Chapter 27

"There is something you should know first before you make that decision, Alpha," Aurora said, her voice steady despite her injuries. She limped forward, her eyes blazing with determination. I felt a chill run down my spine. I knew what she was about to reveal.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak, Raphael raised a hand to stop her. "Enough, Aurora," he said, his voice firm. "This is not the time."

Aurora's eyes widened in shock and anger. "But Alpha—"

"I said, enough." His tone left no room for argument. He turned back to me, his expression softening. "Lucianne Van Der Burg, you have proven your strength, your courage, and your worth. You are the victor of the Luna's Duel."

He placed the crown gently on my head, and the weight of it felt both heavy and empowering. Raphael took my hand in his, his grip warm and reassuring. "We will speak later, Aurora," he said. "But not now. Perhaps at tonight's dinner you can announce what you wish to."

The crowd erupted into wild cheers and applause, the tension of the moment dissipating into a celebration. Music began to play, and flowers were thrown in our direction as Raphael and I stood together. I plastered a very fake smile as I stared up at the spectators.

"Lucianne! Lucianne! Lucianne!" They chanted my name, the whole arena slightly trembling under the weight of their echoes.

I glanced over at my family, their faces beaming with pride. Lance even had a big smile on his normally severe face. Yet, it all felt so wrong. Logan managed a small smile for me, but his eyes were still on Aurora, who stood glaring at me from across the arena. Her expression was one of both anger and frustration and something else. Something was eerily akin to apprehension and fear. There was little malice on her face, rather it was desperate that was etched on it instead.

Raphael leaned in close to me, his voice low so only I could hear. "There will be time to discuss everything," he said. "But for now, let us enjoy this victory. I knew you could do it."

I nodded, my heart still racing from the intensity of the duel and the almost-confrontation. As the celebration continued, I couldn't shake the feeling that the victory that was being celebrated would be very short-lived. Everything was going to fall apart at dinner. But for now, I would bask in the triumph and the joy of having achieved what I had worked so hard for, even if it would not last.

The music played on, and the crowd's cheers echoed through the arena. Raphael raised our joined hands in the air, and I couldn't help but smile. This was my moment, our moment. Nova skipped where she inhabited in my subconscious. Even if she was happy, she would finally be with her mate. But would her mate want her by the time all was said and truly done?

Raphael escorted me back to my room after my family was done congratulating me. We stopped at the door and I turned to retire to the room and freshen up, but his hand gently pulled me back. I looked back at him, my heart thumping wildly.

There was so much softness and pride in his eyes that I could have melted from the sweetness of his gaze alone. "Lucianne," my name on his lips was so intoxicating that my knees almost buckled under me.

"My mate," he murmured, closing the gap between us.

I gulped, my tongue suddenly numb in my mouth. I just gaped at him.

"I truly hope that you have forgiven me," he started. "I wish I had been a better man to you."

Said the man who had pulled out from the brink of death, brought me back to my family, trained me, and made an unbreakable vow to choose me no matter what happened. I gulped again, guilt making my throat dry.

"I never believed I would find my mate, but I am glad that the goddess thought to make you mine. You are truly a woman to behold," he praised.

I swooned, yet my dread only grew. "Rapheal..."

He shushed me with a finger to my lips. "I am speaking the truth." He sighed, gazing longingly at me. "My father had opened my eyes to my hard-headedness. I am lucky that someone let me see my wrong-doing."

Still, mine were far more heinous, but here he was disparaging himself, and trying to make my heart soften towards him. I did not deserve him. I had betrayed him, just as Jameson had betrayed me. I deserved the worst punishment. The punishment that he would most likely give me by the time he realized what I had done.

"I vow to spend the rest of our lives making up for what I..."

He was making yet another vow to his mate, who did not deserve the first vow. I could not in my right sense watch him make another mistake. In the heat of the moment, I pulled him by the collar and slammed his lips on mine.

He did not miss a beat, and he quickly melted into the kiss, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me closer. The warmth of his embrace and the intensity of his kiss sent shivers down my spine. For a moment, all my worries and guilt disappeared, replaced by the overwhelming sensation of being in his arms.

When we finally broke apart, we were both breathless. Raphael's eyes searched mine, confusion and desire reflecting in his gaze. "Lucianne..." he began. He got closer.

I placed a finger on his lips, silencing him. "Raphael, please. Not now," I said softly. "Let's enjoy the night with others."

A slow, heart-racing grin spread on his achingly handsome face. "As you wish, my Luna." He pulled into an embrace instead.

We stood there in the dim light of the corridor, holding each other close. The guilt pressed on me relentlessly and heavily but for now, I wanted to lose myself in this fleeting moment of happiness. I knew the truth would come out eventually, and when it did, everything would change. But until then, I would savor the warmth of Raphael's embrace and the sweetness of his kiss. And let the fact that I was falling for the man that would soon hate me haunt me.

After a few moments, Raphael gently pulled away. "You should rest a bit and freshen up," he said. "Tonight is a big night."

I nodded, feeling a knot of dread tightening in my stomach. "Yes, I should."

He leaned in and kissed my forehead. "I'll see you at dinner," he murmured, his breath warm against my skin.

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving me standing at the door of my room. I watched him go, my heart heavy with the weight of what was to come. I entered my room and closed the door behind me, leaning against it and taking a deep breath. The reality of the situation crashed down on me, and I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes. My heart had been broken by the first man I had loved. Now, I would break the heart of the second man that I was coming to love. The irony was an extra bitter kick.

