The Hidden Luna Queen 2

This night needed to go well, and he was determined to ensure every single detail was nothing less than perfect, down to each wrinkle.

And down to each guest that was permitted to attend.

"I want to go with you," she demanded.

Even if it meant his own wife wouldn't be able to attend.

"You-" Burton said, dipping his fingers into a container of hair gel, thick and blue, and combing it through his black hair," are to stay here, doing what you're told to do, while I attend the dinner and try to win Maeve over."

She inhaled sharply, seeping with indignation. "And why not? If you're going, I deserve to be there, too."

"Your presence is not needed."

Victoria let out a harsh scoff. "Isn't she supposed to be my daughter, too?" she retorted, throwing his earlier words back at him. "Whatever happened with that?"

He was slow to respond, but she caught the subtle movement of his jaw working.

"I find it very interesting," he remarked, tinged with a tone that irritated her to the core, "that you only ever willingly choose to play that card when you want something. Which, I suppose begs the question, my dear Luna." He tossed a glance at her over his shoulder. "What do you hope to achieve by attending tonight's dinner?"

Victoria smiled inwardly. Wouldn't he like to know...

"Am I not supposed to be keeping up the charade that I love and miss my oh-so-cherished eldest child?" she prompted instead, while he wiped his hands clean on a nearby towel. "Would it not send the wrong message when I'm not attending this dinner simply to see her?"

"We're way beyond sending the wrong message," he said with a dark chuckle, tossing the towel aside and sauntering out of the bathroom, with Victoria following closely behind. "And this is not a grand banquet-it's a small dinner with Kenneth, Maeve, the prince, and myself."

She opened her mouth to counter again, when he cut her off.

"-Which makesthis all the more important." He gave her a pointed look. "My focus is not to impress scores of useless, unimportant commoners, but two of the most powerful and influential alphas in the entire kingdom. Nothing can go wrong tonight." The words he dared not say aloud hung between them like a dense fog.

She let out a short, disbelieving laugh. "You really do not trust me at all," she said, not bothering to clarify.

Why even bother asking when she knew, without a doubt, that was what he believed?

"Victoria-" he sighed, exasperated, whirling around to face her. "Trust me when I say that the sake of our family-and our entire livelihood-hinges on what happens tonight."

She was well aware of that fact. And that was why she wanted so desperately to be there.

To watch it all unfold, and to know with gleaming satisfaction that Maeve's fantastical life would soon be coming to a close. "So it does," she mumbled scornfully.

And, as per usual, I have no choice but to comply with your wishes.

Nostrils flaring, Victoria turned on her heel and stormed out of the room, leaving her husband to his own devices.

He never used to be like this. He used to be majestic, awe-inspiring, formidable-everything those alpha princes were renowned for, and more. There was once a time when she believed he could take on the entire world and still be left standing strong, with ambition gleaming in his glorious features.

Now... he was little more than a shell of the alpha he used to be.

Not even that. Because the Burton she once loved never would've let another alpha minister walk all over him the way Kenneth was.

And it was all because of her.

"I'll loathe you, Maeve," she muttered to herself, "for the rest of my days. And when you finally get what's coming to you, I yearn to never think of you again."