Chapter 85
Selene POV
Men loved to prey on easy, vulnerable women.
I’ve come to understand this since my last marriage and what did they say about Hell hath no fury for a woman scorned?
I waited until I heard a light knock on my door followed by two sharp ones. It was the signal we had agreed on earlier. Quietly, I put on my coat, arranging my bed to make it look like there was someone in it and then turned off the light before I sneaked out of my room.
I wanted to make a quick stop at the girls’ room but I didn’t want to delay anymore and it was almost time for the evening accountability of the guards; they had to submit their weapons, take stock of their ammunition and a whole lot which could take almost an hour and I didn’t want us to be trapped. I walked briskly through the hallway, stopping occasionally to duck behind pillars to let others pass before I continued on my journey.
From where I was hiding from a group of servants, my ears picked up their hushed voices.
“Did you hear that the Queen’s ex-husband is around and the King has called for a special audience with him because he saw her in the Queen’s room? Do you think they were caught cheating?”
The group collapsed into a fit of laughter while I rolled my eyes and waited until they passed. I was going to deal with everything once I was done with this. If I could convince Noah that I wasn’t happy with him and also play Xavier to think I was going to heed him then it would advance all my plans.
Finally, I came out of the pack house. I pressed against the walls, avoiding the light as possible as I slipped out of the pack house entrance, my heart pounding with nervous anticipation. I couldn’t believe I was doing this – sneaking off to attend the so-called social gathering that the girl’s nannies had told me about.
“Luna, over here!” Vina’s Nanny waved me over from where they were hidden behind a small shrub. “Are you alright?” she asked as soon as I neared them.
“Yes,” I nodded with a smile, only that it was damn difficult to get out of the pack house. Do you have the disguises?” I asked.
“Yes,” they nodded and let me to a small clearing. Quickly, I slipped out of my queenly robes and into the ordinary dress of a commoner that they had picked. I allowed them to slip a black wig on my hair and also aided with my makeup. All these were down in the fastest time possible with only the light of the half-moon as our light.
By the time we finished, I didn’t bother to look in the mirror as I urged the women to hurry. This was risky… if anything should happen to me in this situation, no one was going to believe I was the Luna Queen. Part of me felt ridiculous for even agreeing to the idea. We weaved through the forest with the ladies trying their best to clear the path for me as we walked.
My pulse quickened at every snapping twig behind us or rustling of leaves. What if Noah noticed my absence and came looking for me?
No, I shook my head. He’ll be far too consumed with Alpha matter tonight to pay me any mind coupled today with the confrontation we had today.
“We’re almost at the place, Luna,” Maeve’s nanny whispered slowing down as she pointed towards the direction of a pale light coming from the dark.
Finally, we reached the place. It was a ramshackle hut with a big fire in the middle of the compound. There were a score of women kneeling around the fire, with small smiles on their faces. Taking a deep steadying breath, I took a step towards them and felt all the hairs on the back of my neck stand as the women turned in my direction.
Maeve’s nanny moved towards a grey-haired woman and whispered something into her ears and after a while pointed in my direction. The woman nodded, stood up and came towards me.
“H-hi,” I said with a strained smile when she came closer.
Her eyes scanned me, from head to toe, running through me that I was almost worried that she could see my insides. After a while, she turned to Maeve’s nanny and whispered something to her. Maeve’s nanny in turn came to me and whispered.
“Luna, she wants you to introduce yourself before the women. It’s simple… go to the centre of that circle,” she pointed towards the fire “and then tell everyone your name, where you’re from, if you’re married… that sort of thing,”.
“Okay,” I swallowed hard and moved towards the front of the crowd. An uneasy silence fell over the group as they regarded me while I made my way to the front.
“Hello,” I began forcing an awkward smile. “My name is S I paused. Shit! I and the nannies didn’t have time to talk about my backstory. My gaze flitted towards the nannies as I took in the shocked expression on their faces… they knew. Clearing my throat again, I face the women again.
“My name is, L…Lisa and I are a new wife. I’ve heard about all the wonderful projects this group has been doing and I’m interested in joining you all to change our community. So, I was hoping, I’d be permitted,”. The rightful source is
“I know everyone here,” a shrill voice asked “What might be your husband’s name because I’ve never met you,”.
I turned to the nannies, looking at them helplessly. At that point, the only names I could think ofweres Noah and Xavier and I couldn’t use them. It’ll raise suspicion.
“Fredrick!” Vina’s Nanny shouted turning the attention towards herself “Her husband’s name is Fredrick and he works in the pack house with the packhouse. He newly married Lisa but because he’s always busy, she was bored and Faustina (Maeve’s Nanny) and I decided to introduce her to this. I assure all, she’s a very passionate woman, kind and gentle,”.
There was a pregnant silence before the Grey-haired woman who looked like their head finally broke the silence.
“So, your husband is a Delta?” she asked.
“Yes, ma’am” I nodded giving her a slight bow.
“Since he works in the packhouse, are you sure you’re suited with us? I mean, walking in the packhouse is a big deal. So the grey-haired woman shrugged.
This was my cue to convince them. Clearing my throat, I said calmly “I know we all hold different roles and places within the pack but as women, I feel we do not have a lot of presentation. Yes, my husband is a pack guard but it doesn’t have anything to do with me. It’s not my job and no matter what I do, every goodwill would go to him and him alone. So, you should ignore the ranks of my husband and focus on me
I trailed off lamely as the disquieted stares continued to pierce into my soul.
“I don’t know what Brenna and Faustina told you,” The grey-haired woman pointed to Vina and Maeve’s Nanny respectfully “But in this community, we’re so protective of the way we give access to everyone and that’s because we’re trying to fight impostors. True, we need a lot of funding but we’re still not desperate about it at the same time, I hope you can understand,”.
A chorus of murmured agreement ran through the group. My face fell as I hurt surged through me. Was this a rejection? I have to think fast and act on my feet too.
“Fine,” I nodded trying not to show signs of disparity “Anyways, I have come here already and I had made up my mind that I was going to give to the community regardless of whether or not I am selected,”.
Reaching for the purse I had carefully tucked into my wide pockets, I zipped it open and brought out all the wads of money that were in, pointing it towards them.
“This is all of my savings and I promise to bring more by my husband’s next paycheck. I hope you can allow me to make donations even though you don’t want me to join this group,”.
A surprised gasp passed through the group as the women stared at me sceptically. One of the women sitting in front of me suddenly leaned forward, her eyes searching mine with uncertainty.
“It seems you do not have children to be able to spend all of this money,”.
I chuckled warmly and knelt in front of the woman “I’m sorry the moon goddess hasn’t blessed me and my husband yet and I still receive an allowance from the Packhouse. In case you don’t know, the Packhouse pays all their employees’ spouses, so that’s why I have a lot of money coupled with the allowance my husband gives me for each month,”.
“Wow!” A woman sitting at my far right gasped in shock, “Then it means you must be having a lot of money to spend?”
“Not only money,” I told her with a quiet smile straightening up “I do have an advantage to meet with the king closeup. I could submit your petitions to him directly and make sure he follows it to the later and not just that, I know a couple of people who love to be involved in philanthropic movements and I’m sure they won’t hesitate if I tell them. Before the year runs out, I want every non-privileged child here to get access to basic education, Food and skills