Chapter 156
Selene POV
He was different from Xavier.
More brutal, colder and unrepentant. Not that Xavier was none of this but it was worse with Noah because he knew this had become my witness. He knew I had made it my weakness and he was ready to exploit it to the fullest.
“You think because I didn’t profess my love for you that I never loved you?”
“Yes!” he retorted, his chest heaving.
“But I made it clear with you from the beginning when you asked me to marry you,” I sighed and ran both hands through my hair “I feel like we keep repeating this conversation over and over again but I’m going to make it clear one last time, Noah. You came to me with a narrative in your head
“A narrative?’ he looked at me puzzled what are you talking about?”
“You came to me thinking I was so love depraved and me falling in love with you will happen faster than you snap your fingers when in reality love is a decision, commitment is a decision… you don’t commit or love someone because you think they’ll remain a particular way for you… or because you think you’ll never find anyone better… No, Noah! You commit, you love someone because you feel it in your bones that you want to remain with the person and you’re determined to go all in sex or not! But guess what… you’ve made what you feel for me conditional
“That’s not true, Selene he shifted his weight “I fell in love with you for real and I’ve remained committed so far until now. What nonsense are you talking about? I fucking love you
“Is that why you wanted a reward for it?” I fired at him trying to fight the tears that had already gathered at the corner of my eyelids. “So, for loving me and committing to me, you’d have access to my body? Or for loving a single mother, abandoned in the forest, maltreated and cheated on by her mate, you feel that I should be grateful to you and grovel before you all the time?” a tear rolled down my cheek making me smile bitterly as I remembered Kurtis’s words.
“You know, someone once told me that you love someone only for the qualities you think they provide. Perhaps, it was because I was so beneficial to your pack that was why the thought of losing me to Xavier made you marry me and the only reason, you’re with Brooke now is because the sex is amazing for what… 45…55…60 minutes? What a joke!”
“T…That’s not true, Selene he shook his head and tried to reach for me but I took a step backwards evading his touch. “I love you because I cannot do without you. I cannot stand that you’re not mine. You complete me, Selene, in every way a woman does and I want you forever. Please
“Then why did you cheat on me knowing how broken I was the first time you met me? Knowing how that singular act alone shattered my world and kept me imprisoned for years… I would never do that to you, Noah… I don’t love you so much but I know how much you cherish me… you think I would hurt you because of things that I trailed off hating myself for crying. “You know what… I’m not going to stop you anymore… you can do whatever you damn right want, I won’t be in your way but don’t disrespect me, Noah… I am not the Selene that was married to Xavier… I am a stronger and smarter person now… I will make your life miserable before you turn me into a laughing stock,”.
I picked up the footsteps of people coming in our direction and I hurriedly wiped the worst of my tears and immediately settled inside the dock in the middle of the room, leaving Noah standing there. A few seconds later, the Pack elders began to come in. Even though Noah had now taken a seat, I could tell that they could sense that something was wrong.
They kept looking from me to him and backwards, but I ignored them and had my gaze downwards. When they had all come in, one of the Pack Elders rose to his feet and bowed towards Noah who looked so miserable.
“Thank you, Your Majesty, for deeming it fit to seek about opinion regarding the request our Luna and queen tabled before you. now, Luna Selene,” the man turned his gaze to me “Here, we pride ourselves on being straightforward and not mince word so don’t be surprised that we’re passing through a lot of unnecessary steps to hear your petition. So, without wasting time, could you please tell us why you want the office of the Luna to be reinstated,”.
I nodded in acknowledgement of their question and raised my gaze for the first time to look at them. They all had smiles on their face… the kind you’d have when you see your child presenting an artwork or some sort of scientific exhibition that looks so bad but you have to indulge them and make them feel like the winning team. That was exactly how I felt.
It was as if, they were only here to fulfil all righteousness. As my eyes scanned the hall, I spotted Grand Lycan Leonard Carrell, Noah’s father. He had a smug look on his face. I didn’t need to be told that whatever thing I wanted to say about the office being reinstated, the men would just soothe my ego and still refuse. They had come here to humiliate me and it was clear who was leading them.
So, instead of directly answering the question, I decided to use another approach.
“Thank you for giving me a chance to explain myself and whether or not you think it is foolish for me to want the Office of the Luna to be reinstated and I know there’s no amount of word I’ll say today that will make you lot approve it,”.
“Luna Selene the elder that spoke before rose to his feet “That’s now true, Luna… we want to hear from your first before we take any decision. We’re not going to abuse our power or try to bully you into something you don’t clearly want. So, relax and let us hear you,”.
“I should be saying those words back to you, Elder Blackwell,” I retorted and came out of the dock “You say I should talk to you but yet you cannot bring yourselves to call me by my title and not my rank. I am Luna Selene and my title is ’Your Majesty’ that is what I wish to be addressed with until this meeting is over,”. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ
The men turned to each other and exchanged unpleased looks but I didn’t care. At this point, the damage has already been done so I might as well continue.
“For starters, when was the last time anyone genuinely checked on the King?” I stared giving them an accusatory look “Go to his office and see papers strewn everywhere. From every waking moment, he works tirelessly. He takes care of all the activities at the pack house, at the pack and every minute detail after that he goes on to worry about all these things at once,”.
“Things have been that way for more than a decade, Luna Selene,” Leonard’s voice rang out “When I was the Lycan, I managed all the affairs of the pack by myself, so no matter what it is his responsibility and not yours.