Chapter 10 Found It
|| Lilac’s POV ||
The days lost count, every single one with the delivery of a new over–the–top present from Kael. A diamond chain that shone like the night sky, a designer bag more expensive than most people made in a month, a jar full of exotic orchids that smelt of summer flowers, every one accompanied by a letter in Kael’s lovely handwriting. “To my future Luna,” the letters said, every single one of them signed with strong letters. And they made me feel this bitter, smoldering fury. I was standing in my bedroom, gazing at the new present, a velvet case containing a pair of emerald earrings that suited my eye color.
My reflection before the mirror caught my attention, and I found myself unable not to notice the difference I made. The gentleness in the eyes was erased, replaced with hardness that didn’t exist there before. That girl who trusted in fairytales no more existed, taking the place of a woman knowing the cost of trust.
“Lilac, darling,” my mom yelled from down the stairs, jerking me back to the world of reality. “Kael sent another gift. He really does love you, doesn’t he?”
I clenched my fists, the nails digging into my palms as I fought to remain calm.
“Y–yeah, Mom. He does,” I replied, my voice flat. I couldn’t tell her what was truly happening, at least not yet. She and Dad believed that he was genuinely trying to make amends for his mistakes. And it only deepened my commitment to getting out of this affair.
I was running out of time. In my previous life, Coco had come soon after the engagement, her arrival being the end of the beginning for me. Kael had needed a strong Luna then, one to secure his position, and I had been just a pawn in his game. I couldn’t risk it happening again. I had to find a way to get out before it was too late.
But how? The pill scandal had been quashed by the king, the press silenced, the alphas appeased. Kael’s reputation had been tarnished, but not badly enough to destroy him. I needed something more, something indubitable. And I needed it in a hurry.
I grasped my phone, fist tightening around it as I scanned my list of contacts and came to Elara’s number. My heart thrumming hard against the barrier of my ribs, I depressed the call icon. She answered on the second ring, speaking brightly and bubbly as though she didn’t have a care in the universe.
“Hello, Lil! What’s up?” she bubbled, glasses clinking and soft music blurring in the background. She was probably at The Silver Fang, the tiny café she habitually spent most of her time at.
I paused for a second before forcing the words out. “Elara,” I stated, my tone authoritative, no room for small talk. “I need your help.”
The tone of her voice changed instantly. The joking disappeared, to be replaced by silent worry. “What’s wrong?”
I took slow breaths, easing my grip on the phone. “I want you to follow Kael around for a few
11T
+8 Pearls
Where he’s going, who he’s meeting with, all of it.”
There was a silence. I could almost hear the frown on her face.
“Lil, are you sure?” she asked hesitantly. “I mean. he’s your fiancé. Don’t you trust him?
The word fiancé made my stomach turn. I scowled at the ring on my finger, symbol of a future I never wanted.
I ground my teeth down hard against my lip, irritation simmering just beneath my skin. “No, Elara,” I admitted, my tone softer. “I don’t. And I don’t know why. Not yet.” I pinched my eyes shut, wishing for her to believe me. “But you need to trust me. Please.”
There was another silence. This one longer. The quiet stood between us, laden with unsaid questions.
Then, finally, she sighed. “Okay, Lil,” she said, her tone heavy with resignation. “I’ll do it. But you owe me an explanation when this is all over.”
Relief flooded through me, so intense I was dizzy with it. “Deal,” I said, massaging my fingers against my temple. “Thank you, Elara. You’re the best.”
“I know I am,” she said, her teasing lilt creeping back into her voice but softer now. “And to let you in on a secret, if he’s doing anything shady, I’ll myself help you bring his world down to ashes.”
A wry laugh escaped me despite everything. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“Yeah,” she growled. “Let’s.”
But even as I hung up the phone, I couldn’t get rid of the queasy feeling in my stomach. Because at the back of my mind, I knew it would.
Three days later, my phone rang with a call from Elara. I answered immediately, my heart pounding in my chest. “Elara? Have you found anything?”
“Lil,” she said, her voice strained. “You need to get to The Silver Moon Bar. Now.”
I didn’t question it. I got my keys, and drove out to the bar, imagining all the possibilities. The Silver Moon was a high–end club, the sort of establishment the upper crust went to unwind. It was the sort of bar where secrets were made and forgotten.
As I pulled into the parking lot, I spotted Kael’s shiny car at the entrance. My stomach rumbled, a knot of terror and anticipation twisted inside. I took a deep breath, calming myself as I stepped out of the car and went inside.
The bar was shadowy, the air thick with the odor of fine whiskey and cigar. I tracked the wayward scent of Kael, my pulse increasing with every pace. And there he was. He occupied a private booth, his golden–eyed gaze flashing in the poor lighting. But he wasn’t sitting by himself.
“You had the right to distrust him. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you when you told me earlier, Lilac.”
I remained silent. I couldn’t. My eyes were fixed on Kael and Coco, the scene in front of me confirming all that I had feared. This was it. The moment I had been waiting for. The moment which would change everything.
I grinned, and my lips curled with a smile. “Well then,” I declared, my voice icy and determined. “Let’s make sure everyone knows what kind of man Kael really is.”
The remainder of the night passed in a blur. Elara and I worked quickly, gathering evidence and planning. We couldn’t hit Kael head–on, at least not yet. But we could expose him, make the truth known in a way that he couldn’t manipulate.
As I drove home that night, my mind was reeling. The tables had turned, and I was finally in control. Kael had underestimated me, as he had before in my old life. But this time, I wasn’t the gullible girl who had fallen for his lies. This time, I was the one holding the cards.
