Chapter 195: A Sharp Response
Vivian’s POV
Their sudden reaction caught me completely off guard. They looked totally stunned, as if no one ever sat down with them just to have a normal, friendly conversation. That... really did not sit right with me.
"Of course not, Luna," Theo said quickly, his voice calm, even though I could feel a strong ripple of genuine surprise in his aura.
"You two are honestly so cute together," I said with a soft chuckle. "You actually caught my attention earlier up on the balcony. How long have the two of you been together?"
Melly’s cheeks flushed a deep, bright pink beneath her delicate mask, and Theo’s eyes warmed up instantly as he glanced down at her.
"Three years next month," he said, his voice full of pride.
I let out a soft, "Aww," and laughed as Melly blushed even harder than before.
"Sorry, I can be a bit... direct sometimes," I said with a small grin. "Melly, what do you enjoy doing in your free time?"
She shifted shyly in her seat, coughed a little to clear her throat, then turned to me with a sudden spark in her brown eyes. She looked over to Theo for a bit of reassurance, and he gave her a gentle nod.
"I love making all kinds of arts and crafts," she said, her voice sounding much brighter now. "Actually... I made the very masks we are wearing tonight."
I sat up much straighter in my chair, deeply impressed. "I thought they smelled like real, fresh leaves and bark. That is amazing. You are incredibly talented."
"Thank you," she mumbled softly, hiding her flushed face a little behind her dark curls. She looked so adorably flustered that I had to resist the strong urge to reach over and pinch her cheeks.
I turned my full attention to Theo, who now looked much more at ease, his broad shoulders relaxed, a clear flicker of gratitude in his eyes. The music in the background had changed into something far more upbeat. A few wolves scattered across the room were bobbing their heads to the rhythm.
"What about you, Theo? What are your hobbies?" I asked, slipping another small spoonful of food into my mouth.
He gave a soft, quiet chuckle. "I am not really the adventurous type, Luna. I just like making sure Melly is happy."
I could still feel the slight edge in his overall energy his wolf was uneasy around me. Not aggressive in any way, just... deeply cautious.
"So tell me," I began gently, setting my spoon down on the table, "what is your pack like? I do not think I have ever heard of the Crawn Pack before."
Not every pack kept strong, lasting ties with others. New packs popped up every few years, and whether they lasted usually depended on how well they bonded and how strong their numbers were. If a pack became fully recognized by the Council, it meant they were officially stable.
They exchanged a quick look, something tight and unreadable passing between them before they turned back to face me. Suddenly, a heavy weight shifted in the air between us a sudden tension.
"Actually " Theo started to explain, but he did not get very far.
A small crowd of guests began making their way over, cutting him off right mid-sentence.
It was subtle at first, just one or two curious wolves, but soon more followed, forming a loose circle right around our table.
"Hello, I am..." one of them began politely.
I offered Theo and Melly an apologetic smile. "I will catch up with the two of you later, alright?"
Theo gave a short nod, but there was something in his eyes that told me he did not quite believe me.
What followed was a complete whirlwind of fast introductions, endless questions, and polite smiles. I spent the next long stretch of time talking with wolves from all different ranks some were simply curious, while others were clearly fishing for secret pack intel. I danced around those pushy ones with practiced ease.
Still, I noticed something very important happening some of them, after speaking with me directly, seemed to realize I was not the terrifying, cold figure they had imagined in their heads. I was not just the Luna of a powerful Alpha. I was... just me.
But even with that slow, positive shift in the room, not everyone saw me that way.
Some people never would.
As I made my way toward the restroom, my steps slowed slightly as I passed a table full of older she-wolves. Their fancy masks did not do much to hide their curled lips and sharp, hateful glares. Their heavy judgment rolled off them in huge waves, thick with the sour scent of pure envy and far too much perfume.
They whispered quietly behind their delicate fans like I could not hear every word forgetting, somehow, that I was a werewolf with heightened senses. My ears were far sharper than theirs, especially at such a close range.
"Just look at her, flaunting that bright red dress like she is trying to sell something," one of them hissed.
"She looks like she is barely twelve years old. How could someone like that even pretend to be a real luna?"
"A foolish little girl playing dress-up. That is all she really is."
I did not break my steady stride. I did not even pause my walking. But those standing nearby turned their eyes toward me, watching closely, no doubt expecting a loud reaction.
Well, I was certainly not going to disappoint them.
Without even glancing their way, I spoke up loud enough for them and everyone else around to hear clearly, "Grandma number one, I hate to break it to you, but this dress is crimson, not whatever ugly shade your bitter little heart is imagining. Grandma number two, I am eighteen nineteen in just a few weeks and I am learning more about being a true Luna every single day. Like the simple fact that age does not equal wisdom. Sometimes it just makes people wrinkly and mean."
I gave the absolute smallest smile sharp, sweet, and totally dangerous.
"And grandma number three... this is not dress-up. I am a grown woman enjoying a nice party. So why don’t the three of you go sit your flat old asses down before one of you breaks a hip."
I did not look back at them. I did not need to. I could easily feel the deep sting left in my wake the heavy heat of their embarrassment, the sudden, silent gasps from the crowd around them, and then, like beautiful music to my ears, a chorus of muffled laughter rippled straight through the room.
Gods above, I am so glad I am not going to age like that.
I rounded the red mirrored wall, my heels clicking softly against the floor, and slipped into the quiet restroom. My sharp senses told me it was completely empty before I even stepped inside. Still, I glanced around once to be sure and walked straight over to the sink.
The fruit yogurt from earlier had dried a bit tacky on my fingers. Gross. I grabbed a dry paper towel, wiped it clean off, then ran cool water over my hands. I looked up into the wide mirror.
Flawless.
My look was still completely on point.