Chastising

Lilian's POV

I stood in Kaiden's chambers, the tension in the atmosphere was so thick it was almost suffocating.

Isabel's fury radiated off her in somewhat waves, her eyes narrowed to slits at me with undisguised hatred and unhidden contempt.

I kept my expression neutral though, I simply refused to give her the satisfaction of seeing my fear.


Just as the silence stretched uncomfortably long and we both remained there, we both then heard the sound of the door unlocking and I felt my heart skip a beat, I felt a cold sweat form on my brow and I tried to not bite my lips out of nervousness.


It probably was Kaiden. Was Kaiden back so soon to continue my punishment? I braced myself and looked at who it was that was coming into the room, but to my greatest relief, it wasn't Kaiden who entered.

Ah, thank fuck.

It was Luna Caroline, Kaiden's mother.

She walked into the room and her elegant presence filled the room, regal and commanding, with an air of authority that made even the most defiant bow their heads.

From the corner of my eye I could see the way Isabel panicked.

She probably thought that it was Kaiden.

She knew very well that the Luna would not approve of me being punished and so I saw the way her stance became so rigid it was way different from the smug confidence she'd displayed moments before now.

I on my own part breathed out a sigh of relief. I didn't know until then that I had been holding my breath all the while.

"Luna Caroline," I greeted the Luna. My voice was steady despite my racing heart that was threatening to come out of my chest.

"Luna," Isabel said," I could notice that there was a nervous edge to her voice. Like she was being reluctant to acknowledge Kaiden's mother.

It was no longer news that Luna Caroline and Isabel were somewhat non-friends.

Luna Caroline's gaze swept over us, her eyes narrowed slightly when she saw the way we both stood.

She knew instantly that something was up.

"What is going on here?" She demanded.

Isabel opened her mouth to speak, but Luna Caroline raised a hand and silenced her immediately. That made me want to stifle a laugh at her when I saw the way the Luna glared at her.

"Isabel, I will hear no lies or exaggerations from you. Lilian is no troublemaker." She said.

"But-" she said as she looked annoyed as if she was gravely wronged. "She was the-" she was saying.


"Ah-ah." The Luna shunned her. "Like I said, Lilian is no trouble maker and so whatever it is you are about to say is quite irrelevant because you won't be able to tell the truth anyway."

The Luna decided and I hated to break it to -scratch that, I would love to break it to you, the Luna was damned well right.

Isabel's face flushed crimson red with so much anger, her mouth snapped shut immediately as she tried to maintain her composure.

The Luna turned to me, her expression softened slightly and her eyes became tender immediately.

"Lilian, are you alright?" She asked me and I nodded my head as I could see from the corner of my eyes the way Isabel was fuming.


"Yes, Luna," I replied to her. I was really grateful to say the least for her intervention.


"Good." She said, "Always stand up for yourself okay? No one is permitted to hurt you." She told me and I nodded my head again like a child.

It felt good to have someone watch my back and try to protect me even though they knew very well that I was a complete stranger here.

They didn't even know my mission in this place.


Before Isabel could gather the courage to speak again, the door opened once more, and Kaiden stepped back into the room.

His eyes widened in surprise at the sight of his mother and us.


"Mother, why are you here?" Kaiden asked the Luna.

I saw the way Luna Caroline's eyes flashed with irritation.


"Why am I here?" She asked him back. " I could ask you the same thing, Kaiden. Why are you allowing this disrespect towards your mate?" She asked him, berating.


Kaiden's jaw tightened and he sighed as he stepped closer to his mother to speak.


"Mother, I was handling it." He said almost in a whisper but I heard it and no doubt Isabel heard it too.

I could tell from the way she nodded her head in agreement.

She probably thought that he would win this one.

Pft.

"Handling it? By allowing Isabel to insult Lilian?" The Luna retorted, her voice was sharp and reprimanding. "You are supposed to protect your mate, Kaiden, not stand by while she is disrespected.

Don't you know that a disrespect on her is a disrespect on you?" She queried him.


Kaiden's eyes flicked between me and Isabel, his frustration was so evident.


"Lilian... she—" he was saying.

"Lilian did nothing wrong," Luna Caroline interrupted him saying. "And even if she had, it is your duty to address it with respect and fairness, not through punishment influenced by others' biases." She chided him.


Isabel's face was a picture of disbelief and anger, I was sure she simply couldn't comprehend what was going on, but she for once wisely kept silent.

Kaiden looked somewhat enraged but he tried to hide it, his usual confidence was definitely shaken.

"Fine mother," he said to the Luna. "I understand you." He told her and she eyed him for a moment.

"I hope you do," she said, her tone still high. "Lilian is a part of this pack now, and she deserves respect. Both of you," she added, looking pointedly at Isabel, "will treat her as such." The Luna commanded and I felt myself swelling inside me.


With that, she turned to me and smiled kindly and gently at me.

"Come, Lilian. Let's leave them to ponder their actions." She told me as she took my hand.

I nodded my head and followed her out of the room.