. Apostasy . A Luna's Struggle

Mature content: violence, sexual abuse, imprisonment

The Monarch moved through the halls of the palace like a dark storm at sea, waves of rage and malevolence radiated off him. Lesser wolves scattered and fled in fear. Today, after Anulla had openly defied him and mocked his rule, he had screwed her until her buttcheeks and thighs were mottled with bruises. Over the two years, he had dumped enough of his seed in her to fill a dozen females and still she had not conceived another heir. He hated her, and his wolf mauled him for it. It was made worse because he saw what was happening, one by one his subjects were turning from him to her. They were all betraying him for a weak female. He almost ripped the door off the dungeon entrance. The prisoners cowered against the back of their cells as he strode to where Walsh and Victor had the rogue warrior. The young wolf was pleading and begging for his life as the Monarch entered. Orion immediately hated him for his weakness.

“So you think you can ignore the rules of my kingdom, the one I welcomed you and your brother into. I fed you and sheltered you and you dare mock my laws and anger my Luna,” the Monarch’s voice was a malevolent snarl.

“Please, have mercy Monarch Balthazar. She is my mate; I couldn’t help it. My wolf just wanted her so bad and my brother said it was my right because she was my mate and I needed to claim...” His words choked off as the Monarch seized him by the throat.

“Underaged Blue Collars are not to give service. No! Exceptions!” Balthazar roared. It had disgusted him what the wolf and his older brother had done to the girl. He shook the young wolf as he continued, “Do you realize that she will never have a child now? She is useless to the kingdom if she lives, which the healers are not sure she will.” Then he dropped him on his knees and backhanded him into the stone wall at the back of the cell.

“I d-didn’t mean to hu-hurt h-her,” the young wolf stammered between sobs. “I d-don’t care if she c-can’t have pups, she... she’s my m-mate.”

“The purpose of a female is to produce pups for the kingdom after her time of service. And since she now cannot serve her time, you will do it for her as punishment for maiming an underaged female. You should have treated your mate with more care,” The Monarch sneered malevolently. “Yellow collar him and put him in the stocks twice a week for anyone who wants him. And let my mistresses have him the rest of the time, they are getting bored with their usual playthings. They will see that he gets all the ‘pleasure’ he can endure.”

As the Monarch turned to walk out, Miles walked in, he and Walsh shared a brief look and Walsh growled but said nothing, Orion turned on them both. “Is there a problem, Dungeon Masters?”

Walsh drew himself up to his full height, his gravelly voice deep, “The Monarch should listen to his words to others. Mates should be treated with care.”

Orion snapped his teeth at them, neither flinched, but Victor moved a step away waiting for the Monarch’s temper to explode, instead the Monarch turned and walked out.

The Monarch shoved open the door to the windowless cell that had once held his mate. His golden mistress sat in a chair watching the witch writhe in pain. She was chained against the wall, facing them blindfolded, a hooked piece between her legs, holding her hip secure. Every time she relaxed off her tiptoes, Ona lashed her. He pulled his favorite mistress into his arms and kissed her.

“I apologize, my golden one, but I need to talk to your plaything.”

The tall faux blonde pouted, “But I’ve only been here an hour.”

Orion smirked as the witch wolf whimpered behind them, “I have a present for you to make up for it... A young male who could not control his urges maimed his underaged mate earlier today. Since he wants sex more than to obey the law, you and your ‘sisters’ may do whatever you want with him the five days a week he is not in the stocks.”

Ona’s eyes shined with malevolent pleasure, “You are too good to us, my Monarch, that is why we love you.”

“I know. Now go, I need to speak with the witch.” He swatted her on the ass hard enough to bruise as she left but she just smiled at him.

Orion turned to the female restrained and impaled on the wall. His eyes glowed with evil intent as he removed her blindfold. “Are you enjoying your stay with us?”

She whimpered and turned her head away. “May the hounds of the Goddess take you, Monarch Balthazar.”

He laughed, and in a congenial voice responded, “Now, now, I have come to set you free.”

Her head shot up, “You taunt me.” Her ruby eyes were filled with hatred as they stared back at him.

He shook his head, “No, I want to make you an offer. I have two very powerful wolves in my service, I want them dead before they can betray me further. I will ‘let you escape’ with the help of some of my more vicious rogues. You will lure them into a trap... You will use your skills to weaken them enough for them to be killed... And then you are free to live as long as you never enter my kingdom again or make any attempt against me.”

The witch stared at him with red eyes, untrusting, calculating, “How do I know you will let me live?”

“You don’t, you’re an albino, an abomination,” he sneered, “But as long as you are not in my kingdom or trying to use your evil magic against me, what do I care if you live or die.”

She laughed, it was a hard, hopeless sound. “Who are these wolves?”

Orion slid a small stepping box over to her feet, and unlocked her wrist, She carefully stepped up and raised her body off the torturous hooks. Gasping and shuddering in pain and relief, she almost fell forward, but he caught her. Terrified he would rape her again, she froze in his arms. He smiled down at her and pushed a sweaty lock of translucent white hair behind her ear, before whispering into it.

“I want you to kill my dungeon masters. I will provide all that you need. Do this and you are free; fail and I will let my mistresses have you for the rest of your days.”

He leaned back and looked into her eyes. Her whole body trembled but she nodded. In a swift motion, he sat her in the chair Ona had left and walked out smiling. His afternoon was definitely turning out better than his morning had started.

-^^^^^-

A few weeks later, Joel shouted for Brenna as he staggered in the door under the weight of a giant wolf over his shoulder. “Sister!”

“Goddess, Joel. Is he even alive?” Brenna gasped, touching the blue lips of the wolf, he was so cold and stiff his wounds weren’t even bleeding.

