Chapter 4 The Lie

• I shut the door to my room, my heart beating fast.
• I know Jeremy is ruthless and wild and that he would do anything for me as he has always treated me like an adored little sister, but not to the extent of murdering someone.
• I couldn’t possibly consent to that, my conscience would not let me.
• I have already lost three kids, my mother and my father. I know more than anyone what it means to lose a loved one, and I cannot take a mother away from her child.
• The very thought makes my skin crawl.
• Why would Jeremy even suggest such to me? He may be looking out for me, but that is way too extreme.
• I collapsed on my bed, thinking of what to do. On the way here, I saw the decorations going on in the main pack hall. No one needs to tell me it is for the wedding, although Jace has not spoken to me about it himself.
• In fact, since Alina came, I rarely see him.
• I stare at the portrait of me and Jace hanging on the wall, looking like a perfect couple, and sadness seize me in a vice grip.
• There has been nothing perfect about our marriage, it’s all just been an illusion in my head, a fantasy I desperately wanted to be true.
• Jace doesn’t love me, he has never said that to me, but he always treated me well and never condemned me for the stillbirths, well, until the day Alina showed up.
• I know before his wedding ceremony to Alina, a rejection ceremony will have to happen where Jace will have to reject me and denounce me as Luna in front of the whole pack.
• The thought alone fills me with so much shame that I shudder. I cannot take it. I have to talk to Jace, tell him that he should allow me to keep what little dignity I have left and reject me privately.
• ‘Where are you? There’s something I want to discuss with you,’ I mindlink him.
• ‘Busy,’ he replies coldly and drops the mindlink instantly.
• My heart lurches with pain, not used to being treated like this. He used to be always soft and tender with me.
• Even if he was busy, he’d take time to explain to me, not just cut me off like this.
• Has it all been a pretence? Is he being his real self now that he doesn’t have to pretend anymore?
• My eyes pool with tears and I let them fall, feeling dejected and broken inside.
• In this moment, my stomach growls, reminding me that I haven't eaten any real food in days.
• I sigh and mindlink Tracy. ‘Please bring some food to my room.’
• Tracy replies, ‘I’m sorry Luna, but the new Luna has banned anyone from entering the kitchen without her permission.’
• New Luna?
• Does Tracy mean Alina?
• I haven't interacted much with the lady to know what sort of character she has, but imposing herself as Luna before the wedding and making rules certainly says a lot about her.
• Bile immediately rises to my throat and I bolt up from the bed, storming to the kitchen to rip the so-called new Luna, but I halt halfway down the stairs.
• What is the need?
• I will only be making a fool of herself.
• Sooner than later, Alina will be Luna and I will be cast away from this home. The house belongs to Alina more than it belongs to me now.
• I continue down the stairs, deciding to have dinner at a restaurant instead.
• “We’re going to the blue diamond restaurant,” I say to my driver once I step out of the house, and he hurriedly walks to open the door to my Rolls-Royce.
• “I’m going out with that car, you can take another one,” Alina’s voice comes from behind me.
• “Excuse me?” I turned to face her, fighting to keep the storm of anger brewing inside me at bay at the nerves of this woman.
• I’m still Luna and have no problem using my authority to put Alina in her place, but I don't want to create a scene where there need not be one. However, Alina is really asking for it.
• “Let me rephrase,” Alina replies in a haughty voice, counting her words as she pushes her son in front of her, “the heir to the pack is going shopping, and he would like to go in that car.”
• I look at the little boy, the uncanny resemblance to Jace haunting me, there is no doubt that he is indeed his father’s son.
• I wonder if any of my dead children would have looked like Jace or maybe like me, but I never even got to know any of their genders before they were taken away from me to be buried.
• I push the painful thought away and smile wryly at the mother and son duo.
• “You can take any of the other cars in the garage to go shopping, this one is my personal car,” I turned to my driver, “let’s go.”
• To her utmost surprise and shock, Alina rushes forward and yanks the keys from the driver.
• “I said I’m taking the car. Why would a woman who can’t even birth live children drive in the luxury car while my living child and I ride in the other ones.”
• I lost my patience at that point, scarred by Alina’s insults, I grind my teeth and narrowed my eyes at Alina, holding myself back from hitting her, but I yank the keys from Alina’s hands.
• Alina gasps, then throws her hand to slap me, but I easily catch it midair and shoves Alina to the floor, scowling at her.
• “Look, I don’t know where Jace got you from, but you better know your place.”
• “My place is to take your place,” Alina spits out with venom and spite in my eyes and about to stand up to attack me when they both see Jace’s car driving up to the house.
• Alina quickly rubs her face with dirt and crawls towards Jace’s car on her knees with fright on her face like she is getting away from an attacker.
• The moment Jace steps out of the car, she throws herself at his feet and starts crying.
• “What’s going on here?” Jace looks from the woman at his feet to the one standing a few metres from him.
• “It’s the Luna,” Alina quickly replies, pointing to me and sobbing, “all I asked was for me and Brady to join her in the car to go shopping, but she refused and attacked me.”
• My eyes widen at Alina’s lie just as a low growl tears from Jace’s throat, his cold and narrow eyes descending on me.