Chapter 38
Azalea woke up with the soft rays of the morning sun streaming through the large windows of her bedroom, casting a warm glow on her face. A smile crept across her lips as she stretched lazily in bed, feeling a sense of satisfaction wash over her. Today would be the day her sister Ophelia and Mack arrived, and she couldn’t wait to see the shock and disappointment on their faces. They had imagined her suffering, broken by her circumstances, but instead, they would find her thriving. Her confidence and newfound strength made her eager for the confrontation.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the door. Vick stepped in quietly, her hands clasped in front of her.
“Good morning, Luna,” Vick said with a small bow. “Queen Selena is here to see you.”
Azalea sat up abruptly, her eyes widening in surprise. “Queen Selena? What is she doing here?”
“I don’t know, but she asked to speak with you immediately,” Vick replied, moving over to help Azalea into her jacket.
Azalea nodded, her mind racing. Queen Selena’s visit was unusual, and it couldn’t mean anything good. But whatever it was, she would face it head-on. After all, she had faced worse.
Once dressed, Azalea stepped into the hallway where Queen Selena was waiting for her. The regal woman stood with an air of authority, her piercing eyes watching Azalea approach.
“Queen Selena,” Azalea greeted with a polite nod. “Is something wrong?”
The queen’s lips pressed into a thin line, her gaze unwavering. “We need to talk about your duties, Azalea.”
Azalea raised an eyebrow, already feeling a flicker of irritation. “Duties?” she asked.
“Every queen has responsibilities,” Selena said, her tone firm. “You have been in this pack for some time now, and yet I have seen no sign of you taking on any duties fitting your station. You need to prepare for the role you will be assuming, Azalea.”
Azalea crossed her arms, her irritation growing. “With all due respect, Queen Selena, I’m not a queen yet,” she replied coolly. “Federico hasn’t been crowned alpha or king. Until then, I don’t have any duties to fulfill.”
Selena’s eyes narrowed. “That is a technicality. As the future queen, it is your responsibility to ensure the welfare of this pack.”
Azalea held her ground, refusing to be intimidated. “I have plenty on my plate already, Queen Selena. If you’ll excuse me, I have things to attend to. I’m sure you understand.”
For a moment, Selena looked like she wanted to argue further, but she held back. She studied Azalea for a long moment before stepping aside.
“Very well,” she said coolly. “But remember, the time will come when you cannot avoid your responsibilities. And I will be here to remind you.”
Azalea gave her a curt nod, feeling the tension between them intensify. As Selena walked away, Azalea took a deep breath, her fists clenching slightly. She had expected some resistance from the council, but not from someone like Queen Selena. This would be another battle to fight, and she would be ready when the time came.
Before she could dwell on it, she heard footsteps behind her. Thomas, Federico’s brother, emerged from the shadows where he had been quietly observing the exchange.
“You shouldn’t cross your line with my mother, not now and not ever.” She pretended not to hear him and just walked back to her bedroom.
___
Meanwhile, Ophelia and Mack were on their way to the Red Moon Pack. Ophelia sat in the passenger seat, her eyes gleaming with excitement, while Mack focused on driving. The tension between them was palpable, though neither had spoken of it openly yet.
Ophelia couldn’t stop talking, her words spilling out in a rapid stream as she spoke about the ball, her plans, and, of course, how she couldn’t wait to see Azalea’s reaction.
“I can’t wait to see the look on her face when she sees us together, Mack,” Ophelia said, a smirk playing on her lips. “She’s probably still sulking, trying to keep up appearances like she always does. But we’ll show her.”
Mack nodded absentmindedly, his hands gripping the steering wheel tighter. His mind wasn’t on Azalea, though. It was on Ophelia and the nagging doubt that had been growing inside him for weeks. Had he made the right decision getting involved with her? Every time he looked at her now, he wondered if it had all been a mistake-falling for her manipulations, letting himself be seduced by her charm.
But he couldn’t escape it. His stupid heart had led him into this mess, and now he was in too deep. Ophelia had a way of pulling him in, of making him feel things he hadn’t expected.
“I wonder if she’ll even show up to the ball,” Ophelia mused aloud, leaning back in her seat with a satisfied grin. “Knowing Azalea, she’ll probably hide in a corner, pretending to be too important to mingle with the rest of us.”
Mack glanced at her, unsure of what to say. He wasn’t as interested in humiliating Azalea as Ophelia was. He had always admired Azalea’s resilience, even if they were on opposite sides now. But he kept his thoughts to himself.
Ophelia noticed his silence and reached over, placing a hand on his arm. “Mack, you’re quiet today. What’s on your mind?”
He forced a smile, shaking his head. “Nothing, just thinking about the ball. It’s a big event.”
She studied him for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly as if she could sense the conflict within him. “You’re not getting cold feet, are you?” she asked, her voice laced with suspicion.
“No, of course not,” Mack said quickly, though his heart wasn’t in the words.
Ophelia’s eyes searched his face for a moment longer before she finally leaned back in her seat, satisfied. “Good. Because we’re in this together, Mack. You and me, against the world.”
Mack swallowed hard, nodding. “Yeah, you and me.”
But as they continued down the road, Mack couldn’t shake the feeling that he was in over his head. Ophelia was so sure of herself, so certain of her plans, but Mack wasn’t. He wondered if there was still time to turn back, to walk away from the path he had chosen. But with the ball fast approaching and everything set in motion, it was too late to back out now.
Ophelia, oblivious to his inner turmoil, continued talking, her voice filling the car with plans for the future-plans that involved Azalea’s downfall and her rise to power.
“I’m going to make sure she knows her place, Mack,” Ophelia said, her voice full of venom. “Azalea thinks she’s so much better than everyone else, but I’ll show her. I’ll make sure she regrets ever crossing me.”
Mack nodded again, though his heart wasn’t in it. He could only hope that when the time came, things wouldn’t spiral out of control. But deep down, he knew that with Ophelia involved, nothing was ever that simple.