CHAPTER 30: UNINVITED GUEST

CHAPTER 30: UNINVITED GUEST

Rose

Before the party

Was I a stalker? No. But did I stalk them? Yes.

I remembered when they entered Candice’s shop. Candice barely even dressed me, so why and how was she dressing Florence? I recalled the time Candice had opened her mouth and said, and I quote, “I do not dress those who can't dress themselves merely because I want to. People like you, who use power as a trip—your position as a reason for me to make you something—I will not do it. They aren’t worthy,” she said. “And that’s the bottom line. Maybe it’s because your mind and body connections are... I don’t know... off. But I don’t trust you.”

Wasn’t Leo using his power to have Florence dressed? I asked myself as I followed shortly after them. I saw Candice beaming at Florence. She held out a hand, dramatizing something before she pushed Florence along with her into one of the private dressing rooms.

“Can I help you?”

I was nearly startled from behind by one of the attendants in the shop.

“Do you know who I am?” I shot back at her.

For a brief moment, she said nothing, simply staring at me. Then, after a few seconds, her eyes grew wide with surprise.

“Luna! Forgive me,” she said hurriedly. “I didn’t recognize you.”

“Of course, you didn’t,” I rolled my eyes. “Don’t bother me,” I said. “Leave me alone.”

I waved her off and followed after the trio. Luckily for me, there was a small cubicle just before the dressing room that I was able to hide in.

From there, I heard everything.

About the dinner they were planning to attend—a dinner I had heard nothing about. A dinner that was the next day.

I chuckled to myself, left the place before they could, and ran all the way to Bethany.

“You won’t believe it,” I said, bursting into the length of her condo.

She reached out to me, handing over a cigarette. “Shoot,” she said, flopping down on one of her couches and crossing her legs in her signature style.

“The Elders are having a dinner,” I said.

“Okay,” she mumbled, looking unimpressed so far.

“Exactly!” I said. “The Elders are having a dinner. Therefore, the Alpha is having dinner. I wasn’t invited,” I said, placing a bitter hand on my equally bitter chest.

“No,” she shook her head. “You’re Luna. There’s no way you wouldn’t be invited.” She chuckled nervously. “It’s like calling a birthday party without the wife of the birthday boy.”

“Exactly!” I rolled my eyes. “Precisely! And yet, you would not believe who he’s taking,” I said with a fake pleasant smile.

“Let me guess—it’s the new girl, isn’t it? The one who might just kick you out in the next few—”

“She’s not kicking me out!” I interrupted her, twisting my face into a deep frown. “Nobody is kicking me out of anywhere. My spot remains the same. My spot is secure. I’m not going anywhere, you hear me?”

“I’m just saying what I see,” she said. “And what I see isn’t exactly a very good thing. Maybe you see that, maybe you don’t, or maybe you’re just, I don’t know... adorably blinded. But he doesn’t exactly feel 100% the same way about you.”

I glared at her, but she didn’t stop.

“Remember, when you got together with him, it took him a year or two before he started going out with you. Anything you did, you did from your own pocket and out of your own actions. You barely showed up with him anywhere—always before or after, but never together. You understand?”

She gave me a rather sad smile, one tinged with pity.

“I don’t want your pity,” I spat. “I came here to figure out what I was going to do about this. I’m not going to sit around moping and crying about my unfortunate excuse of my mate who has a wife. If you’re not going to offer a solution, then shut up!”

Yes, I sounded mean, and yes, I probably didn’t care much about how it seemed to her. But this was Bethany. If Bethany got angry, hell would freeze over—especially if that anger was directed at me.

“Whatever,” she rolled her eyes. “I’m just trying to help,” she said. “But it’s okay if you don’t see it that way.”

“I see it,” I turned around from my spot and glared at her.

“Trust me,” she said. “So, what are you going to do?”

She finally asked the meaningful question.

“The dinner is when?”

“Tomorrow,” I said. “It’s tomorrow. I can ask around a few people and figure out where it is.”

“Don’t bother.” She pulled out her phone from her pocket, swiped through it several times, and then held it to her ear.

“Hi, bestie!” she said. “So, I need something. Apparently, rumor has it the Alpha is hosting a dinner. I need to know where it is. All the who’s and what’s are going to be there, so spill.”

She paused, listening, then turned to me.

“The Golden Dome.”

“There you have it,” she said.

I found myself laughing uncontrollably, clutching my abdomen.

Don’t get me wrong—it wasn’t a laughter of joy. More like bitterness.

By the time I was done, Bethany was already standing with wide eyes.

“Are you okay?” she asked slowly.

“He’s never taken me there,” I said. “I’ve always wanted to go. I heard their chefs and their dining experience are to die for. So, he hosts a dinner, and he takes her. He doesn’t take me. I’m not even invited. Nobody even told me. I only found out because I had the nerve to follow them.”

“Wait, what?” Bethany asked, but her words barely registered.

“Imagine if I didn’t know. I’d go to bed tomorrow night thinking everything was right with the world, only to find out the morning after—probably through a headline or two—that my own mate went out with her. My mate. The one I should be married to.

“I am the Luna,” I said, beating my chest. “Me. Not her. Why would he pick her over me? How could he do that to me?”

I chuckled bitterly again.

“There has to be a mistake somewhere,” I said. “Some sick joke. This can’t be real, right, Beth?”

“It’s a thing,” she said softly. “Apparently, it might have been purposefully kept away from you. I’m sorry you had to find out like this.”

“To say that I was disturbed would only be the tip of the iceberg of how betrayed and utterly pathetic I felt.”

“Well, actually,” she began again, “this only proves my point.”

“And your point is?”

“You need to do something.”

“I have to do something,” I said. “I can’t be made to feel like this. This is the second time!” I held up two fingers. “The second bloody time, Bethany. The first time was their announcement. He didn’t even say anything about that!”

Frustration began to build up behind my eyes.

“It’s wickedness,” I said. “Pure, utter wickedness. He’s been wicked to me, and maybe it’s time for me to be wicked too.”

“Wait,” she held up her hand. “What are you going to do? You weren’t invited.”

“I’m Luna,” I

said with a smirk. “I’m invited everywhere.”

I chuckled.

“Looks like I’m going to crash the party in style.”