. Apostasy . A Luna's Struggle

Mature content: suggested forced sexual contact, abuse, murder.

Anulla finished cleaning the remaining cells alone but it went quickly. The prisoners of the Monarch were mostly good wolves, Anulla nodded and smiled as they thanked her. It only made sense that in Orion’s kingdom, decent wolves were in the dungeons while murdering, raping rogues were allowed to roam free. Down and empty wing she saw an open cell. She was surprised to find the cell empty, so she went inside and cleaned and changed the bedding. As she finished, she heard three female voices. She hid behind a column. Three faux blonde she-wolves in different colored corsets and petticoat skirts were dragging an unconscious wolf. He was young and had been beaten severely but Anulla knew him. The younger of the two wolves who had raped the girl who died.

“I hate these weak males who can’t take a good screwing...” the blue said.

“I hate that they don’t last,” the red added. “Not like him.”

The taller one in gold just smirked, “Once he has a pup born, he’ll kill her with that wine, and then his wolf will let him be with us again.” They dumped the male in the cell Anulla had just cleaned.

“I miss his dick so much, the way he used to pound me,” the blue moaned.

Red laughed, “You didn’t care what he pounded you with as long as your face was in my muff.” They hugged and started kissing and groping each other, but Gold growled.

“Someone was here after we took him,” she turned slowly. Anulla ducked behind the corner, as the gold dressed one hissed, “She’s been in here to clean the cells. Come out Luna, we know you’re here.”

The other two growled. She could hear them searching for her, opening cells and walking on the gravel floor. As quietly as she could, Anulla climbed up the stone wall and stood on the cross brace, grateful she was wearing her black dress and apron today.

The gold one spoke again, “Now Luna, don’t be this way, we just want to talk. We love Orion too. We have that in common, we all love our Monarch.” Her honeyed voice dripped with false sweetness, but Anulla knew immediately who she was. “We can share him and the pleasure he gives.”

Anulla tipped her head and spoke into the vaulted ceiling, “You may love him, Ona, but I do not.” All three turned this way and that looking for her. Anulla walked as quietly as she could down the beam, careful not to draw their attention as they bickered.

“She knows your name, Ona,” the red hissed.

“Shut up, Tracy,” Ona growled. “You’re just a pawn to him, Luna Anulla. He just wants an heir. Give him a pup and after it’s born, we’ll help you escape.”

“Please Luna, let us help you,” the blue one added, giggling. “We only hurt you that night because he made us.”

Halfway to the door, Anulla pressed herself against a post as she slipped around it. She had no idea what they were talking about but if it happened while she was drinking the tainted wine, then she did not want to remember.

“Goddess Chloe, she was so intoxicated she probably didn’t even remember, thanks for reminding her,” Ona hissed, “Tracy, stay by the door, we have to find her.”

“Can we just get rid of her?” Tracy whispered but the sound carried up into the rafters.

“Just shut up, you dumb biyatch, and don’t let her out,” Ona snapped quietly.

Below, Tracy walked to her only way out and stood with her arms crossed, pouting. Ona and Chloe walked deeper into the cells one went left and one right. Anulla was directly above the one called Tracy, she could see brown roots growing out into bleached blond hair. Anulla stepped off the beam right above the she-wolf in the red corset. Her feet landing firmly on her shoulders and driving her into the ground and wall behind. Anulla rolled back to her feet expecting a fight, but Tracy just stared at her with dead eyes. Her neck was twisted at a weird angle.

“Tracy?” Chloe’s voice called from the darkness.

Anulla ran. She prayed she knew the dungeons well enough not to get lost. She had to get back to Liam and his brothers. Suddenly she came to a wall where there shouldn’t be one. Her soft shoes slid in the gravel before she could turn, hands grabbed her from behind and threw her into the front of a cell. All the prisoners started yelling. A female body pressed against her back as she struggled to stand, crushing her against the bars

“You killed her, biyatch,” Chloe’s voice hissed in her ear, “I am gonna enjoy taking my time putting you down.” A strong arm crushed her throat and strangled her. The gravel floor and slick shoes did not allow Anulla to gain purchase.

Chloe’s voice was a malevolent whisper as darkness closed in. “You were the tastiest treat the Monarch ever gave us, eating you out till you creamed all over my face while he pounded me was one of the best times I ever had, but I am still going to kill you.”

