赤裸裸的滑稽故事

“Did it?” the woman scoffed.

Ashleigh looked back at the woman carefully.

It was apparent that this woman hated her, but she didn’t understand why. After the games, she couldn’t remember having ever interacted with either sister again, so what could she have done to offend them?

“What is your name?” Ashleigh asked.

The woman took a deep breath and turned away.

“Sienna,” she replied.

Ashleigh nodded.

“And have I done something to you, Sienna?” Ashleigh asked. “Something to offend you?”

Sienna let out a sarcastic chuckle.

“Weren’t you listening?” she asked with a smile, tilting her head to the side. “You turned my sister into a ghost.”

“What are you talking about?” Ashleigh asked. “I haven’t seen your sister since the game.”

“No, that’s true…” Sienna nodded. “You’re quite talented… able to create chaos and destruction without even being here yourself.”

Ashleigh narrowed her eyes at Sienna.

Sienna looked at her, meeting her eyes with disgust and anger.

“Truly extraordinary,” she said in an unimpressed and uninterested tone. “I can see why Alpha Caleb treasured you so much.”

Ashleigh growled in warning, but Sienna just smiled.

“None of this is Ashleigh’s fault,” Galen’s calm voice interrupted.

Both women turned to see him standing not far away. He had a worn but gentle expression on his face. He stepped closer as he continued.

“The wolves of Summer have gone too long without an Alpha,” he said. “We’re all just feeling a little lost and looking for guidance.”

“And whose fault is that?” Sienna growled and looked back at Ashleigh.

“Not hers,” Galen quickly replied. “She did nothing to prevent us from finding a new Alpha.”

Ashleigh furrowed her brow and looked back at Galen.

“How could she?” Sienna asked. “She wasn’t here to say or do anything about it.”

Galen swallowed and took a breath.

“Sienna,” he said softly, “I am the one who refused to allow this pack to move forward. I am the one that shut down any talk of a new Alpha. Whether Ashleigh was here or not, it was my responsibility, and I alone failed Summer.”

Sienna looked up at Galen.

“Look around the room,” she said softly. “We’ve all been without an Alpha for the same amount of time as the ones out there. So why are we here, hmm? Why are we huddled in the dark… scared, confused, and desperately holding on to our sanity while they are out there? What’s the difference between the people in this room and many more like it all over Summer… and those walking the streets, waving weapons, and laughing like maniacs?”

Galen sighed but didn’t respond.

“There is only one difference between me and my sister,” Sienna whispered.

She smiled at Galen and then turned toward Ashleigh.

“You.”

“Me?” Ashleigh asked.

“Sienna—”

“No,” Sienna shook her head, interrupting Galen and looking at him. “I know you mean well, and you’re going to do the right thing… once you do, I will be more than happy to follow every order with a smile on my face… but you haven’t yet.”

“I am still Beta—” Galen attempted to counter.

“Not without an Alpha,” Sienna replied sadly.

Galen licked his lips.

“Sienna, please…” he whispered.

Sienna shook her head.

“I don’t have to stay silent for you!” Sienna stated firmly. She stared at Galen for a moment, and then, taking a calming breath, she continued in a gentler tone. “Not yet.”

Sienna turned back to Ashleigh.

“To you, it was a game that ended that day. But to Summer,” Sienna paused, shaking her head, “it was never just a game.”

Ashleigh swallowed as she began to feel a tightness growing in her chest.

“My sister acknowledged you, and so did the rest of us,” Sienna continued. “From that moment on, regardless of official status, you were our Luna.”

Sienna clenched her jaw, taking a deep breath through her nose.

Ashleigh turned away from the angry and painful expression on the woman’s face. There was a lump forming in her throat.

“We understood and respected that you chose to keep Luna Fiona in charge during the war. She had the experience, and you had your own mission to complete. And after… we understood your grief. We felt it too... so we couldn’t blame you for needing time.”

Sienna paused and licked her lips.

“But…” she began with an angry smile, “then you left.”

Ashleigh closed her eyes. The lump in her throat threatened to choke her.

“She had an important mission,” Galen interjected.

“She volunteered for it,” Sienna replied, “as soon as it was announced.”

“Because of her willingness to go, we have all benefitted through our gained alliances outside these territories.”

Sienna smiled and tilted her head toward Galen.

“Willingness to go? As though she were asked to take on the task. As though the decision was hard for her in some way?” Sienna chuckled and turned back to Ashleigh. “She wasn’t asked, and it wasn’t hard. She ran away as soon as she could.”

“That’s not—” Ashleigh started to deny it, but the words fell away before she could complete the sentence.

Sienna saw the hesitation in Ashleigh. Recognized the guilt that weighed on her, whether she realized it or not. For a moment, Sienna considered backing off, but then she remembered the crazed look in her sister’s eyes only a few days back.

She reached her hand to gently touch her side. The wound was healed now. It had only been a shallow cut. But one given by her sister’s hand. A hand that had comforted her in childhood and had always been there to guide her.

“The day you ran away,” Sienna said quietly, “you broke this pack.”

Galen clenched his jaw.

“Some of us realized the truth… you were never our Luna… it was never Summer you cared about.” she continued. “For us, it was painful… but we could go on without you. Just as we had long before you ever bewitched our Alpha.”

Galen let out a low growl.

“Ashleigh was our Luna,” he stated. “Chosen by the Goddess, loved by our Alpha, and accepted by Summer. To say any different is an insult to the Goddess and Alpha Caleb both!”

Sienna smiled sadly as she looked up at him.

“Does it really matter?” she asked. “They’re both gone now anyway.”

“Caleb is not dead!” Ashleigh growled. “I will bring him back one day!”

Sienna looked back at Ashleigh. She sighed and shook her head.

“If he could see what we’ve become, would he even want to return?” Sienna scoffed. After a short pause, she continued. “Maybe he already did, maybe he was so ashamed of what he found… he turned his back on us and ran away... just like you.”

Ashleigh’s eyes widened, and she took a sharp breath.

Galen moved forward with incredible speed. Suddenly, he was leaning toward Sienna with a snarl.

Ashleigh considered trying to stop him, but something held her back, as though she were not entirely in control of herself. Then she noticed the soft glow of his jade eyes and the growing fear that spread across Sienna’s face. She recognized it immediately, and panic rose in her chest once more.

“A-apologies...” Sienna quickly whispered, lowering her head and raising her fist to her heart. “I went too far.”

Ashleigh clenched her jaw at the sight. She looked away, the anger in her heart burning at the act of submission.

Was it already too late? Had Caleb already lost his place in Summer?