Tonight, everything would change. I could only hope that when the truth came out, Raphael would find it in his heart to forgive me. Until then, I would hold onto the memory of our kisses and the feeling of his arms around me, a fleeting moment of solace before the storm.

The evening came quickly, and I got dressed by the handmaidens in the finest attire that I had ever seen. It was a green silk that matched perfectly with my eyes and adorned resplendent amber gems that resembled my hair. It was obviously hand-crafted by the best seamstresses. It must have taken weeks to have it prepared. Then it struck me like a whip on my bare back. Raphael had believed long ago that I would win, or he had resolved to choose me long before the night he had made that vow to me. I wiped my tears, trying to push back the rising tide of anxiety. As I made my way to the dining hall, I could hear the buzz of conversation and laughter. But I was led deeper to another room. As it would turn out, it was a private dining hall. The people present were mostly my family, Beta Reiner, and, of course, Aurora. I swallowed the lump that rose in my throat.

Raphael stood at the head of the table, his presence commanding and regal. He smiled when he saw me enter, and I made my way to his side, feeling the eyes of everyone in the room on me.

"Lucianne," he greeted me warmly, taking my hand and leading me to my seat. "You look stunning." His smile was so warm, that he could have swept me away.

"Thank you," I replied, forcing a smile. The room was filled with chatter and merriment, but I could feel the tension in the air. Aurora was seated a few places down from me, her eyes boring into mine with a mix of resentment and determination.

As the dinner progressed, I could barely taste the food. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and fears. I glanced at Aurora, who seemed to be waiting for the right moment to speak. Finally, as the plates were cleared and the room quieted down, she stood up.

"Alpha Raphael," she began. "There is something I must say."

The room fell silent, all eyes turning to Aurora. I held my breath, my heart pounding in my chest. This was it. The moment of truth.

But before Aurora could continue, Raphael raised a hand to stop her. "Aurora," he said firmly. "This is neither the time nor the place."

Aurora's eyes flashed with frustration. "But Alpha, this is important. The truth needs to be told."

Raphael's gaze hardened. "I will not have this celebration ruined. Whatever it is, it can wait." He spoke to her as though he was not speaking to a friend, but rather a stranger. What had occurred between them to cause such a huge rift, I wondered.

Aurora's shoulders sagged slightly, but she nodded reluctantly. "As you wish, Alpha."

Raphael turned to the rest of the room, his expression softening. "Let us continue the celebration," he said, raising his glass. "To Lucianne, the victor of the Luna's Duel and my future Luna."

The room erupted in cheers and applause, and the music resumed. But as I raised my glass to join the toast, I couldn't shake the feeling that this victory was fragile, teetering on the edge of a precipice.

Aurora sat back down, her gaze on me. I watched her eyes trail to her father, who I noticed was glaring almost openly at her. But nobody noticed because of the festivities. He mouthed something to her before I watched him turn his gaze to his left. Where my brother Logan sat. Then Aurora's complexion paled to the shade of paper. Then she got on her feet abruptly, the whole table turned in her direction.

My heart leaped into my throat.

"You are making a horrible mistake, Raphael," Aurora said, her voice trembling with urgency as she stood.

Raphael’s expression darkened, a clear warning in his eyes. "Aurora, sit down. This is not the place for—"

"I can’t keep silent anymore!" she interrupted, her voice rising. "Lucianne has deceived you all! She is not just a victim. She has been facilitating the Hannes, the family responsible for your family's slaughter, by giving them money and property over the years. She is the reason that those monsters have been revived despite everything you did to drive them to the ground. She kept this from you, Raphael!"

The room fell into a stunned silence. My breath caught in my throat as Aurora's words hung in the air. The room seemed to close in on me as everyone turned their gaze towards me.

Raphael's grip on his glass tightened, the knuckles turning white. "Aurora, you will stop this slander immediately," he said through gritted teeth.

But Aurora shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "It's not slander! It's the truth! Lucianne has been hiding it from you, from all of us!"

The room erupted into chaos. Voices rose in confusion and anger, questions flying across the table. I could feel the ground slipping out from under me, the walls closing in. I wanted nothing more than for the flood to open up and swallow me whole.

Raphael turned to me, his eyes filled with a betrayal that made my heart break. Then his expression became cold and unfeeling. "Is this true, Lucianne?" His voice was low, deadly calm.

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. My heart pounded in my chest, the truth pressing down on me like a suffocating weight. I could not breathe.

"Raphael, please," I finally managed to say. "I can explain—"

Hurt crossed his face as his eyes widened in surprise. Then it changed once again in a split second. "Explain?" Raphael's voice was sharp, cutting through the noise in the room. "How could you possibly explain this?"

Tears filled my eyes as I looked at him, my heart was breaking at the sight of the hurt caused him. "I didn't know the full extent of what I was doing. I was trying to help—"

"Help?" Raphael's voice rose, filled with anger and disbelief. "Why didn't you tell me something so important? Why did you keep me in the dark? And you let..." His voice fractured. "You let me... that night... you said nothing." Then his voice hardened, his crimson eyes glowing. The way they had done when he wanted to break the mate bond. He laughed. Maniacally, the sound lacked warmth or mirth. "You wretched woman. This was your plan. You trapped me." He laughed again, his laughter sending a chill down my spine as I held back my tears.