Chapter 24 As the plane touched down at Northspire International Airport, Eleanor Knight finally relented and forgave Lucas Chase. Throughout the flight, she had grilled him relentlessly, making sure he…
Chapter 23 Sunlight streamed through the airplane window, scattering flecks of gold across the cabin floor. When Eleanor Knight opened her eyes, she found herself staring into a pair of…
Chapter 22 “Our first meeting was actually a month before that night at the bar.” Lucas Chase’s voice was soft, but it was like a key suddenly unlocking a flood…
Chapter 21 The engine roared as Eleanor Knight stepped on the gas, leaving the scene behind. In the rearview mirror, Sebastian Sinclair’s crumpled figure grew smaller until it became nothing…
Chapter 35 [Third–Person’s POV) Alexander couldn’t exactly put his feelings into words at that moment. As he gazed down at the delicate form of his Luna, he was struck with several conflicting emotions. He was still, somewhat, angry at her for being so neglectful toward her own needs. But that anger melded into concern real quick when he caught sight of just how exhausted she truly was. He felt defensive of her earlier behavior toward him when Claire was there to take her measurements. The more his thought lingered, the more he was able to understand that what she was feeling was anxiety and, perhaps, a bit of self–consciousness. His theory was clearly proven when he noticed the types of books that were towering around her. They were all about etiquette and how one should properly carry themselves in and out of the house. Alexander could briefly recall what few lessons he was taught when he was young. The very thought was enough to make him cringe. No one gets very far in life when they’re told to sit back and be quiet. Better still, he knew that Evelyn was going to soon be surrounded by a bunch of other Lunas who were properly taught how to carry themselves out in public society. Obviously, the dress wasn’t enough to give her the confidence boost she needed. Alexander had a hard time imagining Evelyn reposed and quiet. It wasn’t as though he thought she was ill–mannered, she just happened to have the ability to speak out when it came to some kind of injustice. And as far as her appearance went… Evelyn was normally put together. Although, in this instance, he couldn’t exactly say the same. Her clothes were disheveled and her hair was wildly sticking out of the bun she’d originally put it up in. She was a mess but Alexander had never seen her look more relaxed and at peace since she’s officially moved into his home. There was an easy delicateness about her features that he…
Chapter 34 I’m not giving up. I have to find something that’s going to help me. had already My eyes were tired and I had no idea how long I’d been hauled in that part of the house. All I knew was that the sun had set beneath the horizon and I was purely exhausted. My vision was becoming too blurry to focus and see straight. Everything became hazy around me. Maybe I could just let my eyes rest for a little bit… [Third–Person’s POV] Where the fuck is she?! To say Alexander was agitated was a total understatement. It was well past midnight and a majority of the staff had all retired for the evening. Even Nina bid him goodnight and left for her private room. But Evelyn was nowhere to be found. It wasn’t like her to wander the halls so late at night–not that he believed that was what she was doing. Then again, Alexander had no idea what his wife was up to. When dinner came around, he was stunned to find that Evelyn hadn’t joined him in the dining room like she always did. He’d asked Nina where she was and all the housekeeper told him was that Evelyn was in the library and that she didn’t wish to be disturbed. Alexander was by no means bothered by the fact that Evelyn had taken to spending her time in the library. It just seemed like she was intentionally avoiding him. Alexander first noticed Evelyn’s slight shift in behavior earlier when he had Claire come over to help her with the new dress fitting. Evelyn couldn’t have appeared less interested in the idea of getting a new dress. In fact, she seemed downright upset with him insisting on the matter. Right as he’d been gearing up for an argument, she immediately folded and let the issue drop. Alexander felt like he was getting whiplash. He didn’t know what to do or how to deal with it. So, like usual, he buried himself in his work until it came time for him to call it quits and head to bed. Only, Evelyn wasn’t there. And needless to say, the man was beginning to grow concerned. He called for Oliver and when the Betal showed up and demanded answers. “Evelyn can’t possibly still be in the library. Where the hell is she?” he snarled. Oliver shook his head. “Sir, I haven’t seen her come out of the library since she first went in this afternoon.” That’s impossible. Did that mean she hadn’t eaten anything all day? What the hell is she thinking? Without a second thought, Alexander stormed down the hall toward the library with a very frantic Oliver chasing after him. “Sir!” he hissed loudly. “Sir, wait!” 1/2…
