Page 53 of Chasing Luna
What the hell is happening?I push past other pack members. In front of me, Kenji and Gregory are in the center of the room, chests puffed out, eyes narrowed and locked in deadly stares. Before I can even yell out to gain their attention, the two walk away from each other and start stripping their shirts off. “Um, what’s going on?” I say out loud. A couple of pack members turn their heads to me in surprise.
“Oh, Your Highness!” a warrior-in-training gasps. “It seems that they’re doing a… friendly duel.” She smiles sheepishly.
“Friendly? I doubt that.” Eliza snickers behind me.
“Eliza, now’s not the time,” I hiss.
“I’m just saying that this is going to be one helluva fight.”
Kenji spots me in the crowd. “Hey, princess.” He winks at me. “I’m going to win this for you.” I feel my face heat up in embarrassment at the cringey line.
“Don’t even think about bringing me into this, you idiot.” He laughs at my cold response.
“Alright, fine. But if I win you should give me some sort of reward.” He shrugs, muscles rippling as he starts stretching lightly.
“Why the hell would I do that?” I yell back.
“Yes, why would she do that?” Gregory’s voice booms from across the room. I turn and get a nice view of his toned abs and lean, veiny arms. I gulp involuntarily and avert my eyes, though Gregory’s smirk doesn’t escape my gaze.
“And didn’t I just say don’t bring me into this?” I cross my arms and Kenji makes his way to me. He crouches so we’re at eye level.
“Can’t help it, princess.Others…need to know I want you for myself.” The girls within the vicinity audibly giggle, no doubt getting excited over his flirtatious words.
“Alright, pretty boy.” He stands straight up and turns to Gregory. “Let’s do this.” Then, he prepares himself for his next moves: a spiking lunge and a mighty first punch.
Chapter Fifty
Damn. That sounds like it hurts.
I watch as the two throw punches, connecting at different body parts at such an alarming speed. Kenji’s lithe steps give him immense advantage when it comes to maneuvering his body away from getting punched. He also has the agility to fake a couple of moves to confuse his opponent. Gregory, on the other hand, has enough power in his punches that whenever it connects to Kenji’s body, there’s a sickening sound to it.Like his ribs are cracking. The smile drops from Kenji’s face, and now it looks like the “practice fight” is turning into a serious one.
There’s definitely more power to his punches, I don’t even think he’s using them at full force,I muse. As the fight progresses, the hits they’re both taking from each other turn sinister as I hear a couple of growls from each one. I roll my eyes and start getting bored from watching them go at it.
“Eliza, I’m leaving,” I say but I get ignored as Eliza seems a little too engrossed at the muscled men putting on a show for everyone to see. “Okay then, here.” I hand her the basket in my hands. “I’m going to the Omega’s house. Let me know who wins,” I speak and she waves me off, clearly not caring what I do anymore. I sigh and make my way to the familiar faces I’ve been training in secret. Some of the kids are doing chores around the area; I spot Tommy on the far side of the bushes, trying to plant some seedlings.
Lisa has a few of the other Omegas gathered around her, teaching them how to mend the holes in their shirts and pants. Luca and Vera are hanging out clothes to dry, laughing at each other as they do so. At a glance, these kids look like normal children acting as children usually do. I whistle a familiar tune that only they know the meaning behind of, and immediately it’s as if something snaps inside them. These Omegas, under my command, have become some of the best spies and assassins I’ve seen to date.
“Your Highness!” Vera leads the entourage to come greet me.
“Hello. How have you all been?” I smile, looking at their grubby faces.
“We’re good,” Luca interjects.
“Are we training today?” Lisa says in a hushed tone.
“Yes. But before that, we need to talk.” I lead them to our secret spot a few meters away from the estate.
“Talk about what?” Vera asks while walking.
“Something really important,” I inform and look around the area for anyone that might be listening in on us. “I have a mission for all of you,” I start and sit on the soft grass. The others follow suit, and gather around me with serious expressions. “We can’t trust anyone else in this family,” I express.
“Yes, we know that by now, Your Highness,” Luca notes.
“Let me finish.” I put both my hands up in protest. “I finally know who’s behind Katya’s murder, and the recent ambush in the estate.” I feel my heart start to pound against my chest in rage. “Katarina did it,” I announce quietly, and the Omegas can only gape at my words.
“What? How’d you find out?” Vera asks.
“Kenji’s men captured an offender—the Beta from the Midnight Walkers pack— and he confessed. Katarina made them believe that she wanted to become allies, and used them as a way to bring me down and steal the crown.” There’s a pulsing sensation that starts in my head, and my hand flies to attempt to soothe it. “But things didn’t go quite as planned, and now it seems that she wants me dead.” I sigh. “That’s why we need to even be more careful than before. We’re all outsiders in this family, and all we have is each other.” I look into their eyes. Some look scared, some look angry, but most of them just seem uncertain of what they’re hearing.