The Luna of My Lover's Brother

Agree

MADELINE

--

Everything aches, and I’m not even moving. My finger twitches, and it feels stiff— almost unbendable. Opening my eyes, I force them shut again as blinding white light pierces through my eyes right into my brain with stabbing needle pain. My chest caves as I try again, this time slower. My eyelashes offer some shade as I open my eyes in a slither, focusing on the white ceiling instead of the lights. Soft noises echo around me, and when I manage to turn my head without passing out from the pain that shoots up my neck, I notice someone sitting in the corner of the room. I bite down on my teeth as I force myself to sit up, my vision dotted. Blinking to focus on my surroundings, my blood runs cold at the sight of Atlas. He’s stiff as a statue, eyes closed, but head upright, arms rested on the sides of the armchair.

What the hell is he doing here?

Where the hell am I?

Memories of the storm flash through my mind, panic rises, my heart thumping faster and faster.

"Jaxon," I breathe his name as terror slashes through every layer of my skin.

Did he make it?

Is he alright?

Did he fall into the water too?

Every bone in my body is stiff like I haven’t moved in forever, but I push through the uncomfortable sting while my body protests to sit up. I stare down at my clothes, which aren’t my clothes. I’m wearing some sort of long pajama pants with a matching black long sleeve shirt.

“You’re awake,” Atlas’ voice cuts through the silence of the room, my eyes bulging as my heart shoots up into my throat, blocking my airway. He remains sitting in the same position, this time— with his eyes open and locked on me. “Where’s Jaxon?” I grit out, my voice coming out croaky from how dry it is. A sadistic smile curves at his lips, his eyes pure evil. So blue, and so dark at the same time. “He’s got himself in a bind, literally,” He snorts, amusement dancing in his eyes, “What are you talking about?” I ask surprised, but mostly confused. "Jaxon is locked up," He deadpans. There's no concern, no pity, no love--nothing. "For what?" What could he have possibly done that he ended up in confinement? How long was I out? "He kidnapped you, and then almost killed you, and as the soon to be Luna, that's a high offense." Atlas shrugs, and I can see that his brother's situation doesn't bother him one bit. "He didn't try to kill me." I clarify. "Madeline," He breathes my name, but I don't want to hear it. I don't want to know what he wants to say. "He didn't try to kill me! Get him out of there! He didn't do anything wrong?" Adrenaline rushes straight to my head as I get off the bed, and when I take one stumbling step, Atlas is next to me, making me sit on the bed. "We were running..." I explain, not caring that it might make him angry. "I fell into the water." I murmur. The tips of my fingers are searing hot as anger infects every fiber of my being. "He didn't do anything wrong." I grit out, forcing my gaze up to look at Atlas. Not even the fact that Jaxon is alive is calming me down, because he's locked up, in a cell, because of me. I did this. I was the one who said we should run. I was the one to push until he caved, and now he's paying the price. "Listen to me," Atlas demands, making me look up at him, "I can't do anything, it's out of my hands." My teeth grind together, "You're literally the Alpha, surely you can..." Atlas shakes his head, "His trial is in a month." My eyes bulge, "A month?" That's not even nearly enough time to try to run away before I'm trapped with this...monster. "If you want to save him, you can testify, but law is law, and I can't do anything, especially because he's my brother." He takes a step back, eyeing me while I feel the world crumble around me, everything crashing like mountain rocks rolling and knocking trees over.

"I know it's not what you want to hear, but you are the only one who can save him. You're the only one they will beleive because you were involved." He murmurs, eyes softening like he cares, but the tenderness in them are replaced with cold calculation.

Did I just witness a flicker of true emotion from him?

Does he actually care but just doesn't show it?

"Can I ask one question?" Atlas nods encouragingly, "Who said that he tried to kidnap me?" I know it was him, but does he have the balls to admit it? Can he be man enough to say the words to my face? "I did. I watched him run, and only the guilty run, Madeline." I can't even be angry about that, because it's the truth. "Did you ask him?" My eyes narrow on Atlas, the one that's supposed to love and take care of Jaxon the most, "Why would I when I found you drifting on the water, barely breathing, ice cold and almost f*****g dead? Why would I ask him if he was as dry as the land?" I become completely still, confused. "Dry?" My voice cracks. He was running, and dry. He didn't save me. He didn't even try.

He probably thought I was alrady dead.

"Yes, little wolf. Dry as you are now," His eyes shimmer with something unbeknownst to me. "He probably thought I was dead." Saying it out loud makes it more real. "Probably," Atlas says it like he doesn't believe it, and for a second, his doubt is infectious.

I shake off the dread, ignoring what he just said, "And in exchange for helping your brother, what do I get?" I raise my brows at him, fingers curling over the edge of the bed I'm sitting on. "You want to help him, and I can tell you exactly how, so the real question is...What do I get?" His eyebrows jump as amusement dances in his eyes. My jaw locks, teeth grinding painfully, "You want me as a Luna, don't you?" My eyes narrow into slits as the hatred for the man in front of me doubles in size. "That is the agreement," A small smile plays on his lips. "You're a vile bastard for doing this to your own brother." I notice the change in his eyes, a flicker of pure rage, perhaps something deeper, more unhinged...But it's there, directed not at me, but his own brother, but as fast as the look appeared, it disappears, replaced with smugness only he could pull off. "Can you walk? Do you need water?" My eyebrows furrow, "I'm fine," I grit out. He grabs my arm, smiling sweetly all of a sudden, "Then let's go tell dear old Mom and Dad about the great news." He's beaming, the excitement in his eyes somewhat devious and real at the same time.

"Can't you just tell your parents on your own?" My eyes roll, "I mean yours." My heart skips a beat, and my eyes flit to the window.

It's day time, and they would be losing their minds around about now.

I think Atlas notices how tense I've become, because he gently cups my face, the action bizzare on my end, but he doesn't seem to be fased about how gently he's touching me. "I got it, relax." His reassurance is somewhat...comforting, but I remain silent, just staring at him with a contorted expression.

He doesn't deserve a smile. He doesn't deserve any of this.