Chapter 33 [Evelyn’s POV] +30 Bonus The personal fitting with Claire had gone off without any further issues. Once Alexander had left, much of the tension had with him. gone Claire offered me a kind, reassuring smile. “Don’t worry,” she said. “I’m going to make sure that you’re the best–looking Luna at that gathering.” I tried to return her smile but my worry toward the gathering was just too great to ignore. Honestly, when all of it was said and done, the dress didn’t matter. Nor the shoes. Nor the jewelry. Anyone could look like they belonged at a Luna gathering. It all depended on the clothes one would wear. Dressing the part was one thing…However, acting the part of the sophisticated and dependable Luna was a complete other. This wasn’t just any other gathering. The royal family was the one hosting, which meant the pressure was twice as heavy on my shoulder. Normally, Claire and I would fall into numerous deep conversations while she would be fitting me for my clothing. Not this time. There were far too many thoughts that were occupying my mind and I knew I needed to do something about them. What if I ended up saying the wrong thing? What if I accidentally acted out of turn? Oh, God. What if I made a fool of myself in front of the literal Alpha King?? The mere thought of the possibility made me shudder internally. There had to be something I could do to settle my nerves and ease my worries…. There has to be a way for me to learn basic social etiquette skills before the gathering, There was no point in lying to myself, when it came to social cues, I knew very little. The whole prim and proper image that most I knew very little women were meant to stick to, for someone in my particular status, never suited me. I was never the stand–still and quiet type. Yes, I knew when to be respectful and to whom; however, I wasn’t the kind of person to sit back and do nothing. I wanted to make a positive change in whichever pack I was with. I wanted to discover new ways to help people and make them feel secure. Wanting t to be hands–on in my pack was a considerable strong suit. Unfortunately, it was also my biggest downfall. There had to be a way for me to learn how to tamper down my attitude… “Alright that should do it,” Claire announced with a satisfied look. I hardly glanced at myself in the mirror. The dress was far from being completed. But from the current looks of it, it was set to be one of the finest pieces I had ever worn. “Thank you, Claire.” 1/2 +30 BonusS “Do you want to take a look at any of the jewels that Alexander has pre–selected for you?” she asked. Not really. What I really needed to do was start up on some personal research….
Chapter 32 [Evelyn’s POV] “Oh my God….How the hell am I going to do this?” I whispered to myself. As the date of the Luna Gathering dawned closer, my anxiety decided to return with worrisome vengeance. I tried to keep reminding myself that I wasn’t, necessarily, going to be alone this time. Alexander for one reason or another agreed to accompany me to the event. Truthfully, I shouldn’t have been nervous at all. It wasn’t as though I’d never gone to one of these events before. Unfortunately, I’d been dragged to many gatherings such as this one in the past. Each one felt like a mere mimic of the one before it. One of the main reasons why I was dubbed as the ‘wild child‘ was mainly because of my lack of interest in general social topics. I had very little care in high fashion and the newest makeup and hair trends. It made it difficult to relate to people and for them to want to connect with me. This whole situation was nothing new to me… Yet, for some reason, things were different this time around. Perhaps, it was because I wasn’t attending as just another Alpha’s daughter. I was a Luna now. That title placed me into a whole other category that I wasn’t entirely used to yet. My attendance was completely mandatory. Sure, I shared in the responsibilities with Grandma Wendy when I could, but when it came to my duties as a wife, my relationship with Alexander was all but nonexistent. Just one more factor to make me unrelatable to those around me. I was sort of hoping that since Alexander had introduced me to the soldiers it would have done something to help aid our relationship. But no. There was hardly any passing communication between us. And, as far as any intact went…Let’s just say that the beds in the master bedroom were still kept apart. I kept recalling Nina’s words about how I managed to leave a strong impression on Alexander, but had I? It certainly didn’t feel like I had He was still keeping me at a distance without so much as a word. It was almost impossible to not take something like that personally. Especially, because I genuinely believed that he and I had reached some kind of mutual connection when we spoke out about our mothers. Knock Knock Knock. The sudden knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to glance over my shoulder to find Nina peeking into the room. “What is it, Nina?” 1/3 +30 Bonus “Alexander is looking to meet with you down in the drawing room,” she said with a glimmer in her eye….
