Twenty-Five

Bella’s POV

I hated the silence more than I hated her because everything about her pissed me off.

Zachary had always been many things, such as arrogant, dominant, impatient, but never distant and unreachable. Now, when I spoke, it felt like my words hit a wall and slid to the floor. He never cared about me anymore, and it was all because of that stupid, skinny thing called Livia.

I clenched my jaw, pacing across the bedroom as the sheets still carried his scent, and hours ago, he had been here with me. 

We had argued, shouted, and had hurt each other with words sharper than blades, but then we had made love also.

Even in his arms when his breath was hot against my neck, I knew I wasn’t the only one in his head at that moment. It was someone else, and I hate to admit it.

I stopped pacing and stared at my reflection in the mirror.

“I was here first,” I whispered to myself. “I built this life with him.” Yet somehow, she had slithered in and planted doubt in him since they might be at the battlefield.

He used to look at me like I was his world but now he looked at me like he was trying to figure me out, and that terrified me.

When Bella is terrified… Bella does something about it.

I immediately grabbed my phone and dialed Perry’s number. It rang twice before he answered. “My Luna,” his voice came through respectfully.

That title still soothed me. “Perry,” I said calmly, though my nails were digging into my palm. “I have a question.”

“Yes, My Luna,” he replied calmly.

“Did you tell Zach about seeing me that night?” My tone sharpened. “And about the men I sent to follow him?” I asked.

There was a pause, a dangerous pause.

“I’m sorry, My Luna,” Perry finally said. “I had to,” he confessed.

My stomach twisted. “You had to?” I asked, surprised and wondering, shocked at the same time.

“He’s my Alpha,” Perry replied carefully. “And he’s been unstable lately. He needed transparency,” he confessed.

“Unstable?” I snapped. “Unstable because of who? Because of her.” I snapped.

“Bella,” he called calmly, trying to explain.

“Don’t,” I cut him off sharply. “You don’t get to lecture me.” 

“I’m not lecturing you,” Perry said, his voice lowering. “I’m warning you. He’s not himself. His temper is unpredictable, and you need to be careful.”

I laughed bitterly. “Careful? Of my own mate?” I asked, and there was silence.

That silence hurt more than his words as I inhaled slowly, forcing myself to regain control. “Are you and Zach doing anything secret regarding Livia?” I asked, my voice low but firm.

“No,” Perry answered immediately. “Nothing is going on behind your back.”

I studied his tone; he sounded honest but that irritated me. “Fine,” I muttered. “Then tell me about the jewel.”

“The stolen jewel?” he asked.

“Yes,” I said, my eyes narrowing. “Have you found anything new?”

Another pause occurred immediately.

“Bella…” Perry began cautiously. “Based on the evidence we have gathered, Livia is seemingly not guilty,” he said.

The words felt like someone had slapped me. “What?” I whispered, but there was steel beneath it.

“There are inconsistencies,” he continued. 

“The guards’ testimonies don’t align. The surveillance didn’t show her entering the vault corridor; we can’t pin it on her.” he explained.

I felt my blood boil. “So you are telling me,” I said slowly, dangerously, “that after everything, after all the suspicion, she’s just innocent?” I asked angrily.

“That’s what the evidence suggests,” Perry replied.

“Evidence,” I spat. “Evidence can be twisted.”

“Bella,” Perry warned softly.

“Don’t Bella me!” I snapped. “You think she’s innocent? You think she’s just some helpless victim?” I asked.

“I think,” Perry replied carefully, “that this isn’t about the jewel.” My chest tightened.

“Then what is it about?” I challenged but he hesitated again for too long. “It’s about your fear,” he finally said.

The words hit me like a punch. “My fear?” I laughed bitterly. “I am Luna, and I don’t fear anyone.”

“You fear losing him,” Perry said quietly and I froze.

My throat tightened, but I refused to let him hear it. “I will not lose what is mine,” I said coldly.

“You can’t force someone to stay, Bella.”

“I don’t need to force him,” I hissed. “He belongs to me.

Perry sighed. “This path you are taking, it won’t end well.” he warned.

“I didn’t call you for advice,” I said sharply. “I called to make sure everything is under control.”

“It is,” he replied. “But if you try to frame her without proof, Zach will find out.”

A shiver ran down my spine because Zach's finding out would be catastrophic.

He had already been behaving erratically, drinking, pacing, lashing out. His eyes sometimes darkened in a way that unsettled even me but still I couldn’t let Livia walk free of suspicion.

“She’s not as innocent as she pretends,” I murmured.

“Then find real proof,” Perry said. “Not desperation.”

I closed my eyes. Desperation, was that what this was? No.

This was survival. “She took something from me,” I whispered.

“What?” Perry asked.

“His attention,” he said.

There was silence on the other end. “You still have his heart,” Perry said gently.

