Chapter 20

The next day, I invited Scott to the house for coffee and a chat. As we sat at the dining table, sipping at our mugs, we talked about everything from the success of my interview to the effect that wearing that dress had on Noah. Somehow, we landed on Scott’s recent string of blind dates set up by Noah.

“What didn’t you like about her?” I asked as I subconsciously stirred my black coffee. The stuff burned my stomach, but all this time of weight obsession made me have an aversion to anything—cream, sugar, even milk—in my coffee.

“I don’t know,” Scott confessed. “I just didn’t feel anything between us. There was no…spark there.”

I took a sip of coffee.

“Well, if the spark isn’t there, then it isn’t there.”

“The problem is that she was the last eligible girl within the Nightcrest Pack, and I still haven’t found my fated mate.”

I arched my brow at him.

“So, what is Noah going to do?”

He shrugged.

“I think that he’s considering looking at some girls from other packs.”

A pang of sadness stung my heart. Noah was going to such great lengths to help his half-brother find his fated mate, but he was not willing to let him marry someone from a suitable background. I twisted the wedding ring on my left hand.

I supposed that this was a lesson that Noah had learned from his personal experience.

“How do you feel about that situation?” I asked.

Scott huffed out a breath through his nostrils.

“I just wish that I could find a mate as gentle and affectionate as you are.”

Heat flooded my cheeks, and I looked away.

“Oh, Scott, you don’t mean that.”

He placed his hand over mine.

“Yes, I do,” he said firmly. “My brother doesn’t appreciate you like he should. It infuriates me that he doesn’t understand what he has…”

I bit my lower lip and slipped my hand out from underneath Scott’s. I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

“That’s very kind of you to say. I’m sure that you will find someone worthy of your love soon.”

“I don’t know. Becoming mates requires destiny, and I just don’t know if it’s in the cards for me right now. Certainly not like it was for you and Noah.”

I sighed quietly and stared into the dark liquid inside my mug. Was it really destiny that Noah and I ended up together? It was hard for me to believe that, after everything that I had gone through.

The fact that I was given a second chance at life, though, did tell me that destiny was on my side for other things. Now, it was time to see if Scott would be, too.

“Scott, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“Would you still support me if I wanted a divorce?”

Scott pursed his lips. He picked up his mug and drank his coffee slowly. I could see in his eyes a struggle going on within his mind.

After a minute, he set the mug back down and smacked his lips.

“Luna Hannah, everything I do is for the happiness of both you and Noah,” he reluctantly admitted. “I don’t think that a divorce is conducive to that.”

I tilted my head down, then glanced up at Scott through my lashes.

“But what if I would be happier if I left Noah?”

Scott’s lips pulled downward in a frown. Without a word, he stood up and left the house, leaving me alone in deafening silence.

---

I don’t want to do this, I texted Viona after I pulled up to her house.

Just get your butt in here! she replied. It’ll be good for you, girl. I promise.

I rolled my eyes.

Fine, but remember, this was YOUR idea.

Yeah, my GREAT idea.

I grabbed my purse and headed up the steps to the front door. I adjusted the straps of my black cocktail dress before ringing the doorbell. A grin spread across my face as Viona and Amber opened the door together, each holding a margarita in one hand.

“There she is, the guest of honor!” Viona exclaimed as she grabbed my wrist and dragged me inside.

“I’m still not sure if this is such a good idea,” I said. Nevertheless, I let her pull me into the living room, where music boomed and several young handsome men had gathered.

“Trust me, you need this,” Viona said.

Amber nodded enthusiastically.

“They’re all here for you,” Amber added, gesturing widely at the room full of men.

My gaze glided over the gaggle of men. They were handsome; there was no denying that. However, I couldn’t help thinking—rather reluctantly and bitterly—that Noah’s charm and looks surpassed them all.

Another ringing of the doorbell shook me out of my thoughts. My eyes shifted toward the archway leading into the living room just as Viona led Noah and his business associates through. I narrowed my eyes at Noah as he excused himself from the rest of the group and headed towards me.

Before he could reach me, Viona grabbed Noah’s arm.

“Don’t worry about your current wife,” she said rather loudly, wiggling her brows provocatively. “We’re taking perfect care of her. We’ll find the perfect man to keep her company.”

Noah sneered at Viona and ripped his hand out of her grip.

As he marched over to me, I quickly slipped into the crowd of young men. I jumped in surprised as one tapped me on the shoulder.

“Would you like to dance?” he asked, bending close to my ear so that I could hear him over the music.

I looked over my shoulder to find Noah struggling to make his way to me. My brows furrowed, and my jaw set in determination.

“I’d love to,” I said, brushing my lips against the young man’s ear. I sensed him trembling from the contact, and the surge of power it gave me caused me to smirk.

The song was very upbeat and fast, allowing me to press close to the young man while gyrating my hips. I placed his hands on my waist, my backside touching his torso and crotch. I could feel that he was enjoying the closeness of his dance, and I hoped that it showed enough for others to see.

I grabbed his hand and urged him into spinning me around. As we twirled and twirled, a wide berth was given to us to avoid us hitting anyone. When we stopped, I landed in his arms, which I guided low onto my back as I ground my hips against him.

I stared into the young man’s sparkling green eyes. He smiled at me, a wolfish smile that said he wanted to devour me right there and then. I lifted my hand and ran it through his messy black hair, then traced along his chiseled jaw.

Suddenly, I felt a hand wrap around my upper arm and tug at me. Before I even looked at who it was, I tore my arm out of the person’s grasp. Then I turned in my dance partner’s hold to face my confronter: Noah.

“What are you doing?” Noah demanded.

“Dancing,” I replied.

“With another man?”

I shrugged.

“It’s just dancing.”

Noah’s eyes narrowed.

“I think I would like to cut in.”

I tilted my head, as though considering the matter, then shook it.

“No, I don’t think so.”

One of Noah’s eyes twitched.

“Why?”

“Because you should mind your own business.”

Noah raised his finger, about to object, then lowered his hand. His face red, he stormed out of Viona’s house. His business associates followed closely behind him, shooting me one last look before they left.

I shrugged as though the incident meant nothing to me. On the inside, I was roaring in triumph. I turned back to my dance partner and wrapped my arms around his neck, smiling suggestively.

“Now, where were we?”