Chapter 5

Isabella Martini - POV

"Luna," I didn't dare turn away from the mirror as I stared at my reflection. The skin around my cheeks and collarbone has sunken in, while the swollen eye that I recently got from Gael's attack, has turned into a blue-black color. My eyes moved down my body as it moved through scars, claw marks, and wounds that were in different degrees of healing. "Y…you should leave." the old woman exclaimed as I saw her stand right behind me. 

That was the same woman who brought me back to Gael's house a week ago after I was raped. She helped me recover from the trauma I faced. "No, Mrs. Kennedy. I am the Luna, how could I leave just like that?" I asked her in a monotone when I saw her lips tremble.

Mrs. Kennedy was an omega, who had been working in this pack since before I was born. I had occasionally seen her in pack gatherings, but I never spoke to her until a week ago. But I was glad that there were at least a few people in this pack who did not hate me. "Is he even treating you like one, Isabella?" she asked me, her voice growing an octane. "All I ever saw was him abusing you every chance he got. Why do you want to suffer like this, child?" she asked me when I turned around to face her. 

"It was my fault that Lorena died, Mrs. Kennedy, and this is the least I can do for Gael. It was because of me that he lost his mate." I said, but she shook her head as she walked closer to me and placed her hands on either side of my shoulder. 

"I know he must be hurting. But this is not the way to punish someone, Isabella. Do you even think he considers you as his Luna?" she asked me as my mind drifted off. I know he doesn't because he has made it very clear by having that slut around where ever he goes. 

"Maybe he might forgive me someday," I replied, but she shook her head. 

"That would never happen. Please take my advice and leave this place, Isabella. You do not belong here." she said, and this made a frown appear on my face. 

"What do you mean?" 

"I don't have the right to say anything now, child. But all I can say is that you were never a part of this pack. You…"

"Isabella!" Mrs. Kennedy immediately stopped what she was about to say as we heard Gael's voice, and moments later, my room door burst open, and he stood there with a smile on his face. "I am having a small party for my friends tonight. Make sure you prepare dinner." Gael commanded before he walked out of there. 

"Dinner?" I mumbled while I thought about how I didn't even know the first thing about cooking, and Gael knew this very well too. 

"Don't panic, Isabella. I will help you." Mrs. Kennedy said, and I nodded my head. 

"You were going to say something earlier," I asked her, but she shook her head. 

"This is not the right place for us to speak about this. But I will tell you about that later." She said, and I nodded my head. Together, both of us walked downstairs and made our way to the kitchen. After brainstorming about the menus for fifteen minutes, Mrs Kennedy and I began to cook. 

It was not an easy task for me, given that there would be about ten male wolves coming for dinner and I had to cook a lot. It took us both five hours to finish cooking, and when I was putting in the final touches, I heard heavy footsteps walk towards the kitchen. As I turned around, I saw Gael standing there, wearing a black t-shirt and denim. 

"You can go back home, Mrs. Kennedy," he instructed, and I saw her eyes widen in shock. 

"But Alpha Romano, what about the dishes after dinner? Who would do them?" 

"Well, my beloved Luna would do it. Now go back home and don't come tomorrow. I will call you if I need you here." he said, and I knew that she couldn't disobey him, so she nodded her head and bowed at him. 

Once he was out of earshot, Mrs. Kennedy turned around to face me and took my hands in here. "Stay safe, Luna. I will see you tomorrow," she said, and I nodded my head. After she had taken her things, she left the house through the back door while I made my way up to my room to freshen up. 

As I walked inside the bathroom, I locked the door before I walked into the shower. I turned it on and waited till the water warmed before I stepped in and closed my eyes. It was so relaxing to feel the warm liquid slide down my body as it gradually released the tension in my muscles. "I feel like something is off, Bella," Rose said, which made me open my eyes. 

"Everything is strange here, Rose."

"I am not talking about that. Don't you think Gael looked a little suspicious?" she asked me, and this made a frown appear on my face. 

"He did, but I don't think we will face anything new. I have a feeling that we would be getting a beating once his friends leave." I said as if that was a normal thing. But in my life, it has become a normal routine. 

"Whatever you say," she said as she retreated to the back of my mind again. Once I was done with my shower, I dried myself and wore a floral pink sundress and paired it with my nude sandals. As I walked out of the room, I gently closed the door behind me. I took a few steps to go downstairs when something told me to go to Gael's office. 

Taking a deep breath, I walked toward his office to see that the door was locked. I moved in closer when I heard his voice, which sent a cold shiver down my spine. "Today would be the last day that Isabella would be breathing."