Chapter 82: False Luna
Chapter 82: False Luna
(Third person’s POV)
Olivia was about to slip away through a side door when Elder Richard’s words reached her ears. She stopped abruptly, immediately understanding his intentions.
He feared Ethan would ignore his objections and publicly acknowledge Victoria and Emma anyway. By pushing Olivia forward first, he had preempted his son’s defiance.
A cold sneer curled Olivia’s lips. She had no intention of participating in this charade, but as
she turned to leave, members of the Silvercrest Security Detail blocked her path.
“Luna Winters, you can’t leave yet, please!” one of them said firmly.
With Matriarch Evelyn absent and no allies among the Stone family, Olivia had no choice but to return, her emerald eyes flashing with defiance.
Victoria Frost watched Olivia walk back, Elder Richard’s words still ringing in her ears. She
nearly ground her teeth to dust with rage.
That damned old wolf! Her body trembled uncontrollably with emotional turmoil, her lowered
eyelids barely concealing the malice in her eyes.
If Ethan weren’t present, she would have rushed at Olivia and slapped her hard across the
face. This b***h! Victoria hadn’t expected Olivia to be so calculating, waiting until today to expose Emma’s true parentage in front of Ethan and Elder Richard.
All her painstaking planning had ultimately benefited Olivia. How could she not hate her?
“Ethan…” Victoria quickly suppressed the malice in her heart. She absolutely couldn’t let Ethan publicly acknowledge Olivia. Today’s ceremony belonged to her and Ethan.
If Ethan appeared with Olivia in front of everyone, she would become a laughingstock. She
wouldn’t allow it.
Victoria raised her head, tears welling up in her eyes. She stumbled toward Ethan and threw
herself into his arms, looking up at him pitifully.
“Ethan, five years ago, we were forced to separate because of that one night of accidental mating between you and Olivia,” she whimpered. “We missed each other for five years. I waited for you for five years, and finally, today has arrived.”
1/6
< Chapter 82: False Luna
+8 Points
Her voice broke perfectly as she continued, “If you publicly acknowledge Olivia today… what about me and Emma? You promised me that I would be your only Luna…”
Ethan was her source of confidence. She possessed not only his love and the kindness she
had shown him, but also his guilt toward her.
And Olivia? What did she have? Even the only daughter she had that could tie her to Ethan
was already buried underground. What could she use to compete?
Victoria leaned against Ethan, glancing at Olivia with a look of provocation. She was certain
that Ethan would defy his father for her and wouldn’t fulfill Olivia’s wish.
But Victoria never imagined that Ethan not only didn’t comply with her wishes but also pulled
her away from his embrace. He strode toward Olivia, who was a few steps away, and grabbed
her wrist firmly.
“Ethan…” Victoria’s pupils constricted sharply. She couldn’t believe her eyes.
Ethan’s action clearly indicated his intention to appear in front of the media with his father
and Olivia, publicly acknowledging her as his true Luna.
Victoria immediately pinched Emma’s arm. The child responded instantly, hugging Ethan’s leg and crying pitifully, her young wolf whining audibly beneath her skin.
“Daddy, are you going to abandon Emma and Mommy?” Emma sobbed. “Emma doesn’t want that! Emma wants you and Mommy to be together, so our pack of three can live together!
Daddy… please, Daddy!”
Every time Emma called Ethan “Daddy,” Olivia felt like a silver dagger was piercing her heart. Each.“Alpha” was a reminder that her Lily had held a place in Ethan’s heart that was less than a millionth of that of a pup who wasn’t even his own blood.
It was her fault. She had fallen in love with an Alpha who didn’t have her in his heart. She had conceived Lily and brought her into this world, but she couldn’t protect her.
“Victoria, take Emma to my quarters and rest for a while, Ethan held Olivia’s hand and spoke to Victoria in a deep voice, his amber eyes conveying authority.
Olivia, who was about to struggle, suddenly stopped, her wolf sensing something unexpected
in his tone.
“Alpha…” Emma still wanted to act coquettishly and cry, but Ethan’s face darkened, his wolf’s
dominance flaring.
“Emma, don’t be willful,” he said sternly.
2/6
< Chapter 82 False Luna
+8 Points >
This was the first time Ethan had spoken to Emma in such a harsh tone. The child was so frightened that she immediately forgot to cry, her young wolf cowering submissively.
