The Eclipsed Life of Luna Mischa (by Jennifer Francis) novel Chapter 45

Misha walked into Anthony’s office with two days to go before that mating ball was to be held, and looked right at him. She’d not canceled it and to her knowledge neither had he. She’d gotten nothing from the allied on the list regarding not coming or acknowledging it had

been canceled.

“What are you doing about the mating ball?” she asked him directly.

“I’ve decided that it’s going to go ahead as scheduled,” he stated quite simply, and she wondered just how much effort he had to use to say it like that, knowing the ramifications it was going to cause. “I do hope you’ll be attending it.” he commented after a slight pause.

She felt all eyes in this office on her now. “Why wouldn’t I?” she countered.

“Because it’s very clear to not only myself, but others that you don’t want to spend any time with me,” he stated right back.

She nearly laughed but managed to hold it in “Oh, not such a nice feeling, is it? Knowing the pack sees one Mate doesn’t want anything to do with the other, you just don’t like it because it’s new to you,” she stated. “And haven’t I attended to all the Luna Duties as is expected of me this week.” She asked, knowing she had, every single one of them, she’d not missed any.

Made time for a few extra after hours even.

His eyes finally moved to her and there was annoyance in them, and she smiled right at him. “Shoe’s on the other foot now, uncomfortable, is it?” she asked.

His jaw ticked, and then she watched him rein in his brewing temper. “Yes, you’ve been very diligent in attending to every single one of the Luna’s Duties.” He stated, “It keeps you very busy.”

“There is a lot to be done this time of year,” she nodded. “I also have to attend to the accounts of the pack as well, but I’m currently doing that after hours.” She added. “Away from that now, and back to the original topic… I thought you wanted to cancel the mating ball. Something you only have until tomorrow to do.”

“There is no valid reason to cancel it that won’t see the pack be in disrepute. And yes, I’m aware my other Luna is under full–pack punishment. Which, unfortunately, will also bring disrepute to the pack’s reputation… But seeing as she didn’t care to want to have you cancel the mating ball,

“As you told me, she didn’t. I’ve simply decided that it will go ahead and so be it, if the allies you and I brought to this pack know she is in the cells. At least they will see that I have agreed that my second Luna needed to be punished, and not only did I allow it, but I am

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enforcing her punishment for what she did to you, Mischa.”

+25 Points

“Right,” she murmured as she narrowed her eyes on him and tried to figure out just what point he was trying to make.

“It’s not getting canceled,” Anthony told her.

“It could see the pack lose many allies if word gets out about what she did,” she stated.

“I’m aware of what we could lose Mischa. But I guess I have to accept the consequences of my own actions. Just like I accepted the punishment… this,” he sighed. “I just have to accept as well, I can’t protect my other Luna forever. She also needs to have consequences for her actions, so it’s best that we all just deal with the true fallout.”

“It’s not what you want though, is it?” she remarked.

“No, of course not,” Anthony admitted with a nod, “But it’s also, I now realize, not fair to you, to have me cancel things like this just to protect one Luna’s reputation over the other’s.” He sighed. “When really I shouldn’t, that just shows I favor one over the other doesn’t it. I did tell you I would no longer do that.

“Take this as my way of starting to make amends for what happened and should never have happened in the first place. So the mating ball will go ahead as is planned… I can only hope you’ll do the meet and greet with me and attend the dinner and ball alongside me,” he told

her.

She was still standing there just staring at him when he turned back to the papers on his desk. “There are no hidden meanings behind this, Mischa.” He half muttered, and she knew why he muttered, because she was trying to figure out if there was one, which meant there was still no trust between them. That he also registered why she was staring at him.

She didn’t know if she actually believed that at all, but after another minute she nodded, ” Alright.” She commented and then turned and walked from his office. She wondered if he was putting on an act in the hope she would opt to cancel the mating ball herself at the last minute, to save the pack from being an embarrassment.

If that was the case, she would not. She’d done nothing wrong, and couldn’t care less how the allies saw Christy. She did care about the pack’s standing, but the pack had been more than shocked by Christy’s actions. They were in support of her and the Allies would also see that; she could make mention that she’d agreed to the punishment. If it came up.

Mischa set out attending to the mating ball arrangements and made sure all the accommodation was set up and ready. She didn’t put many rules on a mating ball, only one really that if wolves wanted to hook up prior to the mating ball, they had to go back to one of their respective rooms to do so.

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+25 Points

She was sitting in her office on the day of the meet and greet, dressed in a simple long knit dress. She looked up to see Anthony walking into her office from the packhouse foyer, not his actual office, though she had noted he’d left the packhouse half an hour ago. Now he was back and in her office, holding a dress bag out to her.

