HIS LUNA

Chapter Five-A familiar stranger

Olivia

Murmurs filled the room, women in pretty dresses adorned with jewellery enough to solve the pack's problems danced around, moving from left to right with fake smiles plastered on their faces. I stared at the spectacle from the high table.

The pack's so-called problems suddenly seemed like a joke. All the ornaments used in this party were enough to solve the hunger of the people.

Was Jacob blind to all this or was he just too weak to command them to give up their valuables? I shook my head, taking a sip from the drink placed on the table.

Funny enough, Jacob was yet to arrive, even though this welcome dinner was meant to appreciate me and give me respect.

I rolled my eyes at the hypocrisy of the event. Although I wanted to get up to leave, my real purpose of coming here was yet to be served.

The door burst open, and my eyes darted towards their direction, not only mine but everyone in the room. Jacob made the grandest appearance, but that wasn't what left me gasping but rather the person whose hands were wrapped around his—Amy.

My eyes widened as I stared at them walking in. I had long heard about the Luna the pack had gotten, but I had never expected it to be Amy.

Her eyes scanned the room, and they finally caught mine, but her reaction wasn't what I had expected. Rather than the flicker of shock when she saw me, everything else looked normal. She walked towards me with an expressionless face, not suspicious enough for me to doubt anything.

She walked gracefully, different from the usual carefree act I had known her for. I blinked, checking if it was really her.

Amy stopped before me, staring right at me. She seemed to be questioning something but before I could react, she was already sitting next to me. I looked between her and Jacob who had just sighed and taken a seat somewhere else.

My lips parted but closed shortly after; I couldn't bring myself to speak, and my cowardice made me hit myself. I stared directly at Amy as the party commenced. Her every reaction and movement seemed programmed.

Like every Luna, she acted composed and robotic unlike her usual self. With each minute passing, the possibility of her being forced faded.

Amy wasn't someone to give in so easily, and definitely not someone to accept becoming a Luna, but her current behaviour, I couldn't help but feel like she had been lying to me.

All her attitude of kindness and compassion seemed fake. A bold thought rang in my head but I pushed it down, telling myself she wasn't someone like that, and just as if she heard my thoughts, she turned.

In a low voice, she spoke. “Why are you here?” Her tone was cold and commanding for answers. I stared at her, trying to decipher if there was more to it but I got no answers.

Taking in a deep breath, I spoke. “I'm here as the representative. What do you think I'm here for you?”

She looked shocked, a flicker of emotion in her perfectly cold face, but her next words gave me some sense of hope.

“Let's talk outside.”

She said, and I turned towards her immediately. She made some excuse to get out of there and my eyes followed her every step. I waited for a few minutes, afraid the cover would be blown before I trailed after.

Amy jumped, hugging me tightly the moment she saw me, quite in contrast to her previous attitude. I wanted to hug her back, but I kept my guard up.

“Why were you acting like that?” I asked, pulling out of the hug. Amy paused for a moment, unwilling to answer the question but she still smiled.

“As Luna, I had to. I couldn't be seen interacting fondly with the pack who could have ill intentions for coming.” She said, and I couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of her words.

I had never expected that I would hear those words escaping her lips. “What made you Luna?” I asked, a brow slightly raised.

“My brother.” She paused, her head lowered slightly. She turned, walking a few steps away before she continued. “He made me a candidate without my consent, and the next thing I knew, I was training on how to act respectfully and be a role model.”

A crease formed between my brows as she spoke. Her story already had a flaw from the very beginning. Her brother had always doted on her, and would never use her as a bargaining chip.

Something was wrong. Amy turned, rushing towards me before cupping my hand into hers. “I only agreed to do it with you in mind. I wanted to get revenge for you.”

She said, staring at me with a pitiful look in her eyes. “Your brother?” I paused, hoping she would see how weird her story sounded. “The one who could literally die for you?” I asked.

“Yes. I was also shocked, he seemed like an entirely different person. I even started to doubt his identity.” She spoke on and on, about how her brother must have had a reason for forcing her into it, and it slowly started to make sense, but before I could confirm my thesis, I saw Sarah in the corner.

I waved Amy off instantly, telling her I would chat with her later. Sarah came closer, whispering into my ear.

“I got some news on your mother.” A smile crept up my face, my main reason for coming here was about to be achieved.

My smile soon vanished as she finished her words. “Your mother went missing.”