Valerie

Chapter Thirteen

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There's a time for everything. To be born, to die, to show your hand. As for the latter, the time is yet to come.

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I couldn't ignore what Hilla told me. I knew she was strong, too strong. If anyone would've bent instead of breaking, it would've been her. What else could I do except take her advice and save others like me? Being Luna came with some influence, some sphere of power outside the Alphas on Aeneas's council if only I could play this right.  

"My mother is going to come out of retirement to run the Luna's Council," Aeneas said. "It gives us a couple of years to get settled." His gaze lingered on me. "To spend time with each other." His hand settled on my flat stomach. I let him drag his finger across the skin. I had to pick real hills to die on if I was to avoid Hilla's fate. I only hoped I'd be able to see those hills when I came across them.

Breakfast with the entire court--or at least those he favored--was a large affair. When he wanted it, breakfast would just be the two of us, together. But sometimes, he said these shows of unity were important. I disagreed. I was a servant longer than I was a Luna. I knew the dynamics between these people. The man sitting across from me hated his "mate" because they had low compatibility. He was the runt of his father's children and was never supposed to live long enough to have a mate. He hid this from the court, but a good wine will bring the truth out of anyone, and I always had to clean up the drunks.

The woman diagonal to me ran pack territory for years because her mate, the Alpha, was a sick man for many years. He died not long ago, just a month after she gave birth to their son. She killed him, I knew. They weren't a very good pairing anyway.

The girl beside me was the biggest challenge. I couldn't read her, and I didn't know her. But by the looks she kept giving Aeneas, she knew him. Those looks were supposed to be a challenge, an insult. Her eyes kept darting between Aeneas and me. I wasn't jealous, but I should've done something, just on the principle of being and looking strong.

But I didn't care enough. I had a procedure session the night before and was walking into another one that afternoon, and I needed all my strength for it.

"Is the Luna well?" A man down the table asked. I narrowed my eyes. Alpha Redwood. Minorly important in terms of land, but his pack turned out some of the best soldiers in the country. He was dangerous, but only when he wanted to be. And now, he'd decided that he wanted to be.

I looked at Aeneas, as was the way. I dug my nails into my skin under the table. Hold yourself, wait. One day, I would be powerful. Not that I wanted to be. I wanted to be on the beach, with Hilla, my sister, and her friend, living like people, laughing endlessly. But since that option was closed to me, I needed power. And as Hilla said, I needed to remake myself into something stronger.

"Yes, very well," I said, humming into the words.

"And what does the Luna do these days?"

"I was just going to sing a song to the goddess after this." It was a bold lie, but it was pleasing to the ear. I felt Aeneas's fingers wrap around my knee as he gave it a squeeze. Be cautious, it said. I didn't need to be told. My Hilla told me already.

Alpha Redwood leaned forward, his elbow on the table, his lips creeping up into a smile. He thought he had me. I was an outsider. "What sort of song would you sing?" he asked. A little laugh went around the table, because what sort of song would a human girl sing to the moo anyway? Even if I became a wolf, I would never be like them. I would always carry the "taint" of my birth on me.

But I was a maid for many years. I knew these people well, maybe even better than they knew themselves. They thought they were very different: the smartest, the bravest, the most worthy. It's not true. Evil is the same everywhere. "A Luna's song. I've been told that hers is the highest there is. I can pray for you, sir, since my line is a little closer to her than yours." I looked at Aeneas, who watched me with a new light in his eyes. "Isn't that right?"

"Use them. Use him."

I'm trying, Hilla.

"Right?" I asked him.

"You're right," he said with a nod.

I turned back to Alpha Redwood. "And if we're doing a cultural restoration, I thought I might as well do my part. For the glory of this nation, that gave me so much." Aeneas smiled and lifted my hand to kiss it. Inside I smiled at the tick of Redwood's jaw.

Alpha Redwood looked down at his food, but his eldest daughter next to him shot me a hard glare. A challenge? I looked at her with soft, cow eyes. There would come a time to be sharp, but it wasn't now. Until then, I'd fall back on Aeneas, until even he believed I was stupid and useless and controlled. Then he'd see what was in me that let me survive this palace for two years undetected. I would be ruthless. I had to be. 

A/N

Short chapter so I can post two this week. 

What do you think Valerie is up to?