Geraldine's POV

I took a slow, steady breath, suppressing the storm of emotions raging within me. My humiliation was still fresh, raw, but I refused to let it consume me.

Placing a serene, unreadable expression on my face, I turned to one of the nearby servants. "Where is the ladies' room?" My voice was cool, devoid of the anger I felt clawing at my insides.  

The young maid hesitated before quickly lowering her gaze. "This way, Lady Geraldine."  

Tch. Lady Geraldine? Not Luna huh?

I nodded curtly and followed her out of the grand hall, ignoring the murmurs that followed in my wake.  

The moment I stepped into the luxurious powder room, I exhaled sharply. The room was lavishly decorated, with ornate mirrors, plush seating, and the lingering scent of lavender in the air.  

I gripped the edges of the marble sink, my fingers tightening as I glared at my reflection. My silver hair was still immaculately styled, my makeup flawless, but beneath the surface, all I felt was red hot fury.  

Amir had humiliated me. Publicly discarded me as if I were nothing more than a minor inconvenience.    

I splashed cold water on my face, letting it wash away the lingering sting of embarrassment. But just as I straightened, the door swung open behind me.  

A slow, deliberate clack of heels echoed through the room, followed by a voice laced with amusement.  

“Well, well. If it isn’t the fallen Luna."  

I tensed but didn't turn around. I already knew who it was.  

Emerald white.  

Amir’s cousin.  

I watched her approach in the mirror, her emerald-green dress hugging her curves as she sauntered forward with effortless grace. Her golden eyes, a mirror of Amir’s, gleamed with satisfaction.  

“You didn’t disappoint,” she continued, leaning against the sink beside me. “I knew you’d embarrass yourself, but I never imagined you’d do it so spectacularly and so early. Thank you for saving me the trouble of plotting.”

I met her gaze in the mirror, and purposely kept my expression blank. "Was there something you needed, Emerald?"  

She smirked. "Just here to remind you of your place."  

I arched my brow. "My place?"  

She clicked her tongue, feigning sympathy. "Oh, dear. You actually think you belong here, don’t you?" She leaned in slightly, her voice dropping to a mockingly gentle tone. "You’re nothing but a pathetic rogue, handpicked like some charity case to warm my cousin’s bed. You have no rank, no breeding, no worth."  

I remained silent, my grip tightening on the edge of the sink.  

"And now, after that little stunt, you’ve proven to everyone what I already knew." She tilted her head, golden eyes gleaming. "You don’t deserve to be Luna. You never did. I'm sure Amir would discard you as soon as he gets over helping you, a charity case."  

I let the words settle, let her bask in the illusion that she had somehow wounded me. Then, slowly, I turned to face her fully.  

A slow, icy smile spread across my lips.  

"Are you done?" I asked, my voice smooth as silk.  

She blinked, momentarily thrown off by my lack of reaction.  

"Because if you are," I continued, stepping closer until only inches separated us, "I suggest you run along and find a new hobby. This attempt at intimidation is getting a little pathetic."  

Her smirk faltered for a split second, but she recovered quickly. "You think you’re untouchable?" she scoffed.  

"No. But I think you’re jealous of me."  

Her eyes darkened. "Jealous of you? A lowlife?"  

I smirked, tilting my head as I watched her carefully crafted mask of superiority begin to crack. "Yes, jealous," I murmured, letting the word sink in like poison. "Because despite all your scheming, all your pathetic little attempts to get noticed, you’ve never once gotten what you truly wanted."  

Her golden eyes darkened.

I stepped closer, lowering my voice just enough for only her to hear. "You wanted Amir, didn’t you?" I let the words drag out, savoring the way her jaw clenched. "No matter how much you fawned over him, no matter how perfectly you played the role of his adoring cousin, he never once looked at you the way he looked at me."  

Her entire body went rigid, her hands curling into tight fists.  

"And he never will," I continued, my tone almost pitying. "Because deep down, you know the truth. Your incestuous little fantasies? They were just that, fantasies. Twisted, pathetic dreams that never had a chance of coming true."  

There was a sharp intake of breath. I had hit her right where it hurt the most. Right in the centre of her fucked up mind.

It's not like we lived in the old times where royals married within themselves and no one batted an eyelid. Now this was a different era, and she was plain sick.

I chuckled, crossing my arms as I took my time examining her. "That’s why you hate me, isn’t it?" I mused. "Because I got what you could never have. And even if Amir discards me, even if he throws me aside tomorrow, it still won’t change the fact that he never once wanted you. And her never will."  

The flicker of rage in her golden eyes turned into an inferno. 

"You little—"  

"Careful," I drawled, my voice coated in amusement. "Wouldn’t want to embarrass yourself more than you already have, now would you?"  

Her breath came out in sharp, measured inhales. Her nails dug into her palms. 

I didn’t see it coming.  

A sharp crack echoed through the powder room as Emerald’s palm connected with my cheek, snapping my head to the side. My skin stung, a hot flush blooming across my face.  

For a second, the only sound in the room was my steady, shocked breathing. My fingers twitched, the heat of the slap sparking something dark and simmering inside me.  

Then, before she could even gloat, before she could so much as smirk in triumph, my hand moved on reflex.  

“Smack!”  

