*Zara*
“I won’t be accepting anything!” Serena exclaid, her face growing red as she turned and snapped at . “This is your fault!”
Anger surged within , and I stood my ground, replying to her in a calm, but firm tone, “There is no fault. You and Noah aren’t ant for each other. I’m not going to sit here and let you snap at over it.”
“The wedding was all planned! We were fine with developing our relationship long term!” she shrieked. “All of this love at first sight bullshit is fairy tales, and now you’re ruining my–I an our–life!”
“No, I’m not,” I said, lifting my chin and narrowing my eyes. My wolf was excited, wanting to put up a fight and take her down. “I’m saving it, dramatic as it sounds.”
“Serena,” Noah said with a growl to his tone. “This was my decision. Zara had a hand in helping see reality, but she isn’t the reason for this. I am.”
“Oh bullshit, Noah!” Serena snapped, glancing over to him. “You’ve had the hots for that whore ever since she got here. Don’t think I don’t know. You’ve probably fucked her already several tis now!”
“That’s not appropriate,” I said firmly, clenching my fist. Now, I was fuming. “Serena, I know it’s frustrating to have these plans ended, but attacking either Noah or isn’t the answer.”
“But you both deserve it!” she snarled. “Why set us up together just to break us up, then? Huh? You’re not a matchmaker, you only ‘make’ misery.”
I winced, but otherwise didn’t waver. “No. I break misery. Matchmaking is a process, Serena. Sotis it can’t be rushed. Noah’s case is special. He–”
“Yes, yes, he’s stuck on his dead mother and girlfriend. He won’t shut up about either of them, moping around all day because ‘look at , I’m Noah, I can’t grow a fucking pair,’” she mocked.
Noah clenched his jaw and opened his mouth to respond, but I spoke up first, compelled to defend the Alpha Heir.
“Showing emotion for people you’ve lost is a very positive trait,” I said. “Noah is a person with so much compassion, and that should be praised, not put down. Yes, it led him to be stubborn, but in the end, it just shows how much feeling he does have.”
“And that makes him weak,” Serena snarled. “I thought he’d moved on with the wedding.”
She fixed her stare on Noah.
“Are you calling weak?” Noah asked in a very dangerous tone, though he took no action otherwise. He was eerily calm while the slew of insults ca his way.
“So what if I am?” Serena said, clearly more than just a little unhinged.
“I can prove that wholly incorrect, and you know it, Serena,” Noah said.
“Do it,” she said. “I dare you.”
“Oh, I’m not going to act on so petty words now,” Noah said. “But if you ever try to ‘prove’ that I’m weak, you’ll regret it.”
I frowned deeply toward Serena, who was going off the rails still on Noah. I understood the frustration of the wedding being canceled, but this was going too far.
“You don’t need to act like this,” I said to Serena in a gentler, but still firm, tone. “Serena, this sincerely is the best for both you and Noah. I am sorry it didn’t work out, but I could try to help you find your true mate. No cost involved—it would be compensation for this.”
“You can’t be serious,” Serena said. “You are still stuck on your nonsense and think it’ll actually work against ? Why, so you can get with my man?”
“I am not your man, Serena, and you sure as hell know it,” Noah snarled.
Tensions just kept on spiraling out of control.
I wanted to feel sorrier for Serena, but she was being a complete bitch.
There had been hints here and there of her being a snob, but I figured it was the focus on the wedding that would hopefully pass, even if in the end Noah and she just wouldn’t have gotten along.
I knew I wouldn’t feel any better if she had handled it with grace, though. This decision was right for them both. I was very relieved that Noah had made the decision to cut it off.
It needed to be done, which was especially apparent right then.
“Also,” I said calmly, “I am not doing this to get with Noah. I have my own mate to worry about.”
“Oh? Your own mate? Where is he, then, matchmaker? He must really be missing you by now,” she snapped sarcastically, “if he even exists.”
“He does,” I said, which wasn’t a complete lie. “But that’s none of your business.”
Noah kept his eyes narrowed, completely tense. “Go and cool off, Serena. This isn’t productive. You’re not going to get anywhere like this. It’s done. Accept that.”
Serena stared Noah down, and I wondered for a mont if she was going to try to attack him. Rather, she turned to point at , saying, “This isn’t over.”
Then, she turned away and stord off.
After Serena walked away, Noah let out a long sigh and ran his fingers through his hair.
"I’m sorry you had to witness that tirade," he said. "Clearly she’s not taking this as maturely as I’d hoped."
I shook my head. "You have nothing to apologize for. This can’t be easy for either of you."
