Chapter 18

Through Olivia’s Eyes

I must be confused. I was still dreaming, right? Why else would Elroy be in here, looking at me like that?

Nope, my wolf said cheerfully. You are 100% awake right now!

There was a long moment of silence where I just stared into his eyes, which were blown wide in interest. My body, still hot from the dream, reacted accordingly as the tension rose.

One of us was going to break the stalemate. I just didn’t know who.

The answer was Elroy, whose voice was low and rough as he said, “Pleasant dreams, then, Luna?” Oh, he knew exactly what I’d been dreaming about.

“Oh, it was alright,” I sighed, smirking teasingly up at him. A growl reverberated in his chest. “You woke me up before I could…grasp the whole girth of the dream.”

“Well, I humbly apologize,” he said breathlessly, staring down at me like I was prey.

“Right, well,” I said, turning onto my side as if to dismiss him, “I’m going to try to get back to bed before the dream fades away. If you don’t mind…?” Elroy’s eyes flashed dangerously, and I bit my lip to hide the smile that wanted to break out on my face.

I liked this game.

Elroy ducked his head down close, nosing at the side of my neck as he murmured next to my ear. “I thought you said it was just ‘alright,’” he said, so low it sounded dangerous. I shrugged.

“Well, I’d hate to miss the story’s climax,” I said casually. “It was just getting interesting.”

Elroy’s growl rumbled in his chest, and he surprised me by rolling his hips hard against my ass. I gasped. The outline of his cock, hard and heavy like a promise, made my pussy clench in anticipation.

He only ground on me once, like a horrible tease. He wanted me to crack first, but I wasn’t going to. Instead, when he pulled away, I smiled up at him like I didn’t miss the press of that cock.

“You’re going to regret this,” he said lowly. I tilted my head, still smiling.

“I’m not sure what you mean,” I said. “More sleep can only be a good thing, right? Especially with tomorrow being my first day as Luna—I have to be sharp for the pack, you know?”

Elroy chuckled darkly, silently conceding momentary defeat as he peeled himself away from me. “Right, of course. Your official duties don’t start for a few more days, but it’s important for you to get to know the pack.”

“Exactly,” I said sweetly. “I’m glad you understand.”

Elroy chuckled again, something both promising and menacing that made my core ache. I’d won the battle, but he hadn’t given up the war. What a thrill!

“Get back to sleep then, Olivia,” he said, stepping away from the bed. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Of course!” I chirped. Then, as he was halfway out the door, I called out, “I hope you have sweet dreams too, Alpha.”

All he did was shut the door, and I giggled. I was having so, so much fun playing with my food—I didn’t even mind that now I’d have to settle for my fingers. His face in the morning when he smelled my orgasm on me would be worth it.

I was invited to a banquet. My very first day as Luna, and I was already going to have to navigate a banquet. Fuck.

Elite wolves held small banquets all the time, mostly as a show of status and to spread gossip, and they were a never-ending landmine of interactions. People would be clamoring to see me after yesterday’s ceremony, and I knew I’d be utterly exhausted by the end of it. Still, it was my first invitation, and I needed to start making myself active in Eclipse’s social circle to gain a solid footing here, so I went.

Jordan had taken care to doll me up, not flamboyantly but enough to highlight the parts of my face I liked the most. Since this was a luncheon banquet it wasn’t as formal as one held for dinner, so I wore a retro, knee-length dress in deep maroon—Eclipse’s pack color. Might as well send some subliminal messaging, right?

Once I was certain that my appearance was on-point, all my jewelry matched and my hair pulled to once side so my Mark was on full display, I steeled myself and headed out. It was time for me to get the lay of the land in this pack.

Except…everyone avoided me.

I was thrown off, honestly, not sure how to proceed, but I couldn’t just leave. So I held my head high and made for the hors d’oeuvres, determined to find somebody to chat with. I was disgusted to find many of the plates had tuna, something I knew I couldn’t eat while pregnant, and the only drinks were alcoholic.

Oh, they were trying to make me feel unwelcome. Well, the joke was on them, because I’d spent years being overlooked and I wasn’t about to break down over it now. I swiped up a plate of rice pilaf and started inquiring where I could find the hostess.

It was one of the waitstaff who warned me. The hostess, Rita, had openly pursued Elroy for years and considered herself the next rightful Luna—which of course meant she didn’t like me one bit. Everyone at this banquet was one of her cronies.

I rolled my eyes. Of course—that explained the way everyone was ignoring me, and why the high council had recommended this party in particular. They all wanted me to have some kind of meltdown at the disrespect so they could have something to point at and say ‘See, we told you she’s not worthy!’

So it was time for me to emulate my mother and give absolutely zero fucks.

“Miss Rita!” I smiled, walking right up to her. “I wanted to thank you for extending me an invitation. Your garden is beautiful.”

Rita smiled tightly, while the guests she had been speaking to shifted uncomfortably. I doubted any of them had expected me to actually talk to them. Maybe they’d thought I’d just storm out?

Still, people like this could never pass up the opportunity to brag. “Thank you,” she said, conspicuously not calling me Luna. “We use the same gardener as the Alleghany manor—as you can see, he’s worth every penny.”

“Yes, clearly! Your family gets their money from…liquor, I assume? Or maybe seafood? Since that’s nearly all you’re serving.”

Rita seethed. “My family,” she grit out, “are the finest glass artisans in Lunaris. I’d assumed you had heard of us, but I suppose Moonshadow isn’t very worldly.”

I just laughed off her obvious jibe. “Perhaps,” I said, “but it seems like Eclipse could use some of their medical knowledge. In Moonshadow everyone knows not to serve tuna and wine to a pregnant lady!”

Well, this conversation had gotten real awkward, real fast—exactly as I’d intended. Everyone knew exactly what Rita had done here, but they clearly weren’t prepared for me to call her out on it. Now she was humiliated, and that made it the perfect time to get her alone for a stern talking-to.

“Miss Rita, would you be willing to show me some of your family’s art?” I asked. “I haven’t had the chance to enjoy it since the exhibit a few years back.”

“Why of course,” Rita said, her smile sickly sweet. “If you’ll follow me to the showroom?”

I didn’t realize that by walking away from the party guests, I’d be walking away from whatever social pressures kept Rita from speaking her mind.

She whirled on me as soon as we were out of earshot of the banquet, shocking me with her blatant snarl. “Get off your high fucking horse,” she hissed venomously. “Elroy doesn’t love you—he’ll never love you.”

I was stunned by her vitriol, and before I could get my tongue together to tell her that wasn’t the devastating news she thought it was, she was continuing.

“He’s only with you for the prophecy,” she said, jabbing a finger into my chest. “Or didn’t he tell you? It was prophesied by Eclipse’s very first priestess: someday a child would be born of rival bloodlines, and that child would be the strongest Wolf King to ever live.

“That’s why our Alphas have always had at least one lover from Moonshadow, in the hopes of creating that oh-so-special heir. Alpha Elroy’s had at least a dozen himself. You’re just the lucky one that got knocked up.”

I went cold. I had never heard anything about such a prophecy—she could easily be lying, but the smug look of victory on her face told me she wasn’t. It couldn’t be true…could it?

Elroy couldn’t really be that kind of man, could he?