The force of my slap sent Emerald stumbling back. She let out a choked gasp, her body twisting awkwardly as her heels failed her. And then, oh, how poetic, she crumpled to the floor in a heap, as if I’d struck her with something far worse than my palm.  

I blinked, then tilted my head.  

"Really?" I drawled, rubbing my tingling palm. "You’re going to be that dramatic about it?"  

She clutched her cheek, golden eyes wide with shock. For a moment, she looked completely lost, as if she couldn’t believe that I had dared to retaliate.  

Slowly, I crouched down beside her, keeping my voice light, as if we were friends talking about the weather. "You thought you could hit me and I’d just stand there? That I’d take it like some meek little omega?" I clicked my tongue, feigning disappointment. "You must be as delusional as you are pathetic."  

Her lips parted, but no words came out.  

I leaned in just a little closer, lowering my voice to a whisper. "Try that again, Emerald, and I won’t just slap you. I’ll make you regret ever opening that filthy mouth of yours."  

A flicker of something flashed in her golden eyes, fear, maybe. Or rage. Perhaps both.  

Then, just as quickly as it had appeared, it was gone. She forced a bitter smirk, though it wavered at the edges. "The Alpha won’t protect you forever," she hissed. "Soon, you’ll be nothing but a memory in this pack. A stain wiped clean."  

I let out a soft chuckle. "Funny," I mused, rising to my feet and dusting off my dress. "I was just about to say the same thing about you."  

She scowled, her fingers tightening into fists against the floor. But she didn’t move, didn’t dare strike me again.  

Very good.  

With one last glance at her pathetic form, I turned on my heel and walked toward the door.  

As my fingers curled around the door handle, I pulled it open, only to be met with a sudden yelp.  

A body tumbled forward, nearly crashing into me.  

I instinctively stepped back, watching as a young woman with strawberry blonde hair stumbled into the room, her wide brown eyes blinking up at me in sheer panic.  

For a brief moment, neither of us moved.  

Then, as if realizing the position she was in, she gasped, straightened up in a flurry, and squeaked, “What?” as though she couldn’t believe she’d just fallen through the door.  

Her gaze darted between me and Emerald, who was still sprawled on the floor, her cheek red from my slap.  

“Oh. Oh no.” The intruder gulped, her hands awkwardly flailing before she spun on her heel and scurried away, disappearing down the hall without another word.  

I stared after her, still processing what had just happened.  

Who the hell was that?  

Emerald let out a low growl behind me, probably seething over having an unexpected witness to her humiliation.  

Not my problem.  

I turned away from her, adjusting my posture as I stepped out of the powder room. With slow, deliberate strides, I made my way back toward the grand hall, my face carefully composed, my mask slipping back into place.  

My cheek still tingled from Emerald’s slap, but the satisfaction of watching her crumple to the floor far outweighed any pain.  

As I reentered the banquet hall, a hush settled over the crowd. Their whispers slithered through the air, their speculative glances flicking toward me.  

I ignored them.  

With my chin lifted and an unreadable smile gracing my lips, I made my way back to Amir’s side. He was seated at the head of the long banquet table, his posture as effortless and imposing as ever. His golden eyes found mine instantly, narrowing slightly as I approached.  

I didn’t offer him an explanation, nor did I slow my pace. I merely pulled out my chair and sat down, reclaiming my place beside him as if I’d never left.  

The moment I settled, an elder seated across from us cleared his throat, loudly.  

“Disgraceful,” he muttered, just loud enough for those nearby to hear.  

I felt Amir tense beside me, but I remained composed, resting my fingers lightly on the rim of my wine glass.  

“Leaving your own celebration like that,” the elder continued, his wrinkled hands gripping his goblet as he shook his head in disapproval. “A Luna is meant to lead by example, not disappear in the middle of a formal gathering. It is… unbecoming.”  

I barely stopped myself from rolling my eyes.  

Amir, however, did not remain silent.  

His chair scraped against the marble as he leaned forward, his golden gaze flashing dangerously. “Elder Rohen,” he said, his voice deceptively calm. “Are you questioning my mate’s conduct?”  

The elder faltered, caught off guard by Amir’s sudden attention. His mouth opened, then closed, before he stiffened and cleared his throat. “I merely meant that—”  

“I don’t recall anyone appointing you as her guardian,” Amir interrupted smoothly. He didn’t raise his voice, but there was an unmistakable steel in his tone. “Unless you wish to challenge my decision?”  

The room stilled.  

The elder paled slightly but shook his head. “Of course not, Alpha. I only meant—”  

“Then keep your opinions to yourself,” Amir cut in sharply.  

The tension in the air thickened, the elder bristling under Amir’s cold stare. After a moment of silence, the old man begrudgingly nodded, clearly unwilling to push his luck further.  

Satisfied, Amir leaned back in his seat, his expression as unreadable as ever. 

A murmur rippled through the gathered guests, some exchanging uncertain glances while others merely sipped their drinks, pretending not to have witnessed the exchange.  

I, on the other hand, only smiled, taking a slow sip from my glass.  

How ironic. Talk about double standards.

The same man who had humiliated me just minutes ago, now played the role of my protector. 

Inside, I sneered at his hypocrisy.  

Outside, I merely placed my glass back on the table and turned to him with a soft, unreadable smile.  

"Thank you, my Alpha," I murmured sweetly, watching his jaw tighten ever so slightly at my tone.  

Let him play his little game.  

I would play mine, too.