Chapter 3 The Mask Falls Away

Luna's POV

I barely had time to compose myself before Marcus walked into the living room. He looked immaculate as always-his dark suit perfectly pressed, his hair styled, his Alpha confidence radiating from every pore.

How had I never noticed how cold his eyes were?

"There you are," he said, loosening his tie. "I thought I heard voices. Who was here?"

"Celeste." The word came out steadier than I felt. "She stopped by for dinner."

"Ah." He moved to the bar cart, pouring himself a scotch. He didn't offer me anything. When had he stopped doing little things like that? "How are you feeling? Any better?"

Such a caring question. Such a loving husband. If I didn't know better, I might actually believe he cared.

"I'm fine." I watched him take a long sip, noting how he avoided meeting my eyes. "How was your council meeting?"

He paused, the glass halfway to his lips. "Fine. Boring political discussions. Nothing you'd be interested in."

"Try me."

Now he did look at me, his brow furrowing. "Luna, you look pale. Maybe you should rest."

"I'm not tired." I stood up, facing him fully. "Actually, I'm more awake than I've been in months. Tell me about the meeting, Marcus. Who was there?"

"The usual suspects. Alpha Hendricks, Alpha Morrison, Alpha-"

"Alpha Thorne?"

The glass slipped from his fingers, shattering against the hardwood floor. The sharp sound made us both flinch, but neither of us moved to clean it up.

"What did you say?"

"I asked if Alpha Thorne was at your meeting." My voice was getting stronger with each word. "You know, from the Eastern Ridge Pack? The one with the daughter?"

Marcus's face had gone completely white. "Luna, I don't know what you think you know-"

"I know about Victoria."

The silence that followed was deafening. I could hear my own heartbeat, could smell the sudden spike of anxiety in Marcus's scent. His wolf was agitated, probably urging him to lie his way out of this.

"She told you." His voice was flat, emotionless.

"She? Who's she, Marcus? My sister who's been watching you betray me for months? Or Victoria, who's carrying your child while I struggle with morning sickness from carrying what you probably consider your spare heir?"

He flinched at that. Good. I hoped it hurt.

"It's not what you think."

"Really?" I laughed, and the sound was sharp enough to cut glass. "Then please, explain it to me. Explain how your pregnant mate stumbled across photos of you entering a hotel with another pregnant woman. Explain how that's not exactly what it looks like."

Marcus ran his hands through his hair, messing up the perfect styling. "Luna, sit down. Please."

"No."

"This is a conversation we should have sitting down."

"This is a conversation we should have had before you started sleeping with someone else!" My voice rose to a shout, and I felt my wolf push forward again, lending strength to my rage. "How long, Marcus? How long have you been lying to me?"

He was quiet for so long I thought he wouldn't answer. When he finally spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper.

"Since the beginning."

The words hit me like a physical blow. I actually staggered backward.

"Since the beginning," I repeated numbly.

"The political alliance with the Eastern Ridge Pack was always the plan. My father arranged it before he died. Victoria and I... we were supposed to be mated originally."

"Then why-" My voice broke. "Why me?"

"Because Victoria wasn't ready. She was only sixteen when my father died, too young to take on Luna duties. The pack needed stability, needed a Luna who could step in immediately." He finally met my eyes, and what I saw there was worse than hatred. It was pity. "You were perfect for the interim."

Interim. Like I was a temporary employee. A placeholder.

"And our bond? Our mating ceremony? The vows we made?"

"Political necessity."

Three words that destroyed three years of my life.

"Did you ever love me? Even a little bit?"

Marcus hesitated, and that hesitation was answer enough.

"I cared for you," he said finally. "You were... useful. A good Luna. The pack respected you."

"Useful." I tasted bile. "Like a good hunting dog."

"Luna, don't be dramatic-"

"DRAMATIC?" The windows rattled again, and somewhere in the distance, I heard wolves howling in response to the power rolling off me. "I gave you everything! I left my pack, my family, my career! I endured your mother's contempt and your sister's snide comments! I took fertility treatments that made me sick for months because I thought you wanted children with me!"

"I do want children with you-"

"As SPARES!" I was screaming now, my wolf so close to the surface that my vision was shifting. "Victoria's child will be your heir, and mine will be what? Your backup plan?"

"Luna, calm down. This isn't good for the baby-"

"Don't you DARE use my child as a weapon against me now!"

Something in my tone must have warned him, because Marcus took a step back. For the first time in our three-year relationship, he looked at me like I might be dangerous.

Smart man.

"We can make this work," he said, his voice taking on that Alpha command tone that used to make me melt. "You'll remain as Luna. Victoria will be my... companion. Our children will both be provided for."

I stared at him in disbelief. "You want me to share you. Officially."

"It's not uncommon among Alpha families-"

"Get out."

"What?"

"I said get out. Get out of my sight before I do something we'll both regret."

"This is my house-"

"GET OUT!"

The command came out with such Alpha force that Marcus actually stumbled backward. His eyes went wide with shock. In three years together, I had never used an Alpha command on him. I wasn't even sure I could.

Apparently, I could.

"Luna, what the hell-"

"GET OUT NOW!"

This time, every piece of glass in the room exploded. The windows, the mirror above the fireplace, even the crystal chandelier rained down in glittering shards. Marcus threw his arms up to protect his face, backing toward the door.

"We're not finished with this conversation!" he shouted over the sound of destruction.

"Yes, we are." My voice was eerily calm now, deadly quiet. "Because there's nothing left to discuss. You've made your choice, Marcus. Now live with it."

He opened his mouth to argue, but something in my expression made him think better of it. He turned and fled, slamming the door behind him.

Only then did I allow myself to collapse.

I sank to my knees among the broken glass, my hands pressed to my stomach where our child grew. The child he considered a spare. The child conceived through artificial love and political manipulation.

But as I knelt there in the wreckage of my old life, I felt something I hadn't felt in months.

I felt free.

And for the first time since my eighteenth birthday, I felt like myself again.

The real Luna. Not the perfect, submissive Luna who'd been crafted through potions and lies.

The Luna who was about to remind everyone exactly why you don't cross a healer who knows every poison in the forest.

They wanted to play games?

Fine.

But they were about to learn they'd been playing with the wrong woman all along.