He smiled at her even though she frowned right at him and why he was doing this, he seemed undeterred. “None of that now, Mischa,” he stated with a happy note that she’d not heard once since he’d come off the shaming post. “I bought you a dress, thought I’d surprise you with a nice gift.” He told her “It just arrived.” He walked right to her desk and held it out to

her.

“Why?” she asked right back, but refrained from stating the obvious of ‘you never do that‘ because her door was open, and the three allies that had already arrived been greeted and shown to their rooms were now likely to be sitting around chatting in the foyer and would

hear her.

“Because it’s been… a while since I’ve just bought you something to show you I was thinking about you. That you might like what I saw and thought would suit you,” he told her.

Mischa raised an eyebrow but nodded. “Thank you.”

“Open it, I’d also love for you to wear it to the mating ball,” he smiled.

She was certain that he would, he could bring up the topic of this very dress and point out he’d given her a gift for no reason other than he wanted to. Though that wasn’t unusual for him to do, he did it all the time with Christy. She often wore something he purchased for her, or she bought for herself, but then went around telling others Anthony had done so.

That was what he was doing now, trying to show their allied he was no different with her than he was with Christy. It might work with three of the allies that were here, but it wasn’t going to work with Alpha Nicholas. He’d see right through it. She, however, stood up and unzipped the bag, and in there was a white off–the–shoulder floor–length chiffon dress, with a soft sweetheart neckline that had long sheer sleeves and a fitted bodice.

She frowned at that dress. “A bit much, don’t you think?” she asked as she looked at it and realized it kind of looked like a simple but elegant wedding dress. Something almost suitable for a Luna Ceremony, she thought. She realized it was much nicer than the dress she’d worn to her Luna Ceremony, and probably also cost a lot more as well.

“No,” Anthony stated. “You’ll look absolutely lovely in it. I spent a lot of time choosing it over the past week. You always look good in white, so that’s why it’s white.” He smiled at her, “I’ll wear black and it’ll compliment your dress.

It was she noted her style of dress, the simple beauty of it, and she often wore three–quarter

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+25 Points

sleeves or went completely strapless and added a bolero jacket or a lace wrap, sometimes even a sheer capelet if it was a full formal function.

“Thank you, it is lovely,” she told him.

“I’m glad you like it, though I knew you would.” He smiled as she zipped it back up inside that bag. “Do you want me to take it up to your suite?” he asked.

“No, I can do that after the final meet and greet is done.” She answered simply and took it from him to walk it to her closet here inside her office. He was, she thought, looking for her to give him the code to her suite; that wasn’t going to happen.

There would be no chance of him walking Christy into her suite ever again. Though she did suppose she could change the code again the day before that she–wolf was released from the cells. She turned to look at him and found him glazed over, then when the mind–link was over he stated, “Alpha Nicholas is here.”

She smiled a happy smile for the first time in a long time and Anthony blinked as he saw it and realized it was solely because Alpha Nicholas was here. Annoyance suddenly crossed his face and he bit out a little on the angry side. “Are you attracted to Alpha Nicholas, Mischa?”

Mischa chuckled softly at his response. “Are you jealous, Anthony, of a simple smile for another.” She asked in return and knew that was exactly what it was. Any smiles he’d gotten over the past week were all out of politeness or extra sweet and on the sarcastic side, if he got one at all, and with their bond as fractured as it was.

Him trying to fix it, she was actually seeing a side of him that she’d not seen in a very long time. Her smile had been genuine just now because she got along with Alpha Nicholas. He was also very perceptive and the epitome of the perfect loyal and loving Mate in her eyes. Lucinda was a very lucky she–wolf.

She and Nicholas, his Beta, Jeremy, all got along quite well, and always had done. It also helped that both Nicholas and Jeremy saw what Anthony didn’t, where Christy was

concerned.

“I think he’s a very good–looking man,” she stated, and saw anger touch Anthony’s face. “All she–wolves do, Luna Lucinda is truly blessed to have him as a Mate.” She followed up, and walked out of her office, heading for the front of the packhouse, Anthony was right behind her “We’ve known him and Lucinda for a long time as well.”

“Yes we have, Nicholas, since before he met his Luna.” Anthony muttered.

“Mm, I’m aware of how long I’ve known him,” she chuckled softly, as she walked along with what appeared to be a very unhappy jealous filled Alpha Mate, trailing so close behind her,

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she could feel his body heat.

+25 Points

“You did not go there!” he grated out, and she realized he was actually thinking she and Nicolas had hooked up, prior to them being together. She’d not meant to imply that, and it also hadn’t happened, but she said nothing other than, “Your jealousy is showing.”

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