showering, I had no choice but to use the bathroom everyone else used. It was always an uncomfortable experience for me, trying to time it just right so that I could avoid bumping into anyone else. I didn't want to draw any attention to myself, especially since I already felt like an outsider.

I dragged myself out of bed and into the day, weighed down by the persistent feeling that nothing was changing in my situation. It was a constant cycle of cleaning up after everyone, doing their laundry, and cooking their meals.

My life felt like a dead end.

But today was different—it was Saturday—everyone was home. I quickly got to work, making breakfast and cleaning the house from top to bottom. It was gruelling, especially since they watched my every move while I cleaned. It was as if they were waiting for me to make a mistake so they could criticize me.

Finally, after hours of cleaning, I finished all my daily chores. Fortunately, cooking dinner today was missing from my to-do list, so I had the rest of the day to myself. I returned to my room, keeping my head down and avoiding eye contact with anyone on the way.

But as I walked past Caleb's room, I heard my name mentioned. Curiosity getting the better of me, I stopped outside the slightly ajar door and listened intently to what they were saying. I knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but I couldn't resist the urge to find out what they were saying about me.

Their crude conversation made me uncomfortable, and I tried to ignore it, but their words were too vulgar.

"I'm going to fuck her tonight, and when I'm done, she's all yours," Josh said confidently.

"Right on that, Josh! I wanna tap her ass," another voice chimed in. As I listened further, I could feel my face turning red with anger and disgust.

"We could spice it up by taking turns with her at the same time. Ya' know, for added excitement, I wanna see the bitch beg for us," someone suggested, and the group laughed.

"The fuck, bro! You porno-addict, that's sick!" another voice said, trying to diffuse the situation.

But Josh was persistent. "Come on, man; let the guy have some fun.," he complained.

The others seemed hesitant at first but soon warmed up to the idea. "Josh is right, dude. It could be fun," someone else suggested.

"You fucking want an orgy with your friends while gangbanging that poor girl?" He scoffed. "I can't believe you."

"And why the hell not? It's fun!" Josh retorted as I heard hoots and claps accompanying them.

"Yeah!" another person agreed. "Let's fuck that swot! I wanna pop her damn cherry, bro!"

While listening, my heart raced erratically. Hearing these guys discuss their plan, as though I were a commodity to be traded, made the hair on my nape stand on end.

"Guys, chill out," Josh interrupted. "We'll all get our turn. If she protests, we'll have to force her to give us what we want."

As soon as I heard him, my stomach churned in fear. I wanted to confront Josh and his friends and warn them against such a horrendous thing, but I knew it wouldn't do any good. They wouldn't listen, and I didn't want to endanger myself. Instead, I quietly walked away from the door and retreated to my room, feeling violated and helpless.

I wasn't just going to let them take away the only precious thing I had left. I was saving myself for my mate when I found him. They could ruin me if I just sat and did nothing.

As I stood frozen in the hallway, I heard Josh calling out Caleb's name. My heart raced as I listened to their conversation, not daring to move an inch.

"You alright with that, Caleb?" Josh asked, his tone low and conspiratorial. I held my breath, waiting for Caleb's reply.

"What the hell you want to do with her is none of my business," snarled Caleb angrily. "My mom would still be alive if that whore hadn't killed her."

I felt a lump form in my throat as I realized what they were discussing. It had been two years since Luna Caroline had passed away, but the wounds were still fresh. Like how his father, Alpha Benjamin, despised me, Caleb hated me to the core.

"Good," Josh said, and I knew I had to act fast.

I hurried back to my room, my mind racing. With the danger looming over me, I couldn't stay here any longer. I quickly grabbed an old duffel bag from under my bed, throwing in only the essentials I would need. I knew I had to travel lightly to scurry and stay ahead of them.

As I waited for nightfall, my nerves were on edge. Before they executed their plan, I had to leave. I sat in my room, nervously thrumming my fingers against my thighs, my heart pounding. I couldn't stay here any longer, not with the threat that now hung over me.

When the sun finally set, I threw on an oversized hoodie and pulled the hood up over my head. I took my bag and entered the corridor with my head bowed to blend in with the shadows. My senses alerted me to any sign of danger as I moved quickly, my footsteps light and silent. I wasn't taking any chances—Josh and his friends could be anywhere, and I knew they wouldn't hesitate to do whatever it took to get to me.

The harsh truth was that if they tried to take me away by force, no one would step in to help me.

I was an outcast, a lonely soul, and no one cared for me. Their apathy was evident, as they wouldn't glance in my direction.

