Fake Heiress True Luna (Irina) novel Chapter 30

Chapter 30: She Is Gone…

Aiden’s POV

Claim

He was backing me into a corner, forcing my hand. And I was done fighting it. The cage was broken. The secret was out. There was only one truth that mattered.

“SHE IS MINE!”

“Is there a problem here?” a female voice asked, bringing me back from my angry daze. I was ready to rip everyone apart. If it weren’t for Debbie, I’m sure Arlo would have gone on a rampage trying to find Irina.

“Of course not,” Derek chuckled. “You Alpha got angry, but I’m sure it is all a misunderstanding, isn’t it?”

Debbie arched an eyebrow, looking from my furious face to Derek’s smug one. “It doesn’t look like a misunderstanding. It looks like a pissing contest. And it’s ruining the party.” She looped her arm through mine, her grip surprisingly strong. “Come on, Aiden. Let’s take a walk.”

I tried to shake her away, but she didn’t budge. “You need to cool off before you do something you’ll regret.” She linked.

Creating a scene, storming into Irina’s room like a madman… that wasn’t the way. I would make life harder for her, and I’m still not sure how I should manage my own feelings.

Derek gave me a mocking little salute as Debbie pulled me away. “Until next time, Keaton.”

I glared at him, but stopped myself from saying something back because Debbie kept dragging me away. She didn’t speak until she’d steered me out into the cool, quiet gardens, away from the prying eyes and ears of the pack house.

“Okay,” she said, releasing my arm and turning to face me, her hands on her hips. “Spill. What in the Moon Goddess’s name was that?”

I dragged a hand down my face, the adrenaline crash leaving me feeling hollow and exhausted. “He was goading me. About Irina.”

“I got that much,” Debbie said dryly. “The whole ‘she is mine’ declaration was a bit of a clue. Care to explain why you’re claiming the maid as yours in the middle of a formal gathering?”

“I didn’t claim her as mine.”

She rolled her eyes. “Aiden, you are the smartest Alpha I know. My cousin and I already have a guess of who she means to you, but you can’t tell us yet if our suspicions are right.”

1/6

:

<Chapter 30: She Is Gone…..

I sighed. “You two are right.”

Claim

Debbie gasped. “She is really our Luna?” I nodded. “Then what the hell are you doing here?! You should go find your mate!”

“I can’t,” I admitted. “Irina hates me now because of what I did.”

Debbie rubbed her temples. “You are right. You called her omega, and were mean to her. Is there a reason why you behaved like that?”

“It’s too hard to explain.”

“Aiden,” she said softly. “You are the biggest i***t I have ever met.”

I flinched. “You don’t know what happened and are already judging me.”

“All I know is that there are two sides to a story. Ethan told me you hated her, but didn’t tell me why. I have a strong assumption that the reason for your hatred is unfounded.”

I lifted an eyebrow. “And why do you think that?”

“Based on what I saw, she is a very hardworking woman who had her life turned upside down because she apparently stole a place that wasn’t hers.” Debbie looked back at the pack house. “Even though she has endured this humiliation, not once did I see hatred in her gaze. She is tired, but that’s it.”

“You don’t know if that’s true or not. She could be fooling you.”

“No, I don’t think she is,” she countered. “You built your entire view about her based on what? I’m guessing rumors, meaning you do not know the truth. You never once talked to her?

Asked her?”

“I couldn’t-”

“You didn’t,” she cut me off. “You decided to assume and hurt her instead when she was at her lowest, and that, Aiden, is cruel. I heard about her first rejection, and I’m astonished she hasn’t burned down this pack to the ground. Instead, she is working her ass off.”

“I wanted to speak to her before, but Derek-”

“There are plenty of excuses,” she cut me off once more. “I just want you to think about something. Let’s pretend you fell out of grace and everyone in the pack treats you like garbage. You are rejected by your first made, very publicly,” she mumbled the last part. I made a mental note to ask about it again. “And when you go to another pack and find another mate, this woman treats you even worse, doesn’t give you an explanation for it, and then you part ways, meaning you feel distance pains for months.”

