60
Lucy
I waited for a few more moments until my heart calmed down, and I stopped sneezing. After I got dressed, I felt a little steadier, nervous, and hopeful. I made sure I had the communication crystal Dagon had given me and placed it in the little clutch that had been sitting on the bathroom vanity. I guessed one of them had picked it out for me. It was black, so it worked enough for the rest of my outfit. I took a deep breath, looked in the mirror, and tried to calm myself. The flat sandals were comfortable. I was wearing pants for the first time in what felt like forever. I felt a bit more like myself.
The reflection staring back at me was pale, but I looked okay.
“You’ll be okay, Lucy.” I checked the crystal again, hoping against hope that Dagon would say something soon.
I came out of the bathroom and walked into the main room with a sigh of relief. Matt and Tony weren’t there. I opened the main door and walked out just as I heard them moving around in their rooms. For a few moments, I was alone in the hallway. Then, Tony came out of the door behind me. Matt followed.
Both of them looked angry. I lifted my chin and met Tony’s gaze. My heart was pumping so hard in my chest, but I didn’t back down.
“Why aren’t you wearing the dress I left for you?” Tony asked. “I told you your outfit isn’t appropriate.”
“You’d be prettier in a dress,” Matt said with a pout.
“I don’t like dresses.”
Matt looked as though he didn’t understand what I was saying. Then, Tony huffed.
“We don’t have time to make you change. We’ll be late, but you’ll see how out of place you are.”
Matt slid closer to me, trying to put his arm around me, and I pulled away from him and walked after Tony. I tightened my grip on the clutch and walked faster to keep away from Matt. All the calm I’d had in the bathroom was gone now.
Their beta had pulled the car around as we reached the bottom floor. I walked faster towards the exit, and Tony turned, blocking my path.
“You either walk beside me or behind me,” Tony said. “As luna—”
“I’m not your luna,” I said, looking up at him.
His jaw stiffened, and he closed the front door. “This has gone on long enough. When are you going to stop acting like this? When are you going to start acting like a werewolf? You’re our mate. That makes you our luna. I don’t know what that dragon has been telling you or his witch of a sister, but that’s the truth. When my motion with the Council goes through, there will be no more of this. You’ll be going to something useful.”
I set my jaw. In his face, I saw my adoptive father telling me that I didn’t need to go back to school because it wasn’t useful.
“Useful… to who?” I asked as if talking to the man in my memory.
“To your place as luna. It would be better in the end if you start learning what it means to be luna, what it means to be ours than trying to fight something you can’t.”
“I’m not a luna. And you don’t h-have the right to tell me what is useful to me.”
“Lucy—"
I met his gaze. His nostrils flared, and he grew tense. His shoulders were heaving. Fear went through me. He was so much bigger than me, but I couldn’t back down. He had to listen now. I wasn’t just someone they bought with nowhere to go.
The Supernatural Council had to make accommodations for me since I had been sold to an auction.
“A-And I’m not fighting anything. I’m telling you what I want.”
“No, you’re telling me what those outsiders say you should have.”
My eyes burned. “The books never said that werewolves can read people’s minds.”
He flinched, and I opened the door, walking out ahead of him. I felt nauseous with fear. My heart was racing. I clenched my hand around the clutch in my hand tighter as the beta got out of the car and opened the back seat. I ignored him and opened the passenger door.
“Luna—”
“Stop calling me that.” I closed the passenger door behind me and locked it as I put on my seatbelt.
I heard Tony come up to the door. He grabbed it and pulled the handle, but it wouldn’t budge. I didn’t look at him, staring ahead just like Yvonne told me.
Say what you feel. Do not engage. Deep breaths, Lucy.
I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing. Soon, the two of them got into the car. Tony got into the driver’s seat, and Matt got into the back.
The entire ride was tense and silent. The steering wheel creaked under his hands, and his breathing was rough, as if he was barely controlling himself. He reached over, and I pushed his hand away from me. He growled.
“Lucy, enough.”
“I told you I don’t want you to touch me.”
“If you think this is a game, it’s not funny,” Matt said from the backseat. “You could just ask for what you want instead of trying to punish us or whatever you’re doing.”
“I don’t want you to touch me,” I said again, and then I shut my mouth and focused on my breathing.
The drive was long, probably a few hours, and every once in a while, Tony or Matt would say something, trying to convince me that I was wrong.
“You don’t know what you want,” Matt said. “You’ve been with those humans. You haven’t had a chance to get in touch with your wolf side. You’ll see.”
I said nothing.
“Aren’t you going to say anything?”
“I am not your luna. I don’t want you to touch me. And you don’t know what I want.”
Matt huffed and threw himself back in his seat. Tony pressed the gas pedal a little more, and the car zoomed down the highway.
When we got to the house, I practically jumped out of the car as the valet opened my door. I walked into the house without them and smiled at the woman who seemed to be waiting to escort us to the back of the house. Tony and Matt were just behind me. I could feel the heat o their hands reaching out for me, and it made me cold inside.
I followed the woman quickly to the backyard.
“Mr. and Mr. Chance, you made it!” The man from before called. There was a different woman on his arm this time. My gut clenched with fear.
Was Tina not here?
I guess it didn’t matter if Dagon hadn’t made sure that there wouldn’t be any problems with me leaving. The man didn’t seem interested in talking to me as he took Tony by the shoulder.
“I’m impressed you got your brother to come! I’m sure your lovely companion can busy herself with the other ladies while we talk business.”
I turned swiftly and headed for the buffet table. I stopped, and my lips twitched into a bittersweet smile. I actually recognized some of the things on the table this time. I could tell which glasses were filled with alcohol and which weren’t.
I picked up a glass of sparkling apple juice and made a small plate of finger sandwiches before finding somewhere to sit. There was nowhere really hidden to sit. The whole backyard was full of tables and chaise lounges.
I chuckled as I sat down on one.
“What’s so funny?” I looked up at the woman who sat down beside me.
“A few days ago, I didn’t know what this couch was called.”
She blinked and smiled. “Me either.”
We laughed, but it felt so sad.
“I’m with Diamond Dates. This is my first event. What company are you from? Is this your first event too?”
I blinked at her and worried my lip. Wasn’t that the same company that Tina was from?
“I’m not with a company.”
Her eyes widened, and she glanced around before leaning closer. She barely whispered it.
“Are you Lucy?”
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