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Chapter 62
Zora’s POV
“Where are you?” I heard Darius’s voice echoing in my mind, our telepathic link bridging the physical distance between us.
Intent on making my way to the Beta’s wing to visit Kara, I reluctantly realized that I would have to divert back to my own living quarters.
“On my way to see Kara, but I’ll be returning to our wing shortly,” I responded.
“Great, meet me in my office,” he instructed, his message resonating in my mind with a sense of urgency.
I hastened my steps, determined to reach my destination, but unexpectedly collided with Nellie along the way.
Caught off guard by the encounter, I couldn’t help feeling a certain uneasiness around her, and it seemed she sensed my apprehension, as she greeted me with a knowing smile.
“Good afternoon, Luna,” I greeted her in return, attempting to maintain a composed facade despite my inner unease. She simply nodded in acknowledgement.
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“Did you make any changes to the food menu?” she inquired, her question catching me off guard. I wondered why she would approach me on such a matter.
“I haven’t made any changes, Luna. My involvement has been limited to preparing your accommodations prior to your arrival,” I clarified, watching her closely as she scrutinized my expression, searching for something beneath the surface.
“Do not break his heart, Zora,” she pleaded, her voice filled with concern. “He is head over heels for you. I’ve never seen him act the way he did that afternoon with anyone else. Not even Shanon.” As she spoke, she moved closer to me, gently reaching out to touch my hand.
“Darius means the world to me, Zora,” she continued, her eyes welling up with tears. “Please, don’t hurt him.” Her words echoed in my mind, and I couldn’t help but respond. “If there’s anyone who has the power to hurt someone, it would be him. hurting me. He’s the alpha, the one in control. I can’t possibly hurt him,” I explained, but she shook her head, disagreeing.
“You and I, Zora, we’re the only ones who can truly hurt him,” she confided in a hushed tone. “Throughout his life, those he loves have always been his Achilles‘ heel.” Her apology followed swiftly. “I’m sorry for how I behaved when I first arrived, Zora. I truly am. I hope we can start anew,” she expressed, her sincerity evident, I mustered a smile in response, acknowledging the effort she was making.
Although I couldn’t fully trust her words, I appreciated her
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was no
gesture and decided to reciprocate with a smile. It was no small feat for her to extend an olive branch, considering our complicated history. With that, I excused myself from her presence, making my way to Darius’s office. I was uncertain about the reason for his summons, but I hoped it wouldn’t be something problematic.
I lightly tapped on the door, awaiting permission to enter. Darius’s voice came from inside, inviting me in.
He didn’t recognize me at first until I entered. “You didn’t have to knock, you know,” he remarked, leaving his desk behind.
We settled on his cozy couch, and I joined him. “Have you eaten?” he asked, his fingers gently toying with my hair. “Not yet,” I replied, and he nodded understandingly.
Then he revealed that he had changed the menu to venison instead of the usual steak. Suddenly, I understood why Nellie had posed that question to me earlier.
“Your mother asked me if I changed the menu,” I confessed, causing a furrow to form on his brow.
“She asked me nicely, Darius,” I quickly added, trying to clear any potential tension in the air. He nodded, seemingly relieved by my clarification.
After a momentary pause, he asked me a rather unexpected favor. “I need you to plan a dinner menu for a small event.
Would that be too much to ask?”
I was taken aback, unsure of how to respond, especially considering that his mother had explicitly instructed me not to make any decisions without her consent.
“Don’t you think your mother should handle it? After all, she is the Luna,” I suggested, hoping to divert the responsibility. However, my words seemed to unsettle him as he furrowed his brow once again.
“I must admit, she’s not my Luna anymore. The times have changed,” he whispered softly, his touch sending shivers down my spine as his lips brushed against my neck.
With a serious tone, he presented me with a request, “I need you to handle the menu for an upcoming event. We’ll be hosting some important guests in just two nights. It’s time for us to make our engagement official and introduce you to the council. Additionally, we’ll be packing Alphas in the north and west. You’ll have to choose the perfect venue for this occasion.”
I pondered how Nellie would react to me taking on such. responsibility, but I decided not to bring it up. After all, I didn’t want to add more strain to our already delicate situation. Darius had already caused enough trouble for his brother because of me.