2/0

< Chapter 30: She Is Gone…

Claim

“I felt the same distance pains, you know,” I grumbled, but all Debbie did was fold her arms over her chest as she stared at me blankly.

I gave up.

“Anyway, once you see her again, she brings another man and doesn’t tell you who he is. How would you feel if you saw Derek help Irina get down from the car?” She questioned.

“I’ll snap his neck!” Arlo growled.

The raw, visceral response from Arlo was answer enough. The mere thought of another man touching her, helping her, sent a wave of possessive fury through me so strong it stole my breath.

Debbie saw it on my face. “Exactly,” she said softly. “Now imagine that’s what she felt when she saw you with me. And on top of that, you were cold to her. You called her ‘Omega’ like it was an insult. You gave her no explanation, no kindness, nothing but more pain. The moment another Alpha is kind, you get jealous, but have you ever accepted the bond?”

I had become the villain in her story. I had taken the worst moment of her life and made it infinitely worse.

The realization was a physical blow, doubling me over. I braced my hands on my knees, sucking in ragged breaths. “Moon Goddess,” I choked out. “What have I done?”

“What you’ve done is create a mess of epic proportions,” Debbie said, not unkindly. “But it’s not unfixable. The first step is acknowledging you were wrong. The second is telling her the truth. The whole truth. No more pride, Aiden. No more excuses. Tell her why the hell you held a grudge against her, and hear her side of the story first.”

I straightened up. Debbie was right. I couldn’t hide anymore. Derek’s interest in Irina seemed genuine, meaning if I didn’t do something fast, he might actually win her.

“Thank you, Debbie,” I said, my voice rough with emotion.

“Don’t thank me yet,” she replied. “Go fix your mess. And Aiden? Be gentle with her. She’s more fragile than she looks.”

I nodded, turning my gaze back to the pack house. I don’t know where her room is, but I don’t need anyone to tell me. If I focus enough, I’m sure I’ll be able to track her scent.

That strawberry scent that sent me over the edge.

I should have known that I could never win against her. She is my fated mate after all, and I want to believe that the Goddess paired us up for a reason. She must not be the woman I have judged so harshly.

3/6

0:0

<Chapter 30: She Is Gone…

Claim

Debbie met her once. She was very good at figuring out everyone’s personality. My judgment was clouded; hers wasn’t.

I walked back into the pack house, but made sure nobody saw me as I slipped through a side entrance used by the staff. The grand hall and its politics were a world away. Down here, the air was simpler, smelling of cleaning supplies and hard work. I closed my eyes, blocking out everything else, and focused.

“We should have done this a lot sooner,” Arlo grumbled.

I sighed. I had to apologize to him first. I ignored what he said and even told him I would reject our mate based on something I’m not sure about anymore.

“I know, and I’ll apologize properly later. Could you help out?” I asked him.

“I’m doing this for her, not you,” He snapped back.

Thankfully, after that, he lent me his senses.

There. Faint, but unmistakable. A thread of sweetness. The strawberries I had missed all

night.

I followed it, my footsteps silent on the stone floor. My palms started getting sweaty as I reached the room where her scent was the strongest.

I stopped before a plain wooden door at the end of a dim corridor. This doesn’t look like a

room…

I glanced around to see if I was mistaken. This place looked more like a closet; even the room I gave her back at Shadow Pack was bigger than this.

But I was not wrong, her scent was the strongest here.

My heart hammered against my ribs. I couldn’t wait until I saw her face again, but at the same time, I had to clench my anger.

I wanted to return to the hall and ask Serim why Irina was living in such a small place. I would do so later, after she allows me to claim her as mine.

I raised my hand, my knuckles hovering inches from the wood.

This was the moment. No more hiding. No more pride.

I knocked softly. Three quiet raps that sounded like the most important sounds I had ever

made.

There was a pause, a held breath from the other side. Waited for a whole minute, but nobody

4/6

:

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify