Kiss My Feet

Kara  The room felt silent and even the wind seemed to pause. Ryder’s eyes darkened, and a familiar power radiating from him, the alpha’s dominance pressed against my chest, forcing me to submit, but I didn’t.  For the first time in five years, I stood my ground.  His expression changed instantly. Disbelief, confusion, and fury.  He chuckled with humor. “Be careful, Kara. Do not forget your place and who owns you.” I let out a small dry laugh. “No, Ryder. I can finally remember.” I didn’t need to look back before I knew people were gathered at my back. Gasps of fear rang out as Ryder stood up, his chair scraped back, letting out a shrill sound. Before I could move, he unleashed his alpha aura. Everyone knelt on one leg immediately, tilting their necks to show their submission. The weak ones among them whimpered in fear. Some pitied me while others smirked, waiting to see my downfall.  Ryder had reduced me to an object of laughter.  But still, my wolf and I refused to show submission. It seemed she had completely given up on him.  Ryder walked towards me, looking tall and smug, a dark smirk pulling at his lips. He looked like the alpha he thought he was. Cruel, confident, powerful, and a bastard. Beside him, Sasha already stood up and glowered in self-satisfaction, like she had already taken my place.  I wanted to leave, but the anger in me kept me waiting. Ryder raised an eyebrow at me, his voice loud as he spoke. “My dear Luna seemed to have forgotten her place,” his voice filled with mock amusement. “She thinks she can challenge her Alpha in his own home.” They began to murmur and I felt their disapproval and judgmental eyes. Before I could stop myself, I spoke again, my voice loud and clear.  “I challenged you, because someone needed to.” Everywhere went silent after I spoke. I could sense surprise, anger, and disbelief. Ryder’s smirk faltered at my words.   I took a step forward, ignoring the tremor in my knees. “You expect loyalty from your pack, but you can’t even respect your own Luna. Tell me, how do you call yourself a leader when all you do is to belittle, humiliate, and intimidate people?”  Shocked gasps erupted. Ryder’s jaw clenched with anger. I could sense his wolf was about to come out but at this point, I didn’t care and continued.  “For years, I’ve watched you become something I don’t recognize,” I continued, my voice cracking slightly as I remembered everything I had been through in the hands of whom I called my mate. I cleared my throat. You think power makes you a god, but all it’s reduced you to is being weak. You’re a coward who hides behind titles and abuses women to make you feel good and now, I am done being silent. I can’t take it anymore.” His eyes shone with anger. “Enough!” Before he could step towards me, a sharp, cold voice rang out.  “That’s enough, Kara.”  Every bone and muscle in my bones went still. I turned around slowly and saw her. Lady Marise, Ryder’s mother.  If Ryder was an evil person, she was the devil.  She stood straight as she walked down the stairs with elegance. Her silver hair was tied into a perfect knot and her black eyes shone with authority. Her lips were pulled into a sneer. The crowd parted until she stood a few feet away from me.  “How dare you humiliate my son, your alpha?” She asked, her tone full of condemnation. “Did you forget who you are? You are Luna, not the Alpha!” I took in a deep breath. “I know exactly who I am,” I said, meeting her eyes .” “And maybe that is the problem. You all forget that I am my own and not some property.”  Multiple gasps rang out. Lady Marise’s eyes widened slightly before narrowing. “You ungrateful woman,” she hissed. “You’ve brought shame to this family and the pack, and you will apologize, now!”  “I won’t.” I said calmly.  Her expression darkened. “Then, you will kneel.” She said with no hesitation. “You will kneel before your alpha and kiss his feet, as a reminder of your place.” I almost scoffed in disbelief. “No.” “Drag her outside!” I retreated a little. Two pack members stepped forward at once. They were people I had been kind to before but the look in their eyes showed that they had forgotten the kindness I once showed them.  “Don’t touch me!” I snapped, trying to pull free as they seized my arms. My feet scraped against the tiles as they dragged me like a criminal. Tears threatened to fall but I held them in. They dragged me through the hallway into the courtyard where the entire pack already gathered, staring at me with anger in their eyes. I saw pity and excitement in some.  They threw me roughly againt the ground and I hit my head. My vision blurred. Laughter erupted. It was sharp and sounded merciless. These were the people I swore to protect and they swore to protect me.  “Before the pack, you will remember your place. A Luna who forgets herself and her place is a danger to her Alpha and the pack. Apologize now!” I laughed bitterly at her words but remained stubborn.   “Defiant to the end, I see.” She unleashed her power immediately. She was an elder, her dominance stronger that that of Ryder’s. My knees buckled under the invisible weight pressing me down. Gasps filled the air as my hands hit the ground with my knees.  “Mother,” Ryder called, a lazy smile on his face, “you didn’t have….” “Silence.” She snapped, refusing to lift the weight off me. “You have embarrassed this family and the pack enough, Kara. You will apologize, now!” The pressure crushed my shoulders. My whole body was filled with pain and sweat dripped off my face but still, I clenched my jaw. I knew that if I bowed, there will be no coming back.  But my body betrayed me.  Lady Marise’s power intensified and I felt like my body was being squeezed into a small box. Her power forced me to lower my head till it touched the ground. Tears filled my eyes, tears of rage and humiliation.  “Say it,” she ordered.  By now, everywhere was completely still. Ryder stepped closer till his feet got to my face. He bent forward to my level and I stared into his eyes. There was no pity for his mate. Instead, he relished in it. “Go on, Kara. Say it. Say you are sorry.” I didn’t move.  “Say it,” he repeated, his tone growing cold. “Kiss my feet and maybe I will let you stand up.” I felt his shoe brush my hair. He held my head and placed it to his feet. Laughter ripped through the room and the pressure disappeared.  “Such a shame,” Sasha said behind them, feigning pity. “The mighty Luna brought to her knees.” I wanted to destroy everywhere. I wanted to kill, most especially the three of them. To rip apart their smugness.  When he finally stepped back, I lifted my head slowly. Maybe they expected to see tears in my eyes, but they were surprised.  “Good girl. Maybe now you will remember your place,” Ryder mocked.  I smiled softly. “I will,” I said. “And when I do, you’ll regret reminding me.”