Chapter 26 The Luna Ball
{Warren’s POV}
"Bro, what's with the long look? Chill, it's your Luna Ball," Mathias whispered, leaning close until his breath fanned my ear. "You look like you're not happy about this."
I turned toward him, wanting to deny what he said, but the words wouldn't come. Mathias was right about everything. My heart wasn’t in the event at all.
A part of me didn’t like that Layla would be crowned Luna when I hadn’t even spent enough time with her. But my mother was all over the place with excitement, and I didn’t want to ruin that for her.
"Don't speak for me, brother," I muttered, signaling the waiter to bring the tray of champagne closer. I grabbed one of the flutes and slowly turned the olive floating in it. "I'm enjoying this as much as Mother is."
Mathias smirked. "Okay. I’m not going to say anything again, but if you're going to pretend, at least put a smile on your face. You don’t want your mate thinking you're tripping over your personal assistant."
My head snapped toward him the moment he mentioned Diana. She was the major reason why I felt so off tonight. The thought of her being with her mate’s sick mother while she should’ve been here created an unsettled feeling in my chest that I couldn’t ignore.
Mathias chuckled under his breath at my reaction. “Relax. I’m only teasing you. But for real, fix your face. The whole pack can smell your mood from the door.” He nudged me lightly and walked away, leaving me standing there with the heavy music and louder thoughts.
As soon as he left, I found myself glancing over my shoulder almost immediately. My eyes went straight to the entrance of the ballroom. The golden doors stood wide open, people walking in and out with drinks and smiles, the air thick with perfumes and different pack scents. Everything sparkled under the chandeliers. Everything screamed celebration.
Except me.
I scanned the entrance again, hoping, stupidly, that maybe Diana had changed her mind and would walk in. Maybe she would appear in something simple but still manage to steal my breath the way she always did without trying. Maybe she would look for me.
But she didn’t come.
Every time someone entered, my heart jumped, only to fall again when it wasn’t her. The disappointment tugged at my chest harder than it should. I shouldn’t be bothered. She wasn’t mine. She had a mate.
But that thought didn’t make the ache go away.
“Son.”
My mother’s voice pulled me back. I turned to see her walking toward me with a proud smile, her silver gown shimmering under the lights. She held my hands warmly, her eyes bright with joy.
“Oh, Warren,” she said, placing a hand on her chest. “I have looked forward to this day for so long. The day my son’s wife becomes Luna. This was my wish from the moment you became Alpha.”
I gave her a small smile. “I’m happy that you’re happy, Mother.”
She studied me for a moment, her eyes narrowing. “Why do you look worried?”
“I’m fine,” I replied quickly. “Nothing is wrong.”
Before she could press further, someone from across the hall called her name. She excused herself and walked away, leaving me alone with my thoughts again. My gaze drifted back to the entrance, and the memory of Diana refusing my offer to take her home repeated itself in my mind.
Someone is coming to pick me up. That sentence ripped something inside me that I didn’t understand.
The hall suddenly erupted into cheers, dragging my attention toward the grand staircase. Layla appeared at the top, holding the railing with one hand as she slowly descended. Her gown sparkled like crushed diamonds, her smile wide and sweet. She looked beautiful, and everyone admired her.
But my heart stayed still.
I stepped forward because that was what was expected of me. I offered her my hand, and she placed hers in mine, her cheeks flushed with excitement as she reached the bottom step. There was not a single thing wrong with her tonight. She was perfect. Every inch of her looked like the Luna she was meant to be.
Yet something inside me felt distant.
The music began to play as couples formed around us. Layla placed her hand on my shoulder with soft hesitation, and I held her waist lightly as we began to dance. People around us smiled and whispered things, probably admiring their Alpha and future Luna.
“You look beautiful tonight,” I said, trying to sound sincere.
She blushed. “Thank you, Alpha.”
We kept dancing, but the more I held her, the stronger her scent became. It felt overwhelming, too sweet, too thick. The mate bond between us always made my head feel foggy, like my senses were being pushed into something they weren’t trying to feel.
I became tempted to ask her the question that had been in my mind for long, I leaned in slightly. “You’ve already been marked, Layla… but I don’t remember marking you.”
Her body tensed instantly.
Her eyes widened for a second before she forced a smile. “You did,” she replied quickly. “That night… you must’ve forgotten.”
Forgotten?
No Alpha forgets a night like that. The memory should have been sharp, clear, unforgettable. But my mind was blank. The only thing I could remember clearly was Diana’s scent. Diana’s eyes. Diana’s voice.
I stared at Layla, trying to read her, but the strength of the bond clouded my thoughts again. Every time I got near her, my reasoning seemed to fade, and my wolf felt muted instead of connected. It never felt natural. Not the way the strange pull toward Diana did.
The music stopped, and I stepped back slightly as an elder brought forward a small velvet box. My chest tightened. My legs felt heavy. But I still went down on one knee in front of her because everyone was expecting it.
The crowd erupted into soft awns and applause.
“Layla,” I said, my voice steady even though my heart wasn’t, “will you be my Luna?”
She covered her mouth with her hands as tears filled her eyes. “Yes,” she whispered.
I slid the ring on her finger, and the room burst into louder cheers. Layla threw herself into my arms, wrapping her arms around my neck. I held her waist and leaned in to kiss her, because that was what the crowd wanted. The pack howled in celebration.
But inside me, something stayed cold.
The moment our lips parted, I stepped back and breathed out slowly. I excused myself almost immediately, ignoring the startled looks people gave as I walked out of the hall. I didn’t care about their whispers. I didn’t care that my mother was probably confused.
All I knew was that the walls felt too tight. The air felt too heavy. And every breath I took tasted like someone else’s scent.
Diana’s scent.
And as I stepped into the quiet hall outside the ballroom, I finally admitted the truth I had been avoiding.
I wanted her here tonight.
I wanted her by my side.
And the thought of her being with her mate made my wolf restless in a way I couldn’t explain.
Because for a moment tonight, when I looked at the door, I had hoped it would be her walking in.