Chapter 18
There was a time when such a question would have infuriated me. In fact, in my past life, I once smashed everything in front of the person who dared to raise that notion to me. Not anymore.
I didn’t love Noah anymore.
I took another sip of my wine and tucked my hair behind my ear.
“Everyone knows how perfect Zoe is,” I said. “If I’m even a little bit like her, I would be overjoyed.”
“I have to agree,” Emily said. “I think anyone would be ecstatic to be compared to someone like Zoe.”
“Exactly.”
I smiled slightly.
“Besides, I don’t like female rivalry. Why should women’s conflicts always be about men? There are so much more important things to fight about.”
Emily smirked.
“That there is.”
The day after the interview, I sat on the couch, using my tablet to watch various news outlets showing clips of the couple attacking me alongside my interview. So far, the commentary appeared to be very positive and sympathetic towards me.
“I can’t imagine being so calm under such pressure,” one news commentator remarked. “Only a true Luna could be so unresponsive to those kinds of insults being hurled at her, especially in public.”
“I have never seen a Luna so open and generous with her resources, and with a tabloid reporter, at that,” another pointed out. “It was as though we were watching two old friends having an intimate conversation, rather than an interview. I don’t know what’s gotten into Luna Hannah, but I can’t wait to see more of it.”
I puffed my chest out a little at that note. If these commentators were any reflection of what the general population thought about my documentary and interview, then things were going exactly according to plan.
As I switched to the comments section on social media, my grin only grew wider. What had once been filled with gossip and Noah/Zoe remarks was now brimming with support for my position.
Why would those people just attack her out of the blue? one comment said. Even if you do support Noah/Zoe, it’s in such poor taste.
The poor woman! another remarked. To think, she has to put with this kind of thing in her everyday life. Shame on them!
Look at how laid-back and open Luna Hannah is, said a third. How many Lunas do you know who act like that? She has to be the most approachable and down-to-earth Luna there is.
Most approachable and down-to-earth Luna, huh? I thought, my grin transforming into a smug smirk. I like the sound of that.
Even the conversation surrounding the supposed love triangle among Noah, Zoe, and myself had shifted in tone. Instead of viewing me as the interloper in Noah and Zoe’s relationship, comments were starting to drift towards whether Noah should even return to his first love.
Zoe might be his first love, but Hannah does seem to be a catch herself, one social media user said.
I’m on the fence, another commented. Should true love win out? What will happen to poor Hannah?
I’m a staunch Noah/Zoe shipper, but it’s up to Noah to make his return to his first love, the third one remarked. Hannah has nothing to do with it. Outside of this debacle, she’s a great Luna.
I continued to scroll through the comments beneath the clips. There were still a few Noah/Zoe shippers trying to troll me, but the vast majority of the remarks were very supportive and loving how I had opened up and satisfied the curiosity of the public. Many even echoed the sentiment that I was the “most approachable and down-to-earth Luna” of our time.
I was on Cloud 9 when my phone rang. Taking a glance at the screen, I saw that it was Viona.
“Hello?” I answered.
“Hey, Luna,” she said teasingly. “Someone has been all over the news today.”
“Oh, and who was that?”
“Don’t play stupid now, Ms. Approachable and Down-to-Earth!”
I laughed.
“You’ve been reading the comments, too?” I asked.
“Of course, I have!” Viona replied. “You seem to be the only thing on everyone’s minds.”
“Well, me and Noah and Zoe.”
“Nah, it’s definitely you this time, girl. You have everyone’s tongues wagging with that glimpse into your personal life. Nice touch with that wine and cheese, by the way.”
“Wine, cheese, and salami, thank you very much.”
“Oo-la-la, so fancy.”
We both laughed loudly, then silence fell between us.
“So,” Viona said after a minute, “did a pair of Noah/Zoe nutjobs really hurl insults at you like that? Just out of the blue?”
“Yup. That was all off the cuff, unedited.”
Viona let out a low whistle.
“Damn. I don’t know how you deal with it.”
“I just let it all roll off my shoulders. Their preferences are not my issue.”
“Still, I couldn’t handle it, especially not on a day-to-day basis like you do. I mean, it’s one thing to carry the burdens of a Luna…”
“It all comes with the honor of being Noah’s Luna.”
Viona’s groan rumbled across the phone line.
“I wouldn’t tolerate that for any man.”
“Less than a month left.”
“Less than a month. I tell you, if you keep gaining followers like after this interview, Noah is going to be sorry that he ever let you go.”
“That’s the idea, isn’t it? Wasn’t that the purpose behind wearing that dress to the charity ball?”
“That and attracting some cute guys.”
I rolled my eyes but gave Viona a chuckle, nonetheless.
“So, you still haven’t told me what you want to do with yourself after the divorce,” Viona said.
I hesitated. I still wasn’t sure whom I should tell about my plan to become Alpha of the Silvermoon Pack. Viona had, so far, proven loyal to me, but that didn’t mean that the same would prove true after my true intentions were declared.
I decided to tell her a half-truth.
“I’m focusing on improving my reputation right now,” I said. “That way, I’ll come out better in the divorce and get more of what I want.”
“I’d say that it’s working.”
“Really?”
“People adored your interview. I’m sure that if you continue on that path, you’ll be the shining star of your relationship in no time.”
That made me smile broadly and sit up straighter. I trusted Viona to not just stroke my ego when it came to this kind of thing, and it was very validating to have someone so close to me confirm that I was doing the right thing.
“I’m glad. I was thinking—”
I halted as the front door opened, revealing a grim-looking Noah. My heart raced. He would not be home on a day outside of our intimacy nights unless he had a bone to pick with me.
“Hannah? Hello?” Viona asked, her tone concerned. “Is something wrong?”
I shook my head, trying to dislodge the stunned feeling I had from Noah’s arrival.
“Yeah, everything’s all right,” I replied. “Look, Noah just walked in. I’m going to have to call you later.”
“All right,” Viona said, her tone still cautious. “You let me know if you need anything, okay?”
“Of course. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Bye.”
I hung up the phone as Noah set his messenger bag on the couch beside me. He towered over me, his arms crossed over his chest. His nostrils flared and his eyes were dark, but he otherwise kept his emotions physically under control.
“Hello, Noah,” I said, ensuring that my voice was as strong as possible. “Is something the matter?”
Noah’s arms tensed.
“I think if you’re going to do interviews, you should at least notify me.”
