Chapter 20: Vadira the Delta

"I said I don’t need it," Moon muttered.

--

When Moon woke up from sleep, he met Ugo’s green eyes first.

Startled, he looked around and found Leo was nowhere to be seen. His qi had been refilled with great vigor, though. Moon smiled as he felt his breakthrough to three stars.

"Bastard," he mumbled.

Ugo chuckled, holding his wrist. "Don’t hold a grudge against Leo. He is just a little impatient."

His voice softened. "Did you get hurt?"

Did he get hurt?

Moon thought, and an evil smile spread on his lips. "You go fuck your ass hanging on chains for so long and then ask if it hurts?"

Ugo rubbed his temple and got close. "I have cleaned you up. And pasted herbal paste on your wrists & ankles. Don’t move around too much."

Moon’s gaze fell on his wrist, and he felt the cold sensation on his ankles.

He nodded, and his tone softened a bit. "You work in that bathhouse?" Moon asked.

Ugo didn’t reply; he was pulling the pallet to the corner.

"I said I don’t need it," Moon said again.

"Your back is scratched."

"It’s ridiculous to lie on a pallet when you are shackled with chains."

He looked at the chains nailed to the stone wall on two corners and his very suspicious position of a spiderweb; his cheek heated up with shame.

"They are planting humiliation. Did they think in this way the defectives still have a chance to fuck me?"

Ugo rubbed his chin, sitting on the pallet. "Wasn’t it very suitable?" He answered very seriously.

Seeing Moon was fuming, he waved his hand. "I was just joking. Well, what they want doesn’t matter; at least tonight, nobody will come to you. The scent is killing me, not to mention the others."

Mentioning the scent, Moon suddenly became very aware of his own scent. He sniffed and felt where his comfort was coming from.

It was the sweet jasmine blooming around him. But underneath it, the sharp, crispy frost was flaring from Leo’s raw mark—a scent that only flared when he was around these brothers.

Is this what made the difference between the fated and others?

"He left it deliberately," Ugo said. Pulling the pallet, he lifted Moon’s hips and pushed the pallet under his butt to the back.

"Shit, I said I don’t need it." But when his back touched the hide’s warmth instead of the cold floor, he shut up. It was better anyway.

Ugo’s shadow fell on him as he looked up and saw the green eyes staring at his neck. "I want to override it."

Moon felt speechless. "You all want to override each other, but I can’t afford so many bites," he said grumpily.

Ugo sighed and just nuzzled the crook of Moon’s neck, deeply inhaling the crisp, hidden frost that called directly to his beast blood.

Hearing his hot purr, Moon remembered his own anomaly. He had been wondering why that old thug Alpha reacted to his scent, then came Silas. It was one thing if he was the fated mate of these five brothers, but why the others?

He knew this answer—a very clear answer—but didn’t want to admit it.

A Yin Physique? The worst of all special ones. At least Moon thought it was, especially for a man. Having a Nine Rejuvenation Yin Physique, carrying a scent of mating, is nothing but a disaster.

He wrenched his neck away. "Don’t act like you guys have feelings for me. I am already halfway to my death in a ghastly way."

Moon chuckled, "And you all are just watching." His voice turned cold as he stared at Ugo.

Ugo didn’t admit or deny it.

He licked the mark on the neck and let go. Sitting on the side, he answered Moon’s previous question instead, "I work in that bathhouse. The one you saw when coming to the Last Hole."

Moon frowned. "Mopping tubs?"

Ugo laughed. "No, that was also the water distillation center that runs through the entire palace."

Moon raised his brows, "You mean the tunnel can lead to the palace well, too?"

Ugo was startled. He didn’t know what Moon implied, but he said sternly, "You will be drowned before you even reach the palace gate."

Moon sighed, "I wasn’t thinking of going into the tunnel. I can’t even break the chain."

Ugo suddenly turned his head to a corner as if sensing something.

He sprinted up and lunged at Moon.

Before Moon could process what was happening, he felt a sharp pain in his neck and collarbone. Ugo planted a few bite marks in quick succession and planted a deep kiss before shoving something in Moon’s mouth. It melted instantly, spreading a pungent pinewood scent inside Moon’s body.

Moon’s entire body convulsed in disgust, so much so that he almost vomited out whatever was inside him.

But he had no way to curse the person for this hideous work, since Ugo had already vanished through the door. Only the crunchy floorboard sounds told him Ugo was heading to the only backdoor of this hole, which, in Vadira’s words, was left for dogs and pets.

A damp rain and pine scent was slowly invading his comforting Ashen Oud scent, dispelling it at a rate Moon wanted to grasp desperately but couldn’t.

No, that’s not right, Moon thought.

The scent was inside him, but now the outside scent was also fading, replaced by the pine wood scent.

Then he smelled the copper and coal scent he was recently familiar with.

The downstairs suddenly became deathly silent as a purple cape brushed past the rough staircase.

The shadow of the Grand Witch fell on Moon’s body before she stepped inside.

Her pace halted for a moment as if to decipher the air.

"Why is it so smelly here?"

"Pardon me, Maestra, I had lost control seeing him all vulnerable and unable to attack."

Moon heard Vadira’s utter lie spoken in his very much obsequious tone.

Moon’s eyes widened in shock. What the hell is he talking about!

Maestra grunted and entered the room with measured steps. She stopped in front of Moon.

Seeing his ruined body and all the marks, she snickered, "You guys didn’t go easy on him, hmm..."

Vadira turned his face the other way, avoiding Moon’s shocked gaze.

"But Vadira, he is for the defective ones, not for you, a Delta," Maestra said.

Moon’s surprised gaze froze on the man—the pointed mustache and the funny looks he always put on his face when pouring Black-Tar-e into the clay mug—he couldn’t believe he was actually not a defective or omega, but a real wolf with some power.

But... why is he covering up for Leo?

Vadira nodded to the Grand Witch. "I will remember that."

"Back off."

Maestra’s voice was absolute and crisp, sending a shiver down his skin.

As soon as Vadira stepped out of the room, she lifted her halberd and stomped it into the array eye she left earlier.

Moon’s body spun in a blur as he felt nausea creep out, and suddenly, his vision turned black.