Chapter 16 The Pull of the Moon
Chapter Sixteen
The Pull of the Moon
AVRIELLE'S POV
"Julian, watch your tone if you still want to keep your tongue."
Xavier’s voice didn't just command the room; it froze it. His Alpha aura swelled, thick and suffocating, rolling off him in waves that made the hair on my neck stand on end. He stepped slightly in front of me, a protective wall of muscle and fury.
"My business is none of yours. If your thoughts aren't fixed on your own Luna, but on mine, I’m going to give you a very good reason to spend the next month with your pack warriors. You, and anyone else who thinks my personal matters are up for debate."
Julian stared blankly at Xavier for a heartbeat, the silence in the ballroom stretching until it felt like it would snap. I could feel Julian’s Luna staring at me too, her eyes wide with a mixture of shock and realization.
Julian suddenly threw his hands in the air, a nervous laugh escaping him.
"Fine, fine! You’re behaving quite possessive, aren't you? It’s the first time I’ve ever seen the Great Devil lose control over a woman. I’m curious, Xavier... is she your mate?"
I felt my entire body tense at the question. Instinctively, my grip tightened on Xavier’s arm, my knuckles turning white. The word mate felt like a heavy stone dropped into a still pond.
Xavier’s jaw remained locked.
"You aren't taking my warning seriously, are you, Julian?"
But then, Xavier’s gaze shifted to me. His eyes darkened, the pupils blowing wide until they were almost entirely black.
"Avrielle... you’re burning up," he muttered, his voice dropping into a dangerously low tone. "Why has your scent gotten stronger?"
I swallowed hard, the moisture in my throat suddenly gone.
It was only then that I realized my body temperature was skyrocketing. A strange, heavy heat was pooling in my stomach, spreading through my limbs like liquid fire. My heart was racing, and a sudden, sharp ache of arousal made my knees tremble.
"Oh," Julian said, his eyes gleaming. "Maybe it’s because tonight is the full moon. I chose tonight for the ceremony specifically because of the lunar peak."
Xavier went completely stiff. He stared at me blankly, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled the air between us.
I wanted to correct Julian. I wanted to tell them both that the moon didn't affect me. I didn't have a wolf; I didn't have the biological hardware to go into heat. I had spent every full moon of my marriage sitting alone, feeling nothing while everyone else lost their minds.
It must be the stress, I thought. Or the argument.
Suddenly, Xavier’s hand detached from mine. He stepped back, putting several feet of distance between us as if I had suddenly become poisonous.
"Go," he said, his voice strained and tight. "Socialize with the guests, Avrielle. Mingle."
I nodded dumbly, my head spinning.
I turned and walked away, weaving through the crowd as fast as my flats would allow. I felt discarded. One moment he was threatening a man’s life for me, and the next he was throwing me to the wolves—literally.
It’s because of the rejection, I told myself bitterly. Anyone in their right mind would have rejected him. He’s just acting out.
I found a quiet corner on a balcony overlooking the gardens, away from the sweltering heat of the ballroom. My life was one giant, fucked-up mess.
I watched the couples inside; they were starting to get touching, their hands wandering, their eyes glazed with the lunar pull. I was used to seeing it, but tonight, it made a hollow ache bloom in my chest.
I looked back into the crowd and spotted Xavier. He was standing near a pillar, his eyes scanning the room like a predator.
Seeing him made my skin itch with a sudden, desperate need to be near him. I wanted to walk up to him and scream. Just yesterday he told me I wasn't a burden, that I was beautiful. Today, he had told me he wanted me to be his Luna.
And now?
He had chased me away.
Two hours passed. Two hours of me sitting in the dark while he ignored me.
Was that enough time? Should I go back?
Tears began to sting my eyes. I felt so incredibly emotional, so fragile. I didn't know why I was crying—I shouldn't want a man who could turn his back on me so easily.
But the tears came anyway, hot and relentless.
I burst into a quiet sob, burying my face in my hands.
Suddenly, a hand stretched out, offering a silken handkerchief. I looked up, his scent filling up my nostrils.
Xavier was standing there, his face a mask of restrained agony.
I stood up and, without thinking, threw my arms around him. I sobbed into his shoulder, wiping my face against his expensive suit.
"Why don't you want me?" I wailed, my voice breaking. "Why did you chase me away?"
Xavier didn't hug me back at first. His entire body went rigid, his muscles like iron.
"Does the full moon always make you this emotional?" he asked, his voice sounding like it was being dragged over broken glass.
"I don't know!" I cried into his chest. "The moon doesn't affect me! I don't have a wolf! I just... I want you. I crave you and you hate me now because I said no. You sent me away!"
"Avrielle," he said, his voice a warning growl.
He grabbed my shoulders and pulled me back so he could look at me. "If only you knew how hard I am controlling myself right now... not to take you right here on this balcony. Not to bend you over that railing and claim you in front of everyone. You wouldn't say I don't want you."
I blinked through my tears, my breath hitching.
"Then why..."
"I am an Alpha," he hissed, his eyes glowing a brilliant, terrifying gold. "The full moon effect is ruthless. It’s even worse for you because you’re near me."
"Why?" I shouted back, my frustration peaking. "The moon never affects me! Why would being near you change anything?"
Xavier let out a frustrated, guttural sigh, his hands tightening on my shoulders.
"Don't you get it, Avrielle? You aren't feeling the moon."
He leaned in, his lips inches from mine.
"You're feeling me. It’s because I’m your mate!"