Chapter 36

Even the Luna gave me a curious look, though hers soon softened into a slow smile. Bella, on the other hand, stood frozen in place. For a second, I realized she had probably thought Osborne was the one walking in, that would explain the warm smile she had worn a moment ago. “It seems I do smell like my mate,” I answered. Bella’s hand clenched into a fist as she scoffed. “Mate? I see you’re under some delusion that my Osborne is your mate.” That stung. Nobody had the right to call Osborne theirs. Still, I bit down on my tongue and stayed quiet. “There’s no need for this,” the Luna said lightly, “at least both of you should sit.” I obeyed and lowered myself onto the empty chair. Bella, however, refused. “I will not sit with this… thing,” she sneered, pointing directly at me. Osborne’s words echoed in my head—if she insults you, insult her back. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I shook my head slightly. The sharp clatter of glass drew my eyes upward. Bella’s glare burned into me. “Bella,” the Luna called, her tone firm. But Bella erupted. “Did you just shake your head at me? How dare you! This fat thing dares to defy me? Do you even know who I am?” Her fury poured into every word. I remained calm. “I don’t know what you mean,” I replied evenly. Her anger only grew. Without warning, she snatched her teacup and hurled its contents at me. The liquid splashed across me, but it wasn’t too hot. I stayed silent, refusing to give her the satisfaction of a reaction. The Luna’s voice cut through the tension, cold and sharp. “You will stop this madness in my pack, Bella.” I turned to her, surprised. The Luna I knew had always been kind and warm, but this version of her was visibly angry, her voice filled with authority. Bella blinked, stunned, clearly unused to being addressed that way. But she quickly regained her fire, turning her rage back on me. “This is all happening because of you! If you weren’t here, Osborne and I would be side by side. You will reject him,” she hissed, not even caring that the Luna was watching. I held her gaze and allowed a small smile. “Rejection isn’t possible,” I said softly. Her lips curled in a scoff. “It will happen. Before I leave this place, you’ll reject him. Osborne is mine, we are betrothed. You? You’re nothing. Just something he’ll use to warm his bed. That’s all you’ll ever be.” Her words were cruel, but she was wrong. Still smiling, I tilted my head and lifted my chin to expose my neck. “But this,” I said, pointing to the fresh wound there, “has sealed the bond between Osborne and me.” Her eyes widened. She stumbled back into her seat as if the strength had been knocked out of her. “No,” she whispered, her voice trembling as tears welled in her eyes. The Luna stepped closer, her expression softening as she leaned in for a better look. “Your mark is so beautiful,” she said with genuine admiration, catching me off guard. I hadn’t even seen the mark myself yet. “It looks like a little wolf curled up, as if sleeping.” She even giggled lightly. In that moment, both of us forgot about Bella. But when I glanced back at her, she looked different—haunted. As though possessed, she rose silently, her eyes brimming with tears. Without a word, she walked away, not even sparing the Luna a greeting or a single glance back. As soon as Bella stormed off, the Luna let out a long sigh. “I’m sorry it turned out this way. That’s exactly why I wanted to be here when you two finally met,” she said softly, apologetic. I gave her a warm nod, letting her know I wasn’t upset with her. Her lips curved back into a smile. “Well, with this settled, there will be no stopping you both. We shall hold the mating ceremony as soon as possible.” She straightened and clapped her hands lightly in excitement. But remembering Bella I said “I don’t think this will do it,” I murmured under my breath. The Luna caught my expression and studied me closely as she sat back down. “Tell me, Aina—do you love Osborne?” I glanced at her, then nodded without hesitation. “I do, Luna. I love him so much.” She nodded firmly, as if that was all she needed to hear. “I know my son, Aina. He’ll fight to have you. And you must do the same.” Her words settled deep inside me, filling me with courage. She was right. Osborne would fight for me, so I had to fight for him too. I smiled at her, determined. “Okay, Luna. I won’t let anything happen to the bond I share with Osborne.” That seemed to please her greatly. Her smile widened as if I had said exactly what she wanted. “That’s the spirit. But first…” She leaned closer, her tone playful. “Start by calling me mother. I don’t want to hear you calling me Luna anymore.” I couldn’t help but laugh at that, and she joined me. We chatted warmly for a while before I finally returned to the bedroom. But as I reached the door, I noticed maids moving in and out. None of them would meet my eyes, and that immediately made me uneasy. Inside, the room was a mess. My heart sank as I took it in. Osborne was sitting on a chair, his head tilted back as though he were trying to restrain himself. The moment he saw me, he shot up to his feet. His gaze flicked to the chaos around us, then back to me. “I really hoped you wouldn’t see this,” he said, his voice heavy with apology. I frowned, confused. “What went wrong?” Instead of answering, he asked, “How did it go with Bella?” I studied him for a moment, noticing the faintest trace of a smile tugging at his lips. My eyes widened. “No… she didn’t.” Osborne gave a humorless chuckle. “Oh, yes, she did. Whatever you said to her, Aina, it must have driven her mad. I honestly don’t know how you’re standing here unscathed…” His words trailed off, and I watched the smile fade completely from his face. His eyes darkened. “Wait. Did she pour tea on you?” He stepped closer, his entire demeanor changing as his hand gripped my shoulder firmly. I felt the tension radiating off him, the wolf in him clawing to react. “It wasn’t hot,” I quickly said, reaching up to hold his face in both hands. I knew him too well, knew exactly where his thoughts were heading, no I could feel it. He wanted to storm off after Bella and make her pay. But the way his jaw clenched, I could already tell, whatever happened while she was here had pushed him dangerously close to the edge.