Chapter 57 Chapter fifty-seven
"Luna Ellie," he addressed me, "I apologize if my behavior has always been disrespectful," he said with a half-hearted tone. When he looked at me, a wicked grin appeared on his face.
My stomach churned in revulsion at his words, and I felt a wave of nausea wash over me. This was all just an act; if it were up to him, he would have choked me instead of offering an apology, and I wasn’t innocent either. Instead of listening to his deceit, I should have throttled him.
The protest was beginning to lose momentum after Roger showcased his phony actions and skillfully crafted lies. He had successfully swayed the crowd.
"Ellie, what do you want to say?" Claus directed his gaze toward me.
I noticed everyone in the room was focused on me, eagerly anticipating my response. If I reacted improperly now, it could arouse suspicion and turn the situation against me.
I forced a smile and replied, "I forgive you, Roger."
The hall erupted with joyous cheers.
Claus came over and assisted me to my feet. I bowed and waved at the people.
"The Luna is a compassionate person; the Alpha is fortunate to have her as his mate," the Elders commended.
I blushed at their admiration, but inside, I was seething with anger; I wanted Roger's head served on a platter of gold.
"You may rise now, Roger," Claus commanded. "And never question Ellie again, or you won't live to see another day."
"Thank you, Alpha," he said, bowing to Claus, then turning to me and also bowing, "Thank you, Luna, for your forgiveness. I promise to never disrespect you again."
Others couldn’t hear him, but I caught the smirk that followed his words. I could only manage a forced smile and nod my head as if I accepted it.
"This meeting is adjourned and will reconvene in the next hour. You are all dismissed," Claus announced to the Elders.
"Wait behind, adviser Leonard," Claus called to the man with salt-and-pepper hair.
Leonard was a tall, lean man, his spectacles firmly perched on the bridge of his nose, with a well-sculpted, chiseled jawline.
Claus’s cloak swept the floor as he walked to the throne and took a seat, one hand gripping the staff of authority tightly.
"Gather your most trusted investigators and detectives to assemble a secret team to look into the potential traitor within the pack," Claus commanded.
He bowed and said, "Your wish is my command, Alpha Claus," then hurried out of the room to fulfill the orders.
Half an hour had passed, and I remained seated in the throne room. The Elders had returned to finish their meeting. It was already past noon, and my stomach was growling. I hadn’t had lunch.
Court lady Nora approached me to suggest I eat, but I declined, saying I wasn’t interested. I clenched my stomach and frowned deeply, feeling as if I was starving. Each time Claus glanced my way, I smiled back, pretending to be fine.
The truth was; I wasn’t just waiting for Claus to conclude the meeting; I was looking for an opportunity to steal that letter.
Yes, the letter. I knew what I was talking about. It shouldn’t continue to see the light of day; it should vanish completely.
Suddenly, I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder, jolting me out of my thoughts. I looked over to see Sylvia holding a plate of cookies and a glass of milk.
Oh my goodness, he must have seen me yawning and realized I hadn't had lunch yet. My heart leaped with joy.
He still cares! Sylvia still cares! My mind was shouting.
"Nora asked me to give you this on my way here," he handed me the plate of cookies and a glass of milk, then turned sharply and walked away.
What? My eyes nearly popped out of my head. Tears filled the edges of my eyelids, ready to spill. I struggled to hold back the tears that were rising in my throat. Here I was, thinking he had noticed me.
I sniffed away my tears and wiped the ones that threatened to fall. I fanned my eyes with my hand to dry off the tears. Thank goodness no one noticed what had just happened.
I stuffed a cookie into my mouth and chewed until I felt satisfied.
When I glanced across the room, I saw Sylvia and Claus completely focused on the map spread out on the table. Perfect, this was my chance to take the letter.
I scanned the area to make sure no one was watching me, and fortunately, everyone's attention was elsewhere.
I got up from my seat and tiptoed over to where the letter was lying, slipped it into my gown, and returned to my seat without anyone noticing.
My heart was racing in my chest; I knew what I had just done was wrong, but I felt I had to do it. Whenever Claus looked my way, I smiled sweetly at him. I just didn't want to give him any indication of the stress I was experiencing.
Before I realized it, he was walking towards me. I swallowed hard and straightened my posture, sitting upright on my throne. I avoided making eye contact with him.
"Today has been really tiring; you should go to bed first, you need some rest," he suggested, stroking my cheek gently before kissing my forehead.
"No, I'm not tired; I want to wait for you so we can go to bed together," I replied with a smile.
"Okay, love," he said and kissed me on the lips before walking away.
I sighed in relief. Thank goodness he didn't notice anything out of the ordinary about me.
I sat quietly, fiddling with my fingers to pass the time. Each time I stole a glance at Claus, I noticed a worried expression on his face.
I wondered what was going on over there.