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Nyx's pov

The doors opened fully and in an instant the murmurs from the teeming crowd stopped. He looked down at me giving me a reassuring gaze before taking my hand in the crook of his arm, "Stay calm love." He whispered causing me to melt inside at the softness of his voice, "I got you."

just keep your head high and do not let their looks or remarks affect you, Helena's words resounded in my ears as we continued to walk into the ballroom. My chin was held high and I managed to compose myself as I saw Lycus did, the crowd parted as we went on, bowing at our sight, I could catch snide looks directed at me from the corner of my eyes but I tried not to let them get to me even when I so desperately wanted to run away.

He led the way and we got to some stairs that led to a podium, we ascended it and the pack members began to gather around moving closer to hear what their king had to say.

I could see Helena at the front, Amara was strapped in her arms as she held her lovingly. I smiled at my daughter as she gave me a small wave, Willow was next to them and so were other members including the Beta, laya who was surprisingly smiling at me.

wait! What?! I stared at her not knowing how to react to the seemingly strange gesture coming from someone who wanted to kill me, my gaze shifted and I met eyes with her mother, if looks could kill I would have been dead on the spot.

I looked at other faces, some seemed nice while others sent me death threats which made me gulp and hurdle closer to Lycus.

"Silence!" He growled, the sound revibrating through out the room with so much power I quaked a bit. Everyone fell silent and it looked like their breaths were stilled as they gazed upon their king and the unwanted woman beside him.

"I assume you all know why you all are gathered here today?" He said stepping away from me which made me frown a bit till he sent me a reassuring smile, "And to those of you who do not know yet, I intend to introduce a very special person today." Murmurs came from the crowd which all vanished as he growled again, "I said silence! One more sound and heads shall roll!"

I looked at him wide eyed, he wasn't actually serious, was he?

"Members of the black moon pack." He cleared his throat, "I have been without a mate and luna for long." He said, "Finally the moon goddess answered my prayers and sent me My other half." He looked at me this time, a small smile creeping to his lips as he outstretched his hand and gestured for me to take it.

I moved instantly placing my hand in his and we turned to face the crowd again, "I present to you my mate, Nyx Evander." Silence was what was gotten, stone deaf silence, "She is the future luna of this pack and shall ru-"

"Never!" A strangled cry came from the crowd interrupting Lycus's speech, "I will never bow to an omega! I will never bow to her!"

"Who is that?" Lycus let go of my hand aggressively with anger erupting from him, "You dare to question my authority?" He asked as his eyes met the man whom had screamed earlier on, "Seize him!"

The guards quickly went into the crowd swinging into action. They grabbed the man and dragged him onto the stage as the other members of the crowd watched intently as everything unfolded before their very eyes.

"Bring him here!" He barked at the guards as they dragged him towards where we were, "Make him kneel before her!" They forced him to his knees in front of me. The man shivered in fright as Lycus stood behind him gripping his neck tightly, "How dare you disrespect my mate?! Haven't learned a lesson from past examples?"

past examples? What is going on? What does he mean by past examples?

"I-i am so-rry." He cried out looking up at me as fear filled his eyes, "Please forgive me my luna." He pleaded with me and I only gave him a small nod before stepping back.

"You know what happens to people that defy me?" Lycus let go off his neck and stepped before him blocking me from seeing the man, "Step away Nyx." He gritted with his hand caressing the hilt of his sword.

"What are you going to do?" I paled in fright, "Please let him go." I pleaded and from the corner of my eye I could see Helena back away into the crowd shielding Amara's eyes from the scene.

"Lycus." I called again with tears running down my eyes this time. He didn't spare me a glance or answer me. He only gazed at the man furiously.

"Let this be another lesson to all!" He announced and almost immediately, in one swift move, his sword was unsheathed, the sound of a blade swishing in the air mingled with a cry followed, blood splattered, gasps ensued and a head rolled.

It rolled towards me, wide dead eyes in fright meeting mine and I slapped my hand across my mouth to stop the cry that escaped it.

"She is my luna." Lycus continued like he didn't just behead someone, "She will rule by me." He collected a handkerchief which he used to clean the blade before sheathing it, "What ever order she gives is mine, whatever loyalty you owe me is hers, whatever respect you pay to me shall be paid to her as well. You shall hold her in higher regard than you hold me, protect her with your life from any harm and take her as your Queen!" He boomed but his words meant nothing at the moment as the guilt of someone being beheaded at my expense weighed on me, "And anyone who even breathes an air of disrespect around her will meet a worse fate, no matter who you are!"

I couldn't take the guilt anymore, I sobbed loudly as I ran away from the podium ignoring his cries of my name and the thudding of footsteps, I didn't even know where I was running towards I just wanted to be alone at the moment.

I passed through a door that I guessed led outside the building and I found myself outside an area with a large swimming pool. I couldn't hear him screaming my name anymore nor did I hear footsteps, maybe he finally got the memo that I wanted to be alone.

I wiped away my tears as I tried to forget the image of my mate slaughtering someone before me all because he didn't buy the idea of me being luna, wasn't it a little too extreme? I am not worthy enough to be luna after all.

You are over thinking Nyx! Hera groaned, He did that to protect us and show us that he always got our back no matter what and he wouldn't tolerate any disrespect!

Beheading the man was a bit too over the top, I said to her as I gazed at the cool blue waters of the pool. The light from the fluorescent bulbs shown on it giving it an alluring and inviting aura, if only I could swim, I'd take a dip right now.

He is the Alpha King, what did you expect? That he give him 50 push ups as punishment? I rolled my eyes at her words and blocked her out.

I wasn't fit to be luna if I caused the death of a park member, how would him killing them make me more acceptable? I took in a sigh and bent to remove my heels before running my hand through my locs.

"Well! well! well! If it isn't the murderer!" I turned around at the voice only to see the Beta's mother taking slow steps towards me with a grin on her face, "How do you feel having another member die because of you?!"

"Another member?" I asked stunned as she neared me, "What do you mean another member?" I asked again trying my best to give her a fierce look.

"Oh cut the act, you devil! His royal highness has killed a number of people who happened to disrespect you or that bastard of yours, don't you think it's high time you leave?"

"I do not know what you are talking about." I shrugged at her. In truth I didn't, I only knew of one death, what are the others she is talking off? "And I am not leaving!"

"You will never be luna."

"Don't you have something new to say?" I clapped back at her.

Go girl! Hera howled.

"I am tired of this 'you will never be luna' statement of yours! Leave me be!" I growled angrily as she stood close to me, very close.

"I think it's high time I taught you a valuable lesson, I do hope you can swim." She smirked at me and before I could say jack She shoved me hard and i fell into the water while her sinister laugh rang in the air.

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