The Alpha’s Wrong Luna Chapter 05

The Alpha’s Wrong Luna Chapter 05

On the way home in Darien’s arms.

I caught a glimpse of Logan standing on the riverbank.

Seline had already been taken home. He was alone, standing on the white river beach.

But his eyes were locked on my direction.

Or rather, on Darien.

Maybe it was just the wind whipping snow into his eyes, but they looked a little red. His expression was weird.

Not quite mad. More like a pot of water suddenly boiling over, not even sure who it burned.

I looked away and buried my face in Darien’s chest.

Darien noticed something. He tucked my hand into his coat. “Know him?”

“Mm. Seline’s classmate.”

“Oh. So nobody important.”

A faint, cold smile tugged at his lips. He didn’t ask more, but his hand on my shoulder tightened.

The second I got home, I got sick again.

This one hit hard. I spent a whole month in bed.

Darien came by every day but never came inside.

Just handed Mom the medicine and supplies, keeping it respectful.

He did this for days on end.

On the fifteenth day, my parents finally invited him into the main hall.

I sat behind a folding screen wrapped in a blanket, listening to my father ask how he and I had met.

Darien answered everything clearly and humbly.

By the time Mom spoke, there was a smile in her voice.

“Lucien’s always been a delicate girl, a bit spoiled. I’m afraid you’ll have your hands full, Alpha.”

I clutched the edge of my blanket, my ears burning.

My parents were happy with the match.

And with a little nudge from Darien…

We set a date for the blood contract soon after.

It was a month later when Logan came by looking for Seline.

Ever since she’d fallen through the ice, Seline had learned her lesson. No more dragging me on crazy adventures.

She’d been staying home, recovering.

Luckily, she hadn’t swallowed too much water.

A few bowls of medicine knocked out most of her cold.

She hugged me, pitiful and whiny.

“Lucien, if it weren’t for you, I’d be a goner. That Logan—he’s always going on about how much he likes me, but when I fell in, he just stood there like a chicken.”

“I get it, winter water is cold. I understand being scared. But that doesn’t mean I don’t think less of him now!”

“Some ‘love.’ You’re the one who really loves me!”

“I swear, from now on, anything I get to eat, I’ll save you a big share!”

I couldn’t help laughing.

I wiped her sniffling, tear-streaked face with a handkerchief and patted her gently.

By afternoon, Seline was feeling better. She ordered a fire lit and rolled up her sleeves to roast sweet potatoes in the yard.

Darien had been coming around so often he was practically family now.

He sat by the stone table, cleaning his sword.

Sunlight lit up his hard profile, but his eyes kept darting my way.

When Logan walked into the yard, that was the scene he saw.

He stumbled for just a second.

Seline glanced up and waved a sweet potato at him, her tone cool. “Logan? Want one?”

Logan hesitated, then shook his head.

“Seline, you’ve missed a lot of classes lately.”

He threw a quick glance at Darien, his voice strained.

“I brought you the books you missed.”

Seline’s eyes went wide.

“I’m sick, and you’re giving me homework?”

She took the books, grumbling, and went inside.

Logan stayed where he was, not chasing after her like he usually would.

After a long moment, he spoke.

“Lucien’s all better now, is she?”

The weather was clear. The snow had melted, and the ice on the roof scattered rainbow light.

The persimmons in the yard were ripe, hanging heavy on the branches. An orange cat dozed in my lap.

“I’m fine,” I said, stroking the cat’s soft fur, my eyes lowered. “Thanks for asking.”

He stared at me, then at Darien—so close to me—like he wanted to say something but swallowed it down.

Darien stood up, sheathed his sword, and stepped casually between me and Logan.

He draped a cloak over my shoulders.

“Wind’s picking up, Luna. Don’t want you catching cold.” He smiled, showing a sharp fang, his tone intimate.

Logan went completely stiff.

His eyes went wide with disbelief, fixed on me, his face darkening by the second.

“You… you two made the blood contract already?”