Chapter 5
Edex scooped Marina up and laid her on the bed, his eyes full of pity. "Looks like these past three years haven't been kind to you, Marina."
He sized her up, his fingers brushing her cheek. "If you'd stayed with me, you wouldn't have had to suffer like this. Do you think so?"
Marina was covered in blood, her limbs too weak to move. With every ounce of strength she had left, she spat a mouthful of blood right in his face.
Edex clicked his tongue. "Still got that fire, Marina. Guess that's why you're Alpha's Luna—"
Before he could finish, the ward door was kicked open from the outside. "Edex, what the hell are you doing here?"
A roar rang out, and after that, someone grabbed Edex by the back of his collar and flung him to the ground.
Adrian looked furious and punched him square in the face.
Before Edex got a chance to speak, he took over a dozen punches from Adrian until he passed out.
Edex's face was smeared with blood, and Adrian's fists were stained red.
Adrian's rage and madness, like he wanted to burn the whole world down, sent Marina spiraling back three years, to the moment he'd caught her with Edex.
"Adrian." Her soft call pulled his head up.
His eyes were bloodshot, with a murderous glint. His face twisted with unhinged rage.
Adrian stood up and suddenly reached out, clamping his hand around Marina's slender neck.
His grip was so fierce that it felt like he could snap her head off with a flick of his wrist. "Marina, how bitchy can you get?
"You had to drag your adulterer to the hospital? Is it that hard for you to go without a man?"
Adrian tightened his grip, making it harder and harder for her to breathe.
Marina's vision went dark in waves, spots flickering all around her. With the last bit of strength she could muster, she choked out, "I didn't."
"Didn't what?" Adrian loosened his grip a little, and air slowly flooded back into Marina's lungs. She caught a flicker of hope in his eyes. "You didn't call Edex to the hospital, or you didn't sleep with him three years ago?"
Marina felt like her heart was being squeezed in a vice, every beat aching with pain. "I didn't ask him to come here."
The light in Adrian's eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by an indifferent emptiness. "So, you really slept with Edex three years ago? Was it because I couldn't satisfy you, or were you born to be a slut?"
Adrian's words stung her hard, causing gut-wrenching pain.
Marina closed her eyes and kept quiet.
Her silence made Adrian's grip tighten. Marina was almost overwhelmed by the suffocating pressure.
Suddenly, Adrian let go of her neck. He sneered, "You think you can die? Not a chance."
"Adrian." Lucy wrapped her arms around Adrian's waist and rested her head on his shoulder. They hugged each other intimately, ignoring everyone else. "Marina is hurt, so let her rest. Let's go to the party ourselves."
Adrian let out a cold laugh. "No way. If I left her here, she'd end up getting cozy with my brother again."
Lucy said, "Marina, isn't this gown so pretty? You should wear this one to the party, okay?"
Adrian's icy gaze lingered on Marina's dress for a moment, and then he grabbed the hem and ripped it upward hard.
The sound of tearing fabric filled the ward. In a short time, that gorgeous mermaid dress was reduced to rags.
He also snatched Luna's crown clean off her head.
Marina clutched at her chest, completely lost and helpless.
Humiliated by being exposed, she curled herself up. When she caught the disgust in Adrian's eyes, she forced back the sobs building in her throat.
"A gown? Does she deserve one? No matter how good she looks, she'll use it to throw herself at any wild wolf," Adrian snorted. "Let her go to the party tonight dressed like this. Let everyone see what a slut the noble Luna is."