Page 199 of Halfblood Deceived

She gulped. “No.”

Ethan and his friends sent understanding, pained looks to Luna.

“I hate to interrupt,” Kam said. “But I’d like a word with you, Ethan.”

He closed his eyes for a second and kissed Luna’s forehead. Then he let his fiance go and bowed his head at Kamilla. “Of course.”

Luna shrank further into herself, as if wanting to disappear. Aella knew that feeling all too well. Some days, she wanted to be invisible more than anything ever.

Aella swallowed hard, trying to coax some wetness into her throat. Then she lightly tugged Luna’s hand.

The female met her gaze. The gold in her haunted eyes had vanished, leaving behind a beautiful hazel color that looked dull with heartbreak.

“Do you want to come with me to the staff room?” Aella asked. “I can get you a soda and something to eat. It will make you feel better, I promise.”

Luna nodded.

Luna’s friends didn’t object or try to follow them.

Aella didn’t let Luna go until the smaller female was sitting at one of the tables in the staff room.

“Do you like grape soda?” Aella asked.

Luna’s lips tilted up minutely. “It’s my favorite. Ethan says it’s disgusting.”

“It’s my favorite too,” Aella confessed.

She took a bottle of grape soda, some paper napkins, and her favorite treat from the free vending machine—a slice of cake bathed in chocolate. She placed them in front of Luna.

With shaky hands, the beautiful werewolf uncapped the soda and took long gulps. Some color returned to her face. She opened the plastic wrapper of the cake and took a bite.

Her eyes widened. “This is good.”

Aella chuckled. “So good. I’m a bit addicted to those.”

Luna’s lips wobbled in an approximation of a smile. She took small bites of the cake.

Aella didn’t know what to say, and she still sucked at small talk. So she was content with providing some silent company.

Luna placed her half-eaten snack on the table and exhaled a long, tired breath. “I thought I was safe from them here. I feel as if they’ve stolen my happiness. Again.”

“I am so sorry you had to go through that,” Aella said. She wished she had better words. “But Kamilla will not let them return.”

Luna turned the cap of her soda between her fingers. “I wish I hadn’t been born in a pack. If I hadn’t—“

“You would most likely be dead,” said a female voice.

Aella and Luna turned to find Jessa standing by the door with her arms crossed. Brittany marched toward the fridge to grab her usual salad.

Aella hadn’t even heard them come in.

“I beg your pardon?” Luna asked.

Jessa shrugged. “Being born in a powerful pack means a better start in life for a werewolf. Some of us would kill to be born into such a strong family.”

Luna gritted her teeth. “I used to think the same. And then the dream turned into a nightmare when my father accepted two million dollars from the male who intended to turn me into his…” She gulped, closing her eyes for a moment. “Real families don’t go around selling you to a psychopath to pay their debts. So forgive me if I don’t feel lucky.”

Jessa shrugged. “It’s not always that bad.” She hesitated, but pressed on. “And you could have given your family another chance.”

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