Elena POV
"I wasn't looking in the first place." He said dryly, turning to look at the side. I turned along with him only to see Jessica there.
She was sprawled on the floor, staring at me as if I were a ghost. Draven got up and walked slowly to her.
It was only when he got up that I noticed his clothes were wet, as if he'd dove right into the pool with them still on.
He stopped right in front of her, his voice cold. "Explain."
I tried to stand up as well, but my whole body still felt weak, so I just sat up and watched them from behind.
"I saw her when I came to clean the pool," she said, her eyes quickly filling up with tears as she looked up at him. "But I thought she was dead, so I was going to find someone to help me get her out before you came."
Draven turned to me, but all my attention was on Jessica.
I stared at her, dumbstruck. "You brought me here. I fell into the pool because of you."
"She's lying." She started sobbing and crawled to hold Draven's thigh, rubbing her face all over it.
A bolt of jealousy shot straight through my heart. He was so cold to me, but he was letting her touch him as much as she wanted.
I almost let out a sigh of relief when Draven pulled away from her grip, his voice calm. "I guess we'll find out the truth when we check the cameras."
Then he turned to walk away.
The blood drained from Jessica's face, and she quickly ran after him, throwing herself against his back. My teeth clenched so hard that I thought a couple of them would break.
"I can explain." She panted. "I can explain."
Draven peeled her hands away from his body and turned to face her. "You had your chance."
She crashed to the floor, a pained look crossing her face as her knees met the hard tiles. "I wanted to punish her for her lies."
She looked up at him, her face pitiful as if she was begging for sympathy. "She's been going around saying that she's the Luna. I just wanted to scare her a little, I-I didn't know that she couldn't swim."
"She's the Luna, Draven said simply, and I watched Jessica's face collapse.
"Th-then what about me?" Her voice shook.
"Where do you think you're going?" Draven's voice rang out, and I stopped walking. Having recovered a bit of my strength, I'd been trying to slowly make my escape when he caught me.
"I'm not done with you yet." He continued. "So stay."
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"W-why are you coming so close?" I said, taking a small step back as Draven walked towards me.
He'd had the guards drag Jessica away a few minutes ago when she kept crying and clinging to him.
To where? I had no idea.
"I thought I told you not to overstep." He said.
"I didn't!"
"Then how do you explain this?" He said, his gaze moving over my chest. "What are you doing in my private pool?"
A shiver ran down my spine and I quickly clamped my hands back over my breasts. "I didn't know the way back and asked for her help. She brought me here."
He raised an eyebrow. "So you didn't notice the difference in your surroundings?"
Warmth moved to my cheeks, my eyes, everywhere it could reach. "She said it was a shortcut."
"And you believed her?" He took another step towards me. "Are you really that naive?"
I couldn't hide the crack in my voice. "How was I supposed to know she was lying? Am I supposed to expect to be tricked when I ask for help from a stranger?"
"Yes." He said simply as he moved even closer to me until there wasn't even an inch of space between us. "You should. You won't survive a week here if you don't."
"What's going to happen to her?" I asked.
"You're worried about her?" He raised an eyebrow.
"N-no." I said softly. "I'm just curious."
"Well, don't be." He said, moving away. "It's none of your business.
"Is it none of my business, too, that one of your lovers just tried to kill me?" I called out to his retreating back.
"One of my lovers?" He said, standing in place.
"Yes," I said firmly. "Isn't that why you let her go so easily?"
"You think I let her go?" His voice was cold.
"Didn't you?" I said just as coldly.
"You can think whatever you like." He said as he continued walking. "Just stay out of my way."
My teeth chattering from the cold, I said, "Can we have breakfast together?
But not today.
On the day I choose, you must have it with me, regardless of whatever you have going on."
He turned back to me, an incredulous look on his face. "What part of stay out of my way do you not understand?"
I pushed past the embarrassment that made me want to hide my head in the sand, raising my chin at him. "You owe me one. After almost getting killed by your-"
Within seconds, he was in front of me, his hand over my mouth before I could say lover. "Fine." He gritted out, annoyance flashing in his eyes. "Breakfast."
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My wolf Lara whimpered all the way back to my room. 'Does he not want us? Isn't he supposed to love and cherish us as our mate?' Lara had left me for a long time, locked somewhere I couldn't reach her.
I didn't know how to tell her that sometimes, people don't like the mates given to them by the goddess or that they may not even want a mate. It was pretty common now, even though everyone pretended like it was not. There was a reason makeup was so popular now.
Many women had been forced to find a way to hide their bruises when sunglasses and an 'I fell' excuse couldn't explain them away.
Most packs portrayed the glamour of a loving relationship between mates, but most times, beneath all that wwerelies and a desire to keep up the expectations of other people.
To give off the illusion that you were happy even when you were not, because that's what was expected of you.
My father hadn't wanted my mother either. He had gotten her pregnant and then abandoned her.
My mother had remained unmarried all her life, believing that he would come back for her one day. She had made excuses for him every time I asked about him; he had issues to deal with, and he was busy.
He had been too busy to call, too busy to come see me even on my birthdays, too busy to visit my mother's grave after she died. I didn't even know what he looked like. Sometimes, I wondered if he was even real.
Despite the pain and rejection she had experienced at the hands of her mate, she still raised me to believe my mate was the perfect one for me. But when she died, I finally understood the truth.
It was all a scam. The mating pull was a lie sold to omegas so they would willingly offer their necks to any alpha willing to mark them. If I were being honest, I resented her for it a little.
If she had told me there was a possibility I would be rejected by my mate, abused by him even, I would have been prepared for it, even just a little.
I wouldn't have waited ten years like a fool, hoping for him to change and finally pick me.
"Luna." A soft voice came from the side. "Are you okay?"
I hurriedly wiped my eyes and put on a smile as I turned to her. "Yes, I'm fine, who are you?" I asked, glancing at the loaded bag in her hand.
"I'm a maid in the palace, Luna. Alpha instructed us to bring you a change of clothes, some toiletries and food. The others are on their way." She said, eyes still filled with concern.
"Alpha?" I asked, confused. "Alpha Draven?"
"Yes Luna." She beamed at me.
What was she so happy about? And why was she calling me Luna when there was no one there to hear her?
We both knew my position was only for show. But I didn't say anything, merely smiled as I moved to take the bag from her hands.
But she dodged, and somehow managed to open the door to my room, slipping inside quickly.
