CHAPTER SIX

“You are?” I asked again.

“The Alpha King's best friend, Astra," she introduced with a smile, but the smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

“Oh.” I pressed my lips together. Why did I think she was his lover?

The Alpha King and I were not in love. We were only getting married because he needed an heir, and Dad had pulled some strings. Could it be possible that he had another woman?

Her, perhaps?

“The dress looks good on you,” she complimented.

I smiled at her. Before I could open my mouth to say thank you, she spoke.

“Too bad it's being worn by a person who doesn't deserve it.”

Her smile fell.

So did mine.

She walked closer to me and gently patted my shoulder.

“Lyra, right?”

I nodded.

“Well, I feel bad for you. You are so young. You could have married a man who actually loved you, but you were picked up by the Alpha King.” Her eyes narrowed, daring me to respond.

Her eyes moved to the dress. I noticed her jaw tighten.

“Are you happy to be marrying him?” she asked, her hands still fondling the dress.

Obviously not. I didn't know him, but either way, I nodded. There was no need to say that I wasn't happy. I was here now. All I could do was accept it.

“Hmm,” she sneered. “Liar. You must have flaunted your new position as Luna to all your friends.”

My brows raised.

“Friends?”

“Well, you must remember, dear Lyra, you will always—always—be worthless, Luna or not.”

I gave her a puzzled look. I hadn't done anything to her. Why did she dislike me?

She turned to Selene.

“I haven't seen the Alpha King in days, and I'm quite worried.”

“He returned this morning and demanded that nobody disturb him,” Selene replied.

“I'm not just anybody. I'll go see him.”

She spun around and began to walk toward the door. Her dress trailed behind her, the fabric sweeping across the floor.

The moment the door slammed shut behind her, Selene turned to face me.

“Is she always that icy?” I asked.

“That's the Alpha King's best friend, but everybody knows that she is in love with him.”

Oh, no wonder she didn't like me.

“Why doesn't he marry her then?”

“Oh.” Selene giggled. “The Alpha has no interest in women. He couldn't care less about her feelings. You're just here to help him make an heir...” Her words trailed off, and her hand flew to her mouth. “I'm sorry.”

I quickly shook my head.

“No, it's true. Go on.”

“Well...” Her hand dropped to clasp the other. “He still doesn't have any interest in women.”

“I don't think so.” I turned around and gestured for her to unzip the dress. “How old do you think he is? All these years and no woman?”

The sound of my zipper sliding down filled the room.

“No woman.”

“Not even a secret lover?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.

“None that I know of.”

She slid the dress off me, and I instantly covered my breasts with my hands, letting her remove it completely.

That day, Selene showed me around the large mansion. It was difficult to get used to people bowing their heads whenever they saw me.

As we returned to my bedroom, my mind drifted to the man I had met back home.

I exhaled, my shoulders slumping.

I missed him desperately.

I wished I could see him again, just one last time. His presence made me feel alive, wanted, as though I meant something.

But who was I kidding?

He only knew that I was getting married, not who I was marrying. He could never find me.

The thought shattered my heart, but I forced the tears back.

He was just one of those people who passed through your life—a ray of sunshine before the storm.

Now I had to get used to the fact that I would marry a man I had never seen. As Selene had said, I would meet him at the wedding.

“Do you have a picture of the king? I would like to see what he looks like,” I whispered.

“No. There are portraits of him in the great hall, but that's on the other side of the building. You can only meet him after you marry,” she had responded when I asked.

HOURS LATER

I was dressed in the wedding gown I had tried on earlier, only this time my hair was adorned with gold.

I looked at myself in the mirror, and I felt like a different person.

Just a few days ago, I was in rags, but now I had gold embroidered into my dress. I still didn't feel like I deserved it.

A red vein flickered across my vision, and I had a feeling that trouble was coming.

“It's time now,” Selene said as she helped me stand from my seat.

She walked to the door, the other maids following behind us.

The door swung open.

My heart dropped when I saw who it was.

I gulped.

“Father?”

I hadn't seen him in years. He was dressed in a black suit and tie, a stern expression on his face. When I realized he wasn't smiling at me, my own smile quickly faded.

Not even on my wedding day would he smile at me?

“Father?” I said again.

He looked at the maids.

“Leave us.”

They immediately bowed and walked out.

He stepped closer to me.

“I didn't come here to exchange pleasantries.”

I tried to lift my veil so I could see him better, but he held up a hand to stop me.

“I don't want to see your face,” he said flatly.

I lowered the veil.

“Yes, Father.”

“Nerissa told you what to do, right? How to make a baby for the king?”

That's all?

He came only for that?

I nodded.

“Yes, Father.”

He straightened his shoulders and walked out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him.

Tears clouded my eyes, and this time I couldn't hold them back.

“Oh, please, Moon Goddess,” my voice shook, “don't let these tears fall.”

I couldn't let them ruin my makeup.

I parted my lips and breathed through them.

I should be used to it by now.

Dad didn't love me.

What did I expect?

I gripped my dress tightly.

Time to see who my husband was.