Just as Anulla was about to black out a pair of strong arms reached through the bars and Chloe was knocked away. Anulla coughed and struggled to stand, the hands helped her. Chloe was being choked by the prisoners in the opposite cell, her eyes got dull as life left her. Pieces of her blue petticoat were torn in her struggles.

Over the shouting, one asked, “Luna, are you okay?”

Anulla nodded rapidly, hand on her throat. Chloe’s body dropped to the floor and several cheered.

“You need to run, Luna, there are three of them.”

“Tracy, dead,” Anulla choked out.

“Mistress Ona is the worst, you must run and escape,” He insisted, his eyes told her he knew firsthand of Ona’s twisted cruelty.

Anulla staggered out of the cell block and almost into Ona. One of the prisoners lunged through the bars and caught Ona’s wrist as others shouted for Anulla to flee. Ona stabbed the male in the arm and gave chase. Anulla ran true this time but when she turned into block 13, Liam and his brothers were gone. She realized the noise from the riot had drawn them down a different route. Ona tackled her, but Anulla pushed up and they rolled over and over until they collided with bars. Anulla lay flat as Ona pressed a silver blade to her throat while she straddled her.

“Such a shame I have to kill you before Orion gets his heir, Luna.” She hissed in Anulla’s face. “You always smell so sweet. I’ve missed you since you stopped drinking your wine. No hard feelings, you were a good fuck, but the Monarch is mine.”

“He didn’t tell you,” Anulla said softly, then she laughed, “He didn’t tell you.”

“Tell me what?” Ona asked.

“Smell me,” Anulla answered.

Ona leaned forward and put her nose to Anulla’s neck, inhaling deeply. Anulla heard her gasp then she sat back painfully crushing her weight against Anulla’s hips. The knife trembled at Anulla’s throat.

“You can’t kill me; he’ll know it was you.” Anulla hoped Ona believed her.

Ona stared at her, then her eyes narrowed, and she laughed. “He doesn’t know, the only reason he wouldn’t tell me was if he doesn’t know. Oh, you stupid little farm girl. I am going to kill you, and make it look like you ran away again. I know exactly what he likes. He will keep me forever, he will fill me with his seed until I am the one carrying his heir, and then I will be queen.” She smiled evilly, “Goodbye, Luna.” Ona raised the knife with both hands.

Anulla felt Ona’s weight shift and lift off her, as thin arms seized Ona through the bars. Ona twisted to stab the prisoner but the third time she pulled her arm back, there was the sicken crack of breaking bones. Ona slumped to the floor with her neck broken. Anulla crawled to the bars. Blood was pooling as the wolf within whimpered.

“Seamus, hold on, I’ll get help.” Anulla tried to rise but he caught her hand.

“Just sit with me a bit, lass. So my old wolf and I don’t die alone, we’ve been alone so long till ye came and showed us... a bit... of kindness... thank ye... Luna.” His last words were whispered on his last breath. His hand rested on Ona’s cheek and he was gone to the moon. Anulla prayed for him as she sobed.

She heard Liam and his brothers shouting for her, then prisoners called back that she went into 13. Soon Patrick kneels next to her.

He called out to them, “The Luna is okay. Lady Ona is dead.” Cheers and shouts of relief echoed back.

Shane and Shawn were holding Tracy and Chloe’s bodies over their shoulders like sacks of laundry. Anulla realized she still needed to check on the Floria she-wolves, and an idea whispered in her head. It was crazy but it just might work.

“Bring those three biyatches. Liam get me some white chalking powder, and brown dye from the pantries. I can’t save myself, but I can save others.”

Two hours later, Anulla left the room where the she-wolves had been kept. Shawn, Shane, and Liam are carrying the dead dark-skinned, dark-haired females. Anulla watched them throw the bodies into the fire with dozens of witnesses.

A guard walked over to the Luna and asked, “Are those the last of the dark ones, Luna?”

Anulla nodded, “Yes, with both healers gone, they just died. I was cleaning the cells and found them. Send word to the Monarch.”

“It will be done, Luna,” the male nodded, then added in a low voice, “Tis better, they are free again now.”

“Yes, yes they are.”

A few noticed the car belonging to the Monarch’s mistresses leaving, but they turned back to the burning. No one noticed that it turned west instead of south, where the Monarch was fighting. Luna Anulla looked toward the setting sun, sending a prayer after those she helped escape. Now only the three Floria females mated to Orion’s rogues were left.

