The Luna Queen's Rebirth (Ellie and Dominic) novel Chapter 412

Ellie’s POV

Stephanie was already on her feet.

She shot me one, withering look over her shoulder. That was it, and somehow, it was even more terrifying that if she had shouted. Then, she calmly set her glass down, leaned in close to my father’s ear, and said something I couldn’t hear.

Whatever it was, it made his smile falter. She took him by the sleeve and steered him toward the side door behind the head table, and then they were gone.

The door shut behind them, and I was left standing there with three boys and a hall full of strangers who suddenly had a great deal to talk about.

Nico recovered first. “Does that mean you’re going to be Alpha?” he asked, his eyes turning huge. “Instead of Bastian?”

“I don’t know,” I said, which was the truth. I’d never asked for any of this. Terence never asked if I wanted it. And even if he did, I wasn’t sure if I would have said yes.

Bastian didn’t say anything. He just looked at the door his parents had disappeared through, then back at me, then down at his wine. Eli had both arms wrapped around his oldest brother’s leg and was watching me curiously.

“I think your dad and I surprised everybody tonight,” I said, forcing out a laugh. “Including me.”

It wasn’t much, but Nico seemed to accept it. Bastian steered the younger two toward the table without a word, one hand on Eli’s shoulder, and I let them go. I was too distracted by Vivian, anyway, to speak on the matter right

nów.

I needed to find my father and tell him about Vivian. Matters of inheritance could come later; right now, there was only one thing that needed to be dealt with.

I’d just reached the side door when I heard footsteps approaching. I sighed, stopping, and turned.

Vivian caught my elbow before I could protest and steered me into the hallway. My wolf started snarling the moment her hand closed on my arm, and the moment we were alone, I yanked it away and whirled on her.

“Vivian-”

“You look well,” she cut me off. “The mountains agree with you.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What are you doing here, Vivian?”

“The same thing you are. Surviving.” She glanced back toward the hall and lowered her voice. “I’ll admit you’ve done one better. The long-lost daughter. The heir.” Her mouth curved. “You always did land on your feet.”

“You were exiled. You’re a rogue. What are you doing here?”

“I’m the Beta’s new daughter,” she said, folding her arms. “They lost a girl years ago. I happened to have her face. I wasn’t going to turn down a roof and a name when they were handing it to me.” She tilted her head. “We do what we have to. You of all people understand that.”

“I’m telling my father everything. Who you are. What you did.” I turned. “He deserves to know there’s a rogue sleeping under his Beta’s roof, and I’m done rolling over and letting you walk all over me on false promises. I’ve done enough of that to last me forever.”

Something that looked an awful lot like fear flashed across her face. I shoved past her, not lingering long enough to watch it fade into something else.

“You’re making a mistake,” she said as I stormed away.

“Maybe. It won’t be my first.” I didn’t turn back. “Stay away from me. That part of your deal, I’ll keep. The rest is off the table.”

Ignoring the feeling of Vivian’s eyes on my back, I followed the corridor further. Only once I rounded the corner and looked over my shoulder to find that Vivian hadn’t followed me did I finally let out a breath, pressing my hand into the wall to steady myself.

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