Page 85 of His Fated Luna

I stared at his back as he chatted with alphas and filled his plate like it was nothing. I was still processing the small moment when Ava appeared out of nowhere and greeted me. We exchanged polite smiles and she said I looked nice in my yellow shirt and black jeans. I smiled, glad I’d opted for comfort. Soon enough, pack officials from Aiden’s alliance surrounded me,launching into a discussion about our agenda for the conference. Somewhere in the middle of it all, I finally got to meet Mrs. Evans, Lexia’s mother.

Later, when the conversation had wrapped up and everyone was leaving, Mrs. Evans gently pulled me aside.

“How’s Josie doing? And the rest of the pack?”

I blinked, surprised by the warmth in her voice. “They’re doing okay,” I replied.

“It’s been so long since I visited,” she said with a sad smile. “I haven’t been well, otherwise I used to visit weekly—when my parents were alive.”

“You were originally from our pack?” I asked, genuinely stunned.

She nodded, that same soft smile on her lips. “We look forward to maintaining a good relationship with the Bloodfire Phoenix Pack—despite everything. Don’t worry about Alistair, dear. He’s just sore because his daughter is heartbroken. I always knew Lexia couldn’t be with Aiden. We didn’t know who the luna was—your pack kept that under wraps. But I knew you were there. Maybe Aiden hadn’t met you yet. Maybe you were too young for his wolf to recognize you. I warned Lexia not to get attached. Warned Alistair too. But they’re both so stubborn. Still…” She looked at me kindly. “I don’t hold it against you, Luna Rose. It’s just the way of your pack. Give my family time to adjust.”

The use of my title made my cheeks burn. But inside, I felt something shift—relief. Maybe things wouldn’t fall apart between the packs after all.

Back in the hotel room, I showered and changed into charcoal gray dress pants and a peach silk camisole I wore under a tailored gray blazer. As I did my makeup, Aiden sat on the bed, rattling off things he wanted me to find out—like if Ava’s pack supported land conservation. We couldn’t align with anyone who had a different agenda.

There was a moment—just a brief, breathless one—where I walked around in only my camisole, and I felt Aiden’s gaze shift, darken. His voice even changed, lower, a little rougher. When I turned around, he looked away quickly.

I didn’t say anything. I focused on my hair, trying to wrestle it into a sleek high ponytail, but my curls weren’t cooperating. Frustrated, I caved and called Diego for help.

"Your hair looks pretty down," Aiden said casually from where he was sprawled across my bed, completely at ease. He was leaning against the headboard, thumbing through the first chapter of“The Count of Monte Cristo”. I stared at him as he snorted and muttered, “This dude is seriously stupid if he doesn’t pick up on how much this Danglars guy doesn’t like him.”

I couldn’t even focus on his literary critique. Diego was tugging my hair into a tight, slicked-back ponytail, and all I could think about was how strange it felt to hear Aiden comment on my appearance. As if...he found me attractive?

“What?” he asked, defensive now, flipping to another page. “This seems like a really crappy read.”

With an exaggerated sigh, he tossed the book on my nightstand just as Diego finished my hair.

“Since you’re going for a more casual look, just wear the earrings and tennis bracelet,” Diego advised before quietly slipping out of the room.

I followed his suggestion, but the bracelet clasp refused to cooperate. I held it up to Aiden silently, hoping he’d understand.

“Ready to try your hand at pack diplomacy?” he teased as he helped me clasp the bracelet around my wrist.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” I laughed, meeting his eyes and almost losing myself in the warm depth of them.

His hand settled gently on the small of my back while we stepped out into the hallway.

I kept reminding myself none of this was real. It was just...proximity. We weren’t really a team. This wasn’t a forever thing—it was temporary. A duty. He’d been forced into it. But even knowing that, I couldn’t help but enjoy it while it lasted.

The rest of the day passed in a blur. I sat taking notes, documenting every key point that came up—problems like funding, job shortages, even healthcare for werewolves. My chest swelled with pride every time Aiden contributed something intelligent to the discussion. I noticed Ava wasn’t in the conference hall, though Alpha Ron was.

By the time we broke for lunch, my head was spinning.

“So many policies and new legislations that could mean bad news for us,” I murmured, feeling a little overwhelmed.

“It’s a lot your first time,” Aiden said sympathetically. “I was confused too when I started. Dad left me tons of notes and explanations.” His hand was at the small of my back again as he steered me toward the dining area. “You don’t have to stay for the second half. It can get tedious.”

I blinked up at him. “Are you kidding me? I’m not missing this.”

Determined, I made my way to Ava’s table and sat beside her for lunch.

“You weren’t at the conference?” I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral.

She looked up guiltily from her salad. “Yeah...my alpha tired me out last night.”

My cheeks burned. I had a feeling I knew what she meant.