Alpha Theo's Unloved Luna - Chapter 15: Chapter 15

~ Theo ~
FLASHBACK
"Alpha heir, are we all going to die here?" One of Theo's co-prisoners in the dungeon weakly asked.
Theo, at that time, was so severely beaten that he could barely get up. He turned to his warrior and said, "We can't let Lucius win. We must be strong."
Since Alpha Lucius had taken over their territory, he lived in Port Leon. He took over the packhouse and used all their facilities, including Port Leon's penitentiaries. It was there where Theo, his family, and many of his warriors were maltreated.
Every week during the first months of Lucius' conquest, the smell of blood lingered in the dungeons. Lucius and his warriors instilled fear in Port Leon by tormenting or killing one pack member each week.
Theo, Caroline, Brody, and his Gammas were being whipped and injected with wolfsbane to keep their strength under control.
Sometimes, they went days without food and water. Whenever Lucius gave them food, he would bring down one big piece of bread and one liter of water for them to share.
One night, a miracle happened. Lucius' guards suddenly fell asleep while on watch. It wasn't enough to allow an escape, though. Theo and his men were constantly given wolfsbane, and they had no strength to fight.
A woman suddenly appeared in the dungeons, her face concealed by a large hood pulled over her head. Combined with the surrounding darkness and the hazy vision caused by the wolfsbane in their system, no one in the prison cells saw her face.
The woman carried a huge bag with her. In each dungeon, she rolled two bottles of water and meat with rice wrapped in paper.
"Eat quickly!"
"Eat! Hurry!"
They all impatiently ate and drank the water.
When the woman finished distributing food and water, she returned to each cell and collected the trash. Theo understood why. There had to be no evidence of the help she was giving them.
The help arrived once or twice a week and went on for six months, with the woman going unnoticed by Lucius. One time, Theo managed to hold the woman's hand. He tried to look at her face, but it was still the same; the darkness made it impossible for him to see. At the very least, he said, "Thank you. One day, I will repay your kindness."
"Be strong. Eat, hurry," the woman said.
They were all thankful to the mysterious woman. They considered her their savior in their darkest times.
One evening, however, their luck ran out. Lucius himself inspected the dungeons and caught the woman giving them food. Lucius was outraged! He threw the woman into a more secluded dungeon and afflicted her!
"No! Don't hurt her! She was only trying to help us! Stop! Torture us instead!" Theo could hear the woman's cries, but no matter how he begged Alpha Lucius, the latter continued to punish the mysterious woman.
To Theo's surprise, Lucius kept her alive. In the following months, she returned, giving them food and water.
She got caught again, and that was the end of her help. No one knew what had happened to her. Still, no matter how short-lived it was, it gave Theo and his men enough strength to build an uprising, one that eventually overthrew Lucius.
After the great battle against Lucius Darwin, Theo discovered that his pack members outside prison had also encountered the same mysterious woman.
Theo heard stories of this cloaked woman running around the pack at night, giving medicine and food, or sometimes throwing money randomly. His people had also reported that the same woman was captured and whipped by Lucius. Yet, all the same, no one knew her or had seen her face.
She was a mystery altogether, one that secretly occupied a room in Theo's heart.
FLASHBACK
Back to the present.
"Are you sure of what you are saying, Helen? Gwen was that mysterious woman who went to the dungeons?" Theo was walking back and forth in his office as he clarified.
He had brought the old woman, Helen Bardin, into the packhouse to tell him everything she knew about the mysterious woman who gave them food and water over the years.
Behind them were Brody, his beta, and a few of his loyal warriors, Gamma Dunken and Rollin. Theo's family, Caroline and Catherine, were also present to hear what Helen had to say. Of course, Madison did not want to be left behind, so she was present at Theo's office too.
"Yes, Alpha Theo, it was Gwen? How do you suppose she managed to get past the guards? It was because Lucius warriors were second-guessing whether or not to disobey the alpha's daughter! That was how she tricked them into taking sleeping potions," Helen shared. "I would know this because I helped her carry those bags of food every time she went in."
Theo stood before Helen and used his Alpha command. He ordered, "I command you to tell me the truth!"
He used a lot of his energy, but still, Helen's report of the incident was the same. She was consistent.
Theo and the warriors were stunned. Brody looked regretful, and for a brief moment, Catherine appeared remorseful, too.
Even Caroline was stupefied. She said, "That - that can't be."
Theo shut his eyes. He ran his fingers through his hair and thought back to Gwen. He recalled how he had always considered it might have been Gwen, but he denied it then. Rather, he did not want it to be her!
Suddenly, he remembered something. He snapped at Helen and pointed out, "How come she had no scars? She was severely beaten too. I remember! Even the strongest alphas would have scars by how she was punished -"
"She heals fast, Alpha Theo," Helen revealed. "I don't know why or how, but Gwen strangely heals very fast, even faster than her father, Lucius. To tell you the truth, Lucius had been beating her since she was a child; it was as if he was testing how fast Gwen could heal."
Helen cried again. She divulged, "Lucius, he - he never treated her like his own daughter. She was like an experiment to him! But in front of the other pack leaders, he made it look like Gwen was a spoiled alpha's daughter, but behind closed doors, she was no better than the slaves in our pack."
"I had hoped, Alpha, that when she married you, her life would be better, that finally, Gwen would receive the love that she deserved, but from what I had heard, she continued to suffer, even as a Luna," Helen added. "Gwen did not deserve all this, Alpha Theo."
Helen kneeled before Theo, imploring, "So, please, I beg you. Can you try to search for her more? Maybe she is still alive."
All the information flooded Theo's head. He suddenly remembered how Gwen had cut herself in the kitchen once, and she healed quickly, but back then, he didn't think much of it.
'Yes,' he said in his head. 'Gwen did heal fast. My mate...'
Regret filled his chest. He considered that there might be a reason the Moon Goddess paired him with Gwen. For a year since the pack's freedom, Theo had hoped to meet the mysterious woman who saved them, but apparently, she had been beside him all along!
It was Gwen, his mate!
He was angry! He was angry with Lucius, but he was more angry with himself. He turned to his warriors, his face red from all the frustration building within him. He ordered, "Go back and continue the search for your luna!"
Brody and the Gammas looked at each other but soon agreed.
"Yes, Alpha," Brody said. "I shall go back and lead the search."
"But Theo!" Madison stepped forward. "Have you forgotten how Gwen cheated on you?"
"Gwen would never! She would never betray her alpha!" Helen suggested. "Someone must be trying to set her up!"
"But -"
"Enough! Do not interfere with my plans, Madison! I will continue to search for Gwen, whether you like it or not! This is my command! I am your alpha!" Theo said, his body expanding in anger.
Madison could only bow and comply, "Yes, My Alpha."