Chapter 23: Twenty Three

SOLANA

My husband was dead serious. I could tell from the look on his face. But what I couldn't tell was his expectation. This was a test, I knew that much. But silly old me wasn't thinking about myself. Not really. Instead, I was thinking of his expectation.

Zamora's weary gaze met mine, but somehow, her blue eyes were sparkling. Almost like she was daring me to slap her. But that would mean that I was giving in to her desire, wouldn't it?

"Solana, now," Alpha Roman said, and I nodded, my throat going dry.

I took a step forward, my pulse thundering in my ears. Every part of me screamed at me to back away and just let this go. But his words echoed inside my skull.

Prove it.

Prove that I wanted to grow. Prove that I wasn't weak.

Zamora smirked. "Go ahead. Show him who you really are."

My hand trembled at my side. My breathing came in shallow bursts. For a moment, I thought I'd turn around, walk away, and never look back.

But then I snapped.

All the mockery. The pain. The nights I cried into my hands. Her laughter. Elric's voice. The blood. The shame. It all came rushing back, and before I even realized it, I slapped her so hard that she fell to the side.

My hand hovered in the air, still tingling from the impact. My chest heaved. I hadn't meant to. Not like that. Not—

She turned back to look at me, her lip bleeding. And for the first time, I didn't see arrogance. I saw shock.

My breathing hitched. Guilt sank its claws deep into me. "I—"

Roman's voice broke the silence.

"That," he murmured, "was strength."

I turned to look at him, my eyes wide. "No," I whispered, shaking my head. "That was wrong."

"It was control," he corrected, walking towards me. His eyes shimmered with something dark and unreadable. "You didn't break her neck. You didn't lash out until you lost yourself. You chose when to act. That's what I wanted to see."

But his words didn't make the guilt fade. It only dug deeper.

"I'm not like you," I whispered. "I don't want to be like you."

"Good," he said, his tone softening. "Then learn how to be yourself without cracking under pressure."

I blinked up at him, tears pricking my eyes. He reached out for me, gently brushing his thumb across my cheek, where my own tears had started to fall.

"You did well, flower," he said softly. "But next time... don't let guilt steal your victory."

And with that, he turned, ordering his guards to take Zamora away.

I stood there trembling, my hands curled tight into fists.

Could I really change?

....

"...wake up. Solana?"

I jolted upright in bed, sucking in lungfuls of air as my heart pounded hard against my rib cage. I had fallen asleep hours after tossing back and forth in bed, restless. Only to sink into the painful embrace of a nightmare.

"Flower? Are you alright?"

I turned to see Alpha Roman in bed behind me with a slight crease in his brows.

Trembling, I reached for him, curling against his body. He held me close, rubbing my back while I listened to the steady thump-thump of his heartbeat.

"Were you mad at me earlier when you saw me on the floor?" I asked, and he hummed.

"I'm not sure," he responded, and I frowned, looking up at his handsome face.

"What do you mean?"

He exhaled slowly. "My chest hurt watching you. But I also felt like my insides had been set on fire."

I blinked, puzzled.

"Have you always been emotionally deprived?" I asked, and he smiled gently.

"More like...I didn't have the capacity to process emotions."

"And now you do?"

He nodded slowly. "I'm learning."

I nuzzled against his chest once more, breathing in his scent.

"Let's go on a date tomorrow, Alpha," I told him.

"Where?"

"The garden. I'll introduce you to more flowers," I whispered sleepily, closing my eyes. He was silent for a while. I was just about to drift off when I heard him speak.

"I'm sorry, Solana."

I was curious. What was he apologizing for? I fell asleep eventually, emotionally and physically exhausted.

…

“I’m sorry, Luna. I acted out of line that night,” Zamora said to me the next morning while I was in the kitchen preparing breakfast.

I paused for a few seconds, staring at her with wide eyes. Did I just mishear her? I wondered. She was fidgeting slightly. Still, I couldn’t shake off the feeling that she was plotting something bigger.

“I don’t want your apology,” I blurted out before I could stop myself. She narrowed her eyes at me. There it was, her true nature.

“What?”

“I don’t care to know who asked you to do this. But if you’re not going to be genuine, you might as well skip the apology,” I deadpanned.

She gaped at me. Then she scoffed.

“You really think you’re high and mighty just because you slapped me and Alpha Roman took your side. Listen to me, Luna, the pack will never accept a murderer. Never. Besides, you’re only here temporarily,” she hissed, and I swallowed past the lump in my throat.

“I’m not… I’m not a murderer.”

She leaned close with her arms folded across her chest. Then she sneered. “Are you sure about that?”

She stormed out then, and I turned towards the window, anger burning in my chest.

Zamora was a thorn in my flesh. One of my biggest obstacles. How do I deal with someone so venomous?

“Solana?”

I turned to see Alpha Roman standing in front of the door. The air left my lungs at the sight of him in his dark coat, turtleneck, and slacks, his hair in a half ponytail.

“Dearest,” I rasped, unable to take my eyes off him as he walked up to me. He leaned in to kiss me on the lips, and I leaned against him, my heart fluttering in my chest.

“I’m heading to a meeting downtown. I won’t be long, okay? I’ll be back by noon for our date,” he said.

Those words filled my stomach with fluttering butterflies, blood rushing to my cheeks.

I leaned up on my tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek, and he smiled.

“Stay safe, Alpha,” I said, and he nodded.

I watched him leave, my heart singing for him.

Is it too early to say that I might be in love with this man?

I didn’t realize I was beginning to smile like a fool as I stirred the curry stew until someone made a sound behind me.

“Boo!” Tara exclaimed, popping into the kitchen from nowhere.

“Don’t do that, Tara. You nearly gave me a heart attack,” I frowned.

She scoffed. “You’re the one who sneaked in on Hawke and me. Ugh, Lana, it was embarrassing.”

I giggled. She moved over to wrap her arms around my waist, sniffing like a hungry hound.

“Oh, that smells so good,” she moaned, and I laughed.

“Please take your slutty behavior out of my kitchen,” I said, and she smirked.

“Your kitchen, hmm? Speaking of things that belong to you, did you know that wench went out with your husband today?”

I froze, my heart lurching painfully in my chest.

“Zamora?”

She pulled away, and I turned to look at her, my throat tightening.

“Yeah. Apparently, he was heading to a council meeting and had to take her.”

My stomach tightened. Her?

Not me?

I shook my head, trying to shake the thought out of my mind. He was probably just trying to protect me. There was no harm done, was there?

“Are you okay, Lana?” Tara asked, and I beamed at her, nodding my head.

The truth was, I wasn’t.

Even hours later.

Even when noon came and went.

I waited for him to show up for our garden date. And by four p.m. in the evening, I decided to make use of the phone he’d given me.

I called four times. And every text I sent was left on read. At this point, I felt sick to my stomach.

I was curled up on the couch by eleven p.m. when I heard the front door creak open, followed by the sound of unsteady footsteps. Worried, I shot to my feet and hurried over, only to find my husband leaning heavily on Zamora, who was laughing like she was intoxicated. I could smell the alcohol oozing from them both.

But that wasn’t what froze me to the spot.

It was the hickey standing proud on his neck. Zamora smirked at me.

“Aren’t you curious, Luna? Don’t you want to know which of us will carry his heir first?”