=^^^^=

Logan was waiting for Victor in Wheatland. He was sitting in the late alpha’s office with his feet on the desk and his cigar creating a layer of swirling smoke in the air.

“Nephew, this part of the Kingdom suffers from a severe lack of companionship. Seriously, what do your farmers do, hump the cows and sheep?”

Victor waved his hand in front of his face and coughed slightly, “Please don’t smoke inside, Uncle.”

Logan harrumphed and tossed a bag on the desk, “A week ago, Joel found something interesting at the river. A dozen dead rogues, a dead albino witch, and a dead black wolf.”

Victor opened the bag and pulled out two shredded scraps of black cloth, his hand trembled, “He actually did it... he actually killed them.” He squeezed his eyes shut, he had no love for the Dungeon Masters, but they had been allies after a fashion.

Logan blew a smoke ring, “Not both of them, Brenna kept one alive. Her skill, his will, and the fact they are second chance mates. That is one strong wolf.”

Victor leaned against the desk. “He’s getting worse, Logan, and Luna Anulla is pregnant. Odette and Amy won’t be able to hide it for more than a month more. The Luna’s birthday is when they need to be ready, the Monarch will be done with the war in the south by week’s end. He is heading west in the spring. That leaves the allies a month or six weeks.”

Logan nodded and lifted his boots from the desk, setting them on the floor with a thump. “Is he still... I mean does he... Is she protected?” It is the first time Victor had ever seen his uncle uncomfortable and concerned for a female.

“My four most trusted are guarding her, and if she feels threatened, she can always duck into the dungeons. The Dungeon Masters made sure all the prisoners knew her, she cleaned their cells. They will protect her if they can,” Vincent explained.

Logan nodded and chewed the butt of his cigar, “As long as she’s safe.”

Victor raised an eyebrow, Logan shrugged. “I’m not the only one who’s got a thing for your Luna. Joel practically had to be chained to a wall when I told them what the Monarch was doing to her, the drugged wine, the abuse. He wanted to come get her then. Just keep her alive, Victor. Tell her to hang on.”

“Until the Monarch falls, no one in the kingdom or surrounding it is safe.”

Matthias walked in as Logan stood, Victor spoke quickly, “Thank you, Tracker, I will relay your information to the Monarch.”

Logan nodded and left quickly. Matthias watched him leave curiously. “Beta Victor?”

“When we lost contact with the Dungeon Masters, I sent out trackers.” He held out the hoods, “I am afraid the news is bad.”

Matthias took the hoods, tears shined in his eyes but did not fall. He took a deep tired breath, “I loved those boys like my own sons, Odette will be crushed.” He turned and looked out the window for several minutes then he said, “I served Monarch Sovereign before Monarch Sade. He was a great wolf, his brother was not. I did everything I could to try to help Balthazar become a good ruler. I let many evils pass my eyes, in hopes that the darkness his false father cast our kingdom into would be broken by Orion. I was a fool to think this. My family has been loyal to the Monarch wolf for generations, all I can do now is try to care for the kingdom until the monarchy ends.”

Victor sighed, “Our only hope is the heir of the Monarch.”

“No young Beta, our hope is the heart of our Luna.”

::: Domestic violence and infidelity are not always linked, but it’s not uncommon. This is probably because cheating and domestic violence both involve a lack of respect for women and an inability (or unwillingness) to control one’s own actions. The types of personalities that it takes for men to behave this way are similar, if not the same. Lack of self-control is a key component in domestic violence.

While some men feel entitled to treat women any way they choose, including battering them, most men know that their behavior is unacceptable, to say the least. They deny allegations of abuse and try to hide their behavior from friends and family. Domestic violence does not only manifest itself physically. Emotional and sexual abuse can also be violent and sometimes more painful than being battered.

Cheating is one of the ways a man can hurt a woman and degrade her, making her feel less important to him than she really is. His thinking is that in allowing her to know that he is desired by other women, it will make her hold onto him. It sounds crazy, because it is, but amazingly enough, many times it works. But sometimes it is the woman who is the abuser or a same sex partner.

Abusers, as well as cheaters, have a tendency to blame their victims!

It is not the victim’s fault. It's their own choice to cause harm.

- See more at: http://www.cheatersnbrokenhearts.net/infidelity--domestic-violence.html#sthash.TZKLpdNv.dpuf :::