I Am The Luna (Moonlight Muse) novel Chapter 12

ZAIA.

“Naya!” Atticus’s voice calls, and I freeze.

The name he said he’ll call me by… Oh no...

I turn gracefully and look at him, smiling brightly.

His brown hair is styled back, making him look a lot sharper without the tousled mess it usually is in. He’s in a dark grey suit that makes his eyes look a tad lighter, paired with a teal mask and tie.

“Atticus,” I reply, trying to make my voice sound a little pitchy.

He’ll know… there’s no way you can live with someone for three years and not be able to recognise them from close. I can’t go over there.

Yet Atticus has other plans, and to my dismay, he motions me over, making my heart thunder.

Thinking fast, I raise a finger and gesture to the left. “One moment, I have to check on something.” I mouth to him, bluffing.

He tilts his head, smiling, before he walks over to me.

For once I’m relieved he came over to me rather than persist. He touches my upper arms, giving them a gentle squeeze. “Hey, are you alright?”

I nod. “Absolutely, I just want to make sure everything is in place,” I reply quietly, certain that Sebastian can probably hear me.

“You look beautiful tonight… I’m glad you were up to coming.”

I didn’t really have a choice…

“Thank you, you do too. I mean, you look handsome, not beautiful.” I reply, internally cringing at my mix-up.

He lets out a breathy laugh, reaching up and caressing my cheek - much to my surprise, and it takes my all not to move away from him.

“Thank you,” he replies before he bends down and kisses my cheek.

I can feel several pairs of eyes searing into me, but there’s one pair that is burning holes through my head.

Sebastian’s.

Does he suspect something?

“Come, allow me to introduce you to Alpha Sebastian King.”

I look at Sebastian before lowering my gaze. “Of course.”

Atticus offers me his arm and I hesitantly loop my hand around it and allow him to guide me over to them.

What do I do? Goddess, what do I do?

I’m dragging my feet, walking slowly as Sebastian’s piercing blue eyes continue to burn into me, as if delaying it will somehow stop me from having to come face-to-face with him.

Suddenly someone knocks into me, and something cold splashes down my arm and over the skirt of my dress.

I gasp, my foot catching in the hem of my gown, making me stumble. I grab onto Atticus, my other hand going to my belly protectively, just as Sebastian steps forward, almost as if to grab hold of me, but whoever bumped into me grabs my upper arm, pulling me back.

“Shit, sorry! I am so sorry!”

Jai?

I turn to look at the man who has ruined my dress.

My saviour…

“I am so sorry, miss,” he says apologetically, as a snarl rips through Atticus’s throat.

“You will be more careful. If anything happened to my woman, you…”

His woman?

“It was a mistake, and she’s ok. I’m sorry Alpha,” Jai says, raising his hands in defence.

His gaze dips to mine, and his eyes soften.

He did it on purpose as he recognised me…

“Get out of here before you are forced out.” Atticus spits venomously.

“You should know better than to threaten my men,” Sebastian growls.

Their auras are raging around them as the ballroom falls silent.

“It’s alright, I’m ok,” I murmur, keeping my head down as I gather my wet skirts. “I’ll just go clean up.”

I spot Valerie, who is standing beside Jai, but there’s no way I’ll be able to speak to her now.

“Excuse me,” I murmur to Atticus before I pull away gently.

I look back, worried for Jai, when I see Sebastian block Atticus’s path.

His gaze flicks to me almost as if he knows I’m watching them and I quickly turn away, and hurry into the crowd…

I reach the side hall, making my way to the bathroom. My heart is thudding and only when my phone vibrates, and I fumble with the latch on my clutch bag do I realise that I’m shaking.

VALERIE: I’m coming, wait in the bathroom.

Goddess, that was nerve-wracking.

I walk over to the sink and open the faucet, staring at my reflection.

Thank God Jai came. I hope he doesn’t get into trouble…

This was not how the evening was meant to go…

I bite my lip, feeling my heart clench.

He even brought her here… but obviously, why wouldn’t he?

I don’t know why it’s upsetting me. I know that we never heard anything about my divorce, and there was no rumour about Annalise becoming the Luna. Even Val told me that… but what was I expecting? Them not to be together?

But… they are together regardless of if she’s the official Luna. If it wasn’t for his parents, she would be Luna already. I am certain they are the only ones stopping her from becoming Luna.

“So, this is where you’ve been cooped up for the last few months.”

I freeze when the bathroom is pushed right open and none other than Annalise steps inside, shutting the door behind her.

She knew it was me…