Chapter 2
1161 Words
Sera POV
Three days, that was how long I stayed quiet after that night.
Pretending like I was fine with Henry, playing with he dutiful and vessel Luna.
Three days of waking up next to Henry and saying nothing. Three days of making his coffee the way he likes it, two sugars, no milk and setting it on his desk without a word. Three days of smiling at pack members in the hallway and answering questions about the upcoming gala like I had no plans at all.
I was good at this.
I had been good at pretending for a whole year.
I had being small, soft, easy to forget Luna but behind my eyes, I was counting.
Counting days. Planning my exits, that I would walk through the door and never come back to him.
***********
The Greenfield Gala was a big deal.
Alpha Marcus of Greenfield hosted it every year. Fancy suits. Long tables. Wine that costs more than most wolves earn in a month. Every Alpha and Luna within three territories came dressed in their best, trying to look like they belonged.
Henry loved these things.
He liked being seen. Liked the way other Alphas nodded at him. Liked standing tall in a room full of important people and feeling like the most important one.
He picked out my dress himself.
Pale blue, it was plain and a modest neckline. Nothing that would pull eyes away from him.
I put it on without argument.
I did my own hair, just simple bun, small pearl earrings my father gave me when I was sixteen. The only piece of home I had carried with me into this life.
Henry looked at me once before we left.
No compliment, not even a smile at me.
"You're ready. Good." That was all he said before we leave for the Gala.
The gala was loud and bright and full of wolves pretending to be more relaxed than they were.
I played my part well.
I stood beside Henry. I laughed at the right moments. I shook hands and said the right names and made polite conversation with Lunas who looked at me with eyes that were just a little too careful.
They all knew something but no one was close enough with me to tell me anything.
I could feel it now. The way I couldn't feel it before everything was beginning to make sense to me after the hurtful word I heard from Henry on our anniversary.
The small looks, the quick glances between Henry and Jennifer when they thought I wasn't watching. Jennifer was there too attending the gala, of course she was wearing a deep red dress that made her look like she was so important in the room.
She probably felt like she did.
After so much of the party and drinking one of the Alpha Marcus's son announced the most important game in the gala that night.
The truth or dare game.
The truth or dare started after the third round of drinks.
It was Alpha Marcus's youngest son who suggested it. Drunk and laughing and trying to impress a girl three seats down. Someone said yes. Then everyone said yes. Because drunk wolves at a gala will agree to anything that sounds like fun.
I said nothing.
I sat with my wine glass and I watched.
Henry was already on his fourth drink. I knew his drinking. I knew the way his shoulders loosened first, then his mouth. Henry sober was cold and careful. Henry drunk was messy and honest.
Tonight I needed him honest.
The game moved around the table fast.
Small dares. Easy truths. Nothing sharp yet.
Then Marcus's son pointed at Henry with a lazy grin.
"Alpha Henry. Truth or dare?"
Henry leaned back in his chair like a man with nothing to hide.
"Truth," he said.
The boy grinned wider. Drunk and stupid and about to do me the biggest favour of my life.
"Simple one," he said. "How much do you love your Luna?"
The table went a little still, Just that small pause that happens when a question lands somewhere real.
Henry looked at me.
I looked back.
My face was soft. Calm. The perfect picture of a Luna waiting sweetly for her Alpha's answer.
Inside me, my wolf was grinning to hear the bitter truth of our life from Alpha Henry, my supposed ex mate.
Henry smiled.
That lazy, careless smile of a man who thinks he is untouchable.
"Love is a strong word," he said.
Someone laughed nervously.
Henry picked up his glass.
"She's a good Luna," he said. "Quiet. Obedient. Does what she's told." He paused. Shrugged one shoulder. "But love? No. Not really."
The table went silent, fully silent this time that even the drunk Alpha Marcus's youngest son stopped smiling.
Jennifer looked down at her plate with pride and effort of not wanting to smile too wide.
I felt every single eye in that room turn to me.
And I smiled to cover my veil of embarrassmentm
I smiled like I had just heard something mildly interesting.
I picked up my wine glass. I took a slow sip.
Then I set it down, turned to the Luna on my left, and said with all the disgust in my voice still trying to hold myself. "Have you tried the salmon? It's wonderful tonight."
There was a dead silence at my pretense of not caring to be bother by Henry's word.
Then a small, uncomfortable sound of people going back to their drinks and their plates and pretending they hadn't just watched a man throw his mate away in public like an old coat.
Henry blinked.
He expected tears. I know he did. He expected me to go pink and press my napkin to my mouth and excuse myself to the bathroom.
He didn't know what to do with my smile.
Later after the long late party night, Henry left with Jennifer.
No explanation, just stood up, said something about checking on a pack matter, and walked out with his hand on the small of her back.
In front of everyone.
I watched them go.
The Luna beside me put her hand gently on my arm.
"Are you okay?" She whispered.
"Perfectly fine," I said warmly. "Excuse me."
I walked to the coat check alone. I got my coat alone. I stepped outside into the cool night air alone.
The stars were very bright.
I stood there and I breathed and I let myself feel it for exactly sixty seconds.
I can fully felt the sting, the heat behind my eyes, the small, sharp pain of being publicly thrown away by someone I gave everything to.
Henry and Jennifer already took the car away so there was no car to take me home.
I called a cab to take me home in the quiet dark.
And I started packing in my head before I even reached the door.
- Writer
