Chapter 319: _To Expose You
Marcellus’ POV
*****
"By the goddess..." One of the Luna Queens who waited behind gasped beside him, clutching her literal pearls.
And why? Because of the cosmic spectacle happening in the sky.
Marcellus stood right outside the ceremonial building Althea used for her spells.
He watched with the faintest smirk on his lips as the sky turned black, bloated by the moon itself which was transforming into a darker shade of red before turning completely black.
"What’s going on?" A guard said with a panicked voice, his limbs getting limp like he had given up on life.
"Is that magic?"
"I’ve never seen anything like it."
Suddenly, the two elders from the Luminari coven walked out of the ceremonial building, their eyebrows furrowed. They locked their gazes on Marcellus who looked away and rolled his eyes before wearing a serious expression.
’I guess it’s cougar season...’
"Lucinda." One of them said hastily, staring at Marcellus like that should mean something. "We can’t seem to find her. Do you—"
"Do I know where your troublesome prodigy went?" Marcellus interrupted, smiling with sarcasm. "No, high Priestesses. And with all due respect, I think we have far larger problems in our hands."
"The Vein." One of the elders, Nimue, if he recalls correctly, murmured, her voice solemn. "Someone’s tapping into it. I can feel it’s chaotic magic in the air."
The Vein...
Interesting.
Marcellus has heard Lord Ryker talk about it a lot. He also knew that his master was one of the only beings on the planet who had managed to tap into it... Without running mad or getting destroyed.
Suddenly, the wind began picking up speed, forcing him to dim his eyes as he turned his gaze to the Luna Queens.
"All of you, head into the mansion. Your husbands will be back soon." Marcellus yelled out despite his desire to dump their rich bodies in a lake.
But one of them, sharing his dark skin and most definitely Mwansa’s wife, stepped forward, her jewellery jingling as she moved.
"Our husbands went on a suicide mission. If this is truly the Lord of the North responsible, just how much power is at his disposal that he’s blackened the sky throughout the continent?"
Marcellus parted his lips to speak when another chimed.
"What if it’s not him? That hybrid, Odessa. Alpha King Kaelos did reveal her connection to the Vein."
Marcellus raised his chin, locking his eyes on them. "You mean the Luna Queen of North America. And I’ll appreciate it if you don’t speak ill of her."
No, of course he didn’t say that because he cared.
He only did because the Luminari coven leaders were watching him keenly. Too keenly.
He hated witches only for their intuition, and the last thing he needed was anyone getting suspicious of him. He’d be forced to kill someone again if that becomes the case...
"Speak ill?" Soren’s wife, Camila, folded her arms with a scoff. "Please, we all saw the stunt she pulled with that blood rain. For all we know, she’s the one who communicated with Ryker to send his rogues. Right on cue."
Marcellus glanced at the elders.
None of them said anything, choosing to remain silent over someone whom they were already contemplating punishing once she came back.
Poor Odessa.
She never seemed to catch a break.
"Alright, enough of this." Marcellus raised his hands, signalling some nearby guards. "For your own good and to ensure I keep my promise to your husbands of safeguarding you all, I insist you head into the mansion."
The guards stepped in and politely herded them to leave. The Luna Queens showed resistance at first but eventually, they complied, grumbling and gossiping all the way.
Just when Marcellus let out a heavy breath, coven head Arachne spoke up behind him.
"You seem to think so highly of... Luna Queen Odessa."
He spun around, wearing his kindest smile. "I only stated the truth. I hate seeing all the disapproval she’s been getting simply for who she is."
"You mean what she is." Arachne blurted, shaking her head. "Everyone knows how unstable a hybrid can become. Talk less of her who has a direct connection to the Vein."
Marcellus’s jaw tightened slightly as Elder Nimue pointed at the blackened sky. "What Ryker is doing tonight is just the tip of the iceberg of what Odessa is capable of. If he gets her under his control like we fear—"
"I’m sure Alpha King Kaelos and the others are working their hardest to make sure that doesn’t happen." Marcellus forced a smile, nodding reassuringly at the two of them.
Eventually, he turned away from them, but not without adding. "Good luck finding Lucinda..."
.
.
The walk back to his residence was... Exciting.
His favourite part was watching the chaos spreading around the entire pack, wolves from all walks of life pointing at the sky and saying final prayers to the moon goddess.
But how would such prayers be heard when the moon was nowhere to be found?
"It’s all over every news station in the world," Cullen reported to him when he stepped into his living room, handing him a glass of vodka. "Some witches are already calling it the beginning of prophecies and—"
"I have no time for fantasies." Marcellus sniggered, taking a sip from the vodka and sitting comfortably on his sofa. "Everything went according to plan. And once Lord Ryker has Odessa under his control, he can use her to do almost anything..."
He paused, drawing in a deep breath as he felt a nauseating warmth deep within his... Soul.
A warmth that he’s tried to get rid of for months. Itching. Burning. Reminding him that he wasn’t completely in control:
The mark elder Davina left behind with a moonstone explosion before her death.
He still had no idea what it was, but once Ryker ascends, he’ll be given even more power as his right-hand man.
That’ll be enough to get rid of anything, including the pesky mark.
"I guess we should toast to that." Cullen raised his glass while still standing, chuckling. But just when he was about to drink, the doorbell rang.
Marcellus swerved his head to the living room door, squinting his eyes.
He wasn’t expecting any visitors...
"Go check who it is." He muttered to Cullen, crossing one leg on top of the other and continuing with his drink.
His assistant did just that, his footsteps soft on the marble. After a few seconds at the door, he opened it, letting the person out there come in.
When Marcellus fixed his gaze on the uninvited guest, his eyebrows furrowed.
"Caroline?" He mumbled as Odessa’s maid walked in with a small smile, eyeing Cullen briefly.
When she was standing close to Marcellus, she bowed slightly. "I’m here to see you, Beta Marcellus."
He glanced at Cullen who looked at her with suspicion at the door.
Hmm...
"What for?" Marcellus queried, keeping his eyes on her while taking a large gulp from his drink.
But then...
"To expose you, of course."
His eyes widened as he choked on the drink.