Chapter 18: The Brave Thing

Tonight was the night. Emma was going to wear the green dress. This was a test and maybe that wasn’t fair, but she needed to know for sure before she upended her life. She needed to know if Lucien felt anything for her. Even if it was only physical attraction, it would tell her a lot.
About him especially, but it would also make her path clear.
She got ready in the bathroom while Lucien flipped through channels on the television. He was already in his tuxedo for the extravagant feast that evening. She just had to tie his bowtie for him.
After she made herself look good. Not just good, sexy, and amazing.
She’d washed her hair, dried it, and then put it into an updo. The style had looked easier on the video, but when she was done, Emma smiled at the results. Her eyes sparkled in the mirror. Time for the dress.
It was green and floor-length and off one shoulder revealing creamy skin. Her earrings dangled almost to her shoulders and her kitten heels gave her another inch or so of height.
This was the do-or-die moment that Emma needed. If there was no spark from Lucien then she needed to give up trying. He wasn’t going to ever see her and all of her efforts were going to end up in frustration. She’d tried being competent. She’d tried being warm and compassionate. Nothing had worked.
Now she was going to try sexy. If he didn’t even see her now then he would never see her.
Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly, standing before the bathroom door.
She stepped out into the room. Lucien turned off the television. That was a good sign. He rose, only glancing at her. In that look, there was no male appreciation of her efforts. Not even a flicker that she looked better than usual.
Her heart stopped for a moment. When it restarted, she was determined. She knew what needed to happen and she was no longer going to live her life according to what other people thought.
“I need my tie done,” Lucien said.
He stood in front of her, his gaze never dipping to the hint of cleavage the dress offered. He didn’t gasp when he saw her. He didn’t even give her a half-hearted compliment.
It was as if she was wearing rags instead of an expensive dress that made her look better than she’d ever looked. Emma didn’t think she looked this good on her wedding day.
At that moment, she realized just how little Lucien cared for her. None was her answer.
What was the point of trying to be a good Luna if Lucien wasn’t ever going to care? She’d known this was a loveless marriage, but there wasn’t even affection. Or respect. There was nothing.
She tied Lucien’s tie in silence and then they left for the banquet. The walk over was in silence as Emma began to make plans.
The music could be heard outside the banquet hall. Lucien held the door for her, but that was only for appearances. “Our table’s near the front. I’m getting a drink.”
He stalked away. He didn’t even ask if she wanted anything. She stared at his back for a moment, wondering why she’d put up with this for five long years. What had she been thinking?
A squeal beside her made her jump. Emma turned to see Kendra and Leyton coming towards her. They each hugged her.
“You look fantastic,” Kendra said, stepping back to rake her gaze over Emma.
“You look beautiful, Emma.”
The two women wore gowns. “You ladies look beautiful also.”
“Thank you, Emma, but wow. Lucien must still be putting his eyeballs back in their sockets after seeing you in this.”
Emma gave them a weak smile but said nothing. “We have assigned seats?”
“Yes the organizer tries to keep packs apart that don’t get along,” Leyton said. “At least that’s what Brutus said.”
Speaking of the man, he came up behind Leyton and kissed her cheek. He had a smile on his face and his love for Leyton couldn’t have been more obvious. A twinge of envy sparked through Emma, but she tamped it down.
“Here is my lovely mate,” Brutus said.
Leyton put her arm around Brutus’ waist. “Our table is in the back.”
“Keeping the riff-raff out of the way,” Brutus said with some humor in his voice. “You need something to drink?”
“Champagne is flowing. I’ll take some,” Leyton said.
He left them.
“Is your table really in the back?” Emma asked.
Was there some hierarchy among the Alphas? Lucien had never spoken of it, but then again, he wouldn’t. Before Leyton answered, the door to the hallway opened and Dex slipped through. He wore a tuxedo that had been tailored for him. His blonde hair was slicked away from his face which made the color of his eyes jump out.
Emma lost her breath and she fought the urge to go to him.
He must have seen Brutus because he strode over to him and many female eyes tracked his movements. Emma’s included. She couldn’t take her gaze off of him. He shook Brutus’ hand and slapped him on the back. The bartender poured some amber liquid into a glass and handed it to Dex.
