ZAIA.
“Naya!” Atticus’s voice calls, and I freeze. The name he said he’ll call me by… Oh no…
I turn gracefully and look at him, smiling brightly. His brown hair is styled back, making him look a lot sharper without the tousled mess it usually is in. He’s in a dark grey suit that makes his eyes look a tad lighter, paired with a teal mask and tie.
“Atticus,” I reply, trying to make my voice sound a little pitchy.
He’ll know… there’s no way you can live with someone for three years and not be able to recognise them from close I can’t go over there.
Yet Atticus has other plans, and to my dismay, he motions me over, making my heart thunder.
Thinking fast, I raise a finger and gesture to the left. “One moment, I have to check on something.” I mouth to him, bluffing.
He tilts his head, smiling, before he walks over to me. For once I’m relieved he came over to me rather than persist. He touches my upper arms, giving them a gentle squeeze. “Hey, are you alright?”
I nod. “Absolutely, I just want to make sure everything is in place,” I reply quietly, certain that Sebastian can probably hear me.
“You look beautiful tonight… I’m glad you were up to coming. I didn’t really have a choice…
“Thank you, you do too. I mean, you look handsome, not beautiful.” I reply, internally cringing at my mix-up.
He lets out a breathy laugh, reaching up and caressing my cheek – much to my surprise, and it takes my all not to move away from him.
“Thank you,” he replies before he bends down and kisses my cheek. I can feel several pairs of eyes searing into me, but there’s one pair that is burning holes through my head.
Sebastian’s. Does he suspect something?
“Come, allow me to introduce you to Alpha Sebastian King”
I look at Sebastian before lowering my gaze. “Of course ”
Atticus offers me his arm and I hesitantly loop my hand around it and allow him to guide me over to them. What do I do? Goddess, what do I do?
I’m dragging my feet, walking slowly as Sebastian’s piercing blue eyes continue to burn into me, as if delaying it will somehow stop me from having to come face-to-face with him..
Suddenly someone knocks into me, and something cold splashes down my arm and over the skirt of my dress.
I gasp, my foot catching in the hem of my gown, making me stumble. I grab onto Atticus, my other hand going to my belly protectively, just as Sebastian steps forward, almost as if to grab hold of me, but whoever bumped into me grabs my upper arm, pulling me back.
“Shit, sorry! I am so sorry!” Jai?
I turn to look at the man who has ruined my dress.
My saviour…
“I am so sorry, miss,” he says apologetically, as a snarl rips through Atticus’s throat. “You will be more careful. If anything happened to my woman, you…”
His woman?
“It was a mistake, and she’s ok. I’m sorry Alpha,” Jai says, raising his hands in defence.
His gaze dips to mine, and his eyes soften. He did it on purpose as he recognised me…
“Get out of here before you are forced out.” Atticus spits venomously.
“You should know better than to threaten my men,” Sebastian growls.
Their auras are raging around them as the ballroom falls silent.
“It’s alright, I’m ok,” I murmur, keeping my head down as I gather my wet skirts. “I’ll just go clean up.’”
I spot Valerie, who is standing beside Jai, but there’s no way I’ll be able to speak to her now. “Excuse me,” I murmur to Atticus before I pull away gently.
I look back, worried for Jai, when I see Sebastian block Atticus’s path.
His gaze flicks to me almost as if he knows I’m watching them and I quickly turn away, and hurry into the crowd…
I reach the side hall, making my way to the bathroom. My heart is thudding and only when my phone vibrates, and I fumble with the latch on my clutch bag do I realise that I’m shaking.
VALERIE. I’m coming, wait in the bathroom. Goddess, that was nerve-wracking. I walk over to the sink and open the faucet, staring at my reflection.
Thank God Jai came. I hope he doesn’t get into trouble…
This was not how the evening was meant to go…
I bite my lip, feeling my heart clench. He even brought her here… but obviously, why wouldn’t he?
I don’t know why it’s upsetting me. I know that we never heard anything about my divorce, and there was no rumour about Annalise becoming the Luna. Even Val told me that… but what was I expecting? Them not to be together?
But… they are together regardless of if she’s the official Luna. If it wasn’t for his parents, she would be Luna already I am certain they are the only ones stopping her from becoming Luna.
“So, this is where you’ve been cooped up for the last few months.”
I freeze when the bathroom is pushed right open and none other than Annalise steps inside, shutting the door behind her. She knew it was me…
“Oh please, we aren’t in one of your stupid romance novels where a mask is going to keep your identity a secret. You made a good attempt with the makeup, but you’re still Zaia.” She sneers.
“And what do you want?” I ask, turning to her.
“I just thought I’d come to see my precious sister I never thought you’d move on so fast And there you were acting all broken-hearted. Trying to buy pity
I scoff, smirking.
“Really Annalise? And why should I remain brokenhearted? I’m over Sebastian and I really don’t care what he does with his life. As you said, I’ve moved on.”
“Oh? And does Alpha Atticus know you’re his rival’s ex-Luna? Or did you somehow trick him into getting you pregnant to trap him?”
