Claire's POV

“The Display”

It's the night of the first official gathering as Alpha and Luna have finally arrived. I had spent unnumbered hours getting ready for this gathering.

At first, it was the struggle with how to style my hair, then secondly, it was the indecisiveness of what to wear to the ball, and thirdly, my make-up wasn't sitting pretty on my face. But with the assistance of my handmaids, Anna and Selina, my hair was styled perfectly and beautifully, my dress glittered in the light. But as I walked into the ballroom where everyone was gathered, my heart raced rapidly.

“ Courage is the first diffidence of every princess, so walk magically to the ballroom as the princess that you are.” Anna and Selina gave me their words of encouragement.

I felt encouraged and was ready to face the world.

Xavier stood right at the center of the hall with Thalia standing next to him and her hands right inside his. He announced Thalia as his mate, and the hall was filled with cheers, applauds, murmurs and whispers.

I was sad at the hearing of this and my eyes welled up with tears as I ran out of the hall feeling embarrassed and disgraced.

Sitting alone in my chambers, thinking on what notes and whatsoever my heart could feed my mind.

My handmaids, Anna and Selina, walked in because they overheard me sobering.

“My princess, are you okay?” they asked.

I was lost in thoughts that I didn't hear them walk in.

I felt a hand on her right shoulder and startled, wiping off my tears and pretending like all was okay.

“My princess, are you okay?”

We could leave if you want to be alone, Anna, one of the handmaids uttered.

“ No, I'm fine,” I responded, please stay.

I will really need your company and Selina's funny jokes.

I replied and they all laughed at my statement.

“We will always cherish our princess's happiness.” They both chorused.

“Thalia and Xavier are just friends, Luna.”

Anna said gently, clearing her throat as she pated me on my back.

“Their bond is strong, but it's not the romance sort of thing, so don't let it get to you,” They commented.

But their words didn't seem like any medicine to my heartbroken soul.

“And, Xavier's actions tonight were not cool. It's likely a mistake,” Selina added.

Xavier always knows the vitality of presenting a deceptive front.

I breathed in and out, then took a deep breath. I seemed a little consoled and convinced by what my handmaids just told me. My hopes were raised a little bit and some level of comfort spurts from the company of Anna and Selina.

You can tell from my looks that I am determined not to let Thalia's mischievous acts and manipulation ruin my night.

The music played in the ballroom could be heard in my chambers. I stood up, held my handmaid's hands as we all danced in a circle. We all fell backwards on my bed as the result of the little dizziness we experienced while going in circles dancing.

I stood up immediately, as if I had just remembered something very important.

I arranged my makeup and adjusted my dress, kissed my handmaids on their chin, then returned to the party like nothing happened. With my head held high and wearing a wide smile on my face, I majestically walked into the event hall like the princess that I am and always has been.

Immediately I entered the hall, unplanned, my eyes met Xavier's.

I gently walked toward him, maintaining the wide smile on my face.

“A dance wouldn't be harmful, right, Alpha?” I asked, as I stretched out my hands right in front of him, my voice so sweet that not even a beast would have escaped the warmth in my voice.

He couldn't resist. Xavier's eyes contact with mine, but he couldn't refuse the offer. He took my hand, and we dived onto the dance floor gently.

Xavier mistakenly stepped on my dress and I lost my dance balance, about to fall, but he quickly grabbed me by the waist as my whole body rested on his both knees till I regained my balance.

Back on my foot and our fingers entangled in each other, we continued dancing at a very slow pace and romantically.

Thalia's attention was drawn by the whispers of outraging the pack.

Curious to know why the whispers were getting louder, she made her way past the crowd and to the center of the hall. She couldn't believe her eyes.

Thaila's jealousy was predictable, you could tell from her eyes that she was staring at Xavier and me with so much rage and glitching.

I had never thought a moment like this for me and Xavier would be real. I felt some sort of satisfaction within me knowing that even after Xavier introduced Thalia as his mate before now, I didn't let the humiliation from it get the best of me.

I was glad I had taken control of the situation.

The music sound aroused from the four ends of the hall as Xavier and I lost ourselves at the moment.

For a few minutes, I forgot about Thalia and Xavier's complicated history.

I reminded myself that she was not Luna, and she would be ignored.

Before I knew it, we got talking as we danced holding each other's hands. And magically, we were both whispering into each other's ears and laughing. It was such a sight to behold.

My handmaids stood at a corner in the ballroom and admired Xavier and I from a distance.

Anna, one among my handmaids, whispered into Selina's ears.

“Look how peaceful they looked together.”

“The moon goddess never abandoned her own,” they said and chuckled even as the dance continued.

Thalia overheard them while passing by,

She got so furious and her hatred for me rekindled in her as she planned in her heart to deal mercilessly with me.