Madeline’s POV
“I have to admit that I am a little bit surprised to see you here,” Ellie said as I walked into the kitchen.
I furrowed my brows. “Why?”
“Luna,” the cook said, bowing his head at me.
“Good morning, Daniel,” I said, giving him a small smile.
“I thought that Dimitri wouldn’t let you go,” Ellie said, making me look back at her.
“Oh, he is still complaining upstairs,” I said, shaking my head and chuckling a little. “But I managed to convince him that I had to do this.”
“How is your head?” Ali asked as she approached me and pulled me into a hug.
“A bit better,” I said, hugging her back. “I don’t know what happened yesterday.”
“You got upset, Maddie,” Ellie sighed. “It was a little bit too much for you to handle.”
I sighed and Ali let me go.
“Is everything ready, Daniel?” I asked, looking back at him.
He was cutting strawberries and decorating the plates. He looked up at me and nodded.
“Yes, Luna,” he said, smiling at me. “The girls are setting everything up as we speak.”
I gave him a small nod and smiled. “Thank you so much, Daniel.”
“There is no need to thank me, Luna,” he said, bowing his head again. “It’s my pleasure to cook for you and your guests.”
He smiled and went back to decorating the plates. I looked at Ellie.
“Are all four Lunas coming?” I asked as I approached the table and sat down.
Ellie nodded. “Do you know all of their names? Should we go through the list again?”
I raised an eyebrow at her. “Do you think that my memory is that bad? Of course, I know their names. I know everything about them.”
Luna Maria was my former Alpha’s mate. I was happy she came because I always admired her and I missed her insights and her presence in my life. She and my mom were best friends and Luna Maria was a constant presence in my life ever since I was a baby. I was hoping I would get to spend some alone time with her while she was here.
Luna Laura was Alpha Xavier’s mate. She was very quiet, but she seemed very kind. I was looking forward to getting to know her better.
Luna Alice was Alpha Lincoln’s mate and she was the loudest and the most talkative of all the Lunas. She always had a smile on her face and I admired her confidence. I believed that I had a lot to learn from her.
Luna Jennifer was Alpha Lucius’ mate and she was the only one that made me feel a bit uncomfortable. She was very quiet, but she never looked away from me when we were in the same room together. I was curious about her, but I always held back from reading her mind. It just felt like a huge invasion of her privacy and I didn’t want to do that. But maybe I could have a little peak during breakfast. Maybe she knew something about who was threatening Dimitri.
“I don’t think that your memory is bad, but you had a few rough days,” Ellie said, sighing quietly. “I just wanted to make sure you know everything you need to know before we go in there.”
I smiled and nodded.
“I know everything, Ellie,” I said. “Don’t worry.”
She glanced at Daniel before looking back at me.
Don’t read their minds. She mind-linked me. Dimitri forbade it. He doesn’t want you hurting yourself.
But maybe I could find something… I said, but she interrupted me.
It’s not worth it, Maddie. She said, shaking her head a little. Dimitri will find another way. Something will come up. It has to.
I took a deep breath and released it slowly.
Promise me that you will keep that wall up. She said.
I bit the inside of my cheek. I had to at least try to find something useful. I had to help my mate.
‘Madeline…,’ Skye spoke, but I pushed her back immediately.
I promise. I mind-linked Ellie.
She gave me a small nod and looked at Ali.
“Stay by her side at all times,” Ellie said sternly. “Dimitri will kill us if something happens to her.”
I sighed and shook my head.
“That’s a bit dramatic, don’t you think?” I asked. “You are scaring Ali.”
Ellie raised her brows at me. “Am I lying? Dimitri would lose his shit if I bring you back to him and a hair is missing from your head. I don’t even want to think about what he would do if you got hurt.”
I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from smiling. Ellie really knew how to overreact sometimes.
“Come on,” Ali said, chuckling. “I think that the Lunas have arrived.”
I stood up and started walking toward the dining room. Ellie was on my left and Ali was on my right. I smiled even before I opened the door.
“Luna!”
“Queen!”
They exclaimed as they bowed their heads at me.
“Good morning,” I said as I sat down at the head of the table. “I would like to apologize for my absence yesterday. I wasn’t feeling well.”
Ellie sat on my left and Ali sat on my right. I noticed Ellie watching the Lunas carefully.
“Don’t worry about it, my Queen,” Luna Alice said, smiling brightly. “I hope you are feeling better today.”
I smiled back and nodded.
“I am much better, thank you Luna,” I said politely and looked at Maria.
She reached out and took my hand in hers.
“I am so incredibly happy for you, Maddie,” she said softly. “You are an amazing Luna and I am so proud of you.”
I smiled brightly.
“Thank you, Maria,” I said. “That means so much coming from you.”
She squeezed my hand tightly before letting it go.
I looked at Luna Laura and Luna Jennifer.
“I am so happy to have you here,” I said, smiling at them. “I hope you are enjoying your stay.”
Luna Laura smiled at me. “Very much so, my Queen. Everyone is excited about the first tournament tonight.”
“I don’t know whose idea it was to arrange a tournament and make it a tradition alongside Alpha’s Meeting, but it was the best idea ever,” Luna Alice said as she poured coffee into her mug. “Can you imagine not having some entertainment while we were here?”
I chuckled and nodded. “I agree. I am very excited for the tournament to start.”
Luna Alice smiled at me and took a small sip of her coffee.
I looked at Luna Jennifer and I focused on her thoughts.
What is it about her? Why does Lucius want her so badly? Am I not as pretty as she is? Am I not enough for him?
My breath got caught in my throat and I had to do everything in my power to remain calm. I lifted the wall around my brain again. I imagined it as tall and thick. I didn’t want to hear anything else. I couldn’t.
Was it Lucius? He wanted me? Why? What did he want to do with me?
I gulped and forced a small smile on my face.
“It’s very nice to have you here, Luna,” I said, trying to keep the confusion out of my voice.
She remained quiet, but she bowed her head at me.
“Kade wanted me to say hi,” Luna Maria said, drawing my attention back to her. “He was supposed to come with Jack and me, but he got held back at the pack. He will be taking over the pack very soon.”
Kade was Jack and Maria’s son. He was a couple of years older than me and I never really spent any time with him.
“That is so nice to hear,” I said, smiling a little. “I wish him all the best.”
Luna Maria smiled brightly and I looked back at Jennifer. I took a deep breath and focused on her thoughts again.
I couldn’t let her thoughts scare me. I was a Luna and a Queen. I had to know if her mate was a threat to Dimitri and his throne.
