*Danika*
True to Alonso’s words, they had spent the night having a meeting in his house.
At least that was what I thought.
Not long after Lance followed him out of the house last night, did I get bored of staring blankly at the television and had gone to the kitchen to take my dinner after which I retired for the night.
Early this morning, it was Mary who woke me up with her recent vexing shrill of ‘waky waky, arise and shine’ rant. Heaven knows I have it in me to toss her down the window each morning she does that.
So this morning, I had in the ilk of the moment made up my mind that once I’m going to bed in the night henceforth, I will lock my part of the door. I know she won’t dare go through that of Beta Lance.
Now I’m down for my breakfast, my eyes occasionally darting to the door if I hear any sound, thinking it’s Lance.
Then someone walked in, and I swiftly turned only to see the butler.
“Good morning, Beta Danika.” He bowed slightly. “The soon-to-be Luna is here to see you,”
My heart lurched. Firstly I was pained that another woman was being referred to as Luna in my place, on the other hand wondering why she is here. Maybe she now suspects what is going on.
“Let her in,” I told him in a slightly quivering voice.
He scurried away while I took my time to arrange my composure so that I don’t sell myself short to her.
She soon sauntered in, still in her typical red dress. This one was a peplum short gown with ruffled fringes adorning the neckline. The gold trimmings was evident of its extravagance.
I knew all these precious attires were being gotten for her by my mate. But that wasn’t my problem. I’m hardly one for frivolities.
I stood when she came in, not knowing how I’m expected to behave around someone who was too soon to be my leader.
However, to my amazement, she gave me a warm smile, one that could easily pass for genuine. “Hy, Danika,” she greeted, waving me back to the seat as she took hers across from me.
“Welcome…” I trailed off, not knowing if to call her Luna yet.
“Paisley, you can call me Paisley. Though I will soon be the Luna, but since we are kind of related, I don’t mind being on a first-name basis.” Her smile was still on.
“Oh, thanks.” I folded my hands beneath the table on my lap. My eyes never left hers.
“I was very bored this morning, and decided to visit you, hope you don’t mind?”
I shook my head and quickly resumed eating, guessing that should keep me busy enough to avoid talking.
An Omega came in to serve her some cookies and coffee in a tray and left afterward.
“So, Danika in this pack, I used to be the warrior, I still am but you know, having to take care of the Alpha is not an easy affair so for now, I am kind of… not functioning in that area. What about you?” she asked as she took her coffee and sipped gradually, her eyes fixed on me, waiting for a response.
“Uhm.. uhm…”
“I mean what are your abilities. I know you are new here and all that, but surely you have found your wolf haven’t you?”
My countenance rapidly fell. Then I recalled I’m not supposed to be real. I am Beta Lance’s supposed mate so I have to act along. “I am a Hybrid. Lance also said I’m not allowed to use my powers or engage in any pack activities. So for now, all I do is languish in idleness in the house.” I displayed my hand while talking, forming a light fake giggle to accompany my statement.
Somehow, she seemed to find humor in what I said and lowered her teacup to cackle loudly. “We are so much alike you see.” She splayed her arms. “That was why I woke up this morning and said since your mate and my mate are close friends, then we could surely be friends too.”
I blanched for a minute. Her mate? When the fuck did the goddess start multi-partnering mates? She sits there talking rubbish about my mate and all that nonsense, and now because I haven’t trashed my tea on her face she now calls him hers?
“Danika?”
I blinked severally, abruptly picking my teacup as I realized I had drifted off in thought. “Sorry about that, I easily wander off,” I said amidst taking my tea.
“No problems, these days I tend to do that a lot too. But I don’t mind, it took me ages to finally get that man to want to make me his Luna.” My interest was piqued at that.
“You did?” I quizzed shortly.
She nodded, then leaned toward me and said, “Since we are friends I just might tell you. Alonso and I have been friends for a long time now. After he lost his wife, he became very distant, rotting away in misery and all that.” She looked around before going on, “It was very traumatizing for him. I think he was very much in love with her when she was alive until the humans killed her in one of the raids.”
“Oh my,” I hissed, my heart going out to Alonso at once. So many things had contributed to making him into the stone he is today.
She went on, “He started doing diverse things to keep his mind away from thinking of her; clubbing, partying, all of them. Then his mother’s antagonism was added after he lost his father and he went overboard by adding whoring to the equation. He knew the effect it had on his mother and trust me, it really worked.”
“Hmm,” I remarked, sliding my tray aside as the conversation grew more interesting.
“That was when we met. I have always had an eye for him.” She winked sassily at me, picking up her cup to drain. If only she knew how much her statement irked me. “I took advantage of the situation one night and shot my shot, and at once, it worked.” She let out an ear-piercing shrill, very proud of her ridiculous achievement.
“My dear, it hasn’t been an easy lane with him. So many times I have thought of leaving but when I think of so much I have had to deal with him, I buckle up and come back. Trust me, Alonso is a hard man. He told me point blank he was never going to remarry come what may. But all of a sudden, he comes back from this trip and told me that night after declining my seduction, that he was making me his Luna.”
“W.. wow,” I choked out, picking up the bottle of water on the table to pour some into a drinking glass. I gulped down the water rapidly, her words causing my throat to go dry.
This is too much for me to take in. He proposed to her just to spite me? I don’t need to be told I was the inspiration behind it. He prefers to make one of his whores his Luna than to settle for a weak spineless girl like me.
“Are you okay, Danika?” I heard her ask.
“Mmm?” My eyes flashed to hers.
“Are you alright? You have gone pale,” she said as she pointed to my skin.
I looked down my body to notice that indeed I have gone pale. My hand fell to my lap as I looked up at her with a forced smile. “I am fine. I am just… just overwhelmed by your narration. That’s all.”
“Oh,” she blurted mildly and nodded. “So do you accept my hand of friendship? We could do a lot together: shopping, outings, and many more. I hate doing all that by myself,”
“And there will be time for all that?” My brow rose up at her.
She cocked her head to the side, pushing off her tray, “Why not? The men can do what they are ordained to. We have all the fun!” she squealed, her hands flailing up widely.
“Well, I accept to be your friend,” I conceded falsely. “But I will have to ask my mate about the shopping and other things.”
She snorted arrogantly, flapping her long painted nails at my face dramatically, “Do you get to take permission from him for everything you do?”
“Well, technically, yea. Lance is not like the very social type so I have to ask him.”
She seems to think about what I said before carefully responding. “I don’t know if we are talking about the same Lance I know, ’cause Lance is a free bird. He likes clubbing, whoring-pardon me-but as friends, I believe we should be free with each other. Lance is a very social person. Maybe you are the one who doesn’t know your mate.”
My mouth was shut suddenly. I never knew Lance was that kind of person I would never have said those things. Gad, how much more can I hear in one day?
“I have something to tell you.” Gad, not again. “But you must promise not to tell anyone and would not judge me.” Her shiny grey orbs were intent on me.
“Okay,” I muttered, my mouth bent downward.
“I’m planning to get pregnant for the Alpha.”
“What!” I squealed out in full force, her words coming down on me like a sledgehammer, “You can’t do that.”
“But you promised not to judge me,” she accused.
“I never promised. And by the way, even if I promised, you can’t do that.”
“Why not?” She waved her hands in askance.
I blinked at her. “Well, umm… Umm… Because it’s wrong?”
She huffed snidely, “Tell me sometime convincing.”
…