Behind The Luna's Mask

Not ready yet!

LIORA

“Either way, I’ll be caught, right?”

“Yes,” she paused, gauging her choice of words carefully. “Especially by anyone close to the Luna.”

I huffed in disappointment at myself. “Then, that’s bad.”

I wondered what my fate would have been if I ended up flopping in Alpha Drayton’s presence. Would he have punished me? Forsaken me? Or worse, erased me completely and replaced me with someone better suited to his twisted plans? The thought alone made my stomach knot painfully.

I couldn't afford any misfortune after the goddess gave me an opportunity to do better by myself following the huge betrayal.

Agnes clamped her mouth shut, intensely studying me.

“You have her eyes, though,” she commented, clearly trying to lighten the tension in the hall.

I nodded instead. I had no response to her comment as my mind didn’t stop wandering through the dark maze of possibilities. What if someone else noticed the little things Agnes did? What if my every gesture screamed that I didn’t belong here?

The thought unsettled me. Every smile I forced, every word I spoke, every move I made could either save me or destroy me. There was no middle ground anymore.

Agnes’s gaze softened, and for a fleeting second, I thought I saw pity flash in her eyes. But it vanished too quickly to be sure.

“You’ll learn, Liora,” she said finally, her voice calmer now. “You’ll learn to walk like her, talk like her, be her.”

Her confidence should’ve reassured me, but instead, it only made me feel smaller.

I forced a smile, though my heart felt heavy. “Then I guess I have a lot of work to do.”

Agnes gave a small approving nod before turning away, leaving me alone once again with my thoughts.

“Come with me.” She stood, turning and gliding out of the dining hall almost inaudibly as she had entered without my notice.

Without hesitating, I fell into steps behind her.

The corridors of Drayton’s mansion stretched endlessly. We passed a few servants along the way, each bowing their heads respectfully as we went by. Their eyes lingered on me for brief moments, curious, studying, almost suspicious.

But I forced myself to maintain the same composed grace I’d seen Stacy display in interviews and photos. Chin up, eyes soft but confident, smile faint but poised.

Agnes led me through a side corridor I hadn’t noticed before, the air shifting subtly from the scent of luxury to the crisp freshness of the outdoors. She opened a glass door, and a rush of gentle wind brushed against my face.

Wow. I found myself in a beautiful space filled with flowers.

The garden spread out before me like a scene stolen from a dream.

It was vast with lush green lawns bordered by blooming hedges, winding stone paths, and clusters of flowers that painted the space in color.

“She spent most of her time here,” Agnes began as we stepped onto the cobblestone path. “The Luna loved this garden more than any other part of the estate. When she wasn’t handling her social duties, she would come here at her leisure.”

I turned slowly, taking it all in. “It’s beautiful,” I murmured, meaning it.

Agnes nodded, her eyes scanning the garden with faint nostalgia.

“Her favorite flower was the white camellia,” she said softly. “She said it reminded her of purity and resilience, the two things she believed defined her.”

White camellias. I repeated the name in my mind, trying to brand it into memory.

“She always made sure the gardeners trimmed these herself,” Agnes continued, pointing to a bed of the elegant blooms near the stone bench. “Some morning after breakfast, she’d spend at least an hour here. She said the garden helped her think clearly.”

“She… did all that herself?” I asked, genuinely surprised.

Agnes’s lips twitched faintly, almost in amusement. “You sound like the Alpha when she first started. He thought it was unbecoming of a Luna to dig her hands into the soil. But she was stubborn.”

Of course, I thought grimly. That must’ve annoyed Drayton to no end.

We walked farther into the garden, the path leading to a small seating area with a glass table surrounded by two elegant wicker chairs shaded by a wide parasol. On the table were two porcelain cups and a half-burnt candle that seemed untouched for days.

“She used to sit here,” Agnes said distantly, as though replaying a memory. “Sometimes with tea, sometimes with coffee, depending on her mood. But most evenings, she preferred fresh strawberry juice with ice.”

“Tea. Coffee. Juice,” I repeated softly, nodding to myself. “Strawberry juice, specifically.”

“Yes.” Agnes gave me a knowing glance. “She had routines which the Alpha paid attention to. He’ll notice if you do otherwise.”

A nervous shiver crawled down my spine. “Right. I’ll keep that in mind.”

Agnes moved toward the bench and brushed her fingers along the smooth marble. “And when Alpha Drayton joined her…” she paused, her eyes flicking toward me, “they appeared… perfect together.”

I swallowed hard, trying to hide the unease rising in my chest.

“They would sit here for hours,” she continued. “She’d rest her head on his shoulder while he filled her in on important matters, or sometimes he’d just listen to her talk about her day.”

That image made my stomach twist. The thought of sitting that close to Drayton again, pretending to adore him, was something I couldn’t stomach.

Agnes noticed my silence and turned slightly. “You might not have to learn to mimic that too,” she said. “Alpha Drayton would decide that.”

I forced a chuckle, though my voice trembled. “I don't think he's interested in that aspect of her life with me.”

Agnes tilted her head, narrowing her eyes slightly. “That’s for the best then.”

I stared at her, wondering if she realized how her statement made me feel, or if she simply didn’t care.

We continued walking in silence for a few moments and I took in more details slowly.

Stacy Steele loved to read and she loved Drayton a lot.

I was still lost in thought, standing amid the quiet bloom of flowers, when a shadow fell across the stone path behind me.

At first, I thought it was Agnes returning as she walked ahead of me, but the footsteps were heavier and differet. I turned, and the sight that greeted me made my pulse skip.

Nathan stood by the archway, his presence commanding yet strangely calm. He was dressed in a black shirt rolled up to the elbows and dark jeans that fit him a little too well.

His nearly cut dark brown hair was pushed slightly back, and a faint scar traced the edge of his jawline, giving him a rugged edge that spoke of experience and danger in equal measure.

“Luna,” he greeted.

I froze for a split second before remembering to respond. Luna. Right! He was talking to me as Stacy Steele.

My lips parted, but no sound came at first. “Yes?” I managed finally, cursing inwardly at how unsure I sounded.

He didn’t seem to notice, or perhaps he was polite enough to ignore it as he gave a curt nod.

“Alpha Drayton sent me. He requests that you prepare for a short outing of which I’ll be your escort.”

An outing? My heart skipped again, this time in pure panic. Outing meant public interaction. Exposure. People. Questions.

“Outing?” I repeated, trying not to let my voice tremble. “Did he say what for?”

Nathan’s gaze flicked up briefly. “No, Luna. Only that you should be ready within the hour.”

Within the hour? I wasn’t even ready within myself!