Chapter 19
Ethan's POV
Marlus’s words cut through my thoughts like a knife. “The Alpha Council vote is in ten days,” he reminded me. "We’ve secured four votes, including the one Olivia locked in for us."
I nodded, the weight of the impending vote pressing heavily on my mind. It was another reason to keep my focus on the pack, not on personal feelings that couldn’t go anywhere.
Olivia had done her part, securing a crucial vote through Alpha Gideon’s daughter, and I had to stay sharp, play the long game.
Marlus handed me an envelope. “There’s a birthday party coming up. An undecided Alpha we could sway. His vote could tip the balance.”
I took the invitation from him, glancing at it. The VIP room at Apex Nighclub. It didn’t surprise me. Alpha Kade had a notorious reputation as a playboy: mistresses, wild parties, the works. Exactly the kind of thing I hated.
“Should I inform your Luna?” Marlus asked, watching me carefully.
I paused. The thought of Olivia in a place like that… No, I wouldn’t put her in that situation, not with those kinds of people. Especially not with the possibility of him there.
Marlus continued, “Aiden will be attending the party as well.”
That confirmed it. I didn’t need Olivia anywhere near Aiden, especially in that kind of environment.
“No,” I said, shaking my head. “Send Grace instead.” Grace could handle herself in any setting, and Marlus would understand. There was no need to drag Olivia into this any more than necessary.
Marlus nodded and left me with the invitation. I stared at it for a moment, feeling the tension rise in my chest.
Politics. Every move I made had to be calculated. But with Olivia, it was harder to keep things separate, harder to stick to the plan.
Aiden’s name kept ringing in my ears. He was going to be there, probably for the same reason I was going.
I crumpled the edge of the invitation in my hand. Aiden wouldn’t win this time. Not in politics, and definitely not when it came to Olivia.
Olivia's POV
I was elbow-deep in my latest experiment when my phone vibrated on the counter. Mia's name flashed across the screen, and I debated for a second whether to answer, knowing it couldn’t be good news if she was interrupting me.
With a sigh, I pulled off my gloves and pressed the phone to my ear.
"Apex nightclub, Olivia, get over here now!" Mia's voice was urgent and furious.
"Mia, I'm in the middle of a product test. I’m not in the mood to go clubbing." I tried to keep my tone calm, though the stress of juggling everything – my Pack, Ethan, the business – was starting to fray my patience.
"I saw Ethan with that girl from the hospital. They just went into VIP together!"
Her words hit me like a ton of bricks. Ethan went to Apex with Grace. I hadn’t thought much about catching Grace and Ethan talking in her hospital room, but hearing they’re together made my chest ache.
I closed my eyes, mentally preparing myself for what I might see. "I'll be there in twenty," I said, hanging up before Mia could say more.
I wasn’t sure if I would walk into a disaster or yet another test of this complicated life I was stuck in.
Apex Nightclub was a beacon of luxury and exclusivity. Dozens of people mingled outside, the line buzzing with energy.
I spotted Mia near the entrance, fuming, her eyes scanning the crowd as if she were on a personal mission.
“There you are!” She grabbed my arm, not bothering with hellos, and dragged me inside. “You’re not going to believe this. They wouldn’t let me into the VIP section! Not even when I told them who you are.”
Her words barely registered as I tried to take in my surroundings. The atmosphere at Apex was suffocating. So many emotions hit me from every direction.
I swayed as Mia pulled me toward an empty table, her frustration palpable. “We’re not leaving until we see them. Trust me, Liv. She’s up to something.”
I slid into the seat; my mind was spinning trying to sort through a buffet of feelings as Mia kept talking.
“This place is notorious, babes. Top-notch security and privacy for the elite. You can buy anything, do anything, fuck anyone... are you listening?”
There was a clause about loyalty, sure, but there was also the unspoken understanding that we weren’t really each other’s keepers. Not in the way mates were supposed to be. I shouldn’t care that he was here with Grace.
I shouldn’t care that he didn’t even tell me about the party.
“Luna Olivia?” A familiar voice broke into my thoughts, catching me off guard. I looked up to see a Luna I recognized from the Gala that Ethan and I attended. She approached with a curious smile.
“Are you not with Ethan tonight?” she asked, her head tilting slightly. “I thought you’d be here together for Alpha Kade’s birthday party.”
I forced a smile, brushing off her question with a casual excuse. “I was busy with work. We came separately.” Satisfied, she nodded and drifted toward the VIP area, leaving me with a sinking feeling in my stomach.
Mia leaned in close, her voice low. “What’s really going on, Liv? You two seemed perfect at the wedding, but something feels off.”
I swallowed hard. Mia had been one of the few people I could trust, and I couldn’t keep lying to her anymore.
With a sigh, I leaned closer and confessed, the bitterness creeping into my voice. “It’s a contract marriage, Mia. There’s no love between us. The agreement keeps our Pack safe, nothing more.”
Mia’s eyes widened in disbelief. “A contract? But you’re his Luna.” She hissed.
I nodded. “The wedding was for show. If Ethan withdraws his support, we won’t survive against Aiden. He keeps us afloat, financially and politically.”
Mia stared at me, shock turning into something darker, maybe pity. I couldn’t get a clear read on her with all the other emotions pushing down on me.
She flagged down a server and ordered two martinis and four shots. “Well, if that’s the case, we might as well drink. No use sitting here waiting to catch him in the act.”
As the alcohol burned its way down my throat, I tried to let the tension slip away, but it was no use. Coming here was a mistake.
Before I could say as much, a smooth voice sliced through the noise of the club. “Well, well, if it isn’t the famous Luna Olivia. Has Ethan already grown tired of you already?”
I turned toward the source, my blood running cold as I saw Aiden standing there. He looked conflicted, but the man beside him, the speaker, was grinning ear to ear. Whoever this man was, he was trouble.
I straightened my back and kept my voice steady despite the tension clawing at my insides. “Maybe you’ll be disappointed to know that he hasn’t openly cheated with another woman just yet.”
Aiden’s face reddened with my sarcasm, and for a second, I thought I saw regret flicker in his eyes. But it vanished just as quickly.
The man stalked closer. His voice was low but firm. “Olivia, someone else owns Ethan’s heart. He could never truly love you.”
