27

Livia POV

I ran into my room, panting heavily as I clicked the door shut behind me and leaned my back against the cold wood.

Livia, that was way too close! I whispered to myself, clutching my chest to steady my drumming heart.

I could still feel the electric lingering sensation from his deep, storm-filled stares and the searing heat where his lips had almost touched mine. Fuck. Alpha Tarian was so ridiculously handsome. Why on earth was he so devastatingly handsome and yet so insanely, utterly annoying?!

I immediately logged into HiWolf Messenger to tell Livyana everything that had just transpired at the spa. My fingers flew across the keyboard in a panicked frenzy:

Livy, I am so, so sorry for pushing him this far, but I couldn’t help myself when he touched me! Especially after seeing the raw jealousy burning in his eyes! Livyana, I swear your husband is actually beginning to fall in love with me... or whatever this crazy thing is. I can’t help the conflicting feelings that seem to be the order of the day whenever his skin touches mine. Yes, he can be a complete, arrogant ass, but damn... he is so insanely hot! He almost kissed me today, Livy. I don’t know if I’ll even be able to stop myself the next time he tries it! ANSWER ME!

Just as I hit send on another unread message, a soft knock sounded at the door.

“Luna?” Amelia’s voice called out from the hallway. “May I come in?”

“Please come in!” I called back, quickly tossing my phone onto the bed. “Amelia, you never need my permission to enter.”

Amelia stepped inside, holding a fresh set of towels, her face lit up with gentle curiosity. “How did the spa date go with the Alpha?”

It was a complete, chaotic disaster, obviously, but I had to tell her something sweet to maintain appearances. “Oh, you know... standard romantic stuff,” I lied smoothly, waving a dismissive hand. “We’re slowly finding our rhythm.”

I sat on the edge of the bed and patted the space next to me. “What about you, Amelia? Are you seeing anybody?”

Amelia blushed deep red, dropping her gaze to her lap as she sat down. “Well... I am in love with someone. Alpha Kelvin. But... he doesn’t love me back.”

My eyebrows pulled together. “Who is Kelvin?”

“He is Alpha Tarian’s cousin,” she admitted softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “We... we have been secretly seeing each other for a few months now.”

“Secretly?” I asked, tilting my head. “Why on earth are you seeing each other in secret?”

Amelia stammered, fidgeting nervously with the hem of her apron. “It’s... it’s for the best, Luna. Moreover, who would want to be seen with me? An Alpha of his high caliber and a poor domestic maid like me? People would laugh at him.”

I stared at her in shock. I had never met this cousin of Alpha Tarian, but hearing her words made my stomach turn. Could it be that all the men from the Kai-Edwards family are literal, undisputed douchebags?!

“Hey, look at me,” I said firmly, grabbing her hands and forcing her to meet my eyes. “Do not ever say that about yourself again! You are kind, intelligent, hard-working, and absolutely beautiful. Never let any man make you feel like you aren’t deserving of being loved out in the open!”

Amelia smiled weakly, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She looked at me intently for a quiet moment before asking softly, “Are you happy, Luna?”

The question took me completely aback.

My mouth opened slightly, but no words came out as I began to really wonder... was I happy? Was I truly happy acting like my twin sister, completely losing myself in the process, tolerating garbage from my so-called sister’s husband, and navigating the constant chaos that seemed to be the order of the day whenever Tarian and I were together?

The weight of the lie pressed heavily against my chest. But I couldn’t shatter the illusion. So, I lied.

“I am happy,” I offered, forcing a bright, picture-perfect smile. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

Amelia nodded, taking a quiet breath as she stood up. “I should go prepare dinner before Alpha Tarian returns from golfing. Do you need anything else, Your Majesty?”

“No, nothing at all,” I replied warmly. “Thank you, Amelia.”

The moment the door clicked shut behind her, my phone gave a sharp vibration on the mattress. I picked it up, expecting a reply from Livyana at long last.

Instead, a text notification from Queen Mother Raychel flashed across the screen:

“Have you been able to do what I asked you to do yet?”

I stared down at the glowing words, my thumbs hovering uselessly over the keypad. For the very first time since this madness started, I was genuinely, completely unsure of what to reply.