**Chapter 7: Claws and Contempt**
🌙 Lia
I step out of the cold stone palace, my bare feet hitting the dirt of the Obsidian Claw's territory.
The air felt a bit sharp, heavy with just the scent of pine and suspicion. I look around, and the pack's village sprawls before me—wooden huts, flickering torches, and eyes.
So many eyes. People stop in their tracks, staring, their whispers cutting through the air like knives. "That's her," one mutters. "The cursed one. The Lycan." Their voices are low, but I hear every word, each one a stab to my chest. This place is no different from my pack—same glares, same hatred, same fear.
I stand there, silent, my hands clenched into fists. The mate bond burns in my chest, a cruel reminder of Valor, but I push it down. I won't let them see me break. They're just like Ironfang, judging me for a curse I didn't choose, for a wolf I can't control. My heart aches, but I keep my chin up, refusing to look weak.
A voice cuts through the whispers, sharp and familiar. "Well, well, look who's out of her cage."
I turn, and there she is—the lady from before, her dark hair pulled tight, her eyes glinting with malice. Two girls flank her, their smirks matching hers. It's her again, the one who called me a dog, who kicked my food. My blood boils.
"What do you want?" I snap, my voice low but sharp. "You got a problem with me walking out here?"
She laughs, a cold, mocking sound, and steps closer. "I didn't expect you to crawl out of that room," she says, her voice dripping with scorn. "I thought you'd lock yourself away forever, waiting for Alpha Valor to drag you out like the dog you are."
I growl, my wolf stirring, her anger hot in my veins. I step toward her, closing the distance. "What's that supposed to mean?" I say, my voice shaking with rage. "You think I'm just some pet waiting for her master? Say it again."
She smirks, unfazed, and leans closer. "That's exactly what I'm saying," she says. "You're a dog, chained up until the Alpha decides what to do with you."
The two girls step forward, blocking my path. One of them, with sharp eyes and a sneer, speaks up. "What are you trying to do, cursed girl?" she says, her voice taunting. "You think you can just walk up to her like that?"
I chuckle, but it's bitter, fueled by anger. "I'm trying to teach a punk a lesson," I say, glaring at the first lady. "And you two better get out of my way, or I'll teach you both one, too."
The second girl laughs, a high, cruel sound. "A cursed Luna like you still has the guts to talk?" she says, stepping closer. "Do you even know who you're talking to?"
I look at the first lady—the bitch with the smirk—and chuckle, my voice sharp. "Who am I talking to, huh? Some nobody who thinks she's tough?"
The first lady's eyes narrow, and she points to the bitch80. "This is Lady Seraphine," she says, her voice smug. "Leader of the warriors, second only to the Beta. You will respect her."
I laugh, loud and biting, my wolf growling louder in my head. "Seraphine?" I say, my voice dripping with mockery. "Sounds like a name for a dead fish. And you?" I look her up and down, her sharp features twisted with anger. "You look more evil than deadly. Not worth a title like that."
Seraphine's face hardens, her smirk gone. "You think you're clever?" she says, stepping closer. "You're nothing but a cursed dog, and you dare talk to me like that?"
I laugh again, my anger burning hotter. "You're not worth a title," I say. "You should be in the market, baking bread with the other women, not strutting around like you own this place."
One of the girls steps forward, her voice sharp. "Watch your mouth!" she snaps. "You're nobody here. Just the Alpha's mistake."
"Is that what you are?" I say, turning to her, my voice low and fierce. "Seraphine's pet? Or just a guard who speaks for a brat?"
Seraphine's eyes flash, and she lunges, grabbing my hair and yanking hard. "You think you're untouchable because you're Valor's mate?" she hisses, her face inches from mine. "I'll hit you right here, and no one will care."
I grab her wrist, my wolf snarling, my nails sharpening into claws. "Go ahead," I say, my voice shaking with rage. "Hit me. But don't cry when I hit back. And about Valor? How can someone like me be mated to your stupid Alpha? He's no better than you!"
Her face twists with fury, and she pulls my hair harder, making me stumble. "I'll teach you a lesson, dog," she says, her voice venomous. "You'll learn your place."
I twist her arm, shoving her to the ground with a thud. The crowd around us grows, pack members gathering, their whispers louder now. "Cursed Luna," they mutter. "Monster." My wolf surges, her anger flooding me, my claws fully out. *Let me take her,* she growls. *Let me show them.* My eyes burn, glowing, and I'm losing control, ready to tear into Seraphine as she scrambles to her feet.
"Stop it!" I yell at my wolf, my voice breaking, but she's too strong. I step toward Seraphine, my claws raised, the crowd gasping. I'm about to do something I'll regret, something that'll prove them all right—when a loud voice booms behind me.
"What's going on?"
---