“He knows everything, don’t you worry,” I mutter How petty is she ” I’m not the type to trap anyone, Annalise. Whatever I do, I do openly”
“Yet you clearly slept with him the moment you rejected Sebastian…” She trails off as if something suddenly occurred to her
She frowns, staring at my belly, and I place a hand on it protectively. There’s a glimmer of confusion in her eyes.
“You look at least eight months…” she mutters. Her face pales and she stares at me, as realisation dawns upon her ” No… No… tell me it’s not true… it shouldn’t have happened…”
“What’s wrong Annalise, does it hurt to know that I’m carrying your man’s child?”
I’m not planning on telling her I’m carrying twins. I also know my secret is safe enough with her. She will not tell Sebastian because she wants him all for herself.
Her eyes flash as she curses. “How dare you! You-you can’t be pregnant! You miscarried. Val-Valerie said the bitch lied.”
“Don’t call her a bitch.” I warn, my eyes blazing. “You clearly aren’t happy
in your own life, Annalise, if you have to interfere in mine. Neither can you accept the fact that, despite carrying Sebastian’s pup, no one wants to see you as his Luna. Tell me, have you come here to try to rain on my parade?”
She looks offended. “What?” she scoffs.
“You heard me. Are you that unsatisfied in your life that you find happiness in hurting others?” I ask icily.
She clenches her jaw, touching her stomach. “Don’t get so full of yourself, Zaia. The pack knows that this baby is their future Alpha, as for your child, if. The door opens, and she stops as Valerie freezes, looking between us.
Annalise looks between us before she claps slowly “Oh? So, you knew your precious friend was here, that’s why you were so adamant to come along. I wonder if Sebastian would be happy to hear that.” She sneers.
“I can handle him,” Valerie replies confidently, her eyes cold as she glares at Annalise “You should go. There were several women all over Sebastian and he doesn’t seem to be missing you.”
That makes her tense before she turns back to me.
“Well.. dear sister, I’ll leave you for now… until we meet again,” she says in a sing-song voice, coming closer to me. She leans over, adjusting her mask and hair before she turns and pauses.
She looks over her shoulder at me before she moves closer I’m about to push her away when she wraps one arm around me in a sudden one-armed hug. one that is painfully tight.
“Make sure Sebastian does not learn that that child is his…. We wouldn’t want anything to happen to it, right?” she threatens in such a faint whisper I almost don’t hear it.
My face pales as she moves back and caresses my belly, this time I shove her away, roughly clutching my stomach.
“Don’t touch me!” I hiss, how dare she she threatened my baby!
She lets out a tinkling laugh as she pushes past Valerie and leaves the bathroom.
I gasp as I grip the counter as Valerie moves closer. “Zaia… are you alright? What did the evil witch say?”
I shake my head. “It doesn’t matter’
Valerie has to return to that pack. I can’t make things harder for her “Just stay alert and be wary of her Valerie, I don’t want you getting hurt because of me.
SO
“I’ll be fine. You need to take care of yourself, Zaia. This evening was a mess. I wasn’t expecting you to go over to Sebastian like that! I thought you were staying low!” she whispers, glancing towards the shut door.
I nod. “I was, but Atticus didn’t leave me an option,” I explain, sighing.
“Be wary of him… he’s still the enemy I don’t reply What option do I have?
“Thank Jai for me. He didn’t need to do that, but he did. Did you have to nag him to help?” I ask apologetically.
She shakes her head, and a slight blush coats her cheeks.
“No, it was actually his idea,” she mutters with an eye roll. “As much as I want to chat and catch up, I need to go before someone notices I’m gone.
I nod. She reaches under her dress, and I smile at the leg strap she’s wearing. Ever efficient.
“Here…. I want you to take these every night… ok?”
“What are they? I ask curiously.
She hesitates. “I sent a friend in Chicago some of your blood samples, recent ones plus some older ones, there are traces of poisoning in your system or so he thinks.”
I stare at her, shocked..
Poison?
“What?” I manage to ask.
“It’s hard to pinpoint, as our cells still regenerate fast, but if he’s right, it means whatever’s poisoning you is still somehow being consumed by you,” she explains quickly.
“Are you sure?” I ask quietly.
“He was 90 percent sure, look, Zay, please, just be careful with what you eat and what you drink from here on out, because I think someone knows you’re here and whoever it is… is still somehow making sure you are affected by the poison… This is a special antidote, make sure you take it every night….”
My heart is thumping as I grip the counter
Who would be so cruel to try to hurt a pregnant woman and why? What have I done to harm anyone?
Annalise.
But deep down, I don’t think she’s capable of such a complicated operation
Did she have help?
Is there someone watching me that I don’t know of?
The bathroom door opens as two women step inside, laughing and chattering away, unaware of the dark atmosphere that hangs above our heads.
The merriment from outside fills the bathroom, but all I feel is dread, unable to focus on anything but the fact that someone wants me hurt, or worse…
Dead.
