The Luna's Secret

Chapter 6: Turning the Tables

{Serena’s P.O.V}

I let out a shaky breath, allowing my shoulders to slump as if the weight of the world had finally settled on them. "I just... I can't believe this," I murmured, my voice trembling. I covered my face with my hands, making sure to take deep, ragged breaths that would sound like sobs.

"I thought... I thought we had something real," I continued, my voice muffled by my hands.

Liam rushed forward in a heartbeat, his concern evident in his eyes.

"Are you crying?" he asked softly, gently prying my hands away from my face.

The redness in my eyes, a product of my feigned sorrow, added a convincing touch to my act. He looked at my tear-streaked face in disbelief, his expression hardening as he turned toward Gabriel.

Without a second thought, Liam's fist collided with Gabriel's face, the force of the punch echoing through the room. Gabriel staggered backward, clutching his jaw, his eyes wide with shock. The room fell into a tense silence, the air thick with unspoken emotions and the weight of the moment.

"Liam, stop!"I cried out, reaching for his arm, my voice trembling with a carefully crafted mix of worry and concern.

"Don't hit him, please! I just... I just needed to accept it." My actual effort to stop him was minimal, a mere brush of my fingers against his arm.

Liam's face twisted with even more anger. "Do you really care about him that much? Even now, you're trying to protect him?" He turned back, ready to throw another punch, but Gabriel was prepared this time.

As the Alpha, Gabriel was stronger and more skilled in combat than Liam. He had never liked Liam and had always harbored a deep-seated animosity towards him. He was always ready to show him who was boss. The only reason he had hesitated was my tears. He had never seen me like this—I was always so calm, so proud, like a graceful swan. He had always hated my pride, and now he had succeeded in breaking it. Or so he thought.

Gabriel didn't retaliate with a punch; instead, he skillfully blocked Liam's next attack. His movements were swift and precise, demonstrating his superior strength and combat skills. He stood his ground, eyes locked on Liam, a silent warning in his stance.

"Liam, enough," Gabriel said, his voice cold and authoritative. "This isn't the time or place."

This statement should have been full of authority, but the effect was utterly ruined by his appearance. Liam's heavy punch had landed squarely on Gabriel's eye, causing it to swell and discolor rapidly. His face was marred by a deep purple bruise forming around his eye, making him look more battered than imposing.

Inside, I couldn't help but feel a surge of vindictive satisfaction. Seeing Gabriel's pain brought me a twisted sense of joy, though I kept my outward expression carefully controlled, maintaining an appearance of sorrow and distress.

"Oh, Gabriel," I murmured, my voice quivering. "Please, let's not make this any worse." My eyes shimmered with feigned tears, masking the glee I felt at seeing him brought down a notch.

Taking a deep breath, I steadied myself before speaking again. "Gabriel, I think... I think it's best if we separate for a while. We need time apart to process everything."

Gabriel's eyes widened in shock. The bruise on his face only accentuated his stunned expression. "No, I won't agree!" he declared, his voice sharp and unyielding. "I won't allow it."

Liam stepped forward, his expression fierce. " Gabriel,you might be the Alpha, but you can't force her to stay with you if she doesn't want to. If you insist, I'll call for a clan meeting to decide on this."

I watched Gabriel's reaction, feeling a flicker of confusion. I had expected him to be relieved, even pleased, by my suggestion. Our marriage had always been more of a strategic alliance.He needed a clever wife to shoulder the responsibilities of Luna. I needed the Luna title to protect the pack and a husband to fend off unwelcome suitors after my true love had died.

I didn't have time to dwell on his unexpected response. Swiftly, I adjusted my approach, my voice breaking with emotion.

"Just because I love you, does that give you the right to hurt me so deeply?" Tears welled up in my eyes, and my voice shook.

"I've overlooked your indiscretions, tried to be patient and understanding, but bringing someone into our home was too much. I'm not asking for a divorce because I still love you and want to give you a chance. But we need space.We need to separate for a while."

Gabriel's jaw clenched, his eyes blazing with a mixture of rage and something else—I don’t know what it was.

"You think you can just dictate terms like this?" he spat out. "You think space will solve anything?"

Liam's voice cut through the tension. "Back off, Gabriel. She’s asking for something reasonable. If you care about her at all, you’ll give her the space she needs."

Gabriel glared at Liam, fists clenched. "You have no right to interfere in our marriage," he growled.

"I have every right to protect her," Liam shot back. "And if you won't listen, then we'll let the clan decide. They won't stand by and let you treat her like this."

Gabriel's face contorted with fury, his eyes narrowing into slits. "You think the clan will side with you?" he sneered, his voice dripping with venom. "They know who the real leader is here.I am the alpha.And you’re just a pawn, Liam. A pawn with no power."

I couldn't hold back any longer. A bitter smile curled my lips as I looked at Gabriel. "Oh, Gabriel, your concern is touching," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"But let's not pretend your refusal is about our marriage. This is about your pride and control. You never cared about us, only about how things look to the clan. Well, I'm done being your puppet."

Gabriel's eyes narrowed further, his fury palpable. "You think you can just insult me and get away with it?"

"I think it's time you leave," I said firmly, straightening up. "Both of you."

Gabriel's face twisted with rage, but he knew better than to push further with Liam ready to intervene. He stormed out of the room, the door slamming behind him.

To my surprise, Mia didn’t follow him. Instead, she stayed behind, hesitating as she slowly approached me. Her eyes were full of concern and uncertainty.And she had her trademark sweet smile, like nothing had happened.

"Can we ever go back to how things were?" she asked hesitantly, her voice trembling.

I stared deeply at her, then let a smile slowly spread across my face.

"Of course, Mia," I replied, my voice eerily calm. "Even though you slept with my husband, you're still my best friend,right?My sister Mia."

Mia's face paled, her sweet smile faltering. She had clearly expected me to break down, to lose my composure and confront her angrily. Instead, my measured response caught her off guard. She bit her lip, trying to maintain her smile. "Of course," she said, her voice shaky.

"Good," I said, leaning back against the wall, crossing my arms and making it clear I had no intention of helping.

"Since you're my best friend, you'll stay and help me clean up this mess you made. After all, that's what best friends do, right?" I emphasized the last words, my tone dripping with menace.

Mia's eyes widened in shock and pain, but she forced herself to nod. "Of course," she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

Liam moved to assist, but I stopped him with a quick shake of my head. Understanding my intent, he stepped back, a small, indulgent smile playing on his lips as he watched me.

Mia winced as she bent to pick up the scattered pieces, her movements slow and deliberate. The tension in the room was thick, but I reveled in it. This was just the beginning, and I was ready to reclaim my life and make sure everyone knew their place.

After a few minutes, I straightened up and headed to the kitchen. I poured two glasses of wine, taking a moment to enjoy the rich aroma before returning to the living room.

I handed one glass to Liam and raised mine in a toast, a smirk playing on my lips. “Being the bad guy feels pretty good, doesn’t it?”

Liam looked at me, a mixture of amusement and concern in his eyes. He probably thought I was using the wine to drown my sorrows, masking my pain with bravado. But as he saw the spark of vitality in my eyes, his own smile grew wider. He clinked his glass against mine.

“Cheers to that,” he said, shaking his head with a chuckle.

We drank, the clinking of our glasses a sharp contrast to the quiet, tense atmosphere Mia was left to endure. She kept her head down, silently cleaning up the mess. This was just the beginning of a new chapter, one where I held the reins.