Chapter 2
"Luna Valerie, try not to dwell on it. It's just difficult to handle unexpected interruptions at work."
Alpha Lucas massaged his temples, his alpha aura flaring with frustration. I didn’t reply, instead stepping toward Aubree, the rogue who had disrupted our peace yet again. Her presence was like a thorn in my side, one that Lucas seemed unwilling to remove.
"Give me back the necklace," I said, my voice dry but resolute.
Amusement flickered in Aubree’s eyes before she feigned sadness, her gaze darting to Lucas. Her scent—sharp and bitter—filled the room, a stark contrast to the floral notes that usually accompanied her manipulative words.
"I get it, Luna Valerie. I’ll return it to you," she said, her voice trembling as though she were the victim.
Her hands moved to her neck, but before she could remove the necklace, Lucas stepped between us, his broad frame shielding her. Aubree flashed a dazzling smile, her eyes daring me to challenge her.
"Luna Valerie, what’s your problem? Can’t you let go of your obsessive possessiveness?" Lucas said, his alpha tone cutting through the air like a command.
"Aubree hasn’t done anything for over a year, so why are you still after her?" he continued, his voice rising. "Apologize to her."
I stared at him, my heart sinking. How many times had he coldly demanded I apologize to Aubree? Before she returned, he had never spoken to me like this—never used his alpha tone against me.
"The necklace is mine," I said, my voice steady despite the ache in my chest.
"You already gave it to me; it’s mine now," Aubree interjected, her tone sweet but laced with poison.
"If the necklace means so much to you, how about this: pick any necklace you want, ten even, however expensive, and I’ll buy them all for you," Lucas said, his voice growing louder, his alpha aura pressing down on me.
I wondered if he still saw me as his Luna or if Aubree had already taken my place. But hadn’t I already given up?
I reached for the necklace in Aubree’s hand, but Lucas reacted swiftly, his hand striking my cheek. The sting on my skin echoed the pain in my heart.
"Luna Valerie! Are you ignoring me now?" he barked, his alpha tone sharper than ever.
"Alpha Lucas, don’t be harsh. If the necklace belongs to Luna Valerie, return it to her," Aubree said, her voice soft and sorrowful, though her eyes glinted with mockery.
As expected, Lucas raised his voice again. "Apologize to Aubree, or this won’t end today!"
Aubree gave me a playful look, silently mouthing, "Say sorry, or I’ll throw the necklace away."
She then pretended to toss the necklace out the window. Watching her toy with it—a symbol of my dedication and love—like a mere trinket, I finally bit my lip and lowered my head.
"I’m sorry," I said, the words tearing at my soul.
"Louder, unless you skipped breakfast," Lucas demanded, his alpha tone leaving no room for defiance.
"Don’t act like that, Alpha Lucas. I’m not holding grudges," Aubree said, handing over the necklace.
I reached out to take it, but before I could touch it, the necklace slipped from her fingers, shattering on the floor. I stood frozen, staring at the fractures in the radiant purple crystal I had painstakingly polished for months.
"Oh dear, I’m sorry, Luna Valerie. I just couldn’t hold onto it," Aubree said, her voice dripping with false regret.
"Luna Valerie, when will you learn to be polite, like Aubree?" Lucas said, his tone harsh. "When you’re wrong, apologize. Why stubbornly fight it?"
Their voices faded, and all I could feel was the same break in my heart as in the purple crystal now lying in pieces. My wolf whimpered softly in the back of my mind, a reminder of the bond that felt just as fractured.
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