Chapter 41

Ava

“Charmed, Alpha Chris.”

Lily extended her delicate, gloved hand toward Chris, her pale blue eyes twinkling with a knowing sort of charm. As Chris politely took her hand and brushed his lips across her knuckles, I felt my heart sink ever so slightly—although I wasn’t entirely sure why.

“I must admit, it’s a surprise to see you here, Miss Lily,” Chris said with a light chuckle.

Lily let out a tinkling laugh that sounded like tiny wind chimes on a breezy day. “I hope it’s a welcome one.”

“Certainly.” Chris turned toward me and gestured to me, his green eyes flashing with something I couldn’t quite read. “This is my Luna, Ava.”

Before I could even open my mouth to respond, Lily raised an eyebrow. “Luna?” she asked, cocking her head to the side. “Congratulations. I didn’t know there had been a wedding.”

I quickly shook my head, feeling the Elders shifting uncomfortably beside me. “Acting Luna,” I corrected. “Chris and I… We’re not…” My voice trailed off, and for the first time in my life, I genuinely felt too flustered to speak.

But Lily seemed like a smart woman. She nodded, a smile spreading across her face. She looked almost… relieved. “I see,” she said. “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you, Acting Luna Ava.”

“You as well.” I dipped my head respectfully, watching as Lily turned toward Chris.

“Alpha Chris,” she said, “I was actually hoping to speak with you about a specific matter. Could we…?”

Chris paused for a moment, shooting me a questioning glance. I nodded politely, and he turned back to Lily. “Certainly,” he said.

With that, Lily looped her arm through Chris’s elbow and led him away. I watched them go, my chest tightening as the beautiful young woman held his arm in a manner that, for reasons I didn’t want to admit, made me feel a bit empty.

“Quite the catch, isn’t she?”

I turned to find Elise regarding me with a measured expression on her face. She nodded towards where Lily and Chris now stood on the other side of the banquet hall, already deep in conversation with drinks in their hands.

“We knew a union between the Moonrise and Moonstone packs would be fortuitous,” Elder Fatima chimed in before I could manage to find the right words. “And with Lily coming of age to take a mate, well…”

“It seems the stars have aligned for us,” Elder Degas added, leaning on his cane.

My stomach churned as the realization fully set in, although a part of me had already had an inkling already.

“An arranged marriage,” I said softly, my eyes still fixed on Chris and Lily. “Doesn’t that feel a bit… archaic?”

Elise’s expression softened. “There’s a difference between an arranged marriage and a forced marriage, Ava,” she said, placing her hand on my arm and following my gaze. “We’re simply pushing them in the right direction, that’s all. If they truly don’t want it, then no one will make them do it.”

“But they’re certainly compatible,” Fatima added.

I swallowed hard, my eyes stinging as I watched Chris throw his head back in laughter at something Lily had said. Of course he would like her. She was poised, polished—everything a Luna should be. It made sense. They were compatible.

“He won’t like this,” I said, my voice small. “He’ll realize what you’ve done and he’ll be angry.”

“We’ll see,” Elise replied evenly. “Love can blossom from the most unexpected of arrangements, if given time to take root and grow.”

“Chris is no fool,” Degas added. “It may not be love at first sight, but he’ll see the benefits of such an arrangement. He may refuse at first, but he’ll come to his senses.”

Perhaps they were right, I realized as Chris looped his arm back through Lily’s and began leading her toward the courtyard. He deserved someone like her—someone who could be a true asset to his pack.

We were never meant to be together. We had had a few good nights, a fun fling, but it couldn’t have gone any further. I was too old for him, I had already been married, and I could never be his Luna here.

The thought made my heart ache, but I shoved it down. He needed to stay, after all. It was my mission to make him stay. And if this was what would make Chris stay here in Moonstone pack, then I would get over it and support him.

The cocktail hour commenced, and I nursed a glass of wine as I watched Chris and Lily flit about the room, deep in hushed conversation. Every laugh that fell from her rose-petal lips was like a dagger in my chest, but I quelled the feelings with more wine.

I was so engrossed in my thoughts, however, that I didn’t notice Leonard approach until he cleared his throat beside me. “You’re looking rather lonesome over here all by yourself.”

I startled, blinking up at the silver-haired man smiling down at me. “Oh, Leonard,” I said, nodding my head politely as I took in his snappy, well-tailored suit—it was rare to see the farmer in anything other than beaten-up trousers and a button down, but it wasn’t an unwelcome sight. “You look nice.”

“I was just about to say the same to you.” Leonard’s eyes briefly flitted across my dress, causing me to blush. “You look lovely. Too lovely to be standing on your own, looking as though you’ve just seen a ghost.”

I swallowed and managed a thin smile. “I was just thinking, that’s all.”

“Thinking? Or watching them?” He asked, tipping his head towards where Chris and Lily now stood, her hand lingering on his forearm as they talked.

My cheeks flushed, but I didn’t bother denying it. Instead, I took a long sip of my wine. “They seem to have hit it off,” I admitted quietly.

Leonard hummed in agreement. “The young Alpha certainly seems taken with her.”

We lapsed into silence, watching as Lily batted her long lashes up at Chris. I felt my throat beginning to burn.

“You know…” Leonard began hesitantly. “If you’re feeling down, my offer still stands; you’re always welcome to stop by my cottage for tea. Or perhaps I could pay a visit and take a look at your garden—those oranges were so delicious, I admit I’m craving more.”

I glanced up at him, registering the sincere kindness in his eyes. He was a good man, I knew. Maybe a little friendly company wouldn’t be so bad. I drew in a slow breath and offered him a small smile.

“That sounds nice, Leonard. Thank you.”

He returned the smile before dipping into a slight bow and turning to go, leaving me alone once more to contend with my churning emotions. The crowd was stifling—I needed air.

I slipped out of the banquet hall and into the dimly lit corridor, leaning back against the wall as I struggled to catch my breath. What was I doing, getting so worked up over this? Chris and I were never meant to be. I had already been over this with myself, and with him, a thousand times.

I should have been happy for him.

“Well, well. Got tired of moping in there so you came to mope out here instead?”

The snide voice made my stomach lurch. I glanced up to find Olivia gliding toward me with a cruel smile twisting her lips.

“What do you want, Olivia?” I hissed before I could even stop myself.

Olivia chuckled. “Oh, nothing,” she said. “I only needed some fresh air myself. It reeks of romance in there.”

I shot her a sidelong look. “Do you not approve of the pairing?”

“Of course I approve,” Olivia snapped back. “They’ll make an excellent pair—far better than you. But I suppose you never stood a chance anyway, which is only made even more glaringly obvious by her sheer beauty. You’ve always been a bit… plain, haven’t you, Ava?”

I felt my cheeks burn at her words. I wanted to retort, but I bit my tongue, just hoping she would get bored and leave.

But her dark eyes glinted maliciously as she leaned in closer. “You already knew that, though,” she hissed, her voice low. “You realized just how plain you are when I stole your husband right out from under you.”

My hand itched to slap her, to wipe that hateful sneer off her face. But I remained rooted in place, my jaw clenched tightly to keep the tears at bay. I would not give her the satisfaction.

Olivia scoffed at my lack of response. “Nothing to say?”

Suddenly, the sound of the banquet hall door creaking open caused us both to jerk our heads up. My heart leapt into my throat as Chris’s familiar voice rang out.

“Ava? Where did you go?”