Chapter 16

Kayla

I really couldn’t believe Vanessa still had the nerve to come to my party, after all she had done.

She used to be my friend. My best friend. My only friend. And then she had slept with my fiance, on our wedding day no less.

Even looking at her now, all I could see was her bridesmaid dress pulled up around her waist, her head thrown back and her hair cascading over her shoulders as she rode the man who was supposed to be my husband.

Nothing could ever repair that. Nothing.

“As far as I know, you’re not on the guest list,” I said coldly, crossing my arms over my chest. “So tell me why the fuck you’re here.”

Vanessa’s face paled, but only for a moment. She lifted her chin. “Because I’m your best friend,” she replied, flashing that insincere smile that I had seen too many times before.

And how stupid I was for now realizing sooner just how insincere it was. But I knew now, and I wasn’t going to fall for it.

“Shut the fuck up,” I snarled. “Don’t insult the very notion of ‘best friends’ with your venomous tongue.”

She pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes at me. Suddenly, a familiar voice cut through the tension.

“Something wrong, babe?” Liam said, walking up behind her. He snaked his arm around her waist and tugged her close, pressing a kiss to her cheek before glaring at me. “Vanessa is my plus-one.”

I didn’t know why, because I hated Liam and didn’t want to feel an ounce of jealousy when it came to him, but seeing that scene caused my heart to ache like a crack splitting open. I clenched my fists so hard my nails began digging into my palms. I thought I might be sick just looking at them.

“She’s not welcome here,” I bit out, jabbing an accusatory finger at her. “Leave. Now.”

“Oh, Kayla, don’t be so petty,” Liam mocked, a smug grin spreading across his face. “It’s a party. Don’t you know how to have fun? Or have you lost all sense of that now that you’re a so-called ‘Luna’?”

His thinly veiled attempt at humiliating me just made my blood boil even more. I stormed over, closing the distance between us. Vanessa seemed to shrink a little beneath my shadow.

I may not have had a wolf of my own, but Vanessa knew how many countless hours I spent in the training ring, honing my combat skills. And besides, she was an Omega. I could take her down with my eyes closed and one hand tied behind my back.

Vanessa hid behind Liam. “Foolish,” she lilted, eyeing me suspiciously over her shoulder. “Don’t you want to know what’s going on with your pack? I know a lot. It would be unwise for you to hurt me when I could tell you whatever you want.”

My eyes narrowed, and I leaned back a little. “What have you done to my pack?” I demanded.

Vanessa laughed slyly, her eyes glinting with malice.

Seeing her unapologetic face just made me even angrier. I stepped forward, ready to tear her smug little face off, consequences be damned.

I knew I should play the perfect, graceful wife and Luna. Nicholas might be embarrassed by my actions, but I didn’t care. I preferred the side of me that was bold and true to myself.

But before I could reach her, Liam held out a hand and shoved me back. “Back off,” he warned.

“Or what?” I challenged, lifting my chin defiantly. “Afraid I’m going to hurt your little girlfriend and prove to everyone just how low you’ve fallen?”

At that moment, a strong hand came to rest on my shoulder. Warmth seeped through me, but before I could feel comforted by it, it yanked me back subtly. Not enough for anyone else to see—but it was a warning.

Behave. Let me handle it.

“Is there a problem here?” Nicholas asked, his voice cold as ice.

I turned slightly to see him standing beside me, his gaze fixed sternly on Liam and Vanessa.

Before they could say anything, he snapped his fingers at a nearby security guard and growled, “Please escort this lady out. Anyone my Luna doesn’t welcome, I don’t welcome either.”

Vanessa’s eyes went as wide as saucers. “You… You can’t be serious!” she exclaimed, her composure slipping. “I have the right to be here!”

“You have no right,” Nicholas remarked. “You weren’t invited, and this is an invite-only event.”

As he spoke, Nicholas tugged me closer, hauling me flush against his warm body. I couldn’t tell if he was trying to hold me back from brawling with her in front of all these people or if he was simply trying to comfort me. I suspected it was the former, but I did allow myself to lean into him.

