Chapter 7

Valerie:

The sound of laughter and glasses clinking filled the air, blending with soft music. I stood among the other Lunas, enjoying their presence as it lasted. The one sense of normality that I knew. Our reminder of how my life had been before I was married.

“They say that the two of you might be having a child soon. There are rumors that you've been getting close.” Lucilia said, looking at me. I raised an eyebrow, asked her, and shook my head in question.

“I am curious about who keeps spreading such rumors.” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “One would think that someone is in the house spying on me.”

“Come on, Valerie, you have been married for nearly three years now, and you have not been pregnant once. You need to give the alpha child and you are his Luna. It is not like you are a mistress or you are one of those concubines that he would be ashamed of. The child that you give birth to is going to be his heir. You need to give him a child and he needs an heir as well. You know that very well.” Caroline said, looking at me.

“Caroline is right, you know that the alpha needs an heir. It is going to stabilize your position, it is going to help sustain his own reign and line.” Lucilia said and I looked away from her. The pain of this was one that I could not handle and they would not understand.

Lucilia looked at one of the corners where Annalise had been standing. She raised an eyebrow before turning her attention to me. “And if you are upset about the Mistress, he is not the only alpha who's going to have one. You need to get used to it. Actually take advantage of it. It means that you have time for yourself.”

“I cannot believe that you're mentioning this mistress in front of me.”

“She is not wrong. You might be able to have your own concubine, someone that you can enjoy if you do not want to be with the alpha. I'm pretty sure that he's going to understand as long as you do not end up carrying the child of that concubine.” Caroline said, and I rolled my eyes, choosing not to answer because my mind was not on them.

It was on Xavier who was walking towards me, calm and controlled, but I could see the tension in his shoulders, his tight jaw and his eyes, which were darker than they were before.

I smiled as he reached me, keeping up the perfect act.

“Alpha,” I greeted softly, my tone smooth, the way they expected a Luna to sound. Caroline and Lucilia looked at the two of us as if savoring the moment, believing that the two of us were in love.

He slid his arm around my waist again, pulling me close enough for the crowd to see. To them, we were seamless, the proud Alpha and his devoted Luna.

He pulled me away from the Lunas. They nodded silently, letting us know that we could leave. Not like he was going to ask them any permission.

“You look tense,” I murmured, eyes still fixed on the Lunas nearby who were watching us with thinly veiled envy. “Your shoulders are too tight.”

“I am,” he said, his voice low, cutting through the noise.

“Something happen?” I asked, turning my face up toward him, pretending interest for the show.

He looked down at me sharply. “Why do you care? One would think that you were enjoying this.””

I blinked, then gave him a short, humorless laugh. “I don’t. And I'm not enjoying this because I do not take pleasure in someone’s anger.”

“Says the woman who filed the divorce.” He said, looking down at me.

“And I would gladly file it again if I knew that you would not burn it.” My smile stayed fixed for the audience. “But as far as I’m concerned, I’m still your mate. So when you walk back into a room looking ready to rip someone apart, it’s bound to draw attention. And I do not think that we need attention that is undesired in a party that we are hosting.”

His eyes flicked down to mine, unreadable, the muscle in his jaw twitching.

For a moment, I thought he might say something cruel. Instead, he exhaled slowly, the tension barely controlled, and stepped away.

“I need a drink,” he muttered.

“Don’t let me stop you,” I said softly, though the words cut more than I wanted to admit. “It is not like I'm your Luna or anything.

He walked off toward the bar, and I stood alone again, the warmth from his hand still ghosting on my waist.

Across the room, I saw Annalise slip back through a side door, her expression composed, too composed. Her lipstick was smudged.

I turned my attention back to the crowd, smiling as if nothing had happened.

Let them both play their games.

I could play mine too.