Fated: The Alpha's Unwanted Luna-Chapter 178: Shyness

Viola scolded herself thoroughly for forgetting to take her suppressant and then shamelessly clinging to him and seeking sexual release from him like she had lost all sense. She had always known that she-wolves lost control during that particular cycle, she had witnessed it in others enough times, but she had never experienced it herself until last night, and now she desperately wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole. At least that way she wouldn’t have to face Sebastian.

Not only had she clung to him for sexual release, she had also let her raging jealousy override every last bit of her common sense and lashed out at him, accusing him of making out with Leni!

Leni, Viola thought, and a wave of sharp, hot anger rose in her chest at the mere thought of the shewolf. Whatever the circumstances had been last night, that she-wolf had better learn to stay well clear of Sebastian, because unlike the last time, when she had been helpless and watched Leni have Evan, Viola had absolutely no intention of stepping aside and letting that woman win again.

Sebastian was... Viola suddenly stopped mid-thought as the full weight of where her mind had been going landed on her.

She turned her back to the mirror to check whether Sebastian’s mark was still visible, and felt a quiet but consuming wave of disappointment wash over her when she saw that it was already fading, barely a shadow left on her skin. So where was all of this possessiveness over him coming from, if not the mark? The mark was almost gone. It couldn’t be that anymore.

Before Viola could allow herself to think too deeply into that particular question, she heard the sound of her door unlocking, the alert reaching her through the house system all the way into the bathroom, and she found herself dashing out without a second thought to see who it was.

For some reason her heart leapt with a burst of hopeful joy at the thought that it might be Sebastian, and she picked up her pace without even realizing she had done so, until she reached the railing and looked down to find that it wasn’t the person she had been hoping for, but Zoe. And though a mild flicker of disappointment moved through her, her blue eyes brightened all the same at the sight of her.

"Good morning, sister-in-law!" Zoe exclaimed, rushing up the stairs toward Viola with a squeal of pure excitement. "I couldn’t wait all through the night to finally come here and call you that! Congratulations on becoming the supreme Luna!" She crashed into Viola in a full bear hug, giggling into her shoulder.

"Thank you, Zoe. It is all thanks to you." Viola mused warmly, hugging Zoe back just as tightly.

As she did, Viola became quietly aware that her heart was aching, aching because she hadn’t woken up to Sebastian, and that alone was enough to make the joy of this morning feel lesser than it ought to be. The mark was already fading, so why was her mind and her heart still reaching out for him the way they were? Wasn’t this exactly the kind of dangerous territory she had promised herself she wouldn’t wander into again?

Viola mentally shook the thought away with firm resolve. It was a good thing Sebastian hadn’t been here when she woke up, it was a good thing it was Zoe standing at her door instead.

She needed to let his mark fade away completely and allow her emotions to settle back to something resembling normal, especially after last night, where a deep and restless sexual curiosity was still smoldering quietly in her chest and refusing to go out.

"I am glad you came this early, Zoe." Viola mused sincerely as she pulled back from the hug.

"I couldn’t have come a single minute later, I set an alarm specifically so I could be here to help you get dressed for your very first day as Luna!" Zoe said brightly.

"You will have breakfast with everyone and then get to lead the she-wolf council, which hasn’t had a proper leader in quite some time. Laila and a few other she-wolves have been filling that seat and running things as they saw fit, since they are among the strongest. But now that position belongs to you. Are you ready?"

Viola had prepared herself mentally for whatever responsibilities would come with being the supreme Luna, but even with all of that preparation, she still couldn’t entirely quiet the nerves that hummed inside her.

She had caught glimpses of the many Alphas and Lunas gathered at the ceremony yesterday, and the thought of sitting down to breakfast with all of them this morning and conducting herself as though she belonged among them was not a small thing.

The extensive training she had gone through back in Moonwillow had been all but buried and worn down during her time in the Hollow system and the punishment she had endured since, but she had never been the kind of person to let intimidation have the final word over her.

Not when she needed to begin making herself at home in this life again, the life of the higher ranks, of standing among Lunas and Alphas as one of their own.

"I am ready," she said, and smiled.

"Let’s get you a fine dress for the day." Zoe said as she pulled Viola into the closet to browse through the options.

She was determined for her Vee to shine today, because she would be surrounded by guests who would judge her harshly for the wolf she didn’t have, not yet, and by her brother’s enemies who would be sizing her up from the moment she walked in, deciding whether she was a worthwhile target or simply someone not worth their attention.

Zoe hoped desperately for the latter. She didn’t want her Vee to be seen as any kind of threat to pursue or a weakness to exploit and take away from them. Viola was now the next most important person to her after her hermano and the cousin she loved deeply, she was family.

However, the moment they stepped inside the closet, rather than begin searching through the clothes, Zoe turned to face Viola with both brows wiggling expectantly, causing Viola to look at her in complete confusion.

"What?" Viola asked.

"Are you going to spill the beans or do I have to come out and ask you directly, Vee?" Zoe nudged her shoulder, and when Viola still didn’t catch her meaning, Zoe rolled her eyes dramatically and said,

"Come on, tell me already! Did you two have sex? How was it? Should I start counting down the months before I can expect my nieces or nephews? Have you two thought about names yet, or will you give me the honor of suggesting some? I am completely confident you will have twins, every Alpha in our family has had twins. Was my brother gentle with you? Though I know he can be so incredibly annoying and—"

Viola, whose face had turned so hot it felt like it was on fire, finally decided to put a stop to her friend slash sister-in-law. "Zoe! I don’t think sister-in-laws are supposed to ask questions like that!"

Zoe scoffed, taking in Viola’s deeply flushed face and realizing just how embarrassed she truly was, and then she burst out laughing.

"I never took you for the shy type, Vee. And just so you know, before you became my sister-in-law, you were already my friend. I am genuinely curious, I need to know what to expect for when Gilbert finally mans up enough to realize I have had a crush on him forever and hits me with the whole will you be my mate and my forever!"

Viola rolled her eyes at the dreamy, faraway look that settled over Zoe’s face the moment Gilbert’s name left her lips. She had come to know well enough by now that Gilbert was Zoe’s doctor, and that Zoe never missed an opportunity to bring up just how handsome she found him.

"Nothing happened between us last night." She told her, knowing full well that Zoe would not let the subject go until her curiosity had been fully satisfied. And though a great deal had happened, enough that recalling even a fraction of it set Viola’s stomach on fire, it was far safer to stick with nothing happened, if only to calm her own shameless, traitorous nerves. It was as though she had been completely possessed by some kind of sexual demon last night!

Zoe, who had been smiling dreamily to herself, snapped her gaze back to Viola with a playful glare. "You are kidding me right now. You are telling me nothing happened when the entire building was talking about your pheromones?"

"My pheromones? Did everyone perceive it?" Viola asked, her eyes going wide, and when Zoe gave a confirming nod, she groaned and said, "Just wonderful. I am going to die of embarrassment today, that is absolutely certain."

Zoe waved her hand dismissively. "It is nothing to worry about. Everyone knows it was your honeymoon night, they will understand. But I still cannot believe my brother did absolutely nothing last night. He is such a simpleton!"