Chapter 7

Theodore’s POV

As if getting divorced from Violet wasn’t enough, she had another hallucination. In court.

I had been sitting there, across the aisle from her, when I noticed her grab Kincaid’s arm like she had grabbed mine the time she saw her mother in Marcy’s kitchen. The second Kincaid clearly figured out what was going on and started whispering in her ear, I scanned the crowd of press behind us. Trying to subtly figure out what view they had, I realized it probably looked like Violet was upset over the divorce and that her Beta was comforting her.

I thought I might die right there, watching her in so much pain without being able to help her. The lawyers droned on, and I had reached for my mate through our bond.

Look away, alari, I instructed her gently. She jolted in her seat at my voice in her head. I hoped that meant it was grounding her back to reality.

Look away, I said again, it’s not real. I’m real. Kincaid is real.

I watched as Lily joined them from the back of the room, sitting on Violet’s other side.

Lily is real. We love you. Come back to us.

Violet looked down into her lap, breaking eye contact with whatever the hallucination was this time. She squeezed her eyes shut, shuddering in her friend’s arms.

I tried to remind myself the next day, as Eva and her four friends watched the coverage of our divorce on the news, that it was better half the country thought Violet was weak for crying in public over a divorce than for them to find out the truth about her hallucinations.

“As you can see by the video footage,” the anchor reported, “Alpha Donovan of Darkmoon was visibly shaken by the divorce granted by Judge Alonzo yesterday. Mark, what do you think must have been going through her head?”

Violet and I had both turned down several interview requests, so of course they were making up their own theories.

“Well, Diane, it’s understandable that between the two of them, Alpha Nightshade of Midnight would probably be happier about this divorce seeing as he already has a new mate, who I assume he’s eager to marry. Alpha Donovan, on the other hand, not only doesn’t have another mate lined up, but this is also her second mate rejection this year. Frankly, I’m concerned for her health.”

My blood began to boil at the lies that we’d fed them, at the insinuation that my mate was weak, especially as a satisfied smile spread across Eva’s face. The outside of my field of vision started to turn red, but then a hand on my back drew my attention.

It was Dahlia. In front of our five temporary house guests, she couldn’t say anything, so she only looked at me. It was a look full of sympathy but also full of resolve.

The sacrifices would be worth it in the end. That’s what she was trying to remind me.

I breathed in and out through my nose until the red in my vision faded away. As if she could sense the change, Dahlia patted my back then, returning it behind her back with her other one.

“In more joyful news…” Mark pivoted on TV.

“A whole segment on my mate’s divorce, and they couldn’t mention my name once?” Eva bellowed in disbelief. But she clammed up immediately as the next segment began.

That was a picture of Lucas and Nora. Nora was visibly pregnant, and according to Mark, they were getting married – next week.

My stomach dropped at the suspicious timing. I wasn’t sure how, but this had Owen’s stink all over it.

Eva gasped, rising from the couch as she watched the coverage of Lucas and Nora’s wedding plans, officially inviting all Alphas and their Lunas or Luna Consorts, to join the festivities. Eva covered her mouth as her eyes filled with tears. She jumped up and down in excitement.

“Theodore!” she exclaimed. “My sister is getting married!”

Dahlia’s and my heads both snapped in her direction. “What?” I asked.

“Nora,” Eva pointed at the TV. “I was expelled from Twining River when I was a teenager, so we haven’t spent a lot of time together since then, but she’s my sister.” A genuine tear fell down her cheek as she said, “I’m so happy for her.”

The memory of Nora and Eva greeting each other at the Annual Moon Goddess Ball flashed in my mind. I had forgotten that they seemed to know each other. “Nora’s your sister,” I repeated.

She jumped in excitement over to me, and Dahlia stepped away to give her room. I wished she wouldn’t, but she had to to keep up the pretense.

“Yes!” Eva confirmed. “Oh, we have to go to their wedding, Theodore. Tell me that we can!”

“Of course,” I answered, figuring it would be smart to make my presence known there. But if Nora and Eva were sisters…

That would make Lucas related to the crown by marriage as soon as Eva and I got married. That was why Eva had been chosen for this fake mate bond.

Eva continued to jump giddily in my arms. I glanced at Dahlia, who gave me a subtle nod. Putting this off would only worsen the anticipation.

“Yes,” I repeated, “of course we’ll attend their wedding. It will be the perfect opportunity to invite them to our wedding in two months.”

Then I cupped Eva’s face in my hand and leaned in to kiss her lips.

At the last second, she pulled away though. Shit. Maybe I had overdone it with the onions.

“About that, my dear,” Eva began, “I think I’ll need a little more time to plan our wedding.”

No. No, this was bad.

“How much more time?”

“Well, most people take a year at least,” she said. “No need to rush things. Like you said, we’ll have the rest of our lives.”

This was a new and unwelcome development. Violet’s plan for entrapping Eva hinged on the timing of this wedding, even if we would never let it take place. But if it was delayed to a year from now, our plans to entrap her could feasibly be extended that long, too.

“Yes, but most people don’t have the resources we have to dedicate several teams to planning a wedding. If you want a little more time, I’m sure that can be arranged, but do you really need a year?”

She smiled at me, almost nervously. I couldn’t figure out why.

“What about another month?” I suggested. “We’ll get married three months from now. We have the rest of our lives, but I want to share with the world my devotion to you right away.”

The lie tasted like ash on my tongue.

Eva nodded hesitantly. “Three months is fine, though I hope you won’t mind that I’m a little traditional.”

“Okay…?” I wasn’t following her meaning.

She raised her eyebrows. “So I hope you’ll understand that I’ll want to keep my own bedroom until the wedding night.”

Riley and company all turned their heads to stare at Eva in shock. Even Dahlia couldn’t keep the surprise off her face. Especially after how hard Eva had been coming on to me.

But she certainly didn’t need to ask twice.

“Anything you want,” I smiled. Then before she could squirm away, I gently pulled her to me and planted a kiss on her lips, pretending like she was Violet and not a human who repulsed me in every way imaginable.

She pulled out of the kiss quickly, thanks to the oniony taste on my lips. “Thank you,” she breathed before disappearing upstairs.

This was a surprising twist to be sure, but I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.