The Alpha's Omega Mate-Chapter 43: Luna Mischief Jennifer.

~Dahlia POV~

Shaking Beta Orion’s words and attitude out of my mind proved to be a tedious fit and by the time I arrived back at the fortress a few moments later, I was weary, drained and there was a tinge of something else sizzling just beneath the surface of my skin...

Desperation.

I was desperate. Now was just the perfect time to sneak out of this pack. The perfect opportunity to escape and never return, seeing as everyone’s newest focus was the Alpha and not some lowly Omega who they lived to taunt.

I also knew now that the Festival of Lights scheduled for two days time would no longer hold, seeing as all the earlier decorations had been put down, and the lanterns scattering across the streets and hanging above many taverns only a day ago had been deflated. I let out a sigh as I stepped into the house and immediately almost regretted it when I bumped into none other but...

...drumrolls please.

Ms Jennifer.

No, scratch that. She was now Luna Jennifer as now she was draped in the royal Luna regalia. Her hair was styled into a high chignon with delicate tendrils framing her face like vines from a sycamore tree. And her face was nothing short of perfect... except that it was twisted in rage at the sight of me.

Terrified, I took a step back and bowed; "I’m sorry Luna, I tripped on my feet and fell into you." I rushed out, smartly ignoring the use of terms like: ’I didn’t see you coming.’

I had half expected her to lash out at me or strike me, or whatever it was that usually tickled her fancy. However, nothing prepared me for the smug smile that immediately crept up her face. She blushed.

"Everyone’s been calling me the acting Luna, like I’m acting it. But only you have actually called me Luna without a moment’s hesitation!" She explained excitedly and my eyes almost fell to the floor when I realized that I had just managed to polish her already shiny ego.

Rolling my eyes internally, I smiled and whispered; "That’s who you are, Queen." And I almost burst into laughter when she giggled like a teenage pup.

"Oh, thank you! Dahlia."

I froze. Wait... what? Since when did I become Dahlia and not slave?

"I’d love to take my leave now." I added expectantly, and at that, her droopy puppy eyes snapped open. As if suddenly realizing who it was that she was talking to, she squinted her eyes at me and snapped;

"Where are you coming from, by the way? You were not here earlier during the transfer of power ceremony."

My eyes widened. The... what?

"Cat got your tongue?"

"Beta Orion sent me on an errand to the market. I just delivered the items to him and rushed back immediately. I didn’t know that the transfer of power celebration would happen today." That was too fast, I thought to myself, but I never dared say that out loud.

Luna Jennifer studied my face for a few more minutes as if trying to decipher if I was telling the truth or not, but seeing as most of what I’d said to her were the truth, besides the errand part, I didn’t flinch. She snorted and looked away, obviously frustrated.

"Go clean up the Alpha’s chamber, and when you’re done with that, you can retire to bed!" She snapped at me, and I had to fight this irresistible pull not to roll my eyes.

Deep down, I wanted to resist. I wanted to complain about how that wasn’t in my list of chores for today, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t talk back to her, and I also couldn’t refuse direct orders from the highest body in the pack as at this moment.

A frown that I desperately tried to hide creased my eyebrows and with my head bowed, I mumbled; "Yes, your grace. I would just have to go to my roo—"

"You’re to go now, and you’re to be fast." She interrupted me quickly and when I raised my head to look at her, a mischievous smirk played across her lips. One that she didn’t even bother to hide.

This was another ploy.

Another one of her games.

With a beating heart, I bowed again and I rushed to do her bidding, and it wasn’t until I arrived at the Alpha’s chamber that I realized something I didn’t know all this time; the Alpha wasn’t being treated in the pack’s hospital like I had thought, he was being treated in here!

And right now, he was sprawled lifelessly on his bed with several steaming pots hanging around the foot of his bed, and he was also naked, save for the silk material draped around his midriff and groin. His usual toned body now looked somewhat darker with several weird-smelling ointments, and his pink plump lips were now purple and thin.

My heart squeezed in my chest at the sight of him looking so lifeless and dead and a choked sob escaped my lips as tears slipped down my face. I still couldn’t believe that him— someone as powerful as him could be reduced to this so easily. It felt like something else was at play here.

Glancing around then, I realized that the room was as tidy as the gates of heaven, so why did Luna Jennifer make me come here? Why’d she force me to see this even when I desperately didn’t want to?

More tears slipped out of my eyes as I turned away from his still form to tidy up the few things that still managed to seem out of place, and by the time I was done with that, I walked back over to the bed I desperately avoided.

I just couldn’t help it. I had to see him one more time.

I cried. "I hope you get better soon, Alpha." My voice was low, hoarse, and not sounding like mine. "But I hope to be as far away from here as possible by the time that happens."

More sobs. I sniffled.

"I wish you a speedy recovery, Mate, but my daughter and I are no longer safe here. Everyday I fear that someone will hurt her... especially now that she’s begun to, you know, develop."

Suddenly, I stopped talking, catching myself when I realized that he couldn’t even hear me. The healers had talked about how he’d fallen into a coma shortly after being treated last night, and how by the looks of it, it would be pretty difficult for him to find his way back to the land of the living.

I wiped my teary eyes again and said; "I’m sorry for yapping. I just hope you get better."

And with that, I turned away from the bed and began to make my way out of the room. However, I had just arrived by the door when a hoarse small voice called out to me; I stilled.

"Dahlia?"

And I spun around in shock. But there was nothing. The Alpha was still fast asleep... or deeply asleep. Or whatever. There was no one else in the room besides us.

I shook my head. "He’s still in a coma. He still hasn’t recovered his memories—"

I tried just then to slip out of the room, but just when I tried to, I came face to face with two elders, two who were now glaring down at me with so much hate, I could literally feel it in my bones.

The taller one snapped; "Who gave you the right to come in here, slave? Do you not know that this place is out of bounds for the meantime?!"

I froze.

This was the trouble Jennifer wanted to get me into. And again, she had succeeded.