CLAIMING HIS RELUCTANT LUNA

CHAPTER 5: MAKE-BELIEVE LUNA

SAVINA'S POV

After my encounter with Heath and his second, the last thing I expected was a release - especially since the said encounter ended on an unclear note.

Shortly after the soldier led me back to my cell, I heard a slight shuffling amongst the guards as they quit their bantering, assumed their posts, and hastily manned their weapons.

Despite my weakness, I peered through the bars and readied myself for a fight, but unlike I thought, we weren’t under attack.

“Uh-oh, the Alpha is coming,” the large man sitting in the cell across from mine said with a dirty smile, and I honestly couldn’t decide which was worse.

Like every other time his name was mentioned, my pulse quickened, and I quickly walked deeper into my cell.

Pierce appeared through the doorway very suddenly, and as much as a spark of relief followed his advent, I reminded myself he was no better than Heath Valsad.

I watched anxiously as he spoke briefly with the guards, who seemed confused about whatever he said, and as soon as he was gone, the smallest of the soldiers came towards my cell.

Heath must have finally given the order for my execution - at least, that was what I thought - but then I was released, and my chains were taken away, and from what the soldiers whispered, Heath wanted me out.

I wouldn't have been surprised to learn that Alpha might be bipolar because, like paper in the wind, he explored both extremes just for the fun of it.

Save the drowning girl from the lake and subject her to days of starvation before finally accusing her of spying, and then let her go in the end.

I followed a footman stiffly to a decent-looking bedroom and was asked to wait. While scrambling to guess what sort of game Heath was playing, the footman returned with a bunch of maids, all of whom he instructed to get me washed and dressed for dinner.

Warning bells went off in my head.

I’d known of Heath Valsad long enough to tell there was a sinister plan behind these gestures, but unsure as I was, I knew I could do with the bath and some good food.

And so, the maids set to work.

My body was scrubbed clean of mud and dirt, and my hair was shampooed. After the bath, which left my skin pale and clear, I sat in front of the mirror while they battled over what to do with my hair, and after several failed attempts, they let the curls dangle freely down my back.

They worked quickly and eagerly, most likely because a man as abrupt as Heath ruled them, and they aimed for perfection. All the while, I let them perform their duties despite my worry.

It took a lot to hide the fear brewing in me. Heath would easily sense it, and I wasn’t about to give him that satisfaction.

I snuggled into the dress they laid out, which was made of pure red silk. It hugged comfortably to my body, making the questions in my head only multiply. What did this man want?

My worry only grew, and I was tempted to ask them. However, I realized that what Alpha Heath wanted with me wasn’t something his maids would know.

****

Dinner was merely a few minutes away.

A footman escorted me down a spiral stairway that led to the dinner hall, and as we descended, I let my eyes take in the view.

As we arrived, I saw that the room was wide and spacious, bearing a central oak table that occupied a good quarter of it.

Appetite was bound to come at the sight on the table, but things changed as I spotted Heath Valsad at the head of the oak table.

He sat on a throne-like chair, with his attention fixed on the food before him. Normal dining courtesy required everyone to be seated before eating, but sadly, the arrogant man didn’t seem to play by the rules.

His formerly indigo shirt was switched to a black one, which only added to the shade around him, and until I reached the table, Heath took no notice of my presence.

As soon as his eyes fell on me, my appetite vanished.

The footman who escorted me walked off after a deep bow to the Alpha. Once again, I stood under the intensity of his inspection, unsure what to do next.

Heath didn’t invite me to sit, nor did he look like he was going to. With a long sigh, he leaned back into his chair and watched.

When my stomach grumbled for lack of food, I quit waiting for his invitation. His gaze followed my movement as I took a seat across from him. Perhaps someone was upset that I didn’t bow.

He was everything my instincts would kick against, the very definition of a villain.

I won’t deny that a part of me was set alive whenever he lingered close. I didn’t know what it was, and I was not willing to explore it. While I waited for him to break the uncomfortable silence, I busied myself with the food.

