A Seat Beside the Alpha
1689 Words
By evening at Blackwood Estate, Luna had changed her clothes three times.
The first dress was too formal.
The second looked like mourning.
The third—dark green, soft at the waist, sleeves just below her elbows—had been picked by Evelyn, which meant Luna hadn’t really picked it at all.
“You look good,” Evelyn said from the doorway.
Luna stared at her reflection.
“That sounds like something people say right before things go wrong.”
Evelyn adjusted the fabric at her shoulder.
“It’s dinner, not an execution.”
“Same vibe around here sometimes.”
Evelyn laughed.
“The Council isn’t coming.”
“That helps.”
“Serena is.”
Luna turned.
“Who’s Serena?”
Evelyn hesitated.
“Evelyn.”
“Daughter of Alpha Victor Hale. His territory borders ours.”
“And?”
“And she’s known Darius a long time.”
“How long?”
“Pretty much forever.”
Something tightened in Luna’s chest.
She ignored it.
“Why do you look like you’re prepping me for a fight?”
Evelyn picked up a silver hairpin.
“Serena is smart, elegant, politically connected.”
“That sounds exhausting.”
“It can be.”
She pinned Luna’s hair back.
“For years, people assumed she and Darius would end up as an alliance.”
“An alliance.”
“A mating arrangement.”
The tightness sharpened.
“And did Darius think that too?”
“No.”
Too fast.
“Did he ever want her?”
“That’s his story.”
“Convenient.”
“You could just ask him.”
“I won’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I don’t care.”
Evelyn smiled.
“Sure you don’t.”
“You’re enjoying this.”
“A little.”
“I’m being judged, possibly threatened, and maybe haunted. Be nicer.”
“I brought the dress.”
“Fair.”
“And shoes that won’t hurt you.”
“Heroic.”
“You’ll be fine.”
Luna studied herself.
The dress warmed her skin, brought out her eyes. Her hair fell in loose waves. A silver bracelet covered the faint mark on her wrist.
She looked like she belonged.
That was the problem.
“What if they hate me?”
“The pack?”
“They only know I brought trouble.”
“They’re curious. Some are cautious. A few are nervous.”
“That’s worse.”
“But they trust Darius.”
“And he trusts you.”
That warmed her more than she wanted.
“He barely knows me.”
“He doesn’t move without certainty.”
“You make him sound like a machine.”
“He’d like that.”
Luna smiled.
“Come on. Before Mason eats everything.”
“He would?”
“He once ate an entire roast during a briefing.”
“That’s not real.”
“You’ll see.”
They left.
The estate glowed with candlelight. Music drifted up from below.
Voices reached them before the dining hall.
Luna stopped at the stairs.
The hall was alive—tables full, laughter, kids running around.
Not the formal dinner she expected.
It was family.
And it went quiet when she appeared.
Dozens of faces turned.
Luna’s courage evaporated.
“I changed my mind.”
“You didn’t.”
“I prefer eating alone.”
“You’ll be fine.”
“That’s what Darius says before everything goes wrong.”
A voice below:
“Then I should stop saying it.”
Darius stood under the chandelier.
No coat, no ceremony.
Just him.
And the memory of the balcony hit her—his hand, his breath, that almost-kiss.
Her pulse tripped.
His gaze moved over her.
“You look…” he started.
Mason appeared.
“Stunning,” Mason said.
Darius shot him a look.
“I was speaking.”
“You paused.”
“I was choosing the word.”
“You took too long.”
Mason grinned at Luna.
“You look stunning.”
She came down with Evelyn.
“Thank you.”
Darius held out his hand.
The hall stayed quiet.
“You can walk,” she said.
“I’ve seen you under pressure.”
She took his hand.
“That was once.”
“Twice.”
“You count too much.”
“I count anything involving you.”
His voice dropped.
His touch sparked through her.
He felt it too.
He led her in.
Conversations slowly picked back up.
Some smiled. Some watched. Some bowed.
“Why are they bowing?”
“To their Alpha.”
“They’re looking at me.”
“They’re acknowledging you.”
“That sounds dangerous.”
“It is.”
“And you’re still holding my hand.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“You look like you might bolt.”
“I might.”
“Then I’m making sure you don’t.”
She almost smiled.
At the table, Evelyn sat with Mason. Darius pulled out the seat beside him.
Luna stopped.
“That’s your seat.”
“Yes.”
“And that’s the Alpha seat.”
“Yes.”