Noah nodded, his expression clouded. "I suppose I feel sowhat responsible, though. I should have ended things sooner instead of letting them drag on."
"You were doing what you thought was right for the pack at the ti," I said gently. "No one can fault you for that. And now you’re brave enough to correct the course."
Noah gave a small, grateful smile. "Well, I had so help seeing things clearly."
He turned his gaze out toward the forest, seeming deep in thought. I stayed quiet, sensing he was working through sothing internally.
After a minute, Noah spoke again, his voice soft. "You were right, about all of it. I’ve been so focused on duty and pack politics that I lost sight of what really matters. I want more than just an arranged marriage for power. I want...."
He trailed off, a yearning look in his eyes. My heart ached for him. He had been through so much loss already.
"It’s out there for you, Noah," I said, “love, passion, and soone who complents you wholly."
He turned back to , those blue eyes filled with vulnerability. "You really believe that?"
I stepped closer and squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I know it beyond any doubt. You above all people deserve happiness. Be open to it when it cos along. It will."
Noah enveloped in a sudden, fierce hug. "Thank you," he murmured, "for reminding to hope again."
I hugged him back tightly. We stayed like that for a long mont, taking comfort in one another. When we finally pulled back, his eyes were bright. The future seed full of possibility once more.
But then I frowned, my mind moving to sothing less pleasant.
“What did she an, ‘This isn’t over’?”
Noah shrugged.
“Good question.”
***
*Serena*
I couldn’t stay in the mansion anymore, not after what that bitch had done to ruin my wedding. Therefore, I took a car ho, glaring out of the window.
I considered going to complain to Issac and Estella, then demand they do sothing about it, but I knew trying to do so would be fruitless.
My stomach clenched at the idea of Noah being with soone else. He was Alpha Heir, and I was ant to be Luna!
Now, how would I ever achieve my dream? My dream wasn’t a bunch of fairy tales like that damn ‘matchmaker’ tried to push.
Why couldn’t she do her job and let Noah and get together? We had our problems, but they would resolve in the future.
Plus, when it ca to leading a pack, love was pointless. We would both have power, and that was the important thing—power and money.
Now, it was all gone, ripped from my grasp by so whore. She probably had no true mate and was lying. This all was just so big grift.
The fabled ‘Luna Lily’ didn’t work because it was completely made up. We went trekking through the Dark Realm, of all places, to prove a point with random flowers that didn’t have magic at all.
Yet, sohow, the lack of reaction proved ‘we weren’t for ant for each other.’ It was completely ridiculous, and the more I thought about it, the angrier I got.
When I got ho, I stord into my room and slamd my door, collapsing onto my bed. My wolf was outraged. She wanted to tear things to pieces, and I felt the sa.
Destroying my bedroom wouldn’t be productive. What would be, though, was going through with a different sort of plan.
Zara needed to pay.
My plans were ruined. It was all supposed to be mine, until she ca along and destroyed it.
Well. I would make damn sure her fate was the sa as rida’s.
Noah took longer than expected to get over that rat after the ‘accident,’ but I had my in with him anyway... until Noah failed to play his part.
I thought Zara would be a useful tool in my plans, but instead, she turned into the exact opposite. My lips curled up into a snarl just thinking about that.
Well. I had more cards in my deck, and while I’d hesitated to even consider doing this at first, now was the ti to drop all doubts.
I needed to secure my future, in any way necessary. To do that, Zara would need to be taken out of the picture.
I’d figure out so way to get Noah back.
But, for now, it was ti to contact my secret but dear ‘friend’ Alpha Devon from Dawn Pine pack.
They were the sa pack responsible for killing Noah’s mother. But sotis, the best way to secure the future was to take drastic asures.
It was my ti to rise.
After taking a few deep breaths to calm myself, I headed downstairs to get a bottle of wine. I poured a large glass and went out on the back patio, looking up at the night sky.
Soon, very soon, everything would be made right. Zara’s naivete about true mates and fairy tale endings would be her downfall. As for Noah... I almost felt sorry for him... almost.
I sipped my wine slowly, imagining how it would all play out.
After polishing off my wine, I headed back inside with a genuine smile. The next few weeks might be challenging, but I could wait.
Patience was a virtue. Soon enough, Noah would be back in my arms, whether he realized it or not.
My wolf preened at the thought of victory. We would have everything we deserved. Power, prestige, authority—it would all be ours.
I went to bed that night more relaxed than I’d been in weeks. The answer to my problems had been so simple. I wondered why I hadn’t thought of it sooner. There would be no more worrying about fairy tales or flower fields, just cold, hard strategy.
And it felt damn good.
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