Dex took a sip then his gaze roved around the room until it landed on her. She knew the exact moment because his eyes widened. He didn’t approach her, but he looked her up and down in obvious admiration.
Emma smiled at him.
“I’m going to find my seat. We can talk afterward,” Kendra said.
“I’m heading to where Brutus and Dex are,” Leyton said.
They left Emma by herself and she looked around for Lucien. She might as well enjoy her meal.
He was sitting at the table when she arrived. The man stood as she sat, even Lucien, but she knew it was only because others were there. He didn’t bother to introduce her around the table.
He didn’t look at her for the entire meal. Having put up with enough of it, she pushed her chair back. “I’m going to step out for a breath of fresh air.”
Lucien merely grunted.
The banquet hall had a door out to a terrace. In the distance, Emma could hear the waves from the ocean. She sat on a bench and stared into the night. The darkness reflected her mood, but she wasn’t going to spoil the night. She had to make plans for her future, but she didn’t know what to do first.
“You look beautiful,” Dex said from the doorway.
He stood a respectable distance from her.
“Thank you, Dex. You look handsome.”
She couldn’t tell, but she’d bet he blushed. “Thanks,”
“Why are you out here? You were always the one to drag me onto the dance floor,” he said.
“I guess I’m not in the mood to dance,” she said.
“That doesn’t sound like the Emma I knew.”
The Emma he knew had chosen Lucien over him. Maybe she wasn’t such a great person. Emma shrugged.
“Is everything okay, Emma?”
“I’m fine.”
She wasn’t fine. She was thinking about changing her life. Leaving her husband, which probably meant leaving her pack. Her thoughts about it all were jumbled. A Luna leaving her Alpha was just not done and Emma didn’t consider herself a trailblazer. On the other hand, she couldn’t imagine staying with Lucien for the rest of her life.
“No, you aren’t, but I’m going to let that go.”
Emma rose and faced him. “Why did you let me go?”
“You wanted to go, Emma. I wanted you to be happy.”
His love for her had been real. He’d wanted her happy even if that meant she wasn’t with him.
She stepped closer to him, taking in his scent. The man was sex on a stick.
“Dex.”
“Emma.”
“Are you advocating for peace?”
She had to know straight from him.
“Yes. I don’t see any reason we can’t all co-exist in our world. We all have territories. Within those territories, we have resources for our pack.” He cocked his head. “I know Lucien doesn’t agree.”
“Lucien likes to fight,” she said.
Dex chuckled. “Yeah. I got that.”
“You’re an Alpha. Why don’t you want to fight?”
He put his hands on his hips. “Don’t think I won’t fight for what I want Emma, but if there is a better way I’ll take it.”
Would he fight for her if he knew that she wanted him? “Good.”
“Why did you need to know?” he asked.
“I wanted to know what kind of man you’d become,” Emma said.
“I’m not very popular at this Council.”
“You’re an upstart in their eyes Dex.”
He dropped his hands to his sides. “That may be, but I’ve lived as a lone wolf and now I have a pack. I want to do everything in my power to protect it.”
She understood, even if she wasn’t that chummy with her pack, thanks to Lucien and his way of ruling. “I can see the merit in changing things.”
“Thankfully you aren’t the only one. Do you have any pull with your Alpha? If I could get Lucien behind me, then I’d have more clout.”
She shook her head. “Even if I did, Dex, he has own ways. I have no influence there.”
She took another step towards him, glancing past him to the banquet room. No one had noticed her out here except Dex.
He didn’t move away from her. She was either testing the waters or playing a dangerous game.
She put a hand on Dex’s chest. He didn’t flinch. He didn’t move. He looked down at her, but she couldn’t see his expression. His body language didn’t ask her to move away so she went up on her toes and planted a sweet kiss on his lips.
He tasted as she remembered. Man. Wolf. Mate. When she was about to break contact, he put his hand on the back of her head and deepened the kiss. Her mind began to swirl out of control. She remembered the passion between them. She remembered the friendship. She remembered it all.
Worse, she now knew what she’d given up to please her parents.
Someone cleared their throat behind Dex. Emma stepped out of his grasp. It was Brutus.
“There might be trouble,” he said.
Dex cleared his throat, but his voice came out ragged. “What?”
“Lucien is looking for Emma.”