Page 82 of Moon Cursed

They wouldn’t. Which is why they hadn’t for centuries. Instead they stood by, watched, participated, and cheered alphas on while they stomped on others’ throats.

“I pledge,” Davis said, shooting me a wink. “Daciana’s gotten me one step closer to mating a harem of beautiful ladies. I’d vote for her any day.”

I barked a laugh. I wasn’t expecting that, but I loved it all the same.

It seemed Davis taking the second step prompted more betas to do the same. They didn’t all stand up. Actually, less than half did, but that even more than two did bowled me over.

“Thank you, everyone, I—”

A noise cut me off, crumpling my brow. All eyes moved up the ceiling.

“What? That’s it?” Orion asked, howling away. “Aren’t you going to ask the alphas if they want to join your psycho killer pack? No? Well, I’ll do it for you, then. Hey, alphas! Interested in throwing your fate in with the woman who murders people as easy as she breathes?”

The laughs that came back at me blew my ears back, with no one laughing harder than the bruised-up fool on the ceiling—Johnson.

“Want to know why they’re laughing at you, Volana?” Orion’s taunting voice worked hard to crack my stoic mask. “Want to know why they’re always laughing at you? Because you’re fake. All you do is put on a show of strength, and power, and authority all to hide the fact that you’re a useless waste of space.”

I blinked lazily at him. “Uh-huh, that’s nice, dear, now pipe down. The adults are talking.”

“You—” A small metal band stuffed past his teeth and gagged him. “Hphmf!”

“Oooh, fair enough,” said Badr. “That was harsh. Mostly because you’re not putting on this performance to distract us from what trash you are. You’re doing it to distract us from the fact—”

I snapped my fingers. “Gag him too.”

“—that tonight’s a full moon.”

I froze. “Wha—”

“Now!”

The shout rang through the mess hall, propelling all the alphas to their feet. Whipping something out of their pockets, they shoved black skull masks over their heads—sending every student in their vicinity shooting away from them.

“What the hell are you doing?” Nia shouted.

“This.Kill the high priestess.”

“What?!” I barely got out the scream before more commands came—from everywhere.

“Attack the metal wolves.”

“Put down Edric.”

“Take back the school.”

“Kill the high priestess!”

“Kill. Kill. KILL!”

The omegas who just committed high treason to pledge their loyalty to me, turned on me with yellowing eyes, sprouting fur, and vicious claws.

“Stop,” I screamed.

They charged.

I jumped up. “Alphas, stop this—!”

Something moved out of the corner of my eye. I pitched onto the floor, narrowly flying out of the way as Paxton’s fist sailed through the spot my head had been in, and dented my metal throne.

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