“His heart is still beating. I found him in the river; his wrist was caught between two boulders. He was down river from a dozen dead rogues and a dead witch. He and his identical friend had torn them up. His friend is dead,” Joel explained as they cleaned and wrapped the wolf’s wounds. “Bren, the rogues were Monarchy warriors, but he has the Monarch’s brand too. Whoever he is the Monarch wanted he and his friend dead.”

“Joel, go back and take Logan. Victor will need to know what happened there. I’ll try to keep him alive.” Joel nodded to Brenna and left.

Brenna frowned and looked at her fingertips as she tucked blankets around him. The wolf made a slight groaning sound as Brenna ran her fingers over his scars. “What happened to you, my second mate?”

-^^^^^-

Three weeks later, Orion went to the southern border and the war there. The flesh traders who had brought the Floria she-wolves had started a war. When only ten remained Orion had ordered his healers to not let them die after putting them in the dungeons, in case he needed them for hostage exchanges. Amy and Odette had barely managed to save eight the first day. One died every other day until yesterday. Now three weakened, broken she-wolves slept in the cells and it was up to Anulla to keep them alive.

The Luna was the only person who could walk into the dungeons unaccosted since the Dungeon Masters had been sent to capture the witch who had escaped a few days after the Floria she-wolves had arrived. Anulla prayed for them every night but she couldn’t help her fear that something terrible had happened to Miles and Walsh. They had not been heard from in a week and Orion seemed like he was almost happy about it when Victor had reported to him earlier this week. The Monarch ordered Victor and Matthias to Wheatland to ensure the crops were harvested and accounted for properly.

Amy held her tearfully, then Odette gave her a quick hug before Victor did.

Seneschal Matthias spoke to her quietly before he got in the vehicle, “Luna, only our most loyal and strong are assigned to you. Keep them by your side at all times. Lock yourself in your room every night. Never let yourself get caught alone. Most of the troublesome ones are with the Monarch but a few remain who are not to be trusted.”

She nodded and waved as they left. She was alone with only the loyalty of the palace guards and many monarchy warriors, but those who had once been rogues, hated her almost as much as they hated the Monarch.

Four nearly identical red-headed wolves surrounded her, the tallest one spoke, “Luna Anulla, I am Liam, these are my brothers: Patrick, Shane and Shawn. It is our honor to protect you. Monarch Balthazar has demanded that your service be continued, but my brothers and I do not feel it is proper of a mated she-wolf and our Luna to suffer such indignity. We will put our names on your card, but that still leaves two. Forgive us.”

Anulla almost cried in relief, she would be safe with them, but she knew Orion would look into her mind to check what was written on the cards. She appreciated the gesture. “The Monarch would never allow such a falsehood, and I will not let you put yourselves or your mates at risk. Thank you for offering.”

Liam scowled but bowed his head, “We understand, Luna.”

As Anulla turned to go inside, she notice two of the former rogues watching her like prey. “I need to check on the she-wolves in the dungeon cells.” She knew the rogues would not follow her there, the last one that did, was torn to bits before the guards could get to him.

“Good morning, neighbors,” Anulla called out.

Her guards followed her as Anulla carried armfuls of clean but tattered blankets down into the cells. The prisoners all had their blankets by the bars and old hay stuffed into bags outside the cells.

“Good morning, Luna,” echoed back. If she had the keys to the cells, she would have an army of her own.

“I have help this morning, please do not attack them.”

Answers of ‘Yes Luna’ drifted back.

As she walked from cell to cell, she gathered the dirty blankets and handed them to Shawn then she took clean ones from Shane or was it the other way. In the dim dungeon light, she could not tell the twins apart. Liam and Patrick were hauling out the dirty hay and giving each cell fresh hay. The prisoners were respectful. They young warriors worked hard but Shawn and Shane both froze when they came to the only occupied cell on the thirteenth section.

“Uncle Seamus?” Shawn or Shane gasped out. A shaggy russet-headed and bearded wolf looked up.

“How do ye know my name?” he growled, “Ye can’t talk to me, no one is allowed to talk to me, go away.”

Anulla stepped forward , “13-12, was your name Seamus?” Holding a clean blanket out.

He snatched it, sniffing it before pushing the filthy one through the bars, “I was... I was... my sister called me.. but no.. no one calls me that. I don’t have a name anymore, just a number. Ye shouldn’t talk to me.”

Anulla turned to the distraught twins, “Get your brothers.” Turning back, she spoke softly, “13-12, as your Luna, I am giving you time with your nephews. You may speak to them, they may speak to you, do you understand?”

He shook his head, “No, no... if the Monarch... no... the black devils will come, whip me, beat me. The Monarch will laugh... no, I don’t want to talk.”

“13-12 no one will tell. You are alone here,” Anulla promised gently. The deranged wolf looked up at her, in the two years she had been cleaning the cells, it was the first time she had seen his eyes. They were as green as emeralds.

“Ye shouldn’t be his mate... ye are too kind. Not like my mate... no no no... Ona is not kind like you, she likes him to hurt her. She likes to hurt others... our Luna is too kind...” he muttered and Anulla wondered who Ona was and who he was talking about that she liked Orion to hurt her. Why would any female want to be hurt or hurt others? It didn’t make sense.

Liam and Patrick rushed in behind Shane and Shawn, Anulla walked past. “I’ll finish, that should give you an hour or two with your uncle. He needs you all to be strong.”

She pulled Liam a few steps away, “Who is his mate?”

Liam shifted nervously, “Begging the Luna’s pardon, but Ona is one of the monarch’s whores.”