Chapter 89
Ana’s POV
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Delilah watched the Lunas scrambling toward the exit, a cold smirk curling her lips.
“Dealing with them is like training dogs,” she said to me. “You’ve got to dangle some treats to motivate them.”
“But these are powerful, wealthy women.” I thought the rich and powerful didn’t care about these.
“So what? The richer they are, the more easily they’re swayed by benefits.” Delilah scoffed. “Besides, these are just minor pack Lunas. They’re nothing compared to you. You’re Grayson’s girlfriend! They should be groveling at your feet.”
I was speechless.
Never in my life had I imagined Lunas would one day try to curry favor with me.
“So toughen up. Let’s go downstairs and boss them around.” Delilah gave me an encouraging smile. “I’ll go with you.”
I managed a small laugh and followed her back downstairs.
When we got back to the café, the Lunas were already seated around the table like obedient schoolgirls waiting for their teacher’s praise. I almost laughed at this. It’s to bizarre.
“Thank you, ladies. You all behaved so well just now.” Delilah said as she took her seat. “I’ll call the Royal Symphony and see if they can get
tickets for all of you.”
The Lunas exchanged excited glances.
“So,” Delilah pressed, “how does this afternoon tea compare to Isla’s wine tasting? which one do you like better?”
It’s almost like she was forcing them to pick sides.
There’s an awkward pause. Then one Luna answered cautiously, “They are very different styles. I like them both.”
“You can’t like both. It’s like black and white. You have to choose one!” Delilah snapped, then turned to me. “Right, Aria?”
Right. Time to toughen up.
This was war between me and Isla. No mercy for the enemy.
“Lady Delilah is correct.”
I looked around the gathered Lunas, suppressing my earlier nervousness and summoning and tried to present some authority:
“You’re all Alpha Grayson’s honored guests, so I want you to understand the situation clearly: I don’t care what Isla told you, but I AM the only hostess. When you attend the medical summit tomorrow, you’ll see me standing beside Alpha Grayson. Not anybody else.”
The Lunas‘ expressions shifted subtly. Delilah gave me an approving nod.
I continued, “And how do you think Alpha Grayson would react if he learned you’d ignored his girlfriend to fawn over some irrelevant
woman?”
“We’d never ignore you! Of course we only want to spend all the time we can have with Alpha Grayson’s girlfriend,” one woman blurted anxiously, clearly panicking.
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Chapter 89
“Oh really?” Delilah snorted. “I clearly heard someone call Aria rude, classless, and lacking etiquette. Who was it again?”
The Lunas immediately began waving their hands, desperate to distance themselves.
“Not me! I never said that.”
“I wouldn’t dare speak that way about Lady Arial”
Another pointed accusingly: “I’m sure those nasty comments came from Luna Cabrina. Isn’t that right, Cabrina?”
The tide had turned. They were now turning on each other now.
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And that Luna Cabrina was a sharply dressed woman in her early 30s with permanent resting bitch face. I remembered her rolling her eyes at
me earlier.
I gave her an icy smile. “So do you have a problem with me, Luna Cabrina?”
Her mouth fell open. All her former arrogance was now replaced by panic. “N–no! Of course not. I swear I meant no disrespect-”
“I saw those dramatic eye rolls,” Delilah cut in coldly. “Clearly you think the Alpha’s sister and girlfriend are all beneath you. So feel free to leave and hang out with your different Isla instead. Oh, but that trade deal your husband wants with Red Stone Pack? Consider it dead.”
“No, no, please!” Cabrina gasped, cold sweat forming on her forehead. “Please don’t tell my husband about this. This was all my fault…No, it
was Isla’s doing! She deliberately misled us.”
“Exactly!” Another Luna jumped in. “That woman is so manipulative. She kept implying that she shares some special bond with Alpha
Grayson. That she matters more than any of his girlfriends. Because girlfriends come and go, yet their connection last for years.”
My fists clenched under the table.
Damn it, I knew it.
That bitch wanted everyone to see me as nothing. Preferably while laughing at me.
“And you bought that nonsense?” Delilah seethed. “What the hell were you thinking? My brother just publicly announced Aria as his girlfriend -his FIRST public relationship! Who matters more is so fucking obvious.”
All the Lunas nodded frantically. Their earlier disdain and hostility completely vanished.
“Yes, yes, we all understand that now,” Luna Cabrina simpered. “Lady Aria, perhaps you could mention my husband’s trade proposal to Alpha Grayson? We’d be so honored to work with Red Stone Pack.”
“Me too!” “And us!”
Nearly every Luna clamored to hand me their business cards.
But I didn’t accept any. And simply replied with a cool smile, “Ladies, why don’t we enjoy our tea first? Business talk ruins everything.”
Of course, no one objected.
They all raved about the very afternoon tea they’d earlier scorned. They even tried to invite me to future gatherings. I didn’t say yes right away, and just smiled noncommittally.
The torture lasted 3 excruciating hours, By the end, my cheeks ached from all the fake smiles.
When I finally managed to end the party and send them all away, I collapsed into a chair.
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“God, that was exhausting.” I groaned.
“Welcome to an Alpha’s consort duties endless schmoozing” Delilah shrugged. “But you killed it. They were ready to crown you queen by the end. Isla’s nothing to them now.”
“I know why they liked Isla,” I said darkly. “It’s not just what she said–it’s who she is. She’s a royal, a lady. To them, she and Grayson belong
to their world. And I don’t.”
“Oh stop, you’re not so bad.”
The hollow reassurance didn’t help at all. I felt I needed to ask: “So what’s Isla’s background anyway?”
“Oh, they say she’s the daughter of Alpha from Spire Pack–some ancient, prestigious European lineage. That Alpha’s like eighty now. I was shocking he could still father a daughter at Isla’s age.”
I sighed.
So, daughter of an ancient pack’s Alpha. No wonder she looked totally like a princess, And no wonder Grayson had fallen for her initially.
Isla and I. We were polar opposites.
“Hey, don’t overthink it,” Delilah said softly. “My brother doesn’t care about status and money. He’s got everything already. He values what’s inside more. And you were right about Isla. That woman’s a complete fake! Thank God they split before he met you.”
“Thanks.” I managed a smile. After a small pause, I added, “And… thank you for today. I know I couldn’t have done this without your help.”
“Oh, it’s nothing. I just… wanted to make up for all my past mistakes.” She looked guilty. Then, after a quick glance at my way, she hesitantly asked, “So…would you like me to help pick your outfit for tomorrow’s summit? You know, like we used to?”
I frowned.
Of course, I hadn’t forgotten what she had done before. I didn’t think we could ever go back to be friends again.
But with Jace gone, I could see the bad influence lifting from her. Maybe she deserved another chance.
“Yeah, why not?” My answer made her face light up.
And there was another important reason too.
Whether I liked it or not, war with Isla had been declared.
And I needed all the allies I could get.
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AD
