The Luna Trials by Marissa Gilbert novel Chapter 29

29. No Second Chances

Savannah came back to the main hall and found Celia giving her interview. The girl seemed cheerful and giggled a lot, but at the same time, her knee was twitching, signalling how nervous she was. Celia wasn’t handling the pressure well Too bad for a Luna of The North candidate. Although she wasn’t a real contender, was she?

Elene sat on a high golden chair behind the cameras and made some notes in a little notebook from time to time. Chloe and Claude were doing the same. Sadly, Savvy realised that they would be the ones giving them points for their performance today. What was worse, with Kai gone, no one would be here to help her out

Then again, was it really a problem? Considering they had already chosen each other.

It was probably stupid, but Savvy believed him. She believed everything he said, and only when she felt a heavy gaze on her, she lifted her eyes and shivered, seeing Zack. Bad memories flooded her mind at once.

She already believed a man blindly once.

The princess turned on her heels and walked away without sparing him an extra glance. She couldn’t deal with him now, so it was best that they did not meet each other.

She came back to the table with snacks and beverages and saw Evelyn still working on wrapping Petra’s tulle cape around her to imitate a skirt. Kyle was right next to them, having the time of his life, judging by the cheesy grin plastered across his face.

“Give it to me!” Evelyn pointed at his black tie, and he started to untie it with a curious expression. She yanked it out of his hands and wrapped it around Petra’s waist.

“Do I look bad?” The pink-haired girl was on the verge of crying. “Trust me,” Kyle smirked, “not a single man in the room thinks that.”

“Thanks!” Petra beamed at him, suddenly happy and cheerful again. “And thanks for your help!”

“Some help that was!” Evelyn gritted her teeth, and her eyes flashed purple when she glanced at Kyle angrily.

“Always at your service!” he saluted them and was about to leave when Evelyn stood in his way. With hands crossed on her chest, she lifted her chin to give the guy a look of disdain.

“Mess with my girl one more time, and you will regret it!” She warned him, and now Kyle looked truly interested.

“Me?” he gasped, grasping his heart. “Mess with Petra? Never! You can rest assured…”

The next moment the graceful woman gripped the lapels of his blazer, pulling him closer by force. However, it looked like she was simply fixing the jacket. Savvy was impressed with her. Not many would dare do this to a lycan. Then again, the North was different. And lycans here were different too.

“I don’t like to repeat myself,” she whispered on the verge of hissing, luckily everyone was watching Celia’s interview. “Do it again, and your little secret will come out! You love the truth,

don’t you?

Kyle’s smirk faded at once, and Savvy herself almost gasped, hearing these words. Did Evelyn manage to find out that Kyle was the Truthteller? That was fast! Not to mention that this could cause potential problems for them.

“Who doesn’t like the truth?” The lycan ran his hand through his hair, still playing his role of the careless young man. “Especially when the truth can be so useful. Don’t you think so?” He winked at the she-wolf in front of him, and Evelyn pursed her lips together and nodded curtly. After which, she waved him off, dismissing him as if he was a nobody, and then returned to check on Petra as it was almost her turn to go.

Kyle stood there for a while with his mouth open, hands in his pockets until he met Savvy’s glance and gave her a can you believe this look. But a mischievous glint in his eyes did not escape his friend. He was having fun!

Happy that at least someone was enjoying himself during all this, Savvy looked around and met the gaze of her mate again. She couldn’t wait for the official part to be over so she could leave.

“Salome, it’s your turn,” Elene gestures for the witch to take the seat in front of the sibling hosts. The woman looked stunning tonight in sparkling black, and Savannah remembered the videos from this morning. Familiar unpleasant darkness spread over her chest. Ugly, sticky and painful, it was a horrible feeling and she didn’t like it one bit. However, Kai’s words about Salome wanting only an alliance were giving her hope that she would indeed leave tonight.

In the meantime, the hosts and the guest had already exchanged pleasantries.

“So the first question I want to ask,” Chloe tilted her head just the way she did before an attack, but the witch raised her hand, gesturing for her to stop.

“I have to apologise,” Salome flashed a sincere smile. “only came here today not to be rude, but I am not going to give an interview.”

“Are you sure?” Claude chuckled. “This would mean you don’t get any points for this, and after a very successful date with the King, you would be back to square one.”

“Yes, I am aware,” the woman admitted and played with the shimmering sequins of her gown. “But that’s the thing, after getting to know Kai better, we both realised that there aren’t any sparks. What kind of union would it be without any attraction between the two of us? So, I have made a choice to leave the Luna Trials immediately.”

“And throw a chance like that away?” Chloe arched her brow and pursed her lips. She was clearly disappointed not to be able to go on with her initial plan, but there wasn’t anything she could do

“I am not throwing away anything,” the corners of Salome’s lips curved. “We are parting as friends. How many people can call the Northern Lycan King a friend? Can you?”

Savvy had to give it to the witch. She had the best way out. There was no chance in hell of her winning, and she was leaving without the humiljation of being eliminated by someone. It was her own decision.

She stood in the crowd along with everyone and felt the strong scent of mint coating her. Athena was uncomfortable because the mate bond forced her to feel attracted to the man standing right behind them. It was almost unbearable.

However, it got worse and escalated quickly when his hand brushed up and down hers, waves and waves of tingles rippling through her.

At this rate, she’d start hating tingles soon, loathing the sensation ….

Zack was using the fact that she couldn’t leave without making a fuss about it, his fingers were drawing small circles on her skin. For a moment there, Savannah had to close her eyes not to let the mate bond cloud her judgement. She remembered their one and only night together, but then she recalled how he chased her through the woods with his warriors. And she was pretty sure he would have killed her if he had a chance. She was just lucky to escape.

Yes, that memory helped her a lot, and Savannah came back to her senses, choosing to move forward, closer to the stage. Anything to escape him!

Autumn, the fox from the South was getting properly red for some reason. Savvy didn’t know what the twins asked her, and she didn’t care. Instead, she pivoted and strode to the main door to try and get some air. The Western Princess walked out and decided to hide in the corridor where she and Kai had so much fun just recently, hoping no one would follow her. Sighing, the princess touched the wall she was leaning on just under two hours ago as if she could get more strength by doing so.

She heard the steps first, the minty scent followed soon, making her growl in anger. How dared he be so brazen? After hiding from her for months, her annoying mate couldn’t leave her alone.

“How long are you going to keep ignoring me?!” Zack demanded as if he had a right to do so and she felt that this audacity of his had no limits.

“Ignore you?” A cruel laugh rocked her chest as she turned to face him. “Oh, Zack, I am not planning to ignore you at all.”

“I know you are trying to scare me now, Savvy,” her mate placed his hands in his pockets and leaned against the wall, dangerously close to her. He was so close that if she simply stretched her hand, she could … probably strangle him in a minute or so. Maybe even break his neck if the angle was right.

“Oh, Zack, I am not even trying,” she scoffed, her laughter echoing through the passages. “But I bet you are scared nonetheless. Is that why you were hiding for so long?”

They were staring at each other as if it was a real battle.

“I wasn’t hiding,” the man said after a while, still not taking his eyes off her. It seemed like he couldn’t get enough of this closeness. Even if it was just an illusion. Right now, they couldn’t have been further apart. “I was thinking of how to fix everything!”