“Shouldn’t someone important sit there?”
Darius met her eyes.
“Someone important is.”
She sat.
Mason watched, way too pleased.
Evelyn kicked him under the table.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You were about to.”
“I was thinking supportive thoughts.”
“You’re not subtle about it.”
Laughter rippled nearby.
Darius sat.
A servant reached for her glass.
“Water, please.”
“You don’t drink?”
“I do. I just don’t want to unpack childhood trauma at dinner.”
Mason raised his glass.
“That’s how I made friends.”
Evelyn nodded.
“He’s not lying.”
“I was sixteen,” Mason said.
“You cried over a horse.”
“He understood me.”
Luna laughed.
The room eased a little.
Food was passed around. Luna took small portions.
Darius noticed.
“Take more.”
“I am.”
“You’re not.”
“I’m not used to this.”
His expression darkened slightly.
Not at her.
At what she’d been used to.
“Don’t,” she said quietly.
“Don’t what?”
“Look at me like that.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
Mason leaned in.
“He is.”
Darius looked at him.
Mason suddenly became very interested in his plate.
Luna placed bread on Darius’s plate.
“A peace offering.”
“I wasn’t mad.”
“I know. It’s still bread.”
He stared at it.
Then smiled.
It changed his whole face.
Mason nearly dropped his fork.
“Does he always do that?” she whispered.
“I don’t smile much.”
“That’s tragic.”
“I didn’t have much reason to.”
His eyes stayed on hers.
“Until recently.”
Heat crept up her neck.
Across the hall, the doors opened.
Serena entered.
The room shifted.
She was tall, elegant, perfectly composed.
Her eyes went straight to Darius.
Then to Luna.
No reaction.
But the air changed anyway.
“That’s Serena,” Evelyn said.
Luna nodded.
Serena crossed the hall, greeted people politely.
Darius stood.
Luna noticed.
Jealousy hit fast and sharp.
Serena offered her hand.
Darius took it briefly.
Too familiar.
Serena looked at Luna.
“You must be Luna Vale.”
“I must be.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“That makes one of us.”
Mason coughed into his drink.
Serena sat across from Luna.
“You’ve changed the arrangement,” she said.
“Yes.”
“For your guest?”
“For Luna.”
Serena’s smile tightened.
The meal went on.
Politics, borders, alliances.
Serena spoke like she belonged in every conversation.
Luna felt like she didn’t.
Darius leaned in.
“You’re quiet.”
“I’m listening.”
“You’re planning an escape.”
“There are three exits.”
“Four.”
“I missed one.”
“It’s guarded.”
“Then it doesn’t count.”
Across the table, Serena spoke.
“My father expects your answer.”
“What answer?” Luna asked.
Serena looked at her.
“A private matter.”
Darius’s voice cooled.
“It’s no longer being considered.”
Silence dropped.
“Since when?” Serena asked.
“Since I decided.”
Serena understood.
Not anger.
Disappointment.
“I see.”
She lifted her glass.
“Then congratulations may still be in order.”
Darius’s jaw tightened.
“Nothing is decided for Luna.”
Serena blinked.
“You haven’t claimed her?”
The room froze.
Luna stiffened.
“That’s not public discussion,” Darius said.
“She is your mate.”
“She is a person.”
The silence deepened.
“She will choose,” he said. “No one else.”
Luna looked at him.
Serena studied her.
“You’re lucky,” she said quietly.
Before anyone could respond, a glass slipped.
Luna reacted on instinct.
Golden light caught it midair.
The hall went dead silent.
It hovered, glowing softly.
“I didn’t mean to.”
It drifted back down.
Then a child clapped.
Then another.
Then Mason.
Then Evelyn.
The room softened.
Luna sat back down, a little shaken.
Darius leaned in.
“You’re smiling.”
“I think they like me.”
“I told you.”
“You said they trust you.”
“They do.”
His gaze stayed on her.
“But they’re starting to trust you too.”
He took her hand under the table.
Luna looked down.
The bond hummed.
But it felt like choice.
Across the table, Serena watched.
Her glass cracked slightly in her grip.
She leaned toward Luna.
“You should be careful.”
“Is that a threat?”
“No.”
Her eyes flicked to Darius.
“Advice.”
Then back to Luna.
“Darius Blackwood doesn’t love halfway.”
A chill moved through Luna.
“And when he loses control,” Serena said softly, “the woman he loves is rarely the only one who burns.”
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