“You know I do not believe in your bullshit story of being a slave, right?” The words dropped like a bombshell.

Adjusting in my seat, I met his eyes. If looks could kill, I’d be long dead by now.

“Neither do I believe you wish to die,” Heath said, drawing images in the air with his fork. In an instant, his look quickly switched from indifferent to sinister. “Perhaps you’re merely confused.”

If telling him the truth wouldn’t also get me killed, I might have started to regret it.

I swallowed, fighting the fear that seeped into my face, as I squared my shoulders in a fake show of confidence.

“Is that why you invited me on a date, Your Majesty? No one has ever done this for me before.”

I saw something close to a smile on his lips, but even that was dark.

He leaned comfortably into his seat, and when he spoke again, his words were a rasp.

“That is not a surprise to me.”

I went mute, offended, and beneath the table, I grabbed fistfuls of my dress because it was the only expression I could make.

His smile grew darker as he relished the moment.

“Anyway,” he continued, serious now. “You are here for reasons far more important than a date.”

My lips curled up in a smirk when he proved me right.

“Oh, that was obvious, Your Majesty. Alpha Heath saves my life only to lock me up for trespassing. And after accusing me of being a spy, he invites me to dinner. Trust me, I’m more worried than flattered at the sudden kindness.”

There was pain in his eyes - so much I couldn’t help but feel guilty. However, he did a good job hiding it, and with a sigh, he decided to quit beating around the bush.

“Let’s assume trespassing and lying to me aren’t enough vices to cost you your life, Vina Connor.” He said the name with a certain heaviness as if he didn’t believe that either. “For a split second, let’s assume you were free to ask for whatever you want. What would it be?”

Caution set in after his question. There was something about a man as dangerous as himself offering me a blank check, something I knew needed me to be careful. But since we were working based on assumptions, I answered.

“I want my freedom. Freedom from you, as well as from the nightmare after my life. If I could make it into the human realm, that wish would come true.”

He regarded me carefully, questions filling his eyes. However, mostly likely because he didn’t care, he didn’t ask them.

“Alright,” he said. “I have the power to grant your wish, Vina. Nobody will find you in the human world, not even your master whose china pot you broke.”

For the first time, I held his gaze without flinching, and I asked the question burning in my throat.

“This isn’t a favor. What does His Majesty want in return?”

For added suspense, Heath left my question hanging to continue with his food. Annoying was an understatement when it came to him.

After a few spoons of the berry pie, he finally replied.

“In the month to come, you’ll be my mate, Make-believe, of course.” He paused for the words to sink in, except it didn’t even land. “Now, I do know your lying skills need polishing, but we can always find a way around it.”

I could tell my eyes were wide as saucers, boring right through him and waiting for him to call it a joke.

“What?”

When he simply gazed at me without a reply, I realized he was serious, and for a long moment, I thought about the randomness of such a deal.

After fleeing Hensen’s hands, here I was in the land of the most dangerous man I had ever met, being asked to be his temporary mate in exchange for my freedom.

“Are there s****l duties involved in this,” I asked carefully. “Cause I’ve never really- I haven’t-”

“I have women in my disposition, Vina.” His disgust returned suddenly. “So no, I do not need you to sleep with me. Do not flatter yourself.”

Perhaps he’d have had an actual mate by now if he wasn't so difficult.

I didn’t see myself returning to the dungeons, the cold, claustrophobia, and noisy guards. If anything, this deal was the best shot I had to leave, and even though I had no idea why he needed this, I found it relatively harmless.

“Fine, I’ll do it.”

There was relief in his features, and I figured that the reason he asked for that deal seemed to be worth it for him after all.

“Good,” he leaned away. “The Lycan council will be here in a week. To make the facade believable, we’ll have dinner together till then.”

His mention of the Lycan council piqued my interest as I watched him rise to his feet.

“Find your appetite,” he muttered just before striding out of the dinner hall without another word.

I swallowed a lump in my throat. Indeed, he was bipolar.