#Chapter 57: Naked Feelings

Ella The restaurant was packed with the elite of Ashclaw. Every table was filled with pack members in their finest clothes, all pretending not to stare at us even though I knew they were all glancing at us out of the corners of their eyes. I could practically feel their eyes burning holes into my neck as we made our way to our table. Alexander pulled out my chair with a flourish, leaning close to whisper in my ear, “Smile. Everyone’s watching.” I plastered on my best Luna smile, the one I’d perfected over five years of pretending. Lately, it felt like even more of a mask that was too tight, stretching and cracking across the scowl I was wearing underneath. As we settled into our seats, I couldn’t help but compare this charade to our chess games in the hospital. Those moments had been surprisingly… real. Alexander’s smile had been radiant, his laughter like music to my ears. Nothing at all like this. Nothing at all like the fake smiles and false loving look