Four

CHAPTER FOUR

CALISTA’S POV

A few days had passed since the mating ceremony, but nothing about my new life felt like what I had imagined when I was younger, because although I was now living in the Alpha’s residence and everyone addressed me as Luna, I knew better than anyone that the title did not truly belong to me, and every morning when I woke up, the first thing I remembered was Axton’s cold voice telling me that I was only taking Eira’s place until she was found.

That afternoon, I was sitting quietly in the living room when one of the maids approached me. “Luna, you have a visitor.”

I looked up from the book in my hands, surprised by the words. “A visitor?”

“Yes, Luna.”

I frowned slightly because I could not imagine who would come to see me here, especially after everything that had happened, and before I could ask another question, the doors opened and a familiar figure walked into the room.

“Elowyn?”

Her face immediately brightened when she saw me, and before I could say anything else, she hurried toward me and pulled me into a tight hug.

“I finally get to see you,” she said, holding me tightly. “Do you have any idea how worried I have been?”

I felt my eyes sting because seeing her after everything that had happened made me realize how badly I had missed having someone who did not look at me with suspicion.

“I missed you too,” I whispered.

She pulled away and looked at me from head to toe, then suddenly smiled. “So, you really did it.”

I stared at her. “Did what?”

“You married your longtime crush.”

Despite everything, a small smile almost appeared on my face. “It is not about a longtime crush,” I said quietly, lowering my gaze. “I am only being treated as a substitute until Eira comes back.”

Elowyn’s smile disappeared. “What do you mean?”

I looked toward the windows before answering, keeping my voice low. “Axton does not see me as his Luna, Elowyn. He only sees me as someone who took Eira’s place.”

She stared at me for a moment before reaching for my hand. “But you saved him.”

My fingers tightened around hers. “But there’s nothing I can do now ”

“There’s nothing you can do, how? Let him know you saved him from the fire” 

I quickly shook my head. “Please don’t say it so loudly.”

“Why?”

“Because if I tell him now, he will think I am only saying it because I want him to look at me differently.”

Elowyn’s expression softened. “But he should know the truth.”

“I know,” I whispered. “But not like this.”

She was about to say something when the sound of footsteps suddenly came from the entrance.

I looked up.

Axton walked into the living room.

The moment his eyes landed on Elowyn, his expression became even colder.

His gaze moved from her to me, and then back to her. “When did I start allowing visitors into my residence without being informed?”

My body stiffened.

Elowyn immediately stepped back from me.

I slowly stood. “She is my friend,” I said weakly.

Axton’s eyes remained fixed on Elowyn. “And?”

My throat tightened. “She only came to see me.”

He took a few slow steps into the room, his expression giving nothing away. “I did not ask why she came.”

I lowered my eyes. “She is not here to cause any trouble.”

“That is not for you to decide.”

His voice was calm, but there was something harsh beneath it that made the entire room feel smaller.

Elowyn glanced at me, clearly uncomfortable, but Axton’s attention remained on her.

“Who are you?”

“Elowyn, Alpha,” she answered carefully.

“And what exactly do you want with my Luna?”

Elowyn opened her mouth, but I spoke before she could answer. “She is my friend.”

Axton finally looked at me.

His eyes were cold enough to make my words disappear from my throat. “I heard you the first time.”

He stepped closer, his gaze moving over my face before returning to Elowyn. “Then she should learn that being your friend does not give her permission to walk into my residence whenever she wants.”

I swallowed hard. “I am sorry.”

“You should be.”

The words were quiet, but they cut deeper than if he had raised his voice.

Axton turned toward the maid.

“From now on, no visitor enters this house without my permission.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

He looked at me again. “And you will not forget that.”

I nodded weakly. “Yes, Alpha.”

His gaze lingered on me for another moment before he turned away, leaving the room with the same coldness he had entered with.

Elowyn waited until he was gone before looking at me. “Calista…”

I forced a small smile. “Please don’t.”

She shook her head slowly. “He really treats you like a prisoner.”

I looked toward the doorway where Axton had disappeared.“I know.”