Chapter 63 Chapter 63
Chapter 63
\- Jason -
I walked to the dining room for breakfast that morning, and there was a cold emptiness that suddenly enveloped me even though the table was not empty.
Alexei and Natasha were there.
But there was one more person and she was the only one I was looking forward to seeing
She was not there. I thought she was just late for breakfast, but when we were almost halfway gone, and there was no sign of her anywhere, I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.
"Where is Aria?" I tried to ask as casually as possible. They stopped eating and looked at me.
"She did not come down for breakfast," Alexei told me as if it were not obvious.
I turned to a maid standing by.
"Go and ask the Luna to come down for breakfast," I ordered.
"Yes Alpha," she bowed and left. I chewed slowly and carefully while I waited.
The maid returned alone.
"Alpha, she said she does want to eat now," she said. I couldn't help the frown on my face. What does she mean by she doesn't want to eat now?
I turned away and concentrated on my food, trying hard to not show that I cared.
But I wasn't enjoying the breakfast, nor did I enjoy my day afterwards.
The next morning, she still did not show up and I was pissed. When I asked, the maids told me Aria said she'd prefer to eat in her room
I wasn't going to have that. Every member of the family eats at the royal table and she is the Luna.
After breakfast, I strolled to her room
She was sitting on her bed wearing a silk dress. Her eyes barely moved in my direction when she saw me and they held no warmth, the kind they had always given me before now.
"Aria..." I called, my composure almost faltering. Even though her face was unsmiling, she still looked very pretty.
"Alpha," she replied, her tone simple, official. It sounded normal, but something's changed, and it got to me immediately. I did not let her notice.
"You have not been at the table for breakfast these past few days," I stated more than asked
"Yes Alpha," she replied shortly. No explanations.
"And why?" I asked her.
"I prefer to eat in my room," she said. Her answers remained short and precise.
"But you have always eaten at the table, why do you suddenly choose to eat in your room now? You are the Luna and your place is at the royal table."
"Alpha, I think you might have missed it, but eating together gives room for familiarity, and we need to keep the boundaries. Yes, part of the agreement is that I am Luna, and I can eat at the table. I will, if only I don't have to sit with you."
"How does..."
"Sitting to eat with you means I get to see you every day, which means we might talk to each other often, which also means we'll get too comfortable in each other's company, and we cannot allow that," she explained with a straight look on her face. She was not just saying this, she was actually serious.
I knew she was saying it because of what I said earlier. I did say we should keep things formal but not like this.
We can eat together and there are no issues. I sighed.
"We don't have to be so rigid with it," I told her. "We can sit at the same table and eat. It's just food. Besides, it's not like we are going to be at the table alone like before. Natasha and Alexei would be joining us. You don't have anything to worry about."
"I will rather not Alpha," she said stubbornly.
"Eating at the royal table is not a choice for you to make," I resolved to the last method I could use to get her comply.
She was stressing me out. And not just because she was refusing to eat at the table but because her face had become very scarce in these few days the only way I could see her without requesting her presence was at the table where everyone was supposed to be
"Alright then. It's noted."
I did not like how she sounded one bit. So carefully spoken, so robotic.
But I was the one who had drawn the line for our own good and I had to deal with it.
The next day, Aria came to the table. I held back my smile. It finally felt complete.
But she remained awfully quite and I had a hard time keeping my eyes away from her direction.
However, she talked freely with Alexei. Even laughed at his jokes and her eyes lit up.
And that was when I realised how much I had missed this part of her. It's been barely three days, and it feels like forever.
I couldn't even make an attempt to talk to her. My ego wouldn't let me and I also feared she might not want to answer me
But while I watched her and Alexei, something burned inside me. It wasn't rage. It felt like... jealousy?
How can it even be? Why should I be jealous that she's talking to someone else and not me?
I chided myself. I also assured myself I had not done anything wrong by trying to keep limits to the way we acted with each other so we'd focus on what we had to achieve.
Natasha tried to have a conversation with me, but I was too infuriated to pay attention to her
Despite the assurances I gave myself it did nothing to soothe the feeling....the jealousy
I wished she talked to me like that like she had always done.
When I couldn't take it anymore I pushed my food away and stood up.
They all asked me what was wrong except Aria of course. She did not even look in my direction Goddamit.
I walked away and kept telling myself this was for the best.
I am only trying to protect her as well as myself. And I am feeling this way because of the indiscipline I had allowed, which I am trying to correct, and I have to sit through it.