Chapter 31 [Evelyn’s POV] +30 Bonus It wasn’t until I left Alexander’s side that I was finally able to breathe naturally. I hadn’t realized how much anxiety I’d been holding in since this morning until my chest opened up and my hands finally stopped shaking. Although it was pleasing that I was now recognized as the pack’s Luna, I still found myself somewhat nervous around Alexander. Any possible wrong move would result in my immediate death, it seemed. So much has happened since this morning, and I was eager to tell Nina and Wendy everything. I calmly passed through the halls, doing my best to keep my calm. Nina was quick to answer the door when I knocked As I entered Wendy’s room, I was glad to see her resting in her usual spot near the large window in the back of the house. She lifted her head up from the book she’d been reading and graced me with a smile. “Hello, dear,” she hummed. “From what Nina’s told me, it sounds as though you may have had a busy day. You went to the camps, correct?” I gave a tentative nod. “Yes.” Both Nina and Wendy noticed the demeanor grow tense. Nina stepped forward with a freshly poured cup of tea in her hands. “Did something happen, Evelyn?” she asked. I happily accepted the offered cup and took a few tentative sips. “Well, for starters, Alexander did not ask for me to come out to the camps.” Nina raised her brows in question. “What do you mean?” “I mean that Fiona tried to set me up as a means of hoping to get me kicked out of the pack,” I muttered darkly. I had purposely kept out the part of nearly losing my life as a means to keep the peace in the room. Meanwhile, the two women were well engrossed in my explanation of what happened at the camps. I’d told them about Fiona setting me up, her throwing the ornate box, and then of her being temporally expelled from the pack as punishment. Nina’s jaw was practically on the floor, whereas Wendy pursed her lips in a disdainful smile. “Well, it serves her right for trying to pull off such a dirty scheme,” she said tightly. “Fiona may be a decent doctor, but she’s still someone who prides herself over material things and social status.” “How did you manage to convince Alexander you weren’t trying to spy on him?” Nina asked eagerly. The corner of my mouth curved into a soft smile. “As it would happen, Alexander and I both possess similar–looking necklaces that once belonged to our mothers. Fiona tried to lie, making it seem like I had no respect or conscience toward Alexander’s possessions when I, myself, held something nearly identical to my heart, as well.”…
Chapter 30 [Evelyn’s POV] “It’s mandatory that I attend this event, correct?” I asked stiffly. I hadn’t meant to sound so hesitant or awkward; however, the words seemed to have fallen out of my mouth before I could get at chance to stop them. Oliver nodded his head. “Yes, madam,” he responded curtly. “Usually, it’s the Alpha’s daughters who have a chance to decline the invitation. But all Lunas are required to be in attendance. Attending gatherings such as these is considered a vital part of any Luna’s responsibilities.” My stomach lurched in response. Wonderful, I tried to get past the lump in my throat while nodding my head. I hid my anxiety over the upcoming Luna gathering behind a false smile. While Oliver and Alexander went on about necessary preparations pertaining to the event that he wanted to plan, I did my best to keep my nerves under control. I was by no means a fan of social gatherings. It wasn’t as though I thought I was going to make a fool of myself, but it always ended up feeling like a complete outsider. It never mattered how I dressed, or how I carried myself…My reputation for being a ‘wild child‘ was just something that I could never escape. Just the mere thought of having to parade myself around sent a cold silver down my spine. I honestly wondered if there was a way I could talk my way out of having to go. Come on, Evelyn. Alexander just started to open up to you. His trust and your connection with him are on the line. Unfortunately, my inner voice had a point. What kind of a message would it send to the pack if word got out that I didn’t attend the Luna gathering? I just needed to take several deep breaths and find a way to cope, In the midst of my panic taking root, Alexander must have sensed my uneasiness. Unspokenly, he placed a hand on my lower back. I tried to focus on the warmth from his hand and ignore the growing tension in my chest. Right as we reached his tent, Alexander stopped. Both Oliver and I shared a quick, questionable look at each other before turning to glance back at Alexander. “Sir?” “Oliver, change of plans. We’re heading back to the house. I want to make sure that Nina is brought up to date on the current schedule. Whatever is left on Evelyn’s schedule–cancel it. She’s had a long day and needs to rest.” Chapter 20. +30 Bonus Before I could get a chance to argue, Oliver was already nodding his head and the three of us…
