Luna’s lips still hurt three days later.
The bite marks from Kael hadn’t faded.
Luna had to cover them with a thin scarf every time she served tea.
“Cheap omega,” one of the servants whispered as Luna walked past.
“She must’ve seduced the Alpha.” Luna pretended not to hear.
23 days left.
Luna’s time was running out, getting thinner and thinner.
That morning Luna was called earlier than usual, before the sun rose.
“Come in,” Kael’s voice came from inside.
Luna opened the door.
The room was dark, only candles and the smell of blood.
Kael was sitting in a chair.
His shirt was open down to his chest.
There was a long wound on his arm, and blood was still dripping.
“Treat it,” Kael ordered.
“Now!” Luna hurriedly grabbed the first aid kit.
Luna’s hands shook as she wiped the blood, but she still treated him.
“How did you get hurt, Sir?” Luna asked quietly.
“Training,” Kael answered shortly.
“One of the men got out of line.” Luna’s fingers touched Kael’s skin.
Hot.
His muscles tensed under Luna’s touch.
Kael stared at Luna without blinking.
“Are you scared of me?” Luna swallowed.
“No, Sir.” “Liar,” Kael said.
He grabbed Luna’s wrist.
“Your heart is beating like a rabbit.” Luna didn’t answer.
Kael pulled Luna until the distance between them was only a few centimeters.
“Look at me,” he ordered.
Luna obeyed.
Those golden eyes stared deep into Luna.
There was no hatred there.
Only…
emptiness.
“The ritual,” Kael said suddenly.
Luna frowned.
“What ritual, Sir?” Elder Alden came in without knocking, his face serious.
“Alpha.
The Crescent Moon is in three days.
If mates haven’t done the first bond, then the mate pull will weaken and it can be dangerous for both of you.” Kael clicked his tongue.
“So?” “So you have to do a bond kiss,” the Elder said.
“Not a normal kiss.
A kiss that makes your blood mix, it will stabilize the pull.” Luna’s blood ran cold.
“Elder, but the Alpha already rejected me…,” “The law is still the law,” the Elder cut in.
“If not, one of you could die when the full moon comes.” Kael laughed, but it was a soundless laugh.
“Interesting.
So I’m being forced to kiss trash.” Kael kept insulting her and called Luna trash.
“This is for the safety of the pack, Alpha,” the Elder said.
After the Elder left, the room went silent again, only the sound of breathing.
Kael stood.
He was much taller than Luna.
“Take off your scarf,” Kael ordered.
Luna hesitated, but eventually the scarf fell, and the bite marks on Luna’s lips were clearly visible.
Kael’s eyes narrowed.
“You’re still keeping that mark?” “Because Sir was the one who made it,” Luna answered honestly.
Kael stepped closer.
One hand held the back of Luna’s head, and his other hand gripped Luna’s chin.
“This isn’t a kiss,” Kael whispered against Luna’s lips.
“This is punishment.” And Kael kissed Luna.
This kiss was different from three days ago.
It was deeper, longer, and more painful.
Kael’s tongue forced its way in roughly.
He bit Luna’s lips until blood came out again.
The taste of iron filled Luna’s mouth.
Luna tried to push against his chest, but couldn’t.
Luna tried to turn her face away, but Kael’s hand held her too tightly.
Luna’s tears fell, but Kael didn’t stop.
He sucked the blood from Luna’s lips like he was thirsty.
His hand moved down to Luna’s waist, squeezing until it hurt.
Luna felt dizzy, out of air.
Only after several minutes that felt like forever did Kael let go.
Luna collapsed to her knees.
She coughed, and wiped her bleeding mouth.
Kael licked the blood off his finger, looking down at Luna from above.
“It still tastes the same,” he said coldly.
“Like kissing a corpse.” Luna couldn’t answer.
Luna’s chest hurt.
Not because of the kiss, but because of his words.
“Get out,” Kael said.
“Before I actually vomit.” Luna immediately ran out.
She went to the servant bathroom.
She vomited.
Not because she was disgusted, but because she was scared.
That night a fever hit Luna.
Maybe because their blood mixed.
Maybe because of stress, and Luna’s body was burning up and freezing.
At midnight, Luna’s door opened.
Kael stood in the doorway.
Only wearing pants.
“You’re sick,” he said.
Not a question.
Luna nodded weakly from the straw mattress.
Without saying anything, Kael came in.
Sat on the floor.
He touched Luna’s forehead with his cold hand.
“Why are you here, Sir?” Luna asked in a hoarse voice.
Kael was silent for a long time.
“The Elder said if one dies, the other can be affected too.” “Oh,” Luna said.
“So Sir is afraid of dying.” “No,” Kael said.
“I’m afraid the pack will lose its Alpha because of a defective omega.” Luna gave a small laugh.
“Sir is very honest.” Kael grabbed a wet cloth.
He put a compress on Luna’s forehead.
His movements were careful, contradicting his words.
“Don’t die yet,” Kael whispered.
“Before I’m done hating you.” Luna closed her eyes.
In the middle of the fever, Luna dreamed.
A dream about her mother.
About a small house.
About a hug she hadn’t felt in a long time.
When she woke up in the morning, Luna’s fever was gone and Kael was already gone, the only things left were a basin of water and the wet cloth.
*_ The next few days were strange.
Kael was still tormenting Luna.
Still giving orders.
Still insulting her, but every night, when Luna had a fever, Kael came in secret.
Kael gave her medicine.
Gave her water.
Then left before dawn.
Luna once asked, and Kael never admitted it.
__ Until the night of the Crescent Moon arrived.
There was no moon in the sky.
Total darkness, the air in the palace felt heavy.
“The 20th,” the Elder said at dinner.
“An omega’s body will go into heat.
If it’s not released, she could go insane.” Everyone looked at Luna.
Luna’s face immediately burned.
That night, Luna’s body started changing.
Heat from the inside.
Luna’s skin felt like it was burning, and Luna’s breathing was shallow.
Luna scratched her own arm and whimpered.
But at the same time, there was a knock on the door.
Kael came in.
His eyes were dark and his breathing was uneven too.
“So this is it,” Kael said.
“Omega heat.” Luna nodded.
Couldn’t speak.
Her body hurt, but it was a different kind of hurt.
Kael came closer and kissed Luna’s neck.
“Your scent,” Kael growled.
“Sweet and disgusting.” “Sir…
please,” Luna whispered.
Luna didn’t even know what she was begging for.
Kael looked at Luna.
There was a war in his eyes.
Hatred and…
something else.
“Do you want me to touch you?” Kael asked.
His voice was hoarse.
Luna nodded shyly, but Luna’s body didn’t lie.
Kael lifted Luna’s chin.
“Remember,” Kael said.
“This isn’t because I want to.
This is because of the ritual, because you’ll die if we don’t do it.” Kael kissed Luna again.
This time there was no blood, but there was desperation.
There was hatred, and there was something Luna didn’t dare to name.
Kael’s hands tore Luna’s dress.
Luna’s hands clutched Kael’s back.
Outside, the wind blew hard.
The Crescent Moon peeked out from behind the clouds.
And inside that room, two people who hated each other finally gave in to fate.
_* The next morning Luna woke up alone.
A blanket covered Luna’s body, and Kael wasn’t there.
But there was a bowl of soup, and a small note on the table.
The note was in Kael’s handwriting, angry strokes.
‘Don’t get any ideas.
This was only an obligation.’ Luna held the paper, and crumpled it.
19 days left…