The Perfect Luna by Marissa Gilbert

Chapter 5. The Beta Female Best Friend

Goddess, she hated her. Roxy was looking at Ria with huge doe eyes in front of everyone and even shaking slightly to add some drama. She always did this. Their every meeting was a performance.

Riannon used to always be reserved towards her, leaving it her priority to supress her feelings and hide how hurt she was with the whole situation. And Roxy used it to her advantage masterfully, painting herself as the sweet girl and the Luna as the icy queen.

Well, Riannon wasn’t going to let her do this anymore. This pattern had to change. Luckily, she had just the best teacher – Roxanne herself. She put her through so many awkward and humiliating situations in the past that now Ria was ready for everything.

Moreover, she knew that what she did before did not work.

So, she was going to try something else.

“I am so sorry, Luna,” Roxy prepared to fall to her knees again but Riannon rushed to her aid and gave her the biggest of hugs. The two women froze together like this while the room filled with awkward silence. Someone dropped a fork and from the corner of her eye Ria noticed that it was her friend Maya.

“Roxy,” Riannon finally distanced herself and sighed with a sad smile on her face, “I can call you that, right? I want you to know that this is a safe place for you. No one will ever hurt you. We are nothing like the pack that you came from. You will always be treated nicely here since you are a member now. The hard days for you are over.”

She grazed her eyes quickly over the room to see stunned expressions on the faces of her pack mates. They did not expect that. Back in her past life, she tried to ignore Roxanne as much as she could, while staying polite when they had to talk. Everyone understood but the more Roxy cried, the more they felt pity towards her. She found her way into people’s hearts.  Over time, a lot of them stood on her side because she was, after all, their Alpha’s true mate and she had a hard life prior. Meanwhile, Riannon was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. And however great of a Luna she was, they thought that it wasn’t a big deal since she was born and trained to do it. No one understood how much she worked and what she sacrificed to reach this perfection.

Suddenly, Roxy threw herself in Ria’s arms again.

“Thank you!” she whined, making Riannon want to strangle her. If Onyx, her wolf, was here, it could have ended fast. But Onyx wasn’t close and she knew that this was a battle of acting skills now.

Meanwhile Roxy went on, “I was sure that the nightmare in which I lived in this whole time would repeat here as well! But you are so kind! I am ready to do any job! However hard it is…I’ll be your personal maid if I have to.”

At the head of the table, her husband Brayden was watching them with his lips clenched. It was hard for Ria to hold back a laugh, since she knew by the way he looked that he had been busy all night looking for the intruder. He hated that his mate was ready to become a cleaner. And on top of that, his wife did not behave the way he expected her to. She was sure that she shocked him for life now.

Get used to that, my love.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Roxy!” Ria gasped and even forced a small tear to roll down her cheek. After all, hugging her worst enemy was horrible and a part of her did want to cry. “You suffered enough and my heart goes for you. I will assign you work according to your abilities. And if they aren’t enough at the moment for a decent job, we will send you to study at the local college. Everything will be fine, do not worry. You will not be mistreated here. Our pack is a fair one. Brayden and I were building it for years. Everybody gets what they deserve. And so will you.”

The omega frowned but quickly regained herself. Did she know that it was a promise?

“I am the luckiest girl alive,” she smiled innocently, flapping her eyelashes,“No wonder my mate… I mean, the Alpha is so in love with you, Luna. Now I see that what people say about you is true.”

risk taking the Luna’s seat or the one right next to Bray. She would soon take it of course. But at least Ria

“accidentally”, making Brayden look at her with eyes filled with lust. The damn mate bond

it seemed more bitter than usual,

whole room

sure, Luna?” Beta Asher spoke, “She is

did not reject her and she is a part of our pack now. She needs to look the part, so it’s time to throw

couldn’t stay silent anymore, “Some would even say too

best friend a warning gaze and as always, Maya understood her without words, “And let’s make this clear once and for all. I was very serious about Roxy being treated nicely here. I don’t want anyone to bully her just because the three of us are in a peculiar situation now. I wish

she started to eat her omelette as if nothing special happened, catching glances of her pack

they were rewarding Ria with those. Only that this

it in front of everyone.

a small smile his way, startling him. At least she was getting exactly the reactions that she wanted. For the first day back, this

door

hell are you doing?” she hissed at her friend, “You are welcoming his mate?! You should have insisted

hugged the girl once again. She still smelled of

can’t be this kind!” Maya almost sobbed, “You loved him all your life! He marked you for Goddess’s sake! What was he

Ria sighed, stepping away, “But that ship has sailed. No one can fight the

this!” the girl

deep inside she knew, that if she could entrust

on the verge of her desk. “But I will

and spoke, and the more she told her, the paler her friend became. She omitted the part about Maya’s own death.

she was done, Maya looked at

know,”

took her hands and gave them a tight squeeze, “Ria! That’s awful! What you had to

meant you have no doubts in what I said now?” the Luna raised her brow. She expected that she would need longer to persuade her

know, you were madly in love with Brayden just

all love she had for Brayden was gone, but she definitely wasn’t the same girl

bother you how crazy that sounds?” Ria

in the Moon Goddess,” Maya shook her shoulders, “She may have wanted Brayden to be with someone like that… Roxanne. But I will never believe that she would want such a death