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Eighty–Five
Isabella’s POV
“I feel like everyone’s been scaring you about Luna duties without actually telling you what the duties are exactly.” The Luna said as she led me into her room. Apparently she does have her own room which she hardly ever sleeps in except she has a fight with her mate which is almost never. At that, I had thought about how many times Alexander and I fight and winced. Maybe that was why Alexander had not showed me
my own room yet.
“I have a vague idea…from watching you ever since I was a child.”
“That’s true.” She agreed, nodding thoughtfully as we sat on
her bed.
Although she claimed that she never used the room, it was still very clean and tidy like she had just gone for a walk and come back to it. The room was practically a princess dream and I wondered if this was her style when she was younger. It was quite interesting since the room did not reflect her in the slightest presently. As though she read my mind, she picked up a small picture frame from the nightstand and placed it in my hand and when my eyes focused on it, my mouth nearly dropped open.
It was a younger looking Luna, in a short light pink skirt with white lines to create a checker pattern with a matching suit jacket and thigh high white socks and hot pink kitten heels with a petite bag to match. Her pale blonde hair was much
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longer than it was today, stopping a little distance from her waist with a bow adorning it, right at the back of her head.
“There’s no way that’s you.” I whispered and she let out a giggle that made me seize doubting her immediately. I glanced at her and she just chuckled, her face flushed as she carefully took the frame from my grasp and set it back down on the table.
She just shrugged, “I know I look like I could never stand up to anyone like that but I could and my mother–in–law knew it too when she told me that I would have to give it up if I wanted to be taken seriously. She was a nice woman and I loved her, she understood me but she knew that even if it may break my heart to make such a drastic change, it was necessary. I eventually understood that she was just looking out for me and although it was painful, I agreed to change my entire wardrobe. Imagine my shock when I moved in here after the coronation to find this beautiful bedroom that she had specially designed for me as a gift.”
“That’s really sweet.” I smiled and she nodded, a wistful look appearing in her eyes as she appeared to be thinking about the Luna before her. “Do you miss it though?” I ask and she smiled shaking her head.
“You wouldn’t pay me to dress like that anymore.” She chuckled. “I think I outgrew it. But before I completely outgrew it though, I think I had already outgrown longing for it. My priorities had changed. I loved standing beside my mate and doing what I had to do to make leading the pack easier for him. I loved the look of trust in the eyes of the pack members when they looked at me. I loved finding out what bothered them and doing what I could to help. To me ‘duty‘ is
a whole lot more than a job. A job could get tiring and
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annoying but my duty to the pack was something that made me happy to fulfil.” She said ending her words with a shrug and I wondered if she planned this entire message the same time she decided to bring me in here. Nevertheless, her message was clear. I understood what she was saying and I admired her all the more after hearing it.
“What are my duties as Luna?” I asked quietly after the pause and she beamed, her younger self showing briefly as she smiled.
She looked thoughtful for a moment before she chuckled, “Okay, this part might actually sound a bit scary dear but think about what a mother does for her child, now think about the pack as your children.”
I gulped, “Even the old people?”
She laughed even louder before flicking my arm gently, “Don’t joke dear, but yes, even the old people. The Alpha is scary and unapproachable, its not going to be very easy to get across to him for most people and so they’ll come to you and you’ll blow on whatever injury they may have…that’s figurative of course.” She said and I nodded.
“Alexander is scary and unapproachable indeed.” I noted and and she chuckled.
“So is my mate.” She lowered her voice, “But he could be a real softie when we’re alone.”
I smiled, “The secret is safe with me.”
We talked a whole lot about the pack, pack history, pack concerns and a lot of things that I will be responsible for and the conversation was so intriguing that we found ourselves in
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more comfortable positions with our backs to the headrest as we spoke. Of course until the Luna asked a question that made me freeze.
“Antonio, how is he?”
“P–pardon?”
“I know it may be cruel of me to ask but no one would tell me anything and…and he’s still my son you know.” She rushed
out.
I understood her but it did not mean I could suddenly fathom
the words she may want to hear. “I-”
“Oh, what am I doing?” She suddenly gasped, “My son practically traumatized you. I should be apologizing on his behalf and not asking you about his wellbeing.”
“It’s…he did traumatize me indeed but he seemed to be doing well on his own if that’s what you need to know, Luna.”
She grimaced with a heavy sigh, “I feel so much pain thinking about him. Even when he was thrown out for endangering the pack, I thought I could save him. I called, I wrote, I sent him money…now I wonder if I unwittingly aided him in his cruel projects. I only wanted to ensure that he survived. Its hard ti accept that he’s truly lost.”
“I’m sorry, Luna.”
“No, I’m sorry. I should never have brought him up.”
There was still a bit of tension after that but it soon dissipated and I was glad that we could continue talking like friends even after such a tense subject. At some point I asked if any of her
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old pastel themed clothes would still be in her closet and after denying at first, she agreed that there may be a few so we pulled out an old trunk and I can’t tell you how exiting it was to pull out pink jackets and hats. My eyes nearly fell out of my sockets when I pulled out the exact checkered suit from the photo in the frame and the Luna nodded at me to try it on.
I tried to decline but she insisted and actually looked excited at the thought of it and so I went into the closet and put it on. To my surprise, it was my size and when I came out, Alexander’s mom gasped, “Oh dear, you have to take it! It’s perfect!”
I blinked at her before going to stand stand in front of the full length mirror. It was beautiful indeed I thought as I looked at myself in it from different angles. But…“I couldn’t possibly take it…” I begun and she frowned.
“Rubbish. It looks beautiful on you and I would rather have one of my favorite outfits live on than have it stay locked up in a miserable dark trunk.”
“I love it.” I said with a wide smile. It wasn’t something I would have a lot of in my closet but one vintage pink suit was
certainly a complement to my closet.
“You’re going to have to recreate my photography now though.” She said with a mischievous smile and my eyes widened.
“With the thigh high socks and the large bow?”
She chuckled, “Humor me, Bella. It’ll be fun.” She laughed just as a maid came in to announce that my mother was here.
I raised my brow in surprise. I had certainly not been
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expecting her. I looked at Alexander’s mom and she smiled. “I should have invited her sooner. She’s your mom, she deserves the joy of going through this with you. You both deserve it.” She said and I smiled at her just as my mom came in.
I got up to give my mom a hug when she got in and she returned it, holding the position for a few seconds more before she finally released me. Someone was sent to fetch cookies and juice while my mom got comfortable.
“Good to see you so happy, Bella.” My mom smiled, “Last I knew, you seemed quite intimidated by this new position.”
“Oh, that’s normal.” Alexander’s mom suddenly said, knowingly or unknowingly flying to my rescue. “I was scared as well when I was faced with this position all of a sudden when I met my mate. But you will overcome my dear, just as I did. It doesn’t happen in a day. No pressure.” She said with a comforting smile that did indeed comfort me.
We talked about more things relating to the preparations and filled my mom in on everything that she missed so far and by the time the maids returned with the refreshments, I was both famished and exhausted.
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