“Do I?” My voice cracked before I could stop it. “Because when he says her name, there’s something in his voice, something that wasn’t there before.”

“You are overthinking,” he said.

“No,” I said quietly. “I’m observing.”

Every glance, every hesitation and every moment he drifted away from me even while lying beside me.

“I won’t let her destroy what I built,” I said firmly.

“Bella” Perry called.

“I will handle it,” I cut him off.

“How?” he asked, confused.

“That’s not something you need to know,” I replied.

“Don’t do something reckless,” he warned.

“I’m not reckless,” I said calmly. “I’m strategic.”

There was a difference, and if the jewel couldn’t tie Livia down, then something else would because in this pack, there was only room for one Luna.

I would not step aside for anyone, not for some skinny, wide-eyed woman with a tragic past.

I ended the call and stared out the window into the dark night.

“You want to play innocent?” I whispered into the silence. “Let’s see how long that lasts.”

My reflection stared back at me, beautiful, composed, and dangerous.

Zachary might be drifting but I was not losing him, not without a war.

I refused to be the woman who sits back and watches her life get stolen. If the jewel wouldn’t bury Livia, then something else would.

The next day, I stood by the window of my office, fingers tapping against the glass as I replayed the report the man I hired had given me.

“They were together, Luna,” he had said nervously. “But she didn’t look interested. She kept walking away. The Alpha was the one following her.”

I had narrowed my eyes on him. “Following her?” I asked.

“Yes, My Luna. She told him to leave her alone more than once.” the man said.

I remembered the heat that had rushed to my face. “So now you are defending her?” I had asked coldly.

“No! No, My Luna. I’m just saying.”

“You are saying she’s innocent?” I had stepped closer. “You are saying my husband is the one chasing her?” I asked.

He had swallowed hard. “It looked that way.” the man replied.

That was the moment I decided the truth didn’t matter because If Zach kept pestering her, then Livia was at fault for existing, for breathing, and for walking into spaces that belonged to me.

She might not have tried to sway him, but she didn’t need to. Her mere presence was enough and that was a crime.

My phone rang, pulling me back to the present. Perry.

I answered with controlled calm. “Yes?”

“My Luna,” his voice carried hesitation. “We need to talk.”

“I’m listening,” I replied.

“We have gone through the evidence again. The jewel, and I don’t think Livia took it.” he said.

My nails dug into my palm. “Excuse me?” I said angrily.

“The timestamps don’t match. The guard statements contradict each other and there’s no physical proof linking her to the vault.” he explained.

I felt something inside me snap. “So what are you implying?” I asked slowly, trying to control my anger.

“I’m saying,” Perry continued carefully, “that someone might have manipulated this and if that’s the case, we need to tread carefully.” he suggested.

Manipulated, audacity. “I paid good money,” I muttered under my breath.

“My Luna?” he called.

“Nothing,” I snapped. “So after all this, you are telling me she walks free?” I asked.

“For now,” he said. “Until we find the real culprit.”

“The real culprit?” I let out a bitter laugh. 

“You are looking in the wrong direction, Perry.” I said.

“Bella,” his voice softened, “if this turns out to be a setup, and Zach finds out”

I cut the call as I didn’t want to hear the rest. My hands were shaking with rage.

The idiots I paid were supposed to make it airtight. I had given them a ridiculous amount of money to plant doubt, to twist circumstances, to make Livia look like a thief no matter what.

And they had failed me. “Useless,” I hissed, grabbing my coat. “Completely useless.”

I stormed out of the office, fury driving every step. The guards stepped aside instantly as I passed.

The cool air hit my face, but it did nothing to calm me. I had finally gotten everything I ever wanted. The title, power, the Alpha, the future and now Livia was somehow trying to ruin it simply by breathing near him.

It wasn’t fair. I reached the driveway, my heels striking the pavement sharply, when I saw Hayden.

Of all people, he was leaning casually against one of the pillars near the gate, arms folded, a faint smirk playing on his lips as if he had been expecting me.

“Well,” he drawled, straightening up. “If it isn’t the furious Luna.”

I stopped in my tracks, studying him. Hayden was dangerous in a different way than Zach, quieter, more observant,the kind of man who listened more than he spoke and knew too much.

“What do you want?” I asked coldly.

“Straight to the point,” he chuckled. “I like that.”

“I don’t have time for games,” I said.

“Good,” he said, pushing off the pillar. 

“Because neither do I.” he added.

He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “You look upset,” he said, trying to mock me.

“Do I?” I arched my brow, pretending that all is well.

“You look like someone just ruined a very expensive plan,” he mocked with a wicked smile.

My heart skipped, but I kept my face neutral. “You are assuming a lot,” I said.

“I’m observing,” he replied smoothly.

That word again, everyone was observing me lately.

“What do you want, Hayden?” I repeated as I stared at him waiting for a reply from him.

I don't know what he wants but I'm not afraid of him.