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67


Julianne's POV

I couldn’t stop teasing Loretta about her relationship with Jeremy. It was a fun game, poking at her to see how she’d react. But today, her response was different—more serious. Her eyes flickered nervously as she glanced around, lowering her voice to a whisper.

"We can’t let Arthur find out. Jeremy said so, and I think he is right this time; we should not let Arthur find out about the little thing going on between us," she said, her words barely audible. "It’ll only make things worse and complicated."

I frowned, not quite understanding. "But you love him, don’t you? What’s the point of hiding it if you love him so much? You just have to be open and sincere with him and tell him of the feelings the both of you have for each other."

She bit her lip, looking down at the ground. "It’s not that simple. Arthur’s already dealing with so much. If he finds out... he’ll be hurt. He’ll feel betrayed. He will feel so pained we did it to him."

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “Arthur always acts like the perfect, calm leader, but underneath it all, he’s a man too. He’ll understand. If you both don't tell me on time, he is going to get pained if he finds out that his brother is dating his concubine."

Loretta shook her head, her voice tight. "I can’t. We can't tell him about it for now. At least not yet. There’s too much at stake. Trust me, I have to keep this secret for now."

I sighed. "Well, if you say so." But I couldn’t shake the feeling that keeping this secret would only make things harder for all of us in the future.

I changed the subject, hoping to lighten the mood and forget about discussing their feelings and the right thing to do even though they had agreed on the decision suitable for them.

"That reminds me, Loretta, you need to do something about that witch, Loretta. You know she’s threatening me with Antonnia’s life, and I don’t like it one bit. I don't want anything to happen to Antonia, but it seems they don't give a fuck if they hurt the girl trying to make me bend to my knees in becoming their damned leader."

Her expression hardened, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flash of something pitiful and understanding
in her eyes. "I’m working on it, okay? I promise to reveal myself soon to the witches that I am the moon goddess before first there is something important I need to settle." She claimed calmly.

I nodded, though I didn’t like the secrecy. She could have just told me what the important thing she needed to fix first rather than keeping it a secret. I trusted Loretta, but there was something off about all of this. The witch, the threats, the way she was acting. Still, I didn’t press her. Not yet.

Suddenly, we both froze as we heard a rustle from behind us. Turning around quickly, I found Jeremy standing there, quietly clutching the known of the door, a curious look in his eyes. He must have overheard us.

"What witch? What witch are you both talking to? And who did they want as the leader? And who is the moon goddess?" he asked, his voice filled with suspicion.

I shot a glance at Loretta, and she gave me a sharp look, warning me to cover up the truth.

Loretta let out a nervous, funny laughter that got Jeremy frowning deeply; the lines on his forehead tightened as he stared stupefied at us.

"Uh, we were just... talking about a costume," I said quickly, my heart racing. "For the festival. You know, witches are a big part of the theme this year. We were thinking about making a witch costume."

Jeremy looked unconvinced, but he didn’t push further. "A witch costume, huh? And why would you guys decide to put on a witch costume to the werewolf festival?" He asked his facial. Soesk volumes that he didn't buy into our forced lies. But he shot a knowing look at Loretta which made her blush instantly. "All right, whichever it is that pleases you ladies, go on with it. I am standing full chest at your back." He winked at her and she giggled softly.

"Yeah," Loretta added, looking away forcefully. "Nothing serious. It's Just something for fun."

He nodded, though I could see the doubt lingering in his eyes. "Okay, if you say so."

As Jeremy walked away, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. "That was close, only goodness that likes how long he had been standing there eavesdropping on our conversation," I muttered.

Loretta gave me a worried glance. "We can’t let anyone know, Julianne. Not yet, so we have to be secretive of our discussion and on the lookout so no one hurts us."

.......

The festival was finally upon us, and the excitement in the air was contagious. The streets were bustling with people from all the different packs, each bringing their traditions and energy to the celebration. The colorful lights twinkled in the trees, and the smell of food filled the air.

I tried to ignore the nagging feeling in my chest, the way it felt like something was off. But as the evening went on, I couldn’t deny the truth. I was jealous.

I saw Arthur across the square, holding Jasmine’s hand as they walked together, laughing and talking. It was obvious that they were close, and I couldn’t help the pang of jealousy that hit me in the chest.

Why did it bother me so much? Arthur and I hadn’t been anything more than friends for a long time now, but seeing him with someone else... it stung.

I forced myself to look away, focusing instead on Antonia, who was standing beside me. She was chatting with a few others from our pack, her laughter light and carefree. I smiled at her, but the jealousy lingered in the back of my mind.

"Stay close to me tonight, you must not leave my side and you must not under any circumstances disengage your hands from mine," I said, my voice quieter than usual. "Just in case. The witches could be around." I added thoughtfully because it was the reason I wouldn't let go of her

Antonia looked up at me, her brow furrowed. "I’m not going anywhere, Julianne. You don’t need to worry about me, I am not that little wayward girl anymore ."

But I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. The witches were getting bolder, and I knew they wouldn’t hesitate to strike if they had the chance.

Different packs joined in the festivals and everywhere was light and mesmerizing. It was heaven on earth; people joined in celebrating by dancing, singing, and marrying.

As the night wore on, I began to notice something strange. A man from another pack was watching us closely. He wasn’t someone I recognized, but his dark eyes were fixed on Antonnia and me, his gaze intense and unblinking.

I felt a chill run down my spine. Why was he staring at us like that? Is he part of the witch? Was he sent by Nyx to threaten me by attacking Antonia? My hands gripped Antonnia's tightly, and I nudged her to my side. She was so mesmerized by the colors and everything happening around us. It was her first time participating in a festival, and I don't blame her at all for feeling so captivated.

I turned away from the thoughts back to the present, trying to shake the feeling of unease, but I couldn’t get rid of the nagging sensation that we were being watched.

Then, just as I was about to speak to Loretta about it, the man called for everyone’s attention. His voice was loud, cutting through the noise of the festival.

“Everyone, please gather around,” he called out, his tone commanding.

The crowd began to fall silent as they turned to face him. I could feel my heart start to race. There was something about him—something I couldn’t quite place. He had the air of a leader, but there was something dark about him. I lifted my face to the sky, silently praying to the gods to save me from whatever it was this man was planning and had to say to a huge crowd like this.

I glanced at Loretta, whose face was pale. She was staring at the man with wide eyes, her hands clenched at her sides.

The man’s gaze shifted from the crowd to me. For a moment, it felt like time slowed down. His eyes were locked onto mine, and I could see the weight of something dangerous lurking behind them.