Page 81 of His Fated Luna

Mr. Evans took my small hand in his large one, his smile tight and strained. Those eyes… I’d seen them before. My own eyes widened as the pieces clicked into place. That name.

“You’re Lexia’s father,” I blurted out. No wonder he looked ready to skin me alive.

“Perceptive,” he replied coldly, bitterness leaking into his voice.

I bit my tongue. What could I even say? He probably thought I’d stolen his daughter’s spot beside Aiden.

“Well, I’ll see you inside,” he said, casting Aiden a much warmer smile before disappearing into the dining hall.

“He hates me,” I whispered, feeling nauseated. Great start to the night, really.

“He’ll be fine,” Aiden replied casually, one hand in his pocket as we walked side by side into the dining hall. His eyes slid briefly down to my legs.

I disagreed silently. No, this wasn’t fine..

“I’m Ava, Luna of the Rushing River Pack,” a woman said warmly as we sat down at our assigned table. “You must be the new Luna of the Bloodfire Phoenix Pack.” She shot Aiden a playful smile. “Finally, you bring her out to play.”

“She’s not…we haven’t had the ceremony yet,” Aiden said, sounding a little uncomfortable. “But we will soon. You’ll be invited, of course.” He looked over at Ava’s alpha, who smiled in encouragement.

“I think it’s wonderful you brought her. It’s better to hit the ground running, as Ron always says,” Ava said brightly, motioning to her alpha. “We’ve been wanting to meet you ever since I saw your picture with Aiden on Facebook!”

I blinked. Wait, what?

“Our pictures are all over Facebook?” I asked.“You’re part of our university Facebook group for werewolves?” How did she see our pictures?

“I’m an alumni,” Ava explained. “And even if I wasn’t—honey, your pictures are all over the Packs of the Southeastern Region Facebook Group.”

I almost dropped my glass of water. Champagne wasn’t happening for me tonight. “There’s a Facebook group for that too?”

Ava whipped out her phone, grinning. “Oh, I’ll send you an invite!” She started typing away, then glanced up with a cheeky comment. “Shouldn’t your name be Rose Sinclair now? Oh wait… no mating ceremony yet.” She giggled. “Living in sin for a while.” Her eyebrows waggled at us.

I nearly jumped when I felt Aiden’s hand slide possessively over my bare knee.

“Enjoying it too,” he murmured with a wicked smile, his fingers moving in slow, seductive circles on my skin. Ava’s eyes widened, clearly thrilled by the interaction.

My hands shook from the feel of his touch. I laced my fingers together tightly, hoping I wasn’t giving myself away. This—this was not something I was prepared for. Public displays of affection came with the territory, sure, but I hadn’t anticipated it feeling like this.

“I don’t blame you,” Ava said, eyes sparkling. “Honestly, I think Ron and I rushed it. Once everything’s official, the pressure from the pack can get insane. But don’t worry, Rose. For now, just enjoy your time with your alpha.”

I gave her a tight-lipped smile, trying to ignore the heat of Aiden’s hand still resting on my knee. Ava and Ron seemed to know a lot about him. They weren’t one of our aligned packs, but their familiarity made me wonder—was this normal? Was everything about Aiden common knowledge?

He gently pressed his fingers against my knee again, as if urging me to relax. But how could I relax when his touch sent sparks racing up my spine? His fingers barely grazed my skin, but it felt electric. I told myself the mate bond was intensifying everything—but knowing that didn’t calm my nerves.

My eyes shifted when the event host stood with a mic under the spotlight. After he welcomed everyone, dinner commenced

My gaze drifted back to Aiden. He was dabbing at his mouth with a linen napkin, eyes fixed across the room. I followed his line of sight—and my stomach dropped. Alistair Evans was staring daggers at him… and me. Sitting beside him was a woman with Lexia’s exact blonde hair. Her mother. Of course.

Aiden leaned back and casually slung his arm over my shoulders. I tensed. He brought his champagne up again, sipping as his fingers slid along the back of my neck, playing with a curl.

My pulse spiked.

“I don’t think Alistair buys this,” Aiden muttered, his lips close to my ear.

That’s why he’s touching me like this, I realized. To sell the lie. His index finger toyed with a curl, a deceptively innocent gesture. But I felt every loop of it in my gut. He was doing this—knowing full well that Lexia’s parents would report back to her. He didn’t have to. But he did.

I turned slightly. Aiden’s eyes were darker now, fixated on the spot where his mark would eventually go on my neck. Fake or not, that look made me shiver.

Alistair suddenly threw his napkin down and stalked off.