JULIA’S POV

I wake up with a start, my head still feels heavy from the night before.

That’s right, last night I failed in the first step of my revenge.

Jamie could somehow see through my true face despite the spell. Now, I wonder how I am going to find my way around that. I wonder how I am going to kill my husband.

“Great, you are finally awake,” the husband in question greets me, and I look up to find him standing in front of the bed, with his arms crossed and his piercing blue eyes locked on me like a predator studying its prey.

I don’t like that he is suddenly the predator. I can still remember how easy it had been for him to dodge my attack yesterday.

Killing him would be far harder than I thought.

“We can finally talk,” Jamie says, sitting on the bed without even blinking at me.

“Talk about what?” I play dumb as I sit up on the bed, rubbing my head.

“I have warned you not to play stupid with me,” he replies, his face serious. “Now, what is your real name?”

“Julia,” I reply. With the way things are now, I don’t think lying to Jamie would be a smart move.

“You said Lucinda ran away, did she tell you where she might be going?” he asks, his face unreadable.

“No… No,” I stammer, my voice shaking like I am terrified. “She just wanted to disappear.”

“That’s strange,” Jamie muses, rubbing his chin. “Lucinda has always wanted to be Luna, why would she throw all that away suddenly?”

Shit. He is picking my lie apart with terrifying ease.

What the hell am I supposed to tell him now?

Suddenly, there is a knock at the door.

“Breakfast is ready, Prince Jamie and Lady Lucinda,” a maid calls out from outside, and I sigh in relief.

Saved by the bell, or the knock in this situation.

Jamie exhales slowly, his expression still unreadable as he faces me. “We’re not finished.” And then he turns and walks out of the room, leaving my heart pounding in his absence.

I barely survived this round. I wonder how long I can keep this deception up before I get caught.

I am seated in the dining room, eating my breakfast carefully and trying to avoid Jamie’s penetrating gaze.

As if my life can’t get worse, Alpha Reginald walks into the dining room, his presence exuding dominance even in the silence.

I keep my focus on my food, acting like I haven’t noticed him, hoping that he will just walk past me and—

“I see you are eating your eggs with green onions,” Reginald says suddenly, and I pause and slowly look up from my food to his amused expression. “I thought you were allergic.”

My fork drops onto my plate immediately.

Shit! Shit!! Shit!!!

How did I forget that Lucinda was supposed to be allergic to green onions?

What is wrong with me?!

I immediately clutch my throat and start coughing violently, my eyes widening in fake panic as a maid rushes to me with a glass of water.

I gulp down the water while hitting my chest, like I am struggling.

“I… I forgot,” I choke out, my eyes watering with tears. “Get my allergy medication from my bag,” I yell at the maid in the same way Lucinda would.

Jamie gives me an amused expression as I turn back to face Reginald.

“How strange, you have never forgotten something like that,” he comments, and I force a weak smile, still coughing as the maid scrambles back with my medicine.

I swallow the drug before I look up at Alpha Reginald again, wiping my wet face, “I have been so distracted…. It must have slipped my mind.”

Reginald says nothing, but I notice something shift in his eyes and my stomach sinks in dread— he does not believe me.

After breakfast, I walk back to my room feeling like a complete failure.

I keep making mistakes. If I slip any further, I will be found out and killed and all my plans will have been for nothing.

Suddenly a hand grips mine and pulls me into an empty corridor, and I am faced with someone that I wasn’t expecting to see.

Carol.

She was one of the maids that raised me back in New Moon. We were sold to Lucinda’s house together, and she has been helping me plan my revenge since then.

And right now, she is very angry.

“Why is Jamie still alive?” she hisses.

I yank my arm free from hers, feeling a bit annoyed, “he took me by surprise last night. I need to wait for the right time.”

I don’t want to tell her that he can also see through the spell, because she might do something drastic, and I can’t afford any drastic measures right now.

“You don’t have time to wait, the spell won’t last forever. The more you slip up, the more you risk exposure.”

“You think I don’t know that?” I whisper back to her. “How are you even here right now?”

“Lucinda’s mother asked Alpha Reginald to send me here,” Carol explains quickly. “Look, if you aren’t ready to get this done, then let me know right now.”

“I know what I am doing,” I retort angrily.

“Then prove it,” Carol says coldly. “Kill Jamie before it is too late.”

***

At night, the grand dining hall is filled with all the key members of the pack, from Lucinda’s family– the Betas, to pack advisors and chiefs, all gathered to celebrate the union between Jamie and Lucinda.

I watch them all with a fake smile on my lips, if only I had enough men to attack the pack right here and destroy them right now when they are at their happiest.

“You seem to have a lot on your mind, my love,” Jamie calls out suddenly, and I turn to him in confusion.

I don’t know if he is trying to tease me, but I will play along.

“Let’s just say my thoughts are only occupied with you, my love,” I tease back, and he gives me a slight smile.

“Aww, look at them, lovebirds,” my mother announces dramatically, and I pretend to blush.

To everyone watching, Jamie and I are a perfect loving couple.

But we both know better.

If I am going to have any chance with Jamie, I need to get him to lower his guard with me and when he feels most comfortable, I will strike.

After dinner, I grab a glass of wine and walk around the house, trying to get acquainted with the building, so I can know how to escape if need be.

All of a sudden, a strong hand grabs my free hand and yanks me inside a dark room.

I gasp, about to scream, but my captor steps back, revealing himself.

It is Jona.

“What the hell are you doing?” I ask him angrily as he shuts the door behind us.

“I should be the one asking you that,” he retorts.

Is he crazy?

“Since when are you in love with Jamie?” he asks furiously and I stiffen.

“What?” I echo, trying to make sense of what he is saying.

“You always hated him, you complained about how cold he was, how he never touched you and how you were only marrying him for his status. Now all of a sudden, you are clinging to him like some lovesick fool!” Jona says angrily, and I freeze in shock.

I always assumed Lucinda was in love with Jamie.

But I was wrong.

Before I can react, Jona suddenly grabs my chin and lowers his head to mine, like he is going to kiss me.

I shove him away immediately, my heart racing in confusion.

What the hell was that?

“What do you think you are doing?” I ask him angrily.

Jona smirks darkly, “Are you suddenly loyal to Jamie? After everything?”

“Stay away from me.” I warn him, turning to leave.

“Don’t act so high and mighty Lucinda,” Jona sneers, “If Jamie finds out about us, about all those nights we spent together, do you really think he will still look at you the same?”

I freeze immediately.

Now it all made sense, Jona’s question at the wedding, his apparent concern for Lucinda.

Jona and Lucinda had been having an affair.

“Remember that you aren’t Luna yet. Keep playing hard to get, and I will make sure you never become Luna at all,” he warns as I storm out of the room.

My mind is spinning in rage.

Because, as of right now, Jona has just become my biggest threat.