Chapter 15 – THE PUBLIC SLIGHT

It had never felt like this before. Not even after the nights he had taken me.

Something was changing inside me.

There was nothing I could do. I couldn't call him back and beg him to fuck me. I will look vulnerable to him.

I stood and went into the bathroom.

I turned on the shower and let the warm water run over me. I washed, trying to clear my head.

It did not work.

When I returned to the bedroom, I changed into a simple nightdress and climbed into bed.

I told myself I would deal with everything in the morning.

Sleep came quickly.

I did not know how long I had been asleep when a strange sound pulled me from my dreams.

Music, voices and laughter.

I opened my eyes.

For a moment, I thought I was dreaming. Then I heard the music again, louder this time. I sat up.

What was happening?

I looked toward the window. The grounds outside were lit brightly. Several lanterns glowed near the main hall, and I could see people moving around.

There was an event. An event in Blackridge. An event nobody had bothered to tell me about.

I got out of bed and walked to the door. I opened it and found a servant passing through the corridor.

“Wait.”

She stopped.

“What is happening in the hall?”

She looked at me, then quickly lowered her eyes. “The pack gathering.”

“What pack gathering?”

She hesitated. “The evening celebration, Luna.”

I stared at her. “And nobody thought to tell me?”

The servant swallowed. “I was not instructed to.”

“Who gave the instruction?”

“I don’t know.”

She hurried away before I could ask anything else. I stood there, feeling the familiar sting of humiliation. They had excluded me from an event held inside the house where I was supposedly Luna.

Fine.

If they wanted to pretend I did not exist, I would remind them that I did.

I went back inside and changed quickly. I chose a dark dress, fixed my hair, and left the room.

The closer I got to the hall, the louder the music became.

When I pushed the doors open, the conversation inside slowly faded.

Heads turned. Dozens of eyes landed on me.

Nobody welcomed me. Nobody came forward.

Instead, whispers started.

“That is her.”

“The replacement?”

“I heard she is strong.”

“Is she really the one who can carry Blackridge blood?”

My fingers tightened around the fabric of my dress.Carry Blackridge blood.

That was all I was to them. A body strong enough to produce an heir. A replacement Luna. A solution to a problem.

I forced myself to keep walking. Then I saw the center of the hall. The Luna’s seat was occupied.

Aria was sitting there.

My place.

She wore a beautiful silver dress, and several women stood around her as if she had always belonged there.

I looked toward Deucalion. He was beside her.

And the sight of them together made something inside me go painfully still.

His expression was different. I had never seen him look at me that way.

His fingers gently moved a loose strand of Aria’s hair away from her face. “You should have tied your hair back,” he said softly.

“I like it this way.”

“It suits you.”

She laughed quietly. “You are being unusually nice tonight.”

“Maybe you deserve it.”

I looked away. A servant approached him with a drink, but Deucalion barely noticed.

His attention stayed on Aria. She leaned closer and whispered something.

He actually smiled. I felt something crack inside my chest. This was the man who barely looked at me. The man who had told me our marriage was a duty. The man who had made it clear that I was never the woman he wanted.

Yet here he was, touching Aria’s hair and speaking to her like she was precious. No one seemed bothered by it.

In fact, they seemed pleased.

A few people glanced at me, then quickly looked away. I stood alone near the entrance.

No one offered me a seat. No one introduced me.

No one cared that I was the Luna. I took a slow breath. Then I heard footsteps behind me.

I turned. The Blackridge Luna was approaching.

Her expression was cold. She stopped in front of me and looked me up and down. “What are you doing standing there?”

I frowned. “I was not told about this event.”

“That is not my concern.” She glanced toward the hall. “Stop looking like an idiot and go get dressed properly.”

“I am already dressed.”

“You represent this family now.”

Her words were sharp. “If you are going to stand in this hall, at least look like you belong here.”

I stared at her. “Do you want me here?”

She paused.

“That is irrelevant.”

“No. It isn’t.”

Her eyes hardened. “You are Deucalion’s Luna. Whether you like it or not, you have responsibilities.”

I almost laughed. “Responsibilities?”

“Yes.”

“Does sitting in my place belong to those responsibilities too?”

Her gaze moved toward Aria. “That matter is not for you to discuss here.”

“Of course.”

She stepped closer. “Do not create a scene tonight.”

“I haven’t created anything.”

“Then keep it that way.”

She walked away. I remained where I was, swallowing the anger rising in my throat.

I wanted to leave. I wanted to walk out of the hall and never return.

But I walked farther into the hall. The whispers followed. I ignored them.

I passed several tables and stopped near the far side of the room. From there, I could see everything.

Aria was still beside Deucalion. He leaned toward her when she spoke.

She smiled whenever he did. They looked like a couple who had never been separated.

The sight hurt more than I wanted to admit.

Then I felt it. Someone was watching me. Not the casual looks from the pack.

This was different.

Focused.

Unmoving.

I slowly turned.

Across the crowded hall, a man stood near one of the stone pillars.

I did not recognize him. He was dressed in black, with broad shoulders and a calm expression.

But his eyes were fixed directly on me. He did not look away when our eyes met.

Neither did I.

For some reason, the noise around me seemed to disappear.

His gaze moved briefly to the mark on my neck.

Then back to my eyes.

Something about him made my instincts rise.

My wolf stirred beneath my skin.

And for the first time that night, I forgot about Aria. I forgot about Deucalion.

Because the stranger across the hall was still staring at me.

And I had no idea who he was.