Page 21 of Losing My Siren Luna (Hidden Cove #1)

My hair was brushed until it shined, then braided down my back. They tried to do more with it, but I asked them not to. If Lachlan and I were to be playing with children in the orphanage today, I wouldn’t want to worry about ruining whatever elaborate hairstyle they painstakingly came up with.

Once ready for the day, Cherum and Mimi accompanied me to the dining hall.

Nervousness ate away at me. I had never been allowed in here before. I didn’t know what to expect. As we drew near, the sounds and voices of the many pack members who ate there were carried out into the stone hallways, and I deeply dreaded going in.

This was never my pack before in my first life. All these people hated me, if they ever noticed me at all.

I was the unwanted bride forced upon their alpha, trying to ruin his chances at finding his fated mate and for them to have their true luna, as far as they were concerned.

Mimi urged me along, and when I tried to use the excuse of already being full from the snacks I was given this morning before their arrival, Cherum rather rudely told me that I shouldn’t be missing any meals.

Mimi reiterated this, telling me that she could see my ribs when helping me to dress, so I reluctantly gave in and went into the dining hall.

I was expecting scoffs and scorn, but was welcomed with quite the opposite.

Everyone wanted to greet me, it seemed, and they were all very warm and friendly. Every table I passed resounded with “Good morning, Luna”s or “Luna, hello”.

Mimi sat me down at the center table, excusing herself, even when I tried to get her to stay. She insisted on going back to tidy my room with the maid that was assigned to be her assistant, Gemma.

Cherum ended up calling a kitchen server over, directing him to prepare a spread to be delivered to my room for Mimi and Gemma to eat while they worked.

He told me that he planned on taking me around the castle grounds after breakfast anyway, and they would have plenty of time to eat and work at a leisurely pace before my return.

Cherum scared me in my first life. He, being the delta and protector of the Luna, thought of me as an imposter, I believe. He never spoke to me, but he would glare at me when I was present. Now, he is going above and beyond to make me at ease, with his warm smile and gentle gestures.

Warriors that serve under Cherum came to sit with us soon after our meals were served. They are known as the Luna’s guard. I had never met them before, as I was not allowed to act like even a member of the pack, let alone the Luna.

I was nervous when they first sat with us, feeling that cold panic creeping up my back and making me feel like I was choking, but my necklace started to pulse beneath my dress, sending out soothing waves throughout my body that helped to tamper down the distressing feeling rising in me.

After a few minutes, I saw I had nothing to fear from any of these men.

They all seemed eager and excited to meet me, making me feel guilty, as I still wasn’t sure I wanted to stay, even though Val wanted to.

She liked Killian greatly, and wholeheartedly believed that this was a different timeline we were taken back to.

Like it was an alternate universe where we were accepted into our new pack, Lachlan wasn’t a total monster, even without feeling the mate bond, and we could finally be at peace, at least until our 20th birthday.

I’m still not convinced. There are many differences, but there are also many similarities. Lachlan is still obviously a womanizer. He invited prostitutes to our wedding reception. He even had one with him outside his bedchamber after the reception until I showed up.

It's going to take more than presents and a night’s sleep to convince me that he is a different man.

“Luna, try this,” one of the men, Percy, handed me a large mug filled with a milky coffee.

“Don’t give her that. The Alpha will have a fit if he sees her drinking alcohol this early in the morning,” Maurice nudges his shoulder.

“The lass is just an adult as of yesterday,” Cherum chuckles, brushing crumbs from the toast out of his beard. “I doubt she has tasted alcohol stronger than wine before.”

“So I shouldn’t drink it? Is it that strong?” I asked him, taking the mug and sniffing its contents. I smelt the faint sharpness of alcohol, but not stronger than a glass of wine.

Cherum shrugs, “You are a big girl now, Lass. I would never tell my Luna she couldn’t enjoy a bit of liquor infused cream in her coffee if she wished for it.”

I don’t get drunk. I tried in the past to help numb the betrayal pains, but was never able to.

I doubt this will do the trick now, and if I’m to spend the day with Lachlan, maybe being a little loose thanks to a bit of alcohol will help, so I don’t have another panicked episode like last night might be needed.

I was about to try it, pressing the mug to my lips, when I heard a lovely voice behind me.

“Good morning, Delta. Good morning, Luna,” a pretty girl with blonde hair and a sweet expression is smiling warmly at us as she slowly walks by. She seems familiar somehow, but I can’t place her.

She stops, bowing her head respectfully to us, and that’s when I realize that she is one of the women from last night. One of the girls from the brothel that Lachlan invited to our reception.

Now that I’m paying attention, I can tell by her scent that she is a werewolf. Val growls in my head, not liking her invading on our pleasant morning, but I don’t think we should condemn her just yet for our husband’s misdeeds.

“Good morning,” I smiled back, trying to be as friendly as possible.

Her cheeks redden, making her faint freckles stand out, and even Val’s guard dropped at her shy expression. Her eyes are kind, unlike that other woman’s from last night. I don’t see any malice or ill-intent in her expression or body language.

She isn’t even dressed as a bar-maiden right now. She is in a simple tunic that covers even her throat and a heavy skirt, leaving no impression of her profession.

“Yasmin, I thought we made it clear that you all would not be permitted in the castle any longer?”

Her expression drops, her eyes going wide as she looks embarrassingly from the delta, to his warriors, and then momentarily resting on me before turning her eyes to the floor.

“I’m sorry, Delta. I was told to leave the, uh, brothel this morning and didn’t know I couldn’t come here. I thought that order was for Leona only. I’ll leave.”

“Wait,” I reached out and stopped her before she could turn to the door.

On closer inspection, with her head bowed more and her shirt hanging a bit lower on her throat, I could see bruising that looked much like hand prints. I pull her toward me, wanting to see if my suspicions are right, and pull her sleeves up, noticing bruising around her wrists as well.

She gasped slightly, pulling her hand free from mine with a worried expression.

The men who were all sitting awkwardly, waiting for her to leave, stood from their chairs to see what I was looking at, one of them even growling when his eyes landed on the bruises.

Cherum looks worried, holding his hand out for hers, which she hesitantly gives him after a few nervous seconds debating what to do.

He pushes her sleeve up again, and then sighs heavily at the bruises. They are a nasty purple, with claw marks and silvery veins spotting them.

She was restrained by wolfsbane not long ago. That’s why the bruising isn’t being healed by her wolf.

“What happened, lass? Who did this?” Cherum asks, pulling her sleeve back down.

She shrugs, “It doesn’t matter. They left town early this morning.”

My heart contracts for her. I saw the panic in her face, and know she fears telling the truth, and would rather leave now than do so. I know her pain all too well.

“Sit with us, Yasmin,” I told her, cutting off whatever question Cherum was about to ask.

A man will never be able to understand that kind of pain, and I know his constant questioning may hurt her more than help her, especially if she can not get justice for what was done to her.

“And do not go back to that place again. I will need more handmaidens, correct?” I looked at Cherum, raising my eyebrows, challenging him to tell me otherwise.

“Uh, that would be up to Alpha,” he says nervously, rubbing the back of his head.

I don’t care what kind of bribe or promise I have to make with Lachlan this time, I won’t subject this woman to more pain by sending her back to a place where she is being abused.

“Then I will deal with my husband later,” I say with full confidence, even though I don’t necessarily feel it when it comes to Lachlan.

Cherum laughs dryly, shaking his head with a big smile on his face. Maurice and Percy part, and Percy pats the seat beside him on the bench.

“Come sit, Yasmin, and we will get you some breakfast and some of my special coffee.”