The Luna and her Quadruplet Pups by Jane Above Story

Chapter 71 – Outed

Jane

I’ve only just dropped the pups off at pre school and am on my way to the office when my phone rings. Glancing at the touchscreen display in the car’s center console, I see Linda’s name appear, and promptly accept the call over bluetooth.” Hello?”

“Hey,” She greets me, sounding a bit tense. “Have you seen the news?”

“No.” I sigh, already fearing the worst,“ What is it now?”

“You just got outed.” She explains gently, “In a very public way.”

“What do you mean?” I ask nervously, thinking that it’s beyond depressing my life has reached a point where she could

be talking about half a dozen secrets or lies.

“It’s on the front page of the Gazette.” She replied simply, “Elise Carrington exposed – NightFang’s Luna returns from the grave.” Linda pauses,” apparently someone let it slip that your identity is fake and exposed the truth – including the fact that you faked your death.”

I curse under my breath. This is the last thing I needed. “I was worried standing by Ethan’s side at the funeral might draw too much attention to me.” I groan. “I should have known better.”

“I don’t think it was the funeral.” Linda corrects me, “The way this is written, well, let’s just say it’s not a flattering article. There’s a lot of details here that they couldn’t have gotten from the last few days, or even just looking into your

2/12

life in the Dark Moon pack.”

“Great.” I mutter grumpily, “As if this week wasn’t going badly enough already.”

“Sorry babe. Call me if you need anything.” Linda offers.

“Thanks.”

across the front page, right alongside a snapshot from my funeral. As I begin

years ago Jane Blackwell divorced the Alpha, just over a year after a mysterious attack paralyzed family

Alpha’s daughter Paisley, who’s young life has been marked by a heart condition and multiple surgeries. However last month La Louve CEO

we can confirm that the two women are one in the same. Jane Blackwell

disappearance from public life. It then provides a laundry list of the probable crimes I committed to get away, and goes on to speculate about my involvement in

this, but given all the details of the current investigation included, I suspect the police leaked the story.

call Ethan, but I know how he’ll respond. He’ll promise to take care of it and tell me not to worry, even though I can’t do anything but worry. I’m already so confused about his motivations that I don’t think I can

adding another layer of complexity to our situation,

the morning, for when I step out of the atelier to go to lunch,

deer in the headlights as the cameras flash around me, my mind incapable of deciphering one

correspondents shout

I fight my way through the crowd, keeping my sunglasses lowered over my eyes,

in the face.

path, that I finally stop. “Jane, what do you have to say to NightFang customers

me pause. The NightFang pack is the most prosperous on the continent, which means it has the wealthiest citizens and comprises the largest income revenue for my

louve because it is the height of elegance and prestige. Our competitors cannot come close to matching

I continue. “I dare the woman of the NightFang pack to find a fragrance as enigmatic, luxurious and scintillating as our signature, or as nuanced as some of our other lines. Every

upon which we

no accountability if their products are good?” The reporter

corporations have the

our customers would be well within their rights to boycott, high fashion has a long history of trumping morality. “Five years ago I ran away

8/12

agenda.” I conclude.

to undo the damage this article has done. I can’t stand the thought of losing everything I’ve worked so hard for

office, bypassing his assistant even as she races after me, insisting I can’t go in. When I open the doors, I find Ethan seated behind his desk and his Beta, Matthew, sitting across from him. One of the pack