The Luna queen is back

Chapter 10: The Alpha's Choice (2)

ENISA'S POV

The room erupted the moment the words left his mouth.

Gasps and laughter penetrated the air wrapped in celebration.

I stood where I was, perfectly still, letting the noise crash and swell around me. For a brief calculated moment, I let my expression falter.

My lips parted slightly, my gaze dimmed, and my shoulders softened as though something inside me had cracked.

It was convincing; it always has been. The look of rejection.

Around me, a few heads turned, catching that fleeting glimpse of what they wanted to see, the overlooked sister, struck silent by fate.

Good.

Let them carry that version of me with them, because that is exactly what I wanted.

Across the room, Iris looked…radiant, overwhelmed…surprised.

Surprised?

As though this wasn't the plan in the first place, to have him for herself, like some lottery prize.

And he, the Alpha prince, stood beside her like he had just claimed something rare. A small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of my lips.

“Take her."

The word echoed in my mind as I lowered my gaze before anyone could notice the shift, letting the delusion settle back into place. Then, without a word, I turned, taking my leave.

No one stopped me; they never do, because they never even cared to notice.

The chaos folded in on itself behind me as I slipped out, the music and chatter dimming into a distant murmur. My steps were slow, dragging along the tiles as though I were counting them.

There was no need to rush, not when everything had just fallen perfectly into place. I want to frolic in the moment, enjoying it while it lasts.

The corridor greeted me with silence, the kind that presses gently against your ears after too much noise. I walked its length, my reflection gliding beside me in the tall windows.

I reached the side exit and pushed it open, stepping into the cool night air the private terrace offered.

The cool breeze brushed against my skin, sharp and refreshing, like a reward. I inhaled deeply, slower this time, and then I let it out.

A soft laugh followed.

Iris was leaving.

The thought settled warmly in my chest, not heavy, not bitter, just right. For so long, she had been the center of attention. The favored one. The one they looked to without question.

And I… I had been there too, of course, always there. My fingers curled lightly around the cold railing as I stepped forward, the stone terrace stretching wide beneath the open sky, my gaze lifted toward the horizon.

“When she's gone, they will need someone else.”

And when the call for duty arises, I will be here, ready.

A quiet hum of satisfaction settled beneath my ribs; my patience has been rewarded.

I tilted my head slightly, listening to the faint echo of celebration still bleeding through the walls behind me.

"Worth the wait, Enisa," I whispered into the night, the words drifting easily from my lips.

My dark hair thrashed wildly in the wind, strands lashing across my face as the night air slipped beneath my skin.

I stood there for a while, aloof, letting the silence settle over me like a second skin.

Long enough to smoothen my expression, then I stepped away from the terrace and went back inside.

The main hall had calmed somewhat. The earlier chaos had dissipated. Yet even with the air conditioner blasting, the room felt thick, overheated by too many bodies and too much excitement.

I slipped to the side, unnoticed, my gaze settling on Iris.

Her friends circled her like bees to honey, fawning, congratulating, and feeding off her glow. Her cheeks were flushed, color blooming across her face as she tried and failed to contain her excitement.

She was all sunflower smiles and roses, flashing that perfect set of white teeth as if she had already stepped into her new life.

My eyes drifted past her to the corner.

Alpha Zaden stood there with my father as they discussed in a hushed tone. Retrieving my gaze, I folded my arms across my chest briefly, then let them fall as I pushed myself forward, weaving through the crowd until I reached Iris.

“Congratulations, Iris.”

She blushed hard, slipping some strands of her hair behind her ear as she stepped forward. She wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into an embrace that looked tender enough to fool anyone watching.

Her friends drifted away, granting us what they must have thought was a heartfelt, sisterly moment.

It lasted less than a second.

“Save yourself the trouble of making a fool of yourself.”

Her lips brushed close to my ear as she spoke, her voice low, sharp, and perfectly laced with despair.

I pulled away immediately, then took my place beside her.

My throat felt dry, but my smile didn’t falter.

“Don’t act all lovey-dovey,” she added under her breath, her eyes still shining for the crowd. “You’re not happy for me.”

I turned slightly toward her.

“I tell you the truth, Iris…” I began, my tone light, almost playful. Her smile brightened, dazzling enough to sell any lie.

“I am very happy for you,” I finished, letting my voice drop.

“I don’t need your opinion of me.”

“Oh, you do,” I snapped quietly, the edge slipping through before I could dull it.

For a fraction of a second, her expression ruptured, just enough to reveal the glint beneath, and then it vanished.