Covertly, I sneaked out of the premises without anyone noticing my absence. My feet led me down a path to the woods, but a conversation in the distance stopped my progress. I crept closer, pressing myself against a tree, and cautiously peered around it to determine who was the source of the disturbance.

"Where is he, and why is he taking so long?" An irritable voice complained, releasing a cloud of smoke into the air.

A second voice, which I recognized as coming from Josh, my tormentor, responded, "The fuck do I know?"

The sound of approaching footsteps and raised voices caused me to draw back. However, I paused for a moment when I overheard them discussing me.

"So, where is she? Did you find the bitch?" Josh demanded impatiently.

"We've looked everywhere in this house and still can't find it. There are no signs of the bitch anywhere, bro." someone responded.

"Damn it! Where the fuck did that slut go?" Josh cursed, his hands flailing upward.

"What are we going to do now, bro? That slut might be hiding anywhere," another person asked.

Josh audibly respired. "She's just around here somewhere. Let's split up and look for her. We'll meet at the cabin before sundown."

After Josh gave the order, everyone went in separate directions.

I ran as soon as I realized they were out of sight. My legs pounded against the ground as I ran as though my life depended on it, which, in reality, it did. If their plan worked, I would be a hollow shell of the person I used to be, without hope or joy.

My legs burned as I stormed into the woods, driven by fear and desperation. The night was alive with the sounds of creatures—wolves howled, owls hooted, and indistinguishable noises echoed through the trees.

Every hair on my body stood on end, and I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. But as scared as I was of the woods, I was even more terrified of being caught. That fear was all the motivation I needed to keep moving and running without a glance backward.

Hours passed, and I found myself far beyond the borders of the pack's territory, panting for breath and unsure of where to go next. I had heard that the unmarked territory was full of dangers I didn't even know about, like rogue wolves that killed for no reason. I recognized how scary they could be because they were the ones who killed my mother years ago.

So, I moved carefully and tried not to be heard or seen as I made my way through the new area. The rogues were volatile, unwilling to follow anyone's lead and always causing trouble. Their unruliness had gotten them kicked out of their pack, left to fend for themselves in a world that saw them as dangerous outcasts.

And now I was one of them. A rogue by circumstance. A threat to anyone who would be crossing my path.

Despite being innocuous, I knew anyone who saw me wouldn't hesitate to kill me on sight. As a result, I kept moving—walking and sprinting—until the morning light replaced the darkness.

My heart pounded as I continued running. It was then that I froze as a voice cut through the silence.

"Someone is over here."

Panic set in as I frantically searched for a place to hide, but there was nowhere to go—I was standing alone in the middle of an open field.

'Shit! What am I going to do?' I nibbled my teeth as I stood like a rock in my spot.

"Stay still," a commanding male voice boomed behind me.

When I saw the enormous brown wolf walking toward me with authority and power in every step, my eyes grew wide with fear. Gripping my bag straps tightly, I followed its movements with wary eyes.

"Who are you?" I gulped as I hugged my bag to my chest. Extending my hand, I stepped back and warned him, "Don't come near me."

"I said don't move," he warned as his foot padded toward me deliberately.

As the wolf circled me, I couldn't tear my gaze away from its ocean-blue eyes. I was completely mesmerized. As our eyes met, I was under a spell, and the world around me faded. Something was echoing in my mind, some primal understanding I couldn't grasp.

I felt a surge of heat, and a shiver ran up my spine as the wolf stared at me intently. The wolf tilted its head inquisitively, and I couldn't help but find the simple gesture adorable. Despite my fear, I couldn't shake the strange sense of connection between us, as if, for a moment, we were the only two creatures in the world.

The wolf lunged at me, sending me tumbling to the ground. But when I looked up, I saw a man—a naked man—straddling me. My face burned with heat as my gaze flickered across his sculpted features, unable to look away from his chiselled jawline and full lips.

His deep blue eyes gazed down at me, frowning with confusion. I couldn't help but notice how his black hair fell messily around his face or how his long lashes brushed his cheeks.

It was as if time had frozen, and nothing else mattered at that moment but him. His prominent cheekbones, chiselled jawline, and full, lush lips caused my throat to dry.

Dear Moon Goddess! Help me! He was flawless in every way.

Without thinking, I reached up to touch his hair, running my fingers through the soft strands. He closed his eyes and let out a low groan, and as he opened them again, they were rimmed with gold.

The man's lips parted, revealing his sharp canines as he emitted a low growl. With a deep intensity, he spoke a single word, only four letters long, that made me tumble into discombobulation.

"MINE."

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