Chapter 34

Elara

The moment Alaric dropped the news about the Donovan luncheon, I knew I was in for a long day. Grace gave me a triumphant smirk before she turned and strode off, leaving us standing in the hallway.

I sighed heavily and pulled the robe tighter around me as I turned back toward Alaric. “A luncheon, really? Today?” I whispered.

He gave a half-shrug. “She didn’t exactly consult me before inviting the entire family,” he said, giving his mother’s fading form a pointed glare. “But it seems we don’t have much of a choice now.”

“You’re the Alpha of the Donovan family,” I retorted. “You can cancel if you want.”

Alaric sighed. “It’s not that simple.”

“Fine,” I muttered, turning away. “But I’m dressing myself this time.”

Back in the bedroom, Annie helped me pick out a soft lavender dress that fell just above my ankles. It was simple but elegant, with lace trim along the neckline and long sleeves. I paired it with low heels. My hair, freshly washed, was pinned loosely at the nape of my neck, a few soft strands framing my face.

“Perfect,” Annie said once she was done putting on the finishing touches. “You look like a proper Luna.”

I turned, looking in the full-length mirror. I wasn’t so sure if I felt like a ‘proper Luna’ just yet, but I did feel pretty. And it was a far cry from the stuffy clothes Grace wanted me to wear, which was a small win in my book.

When I finally descended to the drawing room a little while later, Alaric was already there, dressed sharply in a dark suit. He was scanning over something on his phone but looked up the moment I stepped into the room.

Alaric froze. It was nearly imperceptible, but I could see it—the faint flicker in his eyes. The little sparks that had been there yesterday when he had shielded me from Grace, only they were… different now.

There was an undeniable current between us in that moment, as if the rest of the room faded away.

“You look…” His voice was low, almost hesitant. “…nice.”

“Thank you,” I said softly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. His words weren’t extravagant, but coming from Alaric, they might as well have been a sonnet.

Without a word, he reached out and took my hand, pulling me gently to his side. The warmth of his palm against mine made my heart stumble for just a moment, but I took a deep breath and willfully slowed my pulse, if only so he couldn’t feel it hammering against his skin.

“You don’t look half bad yourself,” I managed, glancing up at him.

He didn’t respond, but the way he looked down at me was all the response I needed. It was impossible to ignore—that spark igniting between us. I wondered if he was feeling it as strongly as I was, or if I was just reading into things that weren’t there.

Suddenly, whatever spell that was between us broke as the sound of voices drifted in from the entryway, signaling the arrival of the first guests. Alaric looked up, and his usual stoic mask slid back into place. I followed his lead, smoothing the front of my dress and forcing a polite smile onto my face as the drawing room began to fill.

It didn’t take long for my heart to sink.

The moment Asher entered, his sharp eyes landed on me, and his lips curled into a sneer. “Looking lovely as always, Luna,” he greeted with a mock bow, his tone anything but reverent.

I stiffened but said nothing, feeling Alaric’s presence close beside me. If he was bothered by his brother’s remark, he didn’t react. Still, I could sense his tension in the way his shoulder brushed against mine as we moved into the dining room.

The table was already laden with food and drinks when we entered. Alaric took the head seat, naturally, and I was placed beside him. Grace was directly across from me, much to my dismay, and Zoe and Ella were seated on either side of her. The girls looked the opposite of thrilled, but they didn’t complain.

“Straighten your back,” Grace whispered the moment I sat down, low enough so only I could hear. “And don’t slouch like that, dear. You’ll embarrass yourself.”

I pressed my lips together and obeyed, not wanting to start an argument before the meal even began. Zoe, sitting on Grace’s left, gave me a curious look but stayed quiet.

It didn’t take long for Grace to make her move. As the first course was served, she spoke up.

“Elara, why are you using the wrong fork?” she asked loudly enough for the entire table to hear. “I suppose in your previous environment, things weren’t quite so refined, were they?”

Heat rose to my cheeks as several heads turned in my direction. Before I could fumble for a response, Alaric’s calm voice cut through the tension.

“Elara is learning,” he said firmly. “There’s no need to be so harsh.”

Grace’s lips tightened, but before she could retaliate, Asher chimed in with that venomous tone of his.

“There is only so much she can learn, though, isn’t there? I mean, Omegas will never truly grasp the rules of high society. No offense, Elara, but it is simply not in your blood.”

A few relatives nodded in agreement, and my heart sank even further. My hands clenched in my lap, but I forced myself to remain still, even as my stomach churned in response to the humiliation.

“That’s enough, brother,” Alaric simply said, shooting Asher a glare.

Suddenly, a gasp drew everyone’s attention. Zoe had knocked over her apple juice, the amber liquid spilling across the pristine white tablecloth—and, unfortunately, right onto Asher’s trousers.

“Zoe!” Grace exclaimed, shooting to her feet.

“I’m sorry!” Zoe said quickly, her big eyes filling with tears. “I didn’t mean to!”

Asher’s face darkened, but with all eyes on him, he had little choice but to grit his teeth and accept her apology. “Watch where you’re swinging your arms next time,” he muttered, dabbing at the stain with his napkin.

Zoe looked at me, her eyes wide and misty. I offered her a gentle smile. “It’s alright, sweetheart. Accidents happen.”

Both Grace and Asher scoffed in unison, but remained silent. Alaric gave me an approving look and quickly changed the subject.

Eventually, the conversation around the table shifted to a new family business venture. As the relatives debated marketing strategies, I hesitated before finally speaking up.

“Have you considered targeting single-parent families?” I asked, picking up my glass of white wine. “There’s a growing market there, especially for products or services that simplify daily life. For example…”

I shared a few ideas, drawing from my own experiences as a single mother. To my surprise, several relatives nodded thoughtfully, even jotting down notes. Alaric glanced at me, his expression unreadable, but I thought I saw a flicker of approval in his eyes.

Grace, however, looked as though she had just bit down on a lemon. But she didn’t make a scene this time, thankfully.

After that, the rest of the luncheon went by without a hitch, much to my relief. When the luncheon finally ended, the guests trickled out one by one. Asher stepped outside to say goodbye to everyone. I stayed behind to tend to Zoe and Ella, wiping their sticky hands and quietly promising to have a tea party with them later to reward them for being such good girls throughout the stressful meal.

But as I ushered the girls upstairs and promised to meet them up there soon, a shadow fell over me. I looked up to find Asher standing in the doorway, his arms crossed and that sneer he always wore firmly in place.

“Well, cleaner?” he drawled, gesturing to his pants. “Aren’t you going to wash my stained trousers?”