Chapter 29

Isla POV

The crowd of people in the hall was starting to thin, people were getting tired and wanted to get to their homes and noticing that Lady Rhea signaled the guest to begin the final part of the dinner, the last greetings ,any member of the pack could come up to Tristan and I to give their greetings and words of congratulations.

A few people had already come up but Elder Marcellus was one of the first elders to do so. He walked up to Tristan and bowed

“ Alpha, on behalf of my fellow elders we'll take our leave from you” he mumbled bowing low, all the other joined him and Tristan waved them off

“ I look forward to seeing you at tomorrow’s meeting” he replied and the elders bowed

“ Luna” he mumbled and pulled away from their spot at the table. I kept my back straight, as I looked up at him and nodded my smile going wide,

“ Elder “ I mumbled as my hands folded neatly in my lap even as my wolf paced just beneath my skin. He walked away and one by one the rest of them disappeared either walking out themselves or being supported by betas.

Tristan sat beside me, impossibly still, radiating dominance that made the air itself heavy and every time someone approached our table, their eyes flicked to him first, dipping in submission before they turned to me.

Another family came forward to pay their respects before leaving the Ridge for the night, one after another their words blurred together until the compliments on the feast, empty blessings, practiced pleasantries were nothing more than white noise to me.

I nodded when appropriate, thanked them and smiled at the right intervals all while forcing myself not to burst out of my skin. My fingers curled into the folds of my gown under the table, gripping the silk until my knuckles ached, if anyone noticed, they didn’t comment.

I felt Tristan's gaze shift toward me every so often, sharp and assessing, as if he could just by looking at me alone tell what was wrong or how to solve it.

I found it amusing and I didn't have the energy to answer any questions so I pretended I didn't notice it at all.

My gaze cut to Richard again and I looked away from him, I lifted my goblet, forcing another sip of wine past the tightness in my throat.

“Relax,” Tristan murmured at last, low enough that only I could hear.

“I am relaxed,” I whispered back my voice cracking on the lie.

His eyes cut to me, dark and unblinking a silent way of saying he didn't believe me

Of course he didn’t.

I smoothed my hands over my lap and fixed my gaze on the next elder shuffling forward. The man was bent but he still had  a crooked smiled. He grabbed my hand in his and his smile fell his eyes filling with a far off dazed look as if they had just slapped him

“ You will have a terrible terrible choice. One man to bring you pain, one man to wound your heart and another to lifting, how will you know “

The next, a young warrior offering praise, his eyes lingering too long on her chest,making Tristan growl deep in his throat when he noticed it and that sent him scurrying.

And then,— my head clouded the scent hitting me before I saw him.

Richard.

My chest tightened, the air rushing from my lungs as if someone had pressed a fist against my ribs.

And beside him, with her hair pinned neatly and her dress perfectly chosen for subtle grace, was Berrilyn.

My best friend. Or at least, I had thought she was.We had known each other for a long time, in fact since childhood.

My stomach dropped, but I forced my face to remain still, serene, the very image of an elegant Luna.

Whatever that was supposed to look like.

“Alpha,” Richard said with a respectful bow.

“Luna.” His eyes flicked to me, just for a second, the barest trace of recognition, before he smoothed it over into polite indifference. If I hadn’t known him so well, I might have believed the polite indifference on his face.

“Richard,” Tristan replied, voice neutral.

“It has been some time.”

“Indeed,” I said, my voice too even, too calm.

“How… surprising to see you here.” I finished

Berrilyn dipped her head, smiling that soft smile I’d once trusted more than anything.

“Isla,” she said warmly, as though we were still friends sharing secrets in the courtyard, not strangers that had drifted so far from each other that there was no way back

“ It's Lady Isla” Tristan hissed and Isla paused as if she couldn't understand what he was saying, I reached for his arm to stop him but he ignored me looking her dead in the eye.

She swallowed

“ Lady Isla” she mumbled softly clearly annoyed at having to say that

“It’s been far too long.” she replied and I wanted to laugh or scream, maybe both.

Instead, I nodded, lifting my goblet again to hide the tremor in my hand.

“Yes. Far too long.” I replied and she smiled widely

“You look… radiant.”

It was the kind of compliment meant to sting. My nails dug into the fabric of my gown beneath the table, but outwardly I only smiled.

“And you look exactly as I remember. Polished.”

Tristan’s eyes cut to me, sharp and assessing. He heard the edge in my tone.

“ I hope we can see more of each other soon” she urged and I nodded looking away from her, that would never happen.

They lingered for only a moment longer, offering the same empty respects as the others, before stepping back out the door to their homes or going back to the table to drink some more.

But the damage was done.

My wolf clawed inside me, restless, furious, heartbroken, it was like everyone was watching me and my chest burned, with every shallow breathe that I took.

Tristan… was the worst because I could still feel him too watching me and he was sitting down close to me it felt like he'd wear off my face from staring.

“Old acquaintances?” he asked, his tone low, deceptively mild.

My throat tightened as I replied

“Yes.”

My fingers tightened around the goblet until I thought it might shatter into a million pieces.

“I need some air,” I said abruptly, forcing the words past the knot in my throat. I pushed back from the table, rising before he could stop me.

“Isla—” Tristan’s voice followed, low and edged, but I didn’t turn back.

The eyes of the hall followed me as I swept toward the doors, my gown whispering across the stone.

I kept my head high, walking at a steady pace,  I knew they didn't expect anything better but I had to prove I was every inch the Luna they expected from Viviana.