As I tread back to the path that takes me to Midas's home, I'm stopped before I could reach the door by a long haired brunette with doe-like eyes that begin to brim with tears.

I admit, I felt nothing as she stood before me. I had no energy within me to console someone I barely know. However, there was something else underneath her look that made my wolf become on high alert. I didn't expect it but my wolf lets an involuntary growl to let this woman know to not come near us.

She even falters within her step as she hears my low warning. Her fists are balled up, I can sleep that blood between her palms. She must have dogged into her skin hard enough to make herself bleed. Either she is terribly angry or bitter that she must hold her tongue in my presence.

"What does he even see in you?" That question caught me off guard. I widen my eyes blinking rapidly unsure of how to answer her question. Even I wonder the same thing, I am no use to Midas. The only possible reason to keep me around is to bring his heir to be next in line as alpha but these Lycans are not the same as werewolves. Even if my pup was to be birthed, there is no guarantee of his position being saved.

Lycans must earn their spot, they are not born into it. I move away from her ignoring her question altogether. From her pained expression and apparent jealousy, she must be the whore.

She grips my arm before I even realize what I'm doing. I yank her hand off of me, wrapping my now elongated claws around her throat, pushing her against a tree and growling in her face.

"Don't you ever touch me again!" My wolf wants me to rip her throat out, she demands her blood to quench our thirst. I have never been so violent in my life until meeting Midas. I curse his name for bringing this ugly side of me. However, I can't help it, the pulse of her neck is right there for the taking. It wouldn't be too hard to rip her to shreds. Or better yet, force her to bow down to me and lick my foot for the fucking peasant that she is. What the fuck?

Why do I think I am better than her? I am nothing to her to force this onto her. She didn't do anything but love an idiot who doesn't love her back.

"It doesn't matter, if you fail in your duties as Luna. All the she-wolves will be ready to kill you before you can scream for help-p..." I choke her even further, my blood feels as if I'm becoming an inferno of emotions. She's done nothing wrong and yet I want to kill her. She is competition. I see now, she wants my spot. She wants to be Luna, no... she must have been promised my spot. But she can't have it, none of them can. I'm his soulmate and I'll be damned if they take what's mine.

I drop her form to the ground where she can't stop taking lungful of air to her sore throat no thanks to me. She looks up to me with eyes of apparent hatred.

"You're n-not one o-of us..." she coughs sporadically, I must have crushed her windpipe for her to struggle to speak.

"Neither are you, you're just another wolf. You're no Lycan and you will never be one."

"I hope he fucks your ass to death. Then let's see who's laughing in the end."  I stop mid-walk, I'm afraid to ask what she means but I already know.

"It won't be you..."

*

*

I wait in the living area on a couch where the fire is burning to warm this cold home. Not that I care if it's cold, neither the fire does anything for me. I take a sip of the tea I made earlier in the kitchen. The sun is slowly disappearing and soon nightfall will come. Then the real welcoming party will begin.

The door opens, his ragged breath tells me he's upset. Maybe his whore cried to him hoping he'll punish me. He hasn't stepped in my peripheral view as of yet. He must be in deep though because he continues to walk back and forth.

"Fuck!" He throws a glass object against the wall, I don't move, I'm not dazed by his anger. There's always something setting him off.

"Are you going to break more glass? Let me know so I can clean up your mess." He inhales deeply, oh... I hit a nerve.

"I don't have time for this. Get up." I don't move. He must ask me when looking me in the eye.

"I'm not moving until you speak to me properly."

"You're such insufferable woman!"

"And you're the devil yet I give decent amount of courtesy and respect when communicating with you don't I." His strifes couldn't have been more fast when standing in front of me with a look in his eye that simply is not amused.

"Get up."

"Why?"

"Because I said so." I take a sip of my tea not moving at all.

"Aren't you going to ask me how my day was?"

"No, we don't have time for your none sense."

"After you left me alone to attend whatever business you had. I had a lovely meeting with your whore." If he scowls any longer, I'm afraid he will surely never smile. I don't think he even knows how.

"How do you know?"

"Please, it's obvious; stop seeing her or else." Midas did not like those words, he bends down on one knee and grips my chin in a harsh hold.

"Or else what?" He teases, he honestly believes I wouldn't do anything.

"She won't be so pretty when she has your cock in her mouth." I throw my tea in his face, it's still scalding hot, but he doesn't move. It's as if he's unfazed by the extreme burning of the tea. I admit, I'm afraid now but there's no turning back. Midas doesn't do anything to me except to standing and leave. But of course, he never leaves without having the last word.

"The ceremony is tonight, there will be three women to arrive and prepare you for tonight. I've asked them to give you medicine so you feel nothing and... they will help with your virtue."

"Fine."he hasn't left yet, he stands in front of the door before turning it to say one more thing to me.

"Winter..."

"Yes?"

"Do not cry, do not make any sound. Do not look me in the eye when the ritual performs. If you do, I can't protect you from the females of this pack. They will kill you or worse."

"What could be worse then death?" I ask, he doesn't answer me. He leaves me alone and I'll admit, it brought a deep chill to the bone. Something worse than death from a pack of females? They might torture me that's for sure, hell, I can even become a prisoner.

There are rumors that they have forced women, who failed to become a Luna or Beta, to be used as nothing more than incubators for the Lycans who never returned to their human skin. Lycans who are stuck in the wars of the past never return to normalcy.

That is worse than death.