Chapter 18

(Isabella’s POV)

I stand immediately and nod to Santiago, placing my hand on his shoulder before leaving the room. I can hear the sound of Santiago and his father arguing through the closed solid wood dining room door.

Well, this has been a disaster.

Santiago’s father says I’m divorced and penniless.

I can’t control my face. I feel my eyes all but roll right out of my head.

Yeah, thanks Alpha Obvious.

“She’s of no benefit to you, son! It is completely wrong to bring her here. She is unfit to be Luna!” I hear Karan say.

Santiago screams back at him. I’ve seen him angry but never lose his calm before. “No,” he tells his father. “You only care about personal gain. I’m not like you.”

“I see what it is you like about her Santiago. You can keep her as a mistress. I’m not saying deny yourself the pleasure of her. But she will never be your Luna. I won’t stand for it!”

“Fucking no! I will never be like you!”

I step further away from the dining room door.

I cringe as I hear what sounds like a plate shatter against a wall. More sounds of dishes crashing follow from inside the dining room.

Feeling mortified I just sort of back up. Not watching where I’m going has me back right into someone. I jump and spin around to see who it is.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Excuse me, Beta Levi.” I say.

“No worries,” he replies bowing his head.

He glances at the door behind where we stand. “Doesn’t sound like dinner is going very well,” he says.

“Um, no it isn’t. I shouldn’t have come here. I’m the reason they are fighting.”

“No, Alpha Isabella. You are not. They have always had a bad relationship. Alpha Karan cheated on Santiago’s mother constantly.”

My eyes widen in disbelief. “But they were fated mates.”

“Yes, Karan kept many mistresses and didn’t care that it tormented Santiago’s mother through the mate bond. Eventually, her suffering led to her death from the pain.”

This is why Santiago won’t tolerate betrayal or take a mistress. It came from his past trauma.

Levi continues, “Santiago’s father has always been an arrogant man.”

I guess the arrogant apple doesn’t fall far from the arrogant tree.

At that moment, Santiago’s father comes out, looks directly at me and says, “I will never approve of you as Luna. You should know your place. It will behoove you to leave sooner, rather than later, young lady.”

I realize Santiago and I are only in a contractual relationship. But I can’t stand being insulted so casually. The audacity of this prick.

I feel my jaw clench and the muscles in my neck and shoulders tighten as my eyes narrow on Santiago’s father. I cross my arms over my chest. “Former Alpha Karan, I don’t need anyone telling me who I can or cannot choose as my mate.”

Santiago’s father returns my glare. “You’re bold to speak that way to an Alpha.”

Santiago steps in front of me, “She can speak to an Alpha that way because she is one, unlike you, father who is no longer an Alpha. You should stop interfering in affairs that do not concern you. Oh, and speaking of affairs…go visit mom’s grave and repent.”

Levi lowers his head and eyes, stifling a chuckle at his Alpha’s insult.

My eyes widen like saucers and even my wolf lays down in the back of my mind, unwilling to respond.

Santiago’s father storms out, slamming the door behind him.

I look over and up at Santiago’s face. He stares at the door his father just slammed with his eyes fixed and unblinking. He seems almost stoic after the whole encounter has been said and done.

Our dinner ended abruptly because of the argument.

I bite my lip and suggest that we can go out to eat at a restaurant, hoping he doesn’t say no.

To my surprise he agrees. “I was meaning to tell you; the private investigator called. He’s found something. I will go with you to verify the evidence.”

He offers his arm like he did when we first got here. The gesture surprises me as I assumed it was just for his father’s benefit to see it.

I meet his icy blue gaze and smile as I accept his arm. Once we get outside, I take a deep breath, relieved to be both outside and away from Santiago’s father.

The sweet aroma of decaying foliage and wildflowers still clinging to life before the weather shifts to winter fills me as I sniff the air and let it calm me.

The harvest moon bathes the forest in a soft, ethereal glow. The deep hues of blue, gray, and black mix in a perfect combination, both illuminated under and softened by the moon’s light.

The dark colors of the Autumn night sky offer shadows that seem to dance with swaying tree branches with sparse leaves still holding on for dear life.

Crickets chirp steadily in the otherwise stillness of the night. Occasional owl hoots off in the distance seemingly harmonize with the crickets along with wind whistling through tree branches.

The wind has picked up since we first arrived for dinner. The air feels sharp and cold on my bare arms. I shiver.

Santiago takes his coat off and wraps it around my shoulders and then proceeds to walk me to the passenger side of his car and opens the door for me.

I get in and pull my dress with my right leg inside the vehicle. He smiles at me and the butterflies in my stomach flutter their wings like crazy.

I return his smile. “Thank you,” I say.

“You’re welcome.” He closes the door.

We drive in silence for a little while. Surprisingly it doesn’t feel all that awkward.

On our way to the restaurant, Layla stops us at the border.

There are no streetlights by the border. It’s 10:00 PM, the full harvest moon glows bright, almost orange as it sits low on the horizon. The sky is otherwise pitch black.

She steps out in front of the vehicle, like she’s expecting Santiago.

He slams on the brakes, barely missing her.

My hands fly to my face as a gasp escapes my lips.

Moon Goddess, this psychopath is running around on foot…wait, she’s barefoot and her clothes are torn, did she shift in her condition to get here?

Layla’s pregnancy appears to be in full swing. Her belly is full and round. I can’t help but notice that her ankles and feet match the full and roundness near equally.

She’s wearing a sky-blue maternity dress with white wildflowers all over. The sides of the dress are cinched on both sides down to her mid-calf. She wears a cardigan shrug with three-quarter length sleeves over it.

Before being torn, I imagine it was a cute dress, flattering to her body and growing baby bump.

She has her usual full face of makeup on.

“I wonder what she actually looks like under all that crap,” my wolf says in my mind.

I suppress a laugh at her observation.

“Yes, I’d like to know too,” I say back to her in my mind.

Santiago no sooner steps out of the car and Layla runs to him throwing her arms around his neck.