Chapter 8

• Fiona’s POV
• The party was over. Finally.
• My body ached in places I wasn’t aware was capable of getting sore but it was nothing a hot shower and a good night’s sleep couldn’t fix. I saw Gemma trying to stifle a yawn from the corner of my eye and I snickered at the sight. Like me, she was equally exhausted and her eyes looked sunken and bleary and I knew she’d trade her life’s possessions for her bed in a heartbeat if offered.
• “You look like shit.” I commented as she drew near, carrying a tubful of empty plates and cutleries.
• Gemma shrugged tiredly but chuckled. “You look even way worse. How’s your hand?”
• I held our the hand in question to inspect Jin’s work. “It’s okay, I guess.”
• “Parties like this always wear me the fuck out. I’d trade anything for my bed.” Gemma whined.
• “Then why are you here of you’re only going to be lazy?” I asked, my voice light with impish amusement.
• Gemma squawked indignantly at my words but she knew it was a joke. “Lazy? You’re the most laziest person I’ve ever met and you’re calling me lazy? Please.” she snorted. “I’m here for the same reason you are,” Her fingers rubbed together, mimicking the money sign and I cackled. “I mean who doesn’t? I can’t wait to go home and sleep my head off.”
• My smile faltered at the mention of that word. Home. I had no home to escape to if things get too bad. The Luna’s house has been the only home I’ve known since the death of my parents. My relatives had shunned me after the death of my parents, not needing another omega burden. But Gemma didn’t know that. She was kind of new here so it was perfectly normal for her to assume I had a home somewhere.
• “Are you alright?” Gemma asked, watching my face with hawk-like eyes.
• “What? Of course. My mind just ran away with me for a min—”
• “Fiona.” Will called from behind me and I looked over my shoulder with a slight frown. “The Luna wants you. She’s in the living room.”
• There was something final in Will’s eyes that churned my guts with trepidation. I knew she’d come for me. I just didn’t think it would be too soon.
• “Here, let me help you with that.” Gemma offered.
• “Oh, thanks.” I muttered belatedly, swallowing through the panic bubbling my chest before following Will like a lamb led to slaughter. I could tell from the tension radiating off Will that something bad was going to happen and I wouldn’t like it.
• My weak legs carried me to the living room, the sounds of voices chatting happily and laughter reached my ears and I managed to visibly relax. My panic increased at the sight of Lyn, Soren, Kai and Jin sitting comfortably with the Luna. Soren’s expression was the first to change when he first noticed me before they rest did causing me to flinch under the weight of their collective stares. The Luna’s face contorted, morphing her beautiful face into an ugly mask.
• I quickly fixed my eyes to the ground as she rose glaring at me, her eyes narrowing as she drew close. I could feel the simmering rage aimed at me.
• “You… you absolute fool,” she spat, barely able to hold back the rage in her voice. “Do you even realize what you’ve done?” The words come out in a hiss, a growl of frustration mixed with the sting of anger. “Are you really so dense that you can’t see the disaster you’ve just dragged us into? You think you’re untouchable, that you can act however you please without consequences?”
• I shrank back as she stepped closer, refusing to meet my gaze. “Helena’s family won’t take this lightly. They will come for us. They will come for you, and you’ve just drawn a bloody line in the sand between our worlds. This isn’t some petty squabble you can shrug off. This will be war—a war you started with nothing but that impulsive, reckless stupidity.”
• The Luna had a flare for being dramatic. I was innocent in all this. I’m the victim here for crying out loud!
• I feel my fists clench, the weight of the threat hanging heavy in the air.
• “Do you think they’ll show mercy? Do you even understand what you’ve just brought down upon us?” A bitter laugh escapes her lips, thick with anger and disappointment. “Maybe you don’t care about the pack, about the people who took you in and fed you when you had nothing. Is this how you repay us?! Answer me!” she yelled.
• I flinched as she yelled, cursing me which was unfair. I was the victim of Helena’s cruelty yet I get the short end of the stick because she was disgracefully thrown out of the party by Jin.
• Fucking Jin.
• Angry tears sprang free from my eyes and I hastily wiped it off before anyone could see them before wiping my face of all emotion.
• “She doesn’t even look remorseful.” Luna muttered in quiet amazement that bothered quickly to anger.
• It was funny, really. Jin was the reason I’m in this mess yet here I am. He just sat there watching his mother have a go at me and made no move to interfere. Some things never really did change. I was a fool for falling for his gentle manners and sober eyes. “I’m sorry, Lu—"
• The Luna stopped her endless pacing after concluding what my punishment would be. “Will, take Fiona to the Black Room since it’s clear she’s not sorry.”
• Fear and panic sunk their claws into my heart and puffed venomous black fogs into my brain, threatening to choke me if I didn’t inhale.
• No! No… please.
• My legs collapsed under me. I clasped a hand over my throat panting raggedy like I had run a marathon, my lungs worked for air and saw none. The floor beneath me suddenly morphed into the cold dark floor of the broom closet. The walls were closing in, the thick darkness held monsters and demons that wanted nothing more than to rip me apart. Tears poured from my eyes, staining my face and dripping to the floor.
• I heard a voice that sounded miserable and painful and heard the words, “please don’t. I’m sorry. I’ll do anything, please….don’t lock me up. Please…”and realized that voice pleading for mercy belonged to me.
• The dark room.
• I wouldn’t wish that room on anyone.
• The dark room was this sick, twisted punishment the Luna crafted solely for me, knowing how much I hated the dark. Knowing how claustrophobic I was. The memory flashes through my mind like a jagged shard of glass, sharp and clear. I couldn’t remember how old I was then having suffered mild amnesia from a little accident. That day, I had rushed to help Jin, my little hands trying to offer him a bit of my lunch. I didn’t know he was allergic; I swear I didn’t. I had no idea he couldn’t eat the same things I could. But it didn’t matter—my mistake sent him straight to the hospital. The entire household was chaos at the news. Almost everyone had turned against me, except for Will and Julie, a servant girl who was later sent packing after getting pregnant for Jin’s father. I never heard of her again and there were rumors about her death.
• And as I stood there, trembling, watching the flashing lights of the ambulance fade away, Luna’s fingers dug painfully into my shoulder, her voice a venomous hiss in my ear.
• “You’ll pay for this.”
• I didn’t realize what she meant until it was too late. She dragged me to that room. Small, almost the size of a large cupboard and pitch-black with a black door. There were no windows, only a single, unforgiving crack beneath the door where the faintest sliver of light seeped in, mocking me for my captivity. She shoved me inside and locked the door. I remember the sound of the key turning—final, absolute. Panic flared within me, clawing at my insides, but I tried not to cry. Crying made it worse.
• Hours passed. I couldn’t see a thing, only feel the damp, cold walls against my skin and couldn’t hear anyone or any sign of life. Each hour stretched on until time itself felt like a form of torture, twisting and distorting. The gnawing hunger and aching thirst became my only companions. My mouth was so dry I could barely swallow, and my throat burned from screaming only managed choked sounds until it was hoarse and weak. Eventually there was only silence.
• My heart pounded so loud it was the only sound I could hold on to, and each time I blinked, I hoped, Maybe this is it. Maybe someone will remember me. Maybe they’ll come.
• But no one came.
• To say I was broken was an understatement. I saw things in the dark that no child no should see. It was there that my true nightmares began. It was like being held down by a sleep paralysis demon while stuck in an awful dream, wanting nothing more than to wake up.
• I never knew madness was a different variation of death, until that night.