Chapter 79 Chapter 79
I felt a bit calmer after Lucian’s assurance. I went to sleep that night feeling light. I woke up alone the next day, my hands searched the space beside me out of habit, brushing cool sheets instead of warm skin. Lucian had long been gone.
I wasn’t disappointed the way I might have been once. Not anymore, I’d learned the rhythm of his days, how responsibility pulled him from the bed before the sun. Knowing that made his absence easier and understandable.
I rose slowly, stretching. I didn’t feel like leaving my bed today but I had to stand up. Since I became Luna, it had been from one problem to another and I wanted to learn more about the pack. Maybe make some adjustments. It was important to me that women and children of this pack were happy so I wanted to pay a visit to them.
I took a long shower, letting the steam ease the tension in my muscles. Warm water slid over my skin, washing away the lingering traces of sleep. When I stepped out, I dressed in a simple skirt and top, I brushed my hair and packed it into a bun. I was just finishing when a knock came at the door.
“Come in” I called. The door opened slowly and Lina entered balancing a tray that looked overloaded using her legs to close the door.
“Ta-da” she said brightly. “I hope you have a ravenous appetite this morning” my eyes widened.
“Lina, did you bring the entire kitchen?” She laughed, setting the tray down.
“I didn’t know what you’d want so I brought everything. Sweet, savory, bread and fruit. One of everything, if you don’t eat it, I will” I shook my head, amused.
“You know I was actually coming down to find you. I was just rounding up with what I was doing here”
“Well now you don’t have to” Lina said, dragging a chair.
We ate together, I picked at the food while Lina talked about everything, the new servants, the warriors, she even spoke about the cook. Then she leaned closer.
“And Dahlia’s back” I paused mid-bite.
“Back?”
“You didn’t know? She was gone for few days. No one knows where but she came back yesterday. I think before the sun rose, she looked happier like she had accomplished something” I hummed.
So, she had actually disappeared after Lucian’s announcement. I wasn’t entirely wrong, she went to lick her wounds in secret. But Lina saying she looked like she had accomplished something, made unease curl in my stomach.
“That explains the glare” I murmured. Lina blinked.
“She glared at you?”
“Yesterday, at the training field. She didn’t say anything and just kept glaring at me” Lina scowled.
“That woman has too much time and too little sense. She doesn’t want to give up. I know she’s jealous of you that’s why she keeps glaring at you” I scoffed.
“She’s always hated me since I stepped foot into this pack long before I was Luna. Ronan also noticed her glaring at me too” I saw the way her face lit up when I called Ronan.
“You were with Ronan?” She asked with nervous excitement.
“Yes” I raised a brow. This was not the kind of reaction I was expecting from her. Her expression shifted, hesitant and almost shy.
“Ailsa, can I tell you something?” She said, lowering her voice.
“Of course. You know you can tell me anything”
“I-I think I like Ronan” I nearly choked on my drink from laughing.
“You think?” Lina groaned.
“Don’t laugh. What’s funny about it?”
“I’m not…well, maybe a little” I admitted smiling. “Go on” she twisted her fingers together.
“I think he likes me too”
“Did he tell you that?” She shook her head.
“We…spent a night together. It happened so quickly but now we’ve been avoiding each other or I’m avoiding him. I don’t know anymore” I burst out laughing.
“I knew it. I told you, didn’t I?”
“You did not”
“I absolutely did. The way you look at him? The way you smile when he’s around. It was so obvious” Lina buried her face in her hands.
“This is a disaster”
“No, it’s just complicated. That doesn’t mean it’s bad” I said gently. “Did he tell you he likes you?” She shook her head.
“He hasn’t said that outrightly but I feel maybe he’s attracted to me. After all, he slept with me” I shook my head.
“Sex is nothing to a man when he’s in rut. I’ll give you an advice, don’t assume he’s in love with you just because he slept with you”
“Right. You’re speaking from experience. Did you experience that with the Alpha?” I shook my head.
“Then who?”
“No one” I said straightening.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, i haven’t experienced that. I’m just giving you advice from the countless stories I’ve heard” I answered
“Thanks for the advice”
We moved to the courtyard after breakfast, the air crisp and bright. We were still talking but not about Lina’s new crush. We were talking about food when we bumped into Ronan. I smiled when I saw him. But he stiffened the moment he noticed Lina.
“Ronan” I called.
“Sorry” he said quickly, his eyes darting everywhere except her face.
“I…uh…I didn’t see you”
I chuckled in my mind. I knew that was a lie, he acting this way because he saw Lina. Lina on the other hand looked nervous.
“We’re hard to miss” I said lightly.
He gave a strained smile and nodded once.
“My apologies. I have to leave now”
“You won’t walk with us?” I was trying to get him to spend more time in Lina’s presence. Maybe they would get talking.
“I’m sorry, I have something urgent to take care of. I’ll make it up to you” I shrugged. He glanced one last time at Lina before he fled. I watched him go, then I turned slowly to Lina.
“Don’t say anything” Lina muttered. I opened my mouth anyway.
“He looked nervous to be in your presence”
“I told you we were both avoiding each other. I don’t know if he regrets what happened between us. Maybe because I’m of a lower class” she sounded sad.
“Do you regret it?” She shook her head.
“No. That was the best thing I’ve experienced in a while” her cheeks turned red. I put a hand on her shoulder.
“If you don’t regret it, then nothing matters. If he really likes you, he’ll come around but if he doesn’t I’d advise you to just let it go. Don’t dwell much on it”
“But…I really like him and it’s going to be hard to forget him” she said with a frown.
“How long have you known him?”
“Just a week”
“And you were fine before he came. You’ll be fine without him”
“I don’t think so” I looked at her in confusion.
“Is he your….” My sentence was cut off by footsteps that approached from behind. Lucian. My heart lifted instantly.
He didn’t hesitate. He stepped right up to me and cupped my face, he kissed me in a slow, familiar, grounding manner. The world seemed to vanish around us and I forgot what I was about to say. Lina cleared her throat loudly, making us pull apart.
“I’ll… leave you two” Lucian smiled faintly as Lina retreated.
“I missed you. I couldn’t keep working without seeing you” he said quietly. My chest warmed and my heart fluttered.
“You saw me last night” I said in a teasing manner.
“I know but I still missed you. I had to come find you” he admitted.
“You shouldn’t have let me wake up alone then” I looked him in the eye.
“I had something urgent to take care of” he said softly.
“Your loss. I planned to take care of you this morning” his eyes darkened by my word.
“Are you trying to wake something up? I promise you won’t be able to handle it” he said teasingly and I laughed.
“I can handle anything. Walk with me”
We walked together through the grounds, fingers intertwined, talking about small things, training, a trade expected next week, I also asked about the new warriors and he told me about them, it was nothing heavy, just us. We laughed at little things, we would stop and kiss before we continued working.
‘Now is the perfect time to tell him’ my wolf suggested. ‘He’s so happy” I wanted to listen to her but I didn’t know how to bring up that topic.
Shouts rose suddenly near the gate. Lucian’s steps slowed.
“Stay close. Let me find out what’s going on”
We moved toward the sound, curiosity and instinct pulling us forward. Three guards clustered near the entrance, their voices tense. There was another person but I couldn’t see the face clearly, the guards blocked my view but when they moved. Lucian stiffened.
“Elara” he said.
The name hit me like ice and my blood went cold.