She descended the stairs and I couldn't tear my eyes away from her. She wore a dress that hugged her curves and made her look stunning.
Russ gaped at her like a hungry wolf, which made my blood boil. I wanted to rip his eyes out for lusting after her. She was mine and mine alone.
Fuck! What's happening to me?
Why was I getting possessive for her all of a sudden.
"Come here, darling." I called her in a sweet and seductive voice.
She walked towards me and sat by my side. She looked at me expectantly, waiting for a sign of approval.The maids began to serve the food and we started to eat.
"Luna, why don't you tell us how you met Alpha? How does it feel to be the mate of your rival?" Russ asked.
That bastard always had something to say. He couldn't keep his fucking mouth shut even at breakfast. And the way he was ogling her made me furious. Alina looked nervous and glanced at me for support. I nodded and she gave me a slight smile.
"It's nothing, really. It's between my father and Alpha, I have nothing to do with it. And who can go against the Moon Goddess? She has already planned everything for us. We can't change our fate." She shrugged her shoulders.
"I whispered in her ear, 'Tell them how much you love me.' I kissed her neck, feeling my wolf's excitement.
'Daniel likes her too!' he said.
She shivered and blushed, clearly conflicted. I knew she hated this charade as much as I did, but we had to put on a show for everyone.
I met her eyes and gave her a reassuring blink. Russ glared at me with envy. The jerk deserved it.
I finished my breakfast and got up from my chair.
'Come on, I can't wait any longer.' I winked at her and offered her my hand.
She took it reluctantly and I pulled her close to me. We walked past the others, who watched us with curiosity and amusement. I didn't give a damn. I loved making Russ squirm.
I held her tight by the waist and headed upstairs.But in the hallway, she shoved me off. That pissed me off!"
Alina's Pov-
I pushed him away as soon as we reached the hallway. His warm touch and sweet words in the
dining hall had made me feel butterflies in my stomach, but now his face was cold and distant again. He was so unpredictable and confusing.
"Listen!" He snapped, interrupting my thoughts. "Today we have a meeting with the elders."
A meeting? What kind of meeting? I wondered.
"What kind of meeting is it?"! asked, hoping for some explanation.
He raised his hand in between us, silencing me.
"Don't talk in between when l'm saying something. First listen to me and then speak."
He said with a stern tone and a hard glare.i felt my cheeks burn and lowered my gaze. He was so rude and arrogant.
"You have to be present at sharp 10 am in formals." He stated with a flat voice.
"Fine," I muttered, turning away.
He didn't seem to like my response and came closer to me. He leaned down and whispered in my ear.
"Let's see how much intelligence and brain Alpha's daughters have."
He smirked and walked away.i clenched my fists and bit my lip.
Did he think I was dumb? How dare he insult me like that? I stormed off to my room, feeling angry and hurt. I had only half an hour to get ready and be present for the meeting.
I opened the wardrobe and searched for something formal to wear.
I rummaged through the wardrobe, searching for the perfect formal dress to wear for the meeting with the elders. I carefully inspected each dress, examining the fabric, cut, and color. After several minutes of deliberation, I finally settled on a navy blue dress with a fitted waist and flowing mid length skirt. Satisfied with my choice, I put the dress on the bed and then went for the shoes. There should be minimal heels and minimal makeup as I would meet the elders. Maybe they would ask me something.
"Yes, they can ask you more general questions," my wolf said finally.
I sighed. "I am nervous, Sophia. Alpha thinks that I know about the rules and about the meeting, but I can't tell him that I was treated like a slave, not as a daughter of Alpha."
"But you know you are special, we are special and I know that you will do the best." Sophia assured me.
"Thanks Sophia, but look what type of man he is. Couldn't he tell me what will happen in the meeting and what type of questions or conversation will be held? But no, he has to humiliate me only."
I cursed him in anger.
"I don't think so. He will never do this in front of elders. Alphas don't humiliate their Lunas, especially in front of others. They respect them. But I can't guarantee about Luciano. I hope everything goes in your favor. I know you will shine there too." Sophia said.
I took a deep breath and slipped my dress that hugged my curves.
I left my hair open and did minimal makeup. I put on medium length black heels. I took my purse and checked the time. Only 10 minutes were left for the meeting. Ohh God! I had to rush.
I went downstairs and asked one of the maids for directions to the meeting hall.
She directed me and I reached within 5 minutes. Thank god! I reached 5 minutes early.
l inhaled deeply before entering the meeting hall. I had to be confident and answer them with a smile. I stepped into the room and saw four pairs of eyes staring at me.
Among them was Alpha Luciano and one of them was Alpha's uncle whom I met in the morning.
His questions were tricky in the morning, god knows what he would ask now.
I headed inside and met them with a smile and my head high.
Alpha Luciano rose from his chair and took my hand in his, bringing it to his lips. His warm gesture sent a flush to my cheeks. He was such a good actor, pretending that I was his true Luna.
He turned to the elders and the royal members of the pack who were sitting around the table.
"Elders, this is my Luna, Alina, these are the elders and the royals of our pack." He introduced us with a proud smile.
The elders nodded at me and I bowed respectfully.
"I wish you all the best, my love," he whispered in my ear, his smirk making me shiver.
"Thank you, Alpha," I replied with a bright smile.
"Good morning, elders," I greeted them politely.
"Good morning, Luna," Uncle said, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. I felt uncomfortable under his scrutiny and quickly looked away. I met the eyes of the other alphas and betas who were watching me with curiosity and expectation.
"First of all, we are happy to welcome you as our Luna," one of the elders said kindly. "But we are here to evaluate if you are fit for the role of Luna or not. Being the Alpha's mate is not enough, you also need to have some qualities and skills to lead our pack."
I nodded, feeling a surge of nervousness.
"I understand, elders."
"Let's start with some basic information about yourself, like your training and education," another elder suggested.
I swallowed hard. I had no training or education to speak of. I decided to be honest and hope for the best.
"Well, I am Alina Pierce, daughter of Alpha Gregory from the Silver Moon Pack," I began. "And as for training, I won't lie to you. I never had any training programs or lessons." I said confidently, hoping they wouldn't judge me too harshly.
I tried to ignore Alpha Luciano's gaze on me, but I could feel his surprise and disappointment. He raised an eyebrow and shook his head slightly, making me more nervous.
The other elders exchanged some glances and scribbled something on their papers. I had a sinking feeling that they were going to reject me as their Luna.
"So, you never had any training at all? Can you tell us why?" One elder asked curiously.
"Of course, elders. The reason is that I was not very involved in the werewolf world. I was more interested in the human world. I have earned many degrees, such as business management, resource management, and masters in business studies. I have done many internships related to my field. And until recently, I was working as a manager in my father's company." I said proudly.
Alpha Luciano raised his eyebrow again, but this time he looked impressed. That gave me some confidence. What did he expect?
That I was uneducated and useless? I thought to myself.
"That's very impressive indeed!
And I agree that training is not as crucial as it used to be in our time. There are no more attacks or wars like before." Another elder said with a friendly smile. I felt a wave of relief wash over me.