"Was," I said quietly.
"I'm no longer his Luna."
*************
I noticed something flicker in his eyes the moment I said those words, but I didn't want to know what it was.
I didn't want to talk about Kael. His betrayal still stung. And my sister? I despised her now. I just hoped her children wouldn't turn out twisted like her.
I clamped my lips shut and laid back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. I always found comfort in that position, gazing up as my thoughts wandered wild and far.
I noticed my mate's gaze. He surely saw the anger in my eyes. I felt like he could see through me—my pain, my past, all of it.
"And do you love him?" I heard his voice again. But this time, it held anger. Cold, biting, and sharp. I couldn't help but wonder why.
Did he hate his nephew as much as I did? I doubted it.
My eyes slowly began to close, and I yawned. I was so damn sleepy.
I wanted to ignore the question, but deep down, I knew I had to answer it. "I don't," I replied softly, just loud enough for him to hear.
I noticed the tension in his eyes soften, and he stepped closer.
"You're here now. You're safe with me."
I heard those last words before I drifted off, shutting myself off from this world.
I needed the rest. My seduction plan would begin soon and I needed to be ready.
I heard the door close, but my eyes were too heavy to check if he'd left.
---
AN HOUR LATER
"She's beautiful," a soft, angelic voice whispered and my eyes fluttered slightly.
Who was that?
"Who is she to the Alpha? Is she his fated?" another voice asked, and my eyes snapped open.
I stared at the ceiling for a few seconds before turning to look at the two maids, who were on their knees cleaning the tiled floor.
"She must be. The Alpha wouldn't bring just any female to his room. Remember what happened to Selena when she tried to seduce him? She was banished," the second maid said.
The first one hummed in agreement, until she met my gaze and froze.
Her hands trembled slightly, her eyes wide in shock. But the second maid kept talking, unaware of my stare.
"I think Kieran is a better match for the Alpha," she added.
I couldn't help but chuckle at that.
"Ready?" I finally spoke. I was slightly pissed by her words, but if she was referring to the female who had walked in earlier, then… maybe she wasn't entirely wrong.
I was probably lacking, in curves and beauty.
The second maid froze at my voice, then quickly dropped to her knees.
"We're sorry, Miss!" they chorused, and I chuckled again.
Their words didn't hurt me. In fact, they piqued my curiosity.
It would be better to know more about Raze before diving into my seduction plan.
"Hmm. I might forgive you. But first, who's Selena? And who's Kieran?" I asked.
The two maids exchanged knowing looks before smiling.
"I'm Lucy," the first one said with a smile.
"I'm Annie," the second added.
I smiled back, and they both gasped. I blinked in confusion.
"What? Is there something on my face?"
Both girls blushed.
"Miss, you're so pretty when you smile!" they said in unison. I laughed. They'd scared me for no reason.
"Thank you," I replied, and they giggled like children.
"Selena used to be a maid here," Lucy began.
"She liked flashy things. She was also Kieran's personal maid and super close to her. She used to look down on us because Kieran favored her. To us, she was basically a tool—but Kieran didn't seem like the type to use people."
Lucy paused and leaned closer. "Actually… I think Kieran has a crush on the Alpha."
She whispered it so low, but it made my eyes widen.
I had noticed something too. Kieran's gaze was… complicated. There were hints of it—like she did and didn't at the same time. But remembering her cold stare at me, I couldn't help but believe it.
With her around, my plan was going to be hell. If she was in love with her best friend, she'd do anything to ruin it.
"Selena also seemed to like the Alpha. She praised him constantly. At first, we thought she only did it to make Kieran happy, because whenever she did, Kieran would light up. But then things turned dark. Selena… kind of became obsessed with him," Lucy added.
"Obsessed?" I echoed, and both girls nodded.
"She started writing down everything the Alpha liked. Then, one day, we heard she was banished. We were all shocked, wondering why. Later, we found out she tried to seduce him," Annie said and...
I froze.
Banished just for trying to seduce him Something felt off.
"And how did Kieran react?" I asked and Annie smiled.
"Merciful. She didn't do anything. She's really nice."
I frowned.
"Is that why you said she'd be a good match for the Alpha?" I asked coldly and Annie's smile faded.
"No! Don't take it the wrong way. I only said that because Alpha Raze is hot-tempered, and Kieran is soft. They balance each other. That's all I meant. I didn't mean anything else," she explained quickly. I hummed.
"But isn't it strange? If Kieran really has a crush on the Alpha, wouldn't she have reacted when the maid she trusted betrayed her?" I pointed out, and both maids nodded in agreement.
"It was weird," Lucy said.
"I had a bad feeling, but I couldn't ask questions. We maids have to stay in our place. Besides, Selena didn't even say goodbye. We don't know where she is."
My eyes flickered. I felt uneasy, especially about Kieran.
"Who is Kieran?" I asked.
"She's the female Gamma, also the trainer. She's highly respected. A lot of people are rooting for her to end up with the Alpha," Annie said, and I pressed my lips together.
Those words hit hard. Winning Raze's heart wouldn't be enough, I had to win over the pack, too.
"She's the Alpha's best friend," Annie added, and my chest tightened.
"Oh wow.... the female who brought in that soup. She said she made it for me," I thought, glancing at the tray on the desk.
One thing Kael and Mira's betrayal taught me—never trust people who are too nice.
Who knows what she might've added to that soup?
I turned back to the maids, my eyes sharp.
"How can I make the pack like me?" I asked, my voice laced with urgency.
Both maids smiled.
"We're rooting for you!" they squealed in unison ans I blinked. They'd seen through me.
"Well?" I asked again, raising a brow.
They leaned closer.
"Compete with Kieran… she hates it when others do. And she always loses her cool when she does."
My eyes shimmered with interest.
Looks like I've got a lot of work to do here.
Fated Mate × Best Friend