“What a pity,” she murmured, “that you’ll rot here with my mother.”

I exhaled roughly, a cold resolve hardening in me.

“Let’s see how well you manage without her constantly spoon-feeding that obnoxious attitude of yours, Iris,” I replied, my tone smooth, almost conversational.

I tilted my head slightly, meeting her gaze fully now.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t worry about me. I’ve survived just fine.”

I paused, taking in every subtle change of the countenance of her face.

“But you, Iris… you’re going to need all the help you can get.”

She held her smile; so did I.

And to anyone watching, we were nothing more than two sisters standing too close, sharing a moment they would never understand.

Just then, her eyes dropped to my feet.

The glow on her face flickered, then twisted, something darker slipping through, something sharp and knowing.

“Great Mother of the Seven Moons…”

She didn’t raise her voice, but I could hear the shock highlighted in the pitch of her voice.

I didn’t need to be told she had just realized I was wearing her shoes.

My stomach tightened, but I kept the smile in place; it was fragile now, stretching thinner by the second.

“How dare you?”

She snapped.

The words came low, laced with something ominous enough to make my chest constrict. I glanced around instinctively.

“Iris, you don’t have to make a scene—”

“Do you know how much those cost?!” she snapped, teeth clenched, her chest rising and falling like she was holding back an explosion.

The boldness I had worn so effortlessly minutes ago slipped, leaving me scrambling for something to hold onto.

“Did you also steal this dress?” Her eyes dragged over me, suspicion flaring. “Tell me, Enisa.”

Her voice edged higher, but the hum of the room swallowed it whole.

“This isn’t the dress I laid out for you,” she pressed, her lips barely moving now. “Did you take it from my new collection? Knowing I wouldn’t even notice what’s missing?”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Iris.”

The words left me before I could stop them, and I regretted them instantly.

Her expression sharpened, her mouth parting, ready to unleash something that would definitely be heard.

But she never got the chance.

Vedica appeared.

Looking seamless. Like she had always been there.

Her heels clicked softly against the floor as she stepped in beside Iris, her smile polished to perfection, composed, every inch the gracious hostess.

“Mother, did you know that—”

“Iris.”

She interrupted lightly.

“Look at me.”

Something in her tone shifted, and Iris obeyed instantly, her gaze lifting. Vedica adjusted her stance subtly, her back turning just enough to shield Iris from the room, from prying eyes, hiding whatever passed between them.

“Listen to me, Iris.”

The softness in her tone vanished.

What replaced it was cold. Flat. Terrifying.

“Your father has given everything for this moment. For you to stand here, to experience this moment, exactly as it has always been destined to be.”

She paused, catching her breath.

“If you ruin this,” she continued, her voice dropping further, “I will make your life a living hell. What I need from you now is to act like the classy lady I have trained you to be; keep the tone of voice under control!

My breath caught as I listened.

“I did not spend hours perfecting this smile until my jaw ached, until my cheeks burned, just for you to destroy it in seconds.” Her words sharpened, calm but lethal. “I will end you with my bare hands if I have to.”

I blinked once, twice, maybe more.

My jaw slackened before I could stop it.

Iris had gone completely still. The color drained from her face quickly, leaving her pale.

Her throat bobbled as she swallowed down whatever words remained.

Vedica's smile returned as she tapped Iris lightly on the shoulder, as though nothing at all had happened, then turned and walked away, melting back into the crowd.

I stood there, stunned.

I had never seen her like that. Not with Iris, not with anyone, except with me, of course.

Just like that, a realization settled deep…she had always been capable of it.

Iris’s gaze found mine again, but whatever burned there before… it was gone, smothered… buried. She looked through me, not at me.

For the rest of the evening, she kept her distance.

She spoke when spoken to. Laughed when expected. Entertained her friends with just enough charm to keep the illusion alive.

But the spark was gone, and I noticed.

She had always been the one bathed in attention, wrapped in care, pampered with love. Vedica's other side must have really frightened her.

Soon enough the guest began to leave.

The energy of the room drained with them, fading into polite farewells and prolonged glances.

Alpha Zaden departed not long after, following a final exchange with my father.

Vedica played her role flawlessly to the very end, handing out gift boxes, smiling, thanking, and performing.

A show, all of it.

By the time the doors finally closed on the last guest, the silence that followed felt heavier than the noise ever had.

Only then did I release a breath I didn't know I had been holding onto.

I turned without a word and made my way to my room.

It had been a long night, and I was glad it was finally over.