hapter 0018 Chapter


    0018


    For a moment, my heart softened towards Noah.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    But I quickly reminded myself that he was not defending me; he was defending the position of Luna and our reputation. We were on the verge of a divorce, and he surely didn''t want anything else to taint our image before that Still, I relished the shock upon Emma''s face. It felt good to watch her get knocked down a peg. It served her right, trying to lecture me on how to keep men away from my husband when hers had- Then it hit me. I knew where I recognized that redheaded woman in the bathroom from. She was Emma''s husband''s mistress.


    The problem was that the truth had not been exposed yet.


    In my previous life, about a month after this event, there was a scandal regarding Emma''s husband and the redhead. It had brought great shame onto Emma andpletely blindsided her.


    I tilted my head and considered Emma. I had never really built good social rtionships with the other packs'' Lunas, always following in Noah''s shadow. Now that I wanted to be an Alpha, though, I would need practical alliances. I looped my arm through Emma''s andughed to cut the tension. "You need to rx, Noah," I said, flipping my hair. "Emma was only trying to give me some advice the best way that she could."


    Noah narrowed his eyes at me. Emma''s body stiffened so that even our intertwined body parts did not really touch, but she faked a smile at me.


    "Of course," she said. "Just a little Luna-to-Luna advice


    "It''s all in good fun." I turned my attention to Emma. "Speaking of good fun, I just overheard two women in the bathroom talking about how they should convince an Alpha to give one of them his Luna''s property." Emma''s eyes widened.


    "You mean-" her voice lowered-"an Alpha''s mistress is trying to ckmail him?"


    I nodded.


    Emma tightened her hold on me and started to drag me towards the restroom.


    "Well, we have to listen in on that!" she eximed, never one to back down from some juicy gossip.


    As we entered the restroom, I heard the same voices that I had walked in on earlier-still talking, still scheming. I stopped Emma short of revealing herself and got her to peek at them from around the corner as we eavesdropped. "He will ruin me if I try," the redhead said, frantically pacing back and forth.


    "If he tries to, you have enough information to tear down him and his b***itch Luna," the brte countered. "But who will believe me if he discredits me first? It''s not like he''s Alpha of one of the minor packs."


    The brte scrunched up her nose.


    "Yeah. Frankly, if it weren''t for his status, I wouldn''t believe that you ever slept with him. He''s so fat and-"


    ""Watch it!"


    "Well, it''s true. I mean, what do you do after making love? Run your fingers through his scalp?"


    Beside me, I felt Emma stiffen as she began to put the pieces together. Fury shed in her eyes. Her body curled as she prepared to pounce.


    I grabbed her elbow in my half-hearted attempt to stop the oing storm.


    "Wait, I lipped.


    Her lips a firm line, she shook her head and tried to pull away again. But once again, I stopped her. I shook my head and pulled her away, out of the bathroom and away from the two women.


    Once we were in the hallway again, Emma ripped her arm free and whirled to face me. Her eyes zed with fury, and her nostrils red. "Why won''t you let me confront them?" I asked.


    I swallowed. A moment ago, perhaps a more vindictive part of me had wanted to see the fight escte; but now, seeing the pain and anger in Emma''s eyes, I couldn''t help but feel pity for her. I knew that feeling all too well-that feeling of hurt, of betrayal, of feeling not good enough. Taking a hesitant step forward, I ced my hand on Emma''s shoulder. She flinched, but didn''t pull away.


    I


    "Talk to your husband in private," I said softly, keeping my voice low so only she could hear. "Handle this out of the public eye. Trust me."