CHAPTER 47

Shana heard the doorbell ring but she just carried on reading a book she had gotten from Asher's vast library. She was bored to her teeth.
It was already a couple of weeks since she got married but she was still finding it difficult to settle into an idle lifestyle. She had submitted her résumé in some places but was yet to get any response. It would have been easy going back to her waitressing job but she did not think Asher was going to allow that. Also, she knew that life was not for her anymore.
Her husband was not just rich, he was an Alpha and to a certain degree, that was like royalty. That made her royalty and some things were beneath her. She missed her old life but she loved her new one better because Asher was in it.
He was everything she could ever wish for. He was attentive to all her needs. He was yet to say the words she longed to hear but Shana knew he felt them.
Life was beautiful. Even her nightmares were gone and it seemed like she was going to have a little while with Asher until something went wrong. But she was not even letting herself think about that. She was living every day as it comes.
There was Elise there to do everything she needed done and Mila was always there, like a bodyguard. She was still working on getting the girl to loosen up around her. Then there was Rose, she thought smiling. She would be forever grateful to her for keeping her secret.
But Shana was not satisfied with life yet. There was the pack that did not value her husband and had become hostile since he married her. A few of them knew what she was but no one was stepping forward to voice their suspicion and Shana was certain Rose had a hand in that.
She would love for them to get to know her and Asher. Maybe then, they would love him for who he was but she knew that was a long time coming. She sighed deeply, her thoughts diverted from the book in her hands.
"Is something not to your liking Luna?," a voice asked bitingly from behind her. Shana scrambled up from her reclining position on the couch in Asher's study. She turned and saw the spiteful face of Adele, with Mila closely behind her.
"What are you doing in here?," she asked stonily.
"What does it look like?," Adele fired back as she sauntered into the room
"I'm sorry Shana. I tried to stop her," Mila said with a guilt stricken face. Shana forced herself to give the girl a reassuring smile and told her to leave.
Shana was getting to know a lot about the importance of ranking within the pack. She knew if Adele wanted to get in, there was nothing Mila could have done to stop her.
She stared acidly at the woman as she looked around the with glittering eyes.
"What can I do for you?"
"Now, don't be a stranger Shana. I know we started off on the wrong foot but we can still be friends. I'm sorry about how I must have behaved in the past. I was just carried away," Adele said smiling.
But Shana was all things, not stupid. The smile was not even reaching her eyes and she knew Adele was just saying those things with an ulterior motive.
"So?," she asked out of curiosity. The speech was obviously leading to something more.
"Can we be friends?," she asked extending her hand for a handshake.
Shana had to stop herself from laughing. Adele was not so good at acting after all.
"We can never be friends Adele," she said in a strong voice. She was Luna now and she knew she was far above Adele's station. And also, she had the love of a man Adele coveted.
"Why not?," she asked with sham innocence.
"Do I need to answer that question?" Shana crossed her arms around her chest and watched the other woman's eyes turn cold.
Adele became livid when she saw the resolute look in Shana's eyes. As expected, the mere nobody had grown wings and she was having a field day flying with them. But she was not their to offer an olive branch like the scheming Shana had guessed. She was there to clip her wings.
Adele started laughing. She withdrew her hanging hand and brushed it over her head. Enough of being nice. "You got me there. You really are smarter than you look," she said with a cynical smile.
"You should leave now." She brushed by her and went to open the door.
"I'll leave when I want to. Maybe after I tell Asher about who you truly are and why you are truly here."
"I don't know what you are talking about," Shana said trying to keep her rioting emotions still.
"You little liar. Does the words 'Crier' and 'Adam' ring a bell?," Adele asked with a knowing smirk.
Shana froze up where she stood. Her face went pale and her hands dropped to her sides. She should have seen this coming. She should have known her secret was not going to be safe forever. It was the law of nature. But she had hoped desperately for it to stay hidden for a longer time.
"I see you now know what I'm talking about," Adele said laughing. It felt so good to be the one finally in control of the conversation.
"How did you know?," she asked quietly.
"You'll be amazed at my answer," she replied as she played around with her perfect nails.
"Please do." Shana was scared to know the answer. There was only one person she had told about Adam. Adele must have seen the distressed look on her face.
"I think you already know."
"I don't."
"Your grandmother-in-law was kind enough to share the information." Then she added. "Of course, she told me Asher mustn't know about it till the time was right."
"I don't believe you," Shana said with fake bravado.
"But your heart does. You really didn't think she liked you, did you?," she asked feigning a surprised look. "Oh no, you actually did." Then she started laughing again.
Shana felt hurt and angry. She had been thoroughly deceived by the old woman. No wonder everything never added up. She had been too willing to keep her secret too without even getting to know her. And what Adele was saying made sense because Rose was the only one that knew about the original reason she had approached Asher.
Her head told her all these but her heart refused to believe all the nonsense Adele was spurting. There was no reason she could think of for Rose to allow her marry her son in the first place if she had no intention for Shana to continue to remain as his mate. And there was something fishy about the way Adele had hesitated before she gave her an answer. Something did not feel right about her whole story.
She had made judgements and assumptions about Asher in the past. She was not going to do the same with his grandmother.
But still, Adele could be right. There was only one way to find out.
"When does Rose think is the right time to tell Asher about all this?," she asked.
"That's none of your business," Adele answered sharply. She felt cornered by the question.
"You should leave," she said to Adele again.
"I told you I'll leave when I want to. And don't play the high and mighty Luna with me. I know you for what you are. You are just a lying nobody," Adele hissed at her angrily.
"Liar or not, I'm still the Luna and you'll leave now or you'll be thrown out," Shana said stonily.
"Then I'll be happy to tell everyone about our lying Luna," she replied.
"No one would believe you. You've no proof about why I'm here and you said yourself that Rose told you to keep the information to yourself till the time was right. Is the time right?" Shana fired back.
"You crazy bitch!," Adele cried as her face coloured angrily and she launched herself at Shana but she was able to dodge her just in time and she went down hard on all fours.
"You should never try attacking me again. Remember, I'm far above you and I can have you punished and begging for your life," she stated coldly. Adele as back on her feet as she spoke and Shana added for more effect. "Asher would be more than happy to make you suffer for touching his mate." That got her.
She would have laughed and looked on to enjoy the scene but she knew she was no match for the she-wolf in strength. So she marched out the door and closed it after her.
Mila stood right outside the door.
"You should not be here when she comes out but make sure she leaves the house," she instructed the girl.
If Adele should finding her standing there and knowing she probably heard and saw everything, she was going to take out her anger on Mila.