Abandoned Luna Now Untouchable (Cecilia) novel Chapter 411

Author’s pov

Cecilia’s heart gave a sharp, hot thump.

“Then maybe I should warm my back instead,” she teased softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

She turned and buried her face against Sebastian’s chest, breathing in the clean scent that always clung to him.

Her arms slipped around his waist, almost on their own.

The sun stood high above them, but the real warmth came from him. It was not the kind that touched her skin. It sank deep into her bones.

Alpha Sebastian ran his fingers through her hair. His voice was soft and calm.

“Stay like this for a while,” he said quietly. “A bit of sunshine is good for you.”

—

By noon, everyone had gathered in the dining room.

The house, once quiet, now buzzed with voices and the sound of dishes.

When Cecilia walked in, every head turned toward her.

“Cece, sit here,” Luna Regina called with a smile. Her tone was gentle, and her eyes still showed a trace of emotion from earlier.

That morning, Luna Regina had woken before sunrise and asked her husband to drive her to the family cemetery. She stood there and spoke to Rebecca’s grave.

There were no tears this time, only warmth.

She talked about how strong and kind Cecilia had become and how proud Rebecca would be.

She even laughed softly, saying that soon they would both be grandmothers.

Cecilia sat down where Luna Regina pointed.York was sitting directly across from her.

There were no empty chairs on either side of her, so Alpha Sebastian had to settle for the seat next to York, the closest spot he could find.

The distance between them was small, but it still felt too far.

His eyes found her right away, calm and steady, as if reminding her that he was there.

York gave his brother a sidelong glance before lowering his eyes to his plate.

Alpha Sebastian studied him for a moment, his tone even but firm.

“You should go back to Denver with Grandmother this afternoon,” he said. “I only approved three days of leave for you. It’s time to return to the pack for more training. You could also join the border patrol to gain some real experience. Right now, you look a bit soft.”

York lifted his head, ready to argue, but no words came out.

He knew Alpha Sebastian was right. Among the men at the table, he looked the least trained.

Cecilia sat quietly and took a small sip from her glass.

A smile touched her lips. She had seen this before.

Alpha Sebastian’s possessive side was showing again, calm but clear.

Just then, someone else entered the room.

Cecilia looked up to see Cassian.

“Everyone’s here, I see,” he said easily, his usual confidence filling the doorway.

He moved around the table with the kind of effortless charm that made elders forgive him before he even spoke.

After greeting each of them with practiced grace, he slid into the chair beside Alpha Sebastian and flashed a grin at Philip.

“Grandfather Philip, you don’t mind if I grab some lunch before I go, do you?”

Philip’s laughter rumbled across the table. “You know you’re always welcome, boy. Eat.”

After the meal, Cassian leaned in, lowering his voice.

“I’ll arrange a place for tonight. You should invite Alpha Xavier and Alpha Gavin.”

Alpha Sebastian nodded, his expression unreadable. “Fine.”

Last night’s conversation had ended too soon. It needed to continue before the balance shifted again.

That afternoon, Alpha Sebastian and Beta Sawyer attended a business reception, the kind of high-profile event where every handshake came with an agenda.

Cecilia, Harper, and Tang stayed behind at the estate, enjoying a rare few hours of quiet.

By evening, Alpha Sebastian had returned.

After changing into something casual, he led everyone out to the meeting spot Cassian had arranged.

Once they were in the car, Alpha Sebastian leaned back and closed his eyes.

The reception had drained him completely.

There had been too many smiles and too many hands to shake.

As the Alpha of the Silver Peak Pack, he was already a sought-after ally.

After last night’s event, his new title as the Locke family’s future son-in-law had made him the center of every conversation.

—

Forty-five minutes later, they finally reached their destination.

The five of them entered the restaurant one after another.

It was a private chef’s retreat built over a lake.

Alpha Xavier just stared at her, unblinking.

The silence lasted for several seconds.

It felt heavy and tense, and even the air seemed to tighten.

Harper finally sighed and raised her hands. “Fine, fine, you win. But don’t forget what you promised. I expect the full payment.”

She pushed back her chair and moved to the empty seat beside Tang.

She wasn’t happy about it, but someone had to keep things calm.

She wasn’t going to let two Alphas start a power fight over a chair.

After all, it was just a seat.

If Alpha Xavier thought sitting next to Cecilia could change anything, he was fooling himself.

He could sit beside her, across from her, or even on another planet. It still wouldn’t bring her back.

Cecilia’s heart didn’t belong to him anymore.

Alpha Sebastian said nothing. He didn’t need to. His silence carried more weight than most men’s anger.

Cecilia met Alpha Xavier’s gaze with a cool, unreadable look, then turned back to her plate.

The message was clear enough.

No one else spoke. Even Cassian, usually the first to defuse tension with a joke, kept quiet.

The food came quickly.

The dishes looked beautiful and smelled amazing, but no one touched them.

Tang was the only one eating, calm as always.

Alpha Gavin was the first to speak. He was not the kind of man who liked small talk.

“Maggie has been trying to recruit my family,” he said. “When I ignored her, she went after my mother.”

He stopped for a moment and looked at Cecilia.

His tone softened. “About Cici, I’m sorry. I know it’s too late to fix anything now.”

Cecilia gave a small nod and stayed quiet.

Alpha Gavin went on. “She’s using Cici’s name as an excuse to contact my parents. She keeps pushing them to join the Moonveil Ascendancy. If anyone in my family agrees, I’ll lose my neutral position.”

His jaw tightened. “So my choice is simple, but impossible: refuse her and become her enemy… or accept and become her puppet.”