~Eleanor Black~
Blackmoon packhouse was never decorated this grandly for as long as I've lived there. My niece's presence had truly brightened up the evening it seems.
"Don't stray too far from me, honey. I can't take care of you otherwise and I don't want to lose you in the crowd." Said Nate.
"Is the crowd that huge?" I asked.
"Yes. Alphas from all around the world are here to celebrate her birthday and you know...pregnancy." Nate's heartbeat had risen when he said that. Hiding a scoff, I intertwined our fingers as he walked in with me.
Behind the shades, I could see everything.
The truth, The lies.
"Uncle Nate!" Deborah's excited voice greeted my husband. Her voice felt like stones being dragged on a chalkboard. I grimaced silently.
Nate let her hug him deeply. He sniffed the air around her. I was disgusted.
"Let me borrow my favorite uncle for awhile, aunt Eleanor~" Deborah said. I looked down at my feet. Didn't Nate just tell me to stick by his side for the whole evening?
Well, he left me all for the demons to surround.
I was sitting by the edge of the huge garden all by myself. And then, the voices started pouring in.
"If I were her, I wouldn't even show my face to Deborah."
"I'm really speechless by her act. Not only did she ruin Deborah's pregnancy three months ago, she came back to ruin it once again. Has she no shame?"
Two women gossiped behind my back, somewhere in the crowds. Leo, my wolf was growing agitated.
'Are you letting them speak to us like that?'
She asked.
'No. But I'm not interfering either. They must believe in their own lies before truth slaps them across the face. Very soon.' I said to Leo and she calmed down with assurance.
"There you are! I was searching for you—" Nate came back sweaty and panting. He was smelling of intense pinewood. His scent is of luscious cedar otherwise.
"My feet ached standing for too long." I cut him off with my reason.
"Oh my Goddess. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have let you worn those heels." An upset expression settled on his face.
Nate pulled my heels off my feet and replaced them with his own shoes.
"You'll feel better now." He said.
"What about you?" I asked.
"I'd have a pair or two lying around in the packhouse. I can go fetch..." He was talking, but the voice of those two alphas wives was heard again,
"Tch. Look at the royalty she's still being served. That too from a charmer like Nate. He's too good for her."
"He's giving her service even though she cannot even give him a heir or royalty status. It bothers me to know he's still with her. He should leave her."
They spoke within themselves. I subtly turned to observe Nate's reaction. His eyebrows were crushed.
"Did you...hear that?" He asked, his expression of annoyance clearer on his face than in his voice.
"Hear what...?" I pretended not to know.
"Nothing. Let's get you back inside. It's getting colder." Nate said and put his coat over me, coating me with his warmth.
"Sit here. I'll get my shoes." He said. I sat in my old bedroom, which was converted into a closet of a sort.
From the corner of my 'blind vision' I saw Deborah enter quietly. She tip toed towards Nate who was to my right, searching through the lower drawers for a spare.
I had to pretend not to see Deborah on her tippy toes, arms wrapped around his shoulders as she kissed him passionately, silently.
"Nate..." I called out,
The two flinched.
"Y-Yes, my love?" Nate answered, eyes wide and looking at me.
"Is there...someone else in this room?" I asked, my voice on the verge of breaking. I surprised myself with how stable I sounded.
"N-No, Eleanor. It's just you and me."
He lied.
Of course he would, for the woman carrying his child that he wanted ever since we got married.
"Alright. We can go back now. And this time, I'm going to stay with you no matter what." He said moments later, kissing my forehead affectionately. In hindsight, I should've never trusted anything that came out of his mouth.
Because the moment we stepped outside, he waved at an old friend and walked away.
"Hmm." I jumped my eyebrows, done with his empty promises.
I tried to entertain myself for the night. It was still too young and I wanted to enjoy myself of this luxury that was never a part of my life since I got married.
Soon, we were asked to gather around the birthday girl to sing. While I wasn't supposed to look, I glanced at Deborah's royal gown. It was handstitched by the same royal tailors who serve the pure blood royalty.
The red silk fabric with golden embroidery would've blown my mind away otherwise. But I'm supposed to be blind.
We clapped and sang an unconventional happy birthday tune. It sounded like a perfect orchestra, and Deborah was our conductor.
I watched as my in-laws gifted her numerous gifts. My mother in law couldn't hold her gaze away even for a second. She looked at Nate and Deborah, her gaze dancing between them for a while. She was excessively enthusiastic when Nate fed her the piece of cake.
Did my mother in law know about their intimacy? Or worse, was she supporting them all along?
I didn't care.
I knew I wouldn't be called up on the stage to wish her and feed her the blue cake - she was having a boy.
Even if I wanted, my parents would never allow me back there. I was their daughter's killer, after all.
So I braced the solitude and sat by the end of the garden all by myself, yet again.