But then, Isabella appeared out of nowhere. She wore a sleek navy blue dress with iridescent sequins that made her look every bit the snake she was.

“Vanessa is Liam’s girlfriend. I invited her,” she said with a huff. “Nicholas, don’t be so inconsiderate.”

Nicholas’s eyes flicked to his stepmother. “This is our event, Mother. And as Alpha, I decide who is welcome.”

There was a brief, tense silence. It seemed neither Isabella nor Vanessa were willing to back down, and were willing to cause a scene at this public event to get their way. Maybe they wanted a scene, so that it would prove that I wasn’t fully over what had happened with Liam.

Suddenly, I had an idea.

I spread a warm smile across my face and placed one hand on Nicholas’s chest. “Let them stay, darling. If Vanessa wants to witness our love story, then so be it.”

Nicholas raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flicking to life in his eyes as understanding dawned on him. “Whatever you wish, my love,” he said smoothly. “And actually, they’ll want to witness this: I have something for you.”

Before I could ask what he meant, he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a velvet box. My breath caught in my throat.

With a soft click, the box opened to reveal a perfect diamond ring—a massive, brilliant-cut stone that caught the light and sent a cascade of sparkles dancing across the room.

Gasps echoed around us. Even those who were used to grand occasions had never seen such a rare and beautiful diamond ring. I certainly hadn’t; as beautiful as the moonstone ring on my finger was, this was somehow even more exquisite.

Every Luna had her own moonstone ring and necklace to commemorate her marriage to an Alpha.

But this… no one had an engagement ring like this. Or at least, no one in a very, very long time.

I recognized this ring—the Luna’s Tear. It was said to have been worn by a queen 300 years ago, once a national treasure.

“I was hoping to do this later tonight, but I can’t wait any longer. I dedicate this ring to my beloved Luna, my sweet girl, Kayla,” Nicholas announced, his voice carrying across the room.

He knelt down on one knee, holding the ring up to me. “Kayla, my love, I know our wedding was unexpected. But if you’ll accept this ring, I promise I will throw you the grandest wedding ceremony you’ve ever seen.”

“Oh my Goddess!” someone exclaimed, and that began a ripple of murmurs that spread through the crowd.

“My husband would never—”

“So romantic!”

“He must really love her…”

Vanessa’s face changed instantly—jealousy, anger, envy, hatred—all converging into one deep, ugly scowl.

And meanwhile, I just stood there, clutching my hand to my mouth. Nicholas never once tore his eyes away from me. His face looked like it was etched out of marble as he looked up at me, his dark brow low across his eyes and his jaw set hard.

If this had been real, I might have been elated. Nicholas was everything a woman could want. Not even Liam had ever proposed to me like this. He had only casually mentioned marriage, then one day, during dinner, he handed me a ring without ceremony or emotion.

I blinked back tears and nodded, holding my trembling hand out.

Nicholas slid the ring onto my finger, and the crowd went up in cheers.

He held my hand tightly, not letting go. When he met my gaze again, it was as if his amber eyes were ablaze, tiny embers dancing around in their depths.

But it was mischief I saw there. Not love.

“Do you like it?” he asked, rising to his feet.

“Yes,” I said, calming myself. “It’s beautiful. You must have put a lot of thought into finding it.”

“For you, it’s nothing,” he replied, a subtle smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

More mischief in his eyes. Bastard. I was certain he’d have a good laugh about this later, at my expense no less, but at least Liam and Vanessa had been put in their place rather quickly.

Suddenly, Emma rushed forward, holding up her camera. “Can I take some photos for you?”

“Sure,” Nicholas replied, hugging me close and turning to face her. I resisted the urge to lay my cheek against his broad chest, reminding myself that this was all an act and that he was just playing me for a fool, as he had done so many times before.

Emma positioned herself, adjusting the camera settings, before she called out, “Alpha, Luna, please look at the camera—and kiss!”