“Alright, I’ll give it a shot,” I replied, trying to sound confident. His smile grew wider as he leaned in to kiss my neck once
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again, eliciting a soft moan from my lips. He had a way of affecting me like no one else.
“Darling, I’ll need more than just a try,” he murmured seductively, his lips now nibbling on my earlobe. I knew exactly why he had called me to his office. He was feeling stressed, and he knew exactly how to distract himself.
With a mischievous grin, I playfully taunted him, “Are you sure that’s all you want to discuss?” However, he remained focused on his task, undeterred by my teasing.
After wrapping up my conversation with Darius, whose lively presence in the office had left me a bit drained, I made my way towards the Beta’s wing. Along the way, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of my own weaknesses weighing me down. It was evident that I needed to address them sooner rather than later, as they were starting to take a toll on me.
As these thoughts consumed my mind, I found myself pondering whether Casey was facing similar struggles. I fervently hoped that wasn’t the case, knowing all too well that Elbert never fought fair. If Casey was to stand a chance against him, he would need every ounce of strength at his disposal. Trying to push those thoughts aside, I focused on the task at hand and approached Kara’s door.
From within, I could hear the voices of Kara and Eloise engaged in conversation. “It is open,” Kara called out in response to my knock, permitting me to enter. Stepping inside, I found Kara scolding Eloise about something, her tone
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filled with concern and frustration. I couldn’t help but wonder what had happened.
Curiosity getting the better of me, I couldn’t resist asking, “What’s going on?”
Kara turned her gaze towards me, her expression a mix of weariness and exasperation. We gathered in the bedroom’s cozy sitting area, where tea, juice, and biscuits were laid out. It seemed that she was indulging in the life of a queen, taking a momentary break from her responsibilities.
“Eloise seems determined to sabotage her own life. We’ve all been given second chances, but it appears she has carelessly thrown hers away,” I stated, my frown directed at Eloise, who avoided making eye contact. Her disinterest in the matter was evident, which only fueled my frustration.
“Cruz may have mistreated you, Eloise, but seeking vengeance by making another man pay for his mistakes is utterly wrong,” Kara admonished, her words laced with
concern. It was clear that her remarks were connected to
Raphael, drawing attention to the choices Eloise had been making.
Curiosity consumed me as I asked the burning question, “What happened?”
It was a perplexing situation, and I turned to Kara, waiting for an explanation. Her gaze met mine, and she began to unveil the tangled web of events.
“Raphael, believe it or not, has decided to attend the dinner party with Cindy,” she revealed, and I couldn’t help but furrow my brows in confusion and concern.
Kara delved deeper into the unfolding drama, sharing the news that Eloise had moved out of Raphael’s room a few nights ago. Eloise had made it clear that she wasn’t seeking anything serious and preferred to be just friends. It seemed Raphael desired a more committed relationship, causing frustration to boil within him. As a result, he refused to engage in a friends–with–benefits arrangement with Eloise and ceased all communication with her.
Trying to piece it all together, I questioned, “So, is that why he’s going with Cindy?”
”
IN
Eloise herself chimed in, providing further insight into the matter. She explained that Darius had advised Raphael to take Cindy as his plus one to the party. Cindy had expressed her desire to attend the event, but lacking an invitation, she needed someone to accompany her. In the absence of a date, Darius saw fit to assign Raphael the task, effectively killing
two birds with one stone.
As Eloise’s explanation concluded, a wave of disbelief washed over me, mingling with a tinge of frustration. It was hard to comprehend how foolish she had been in this situation. I couldn’t help but let my emotions spill out as I addressed her, adding a personal touch to my words.
“You seem determined to cling onto the past, wallowing in
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unhappiness. We can’t assist you in perpetuating that misery. In fact, no one can. It’s time for you to move on. You’re far too young to be trapped in such negativity,” I admonished, hoping my words would penetrate her stubborn mindset.
Eloise shook her head, seemingly unconvinced by my plea. With a resolute gaze, she spoke, her voice tinged with a hint of defiance. “Neither of you is destined to be with these men. Have you considered the consequences when they discover their true fates? I refuse to be a victim twice in my life,” she declared, her eyes locked on mine, urging me to understand her perspective.