Victoria’s heart sank. She understood. Ethan had made his decision, and there was no room for maneuver. Any further fuss would only annoy him.
“Emma, come to Mommy. Let’s wait for Alpha together,” she said softly, also reminding Ethan of her uncomplaining nature, increasing his guilt.
Ethan glanced at Victoria and her daughter, then without further delay, pulled Olivia’s hand and walked out.
Looking at the cooperative Olivia, Ethan felt an inexplicable sense of relief. Going public with him was what she wanted after all. It meant that all her unusual behavior recently was just due to jealousy. She still loved him.
And he… He had thought he would resist. After all, the person he wanted to mark, the person he wanted to make public, had always been Victoria. But at this moment, as he led Olivia toward the media outside, he felt no reluctance in his heart.
Ethan’s heart stirred. He was about to interlock his fingers with Olivia’s, but she took the
opportunity to pull away, her wolf’s scent radiating coldness.
Elder Richard saw the two of them and glanced at Vincent Reynolds, who quietly left. Ethan
and Olivia appeared together in everyone’s view. Elder Richard gave way to the two of them.
In the instant he passed by Olivia, Elder Richard gave her a look filled with endless meaning.
The same disdain as always, as if she had gotten a good deal.
Olivia ignored him, brushed past him, and walked toward the media.
Everyone’s attention was focused on Ethan and Olivia. No one noticed that not far behind them, Victoria and her daughter were being dragged out by the Silvercrest Security Detail, their
mouths covered to prevent them from howling for help.
“How dare you do this to me! Ethan will not let you off!” Victoria threatened through gritted
teeth.
But they were all Elder Richard’s confidants and only listened to him. Victoria’s words only earned her rougher treatment. They dragged her and her daughter away, avoiding the crowd,
and out of the Stone Estate.
At the Stone Estate Main Gate, Victoria and Emma’s haute couture dresses were already dirty, and they were shoved into a car, looking disheveled.
3/6
< Chapter 82: False Luna
The car drove out of the Stone Estate Private Road and dumped Victoria and her daughter directly from the car. They landed right in Muddy Hollow, splattering them with filth.
The car sped away, leaving the mother and daughter shivering in the cold wind, covered in mud. How miserable and pathetic they looked now, compared to their earlier smugness.
+8 Points
At the Stone Family Banquet Hall, Ethan had rarely appeared in front of the werewolf media before. This was the first time he had invited so many media outlets.
They seized this opportunity and began asking questions as soon as Ethan and Olivia appeared.
“Alpha Stone, is this your Luna? I heard you also have a five–year–old daughter, is that right?” one reporter called out.
“Yes!” Ethan replied concisely. He acknowledged Olivia’s identity without any hesitation!
As he spoke, his gaze fell on the highly conspicuous Lucas Blackwood in the crowd. A silent declaration of ownership, his wolf’s scent marking the territory around Olivia.
Today, he was going public with Olivia, and from now on, everyone in Shadow Creek would know that Olivia was his mate.
But another female voice rang out at the same time as his, “No!”
It was Olivia. Her “no” was like a bomb dropped on the scene. Everyone looked at her in shock, including Ethan.
He was both shocked and angry, his amber eyes flashing with his wolf’s rage. He covered the microphone and lowered his voice to Olivia, “Do you know what you’re saying?”
Olivia didn’t look at Ethan, completely ignoring his words. She calmly faced the media and continued, “Ethan Stone and I do have a five–year–old daughter. Her name is Lily Winters, taken from the moonflowers that bloom under the full moon. Her nickname is Lily.”
When she mentioned her daughter’s name, Olivia’s voice became very gentle.
“Ethan Stone and I only had Lily because of a one–night mating five years ago. Apart from that, I have no relationship with him. It was true in the past, and it will be true in the future.”
Olivia was even unwilling to say “we” anymore. With one sentence, she completely severed her
ties with Ethan.
She hadn’t let go of Ethan’s hand earlier and cooperated with Elder Richard in appearing before the media cameras, not because she really wanted to go public with him.
<Chapter 82 False Luna
+8 Points)
She had once looked forward to this day immensely. She had looked forward to the day Ethan would acknowledge her and Lily to everyone. She had wanted to be bound to Ethan for life.
But now, she didn’t want to be public with Ethan at all. What Victoria had painstakingly schemed for, she didn’t care about, even disdained.
She stepped in front of the media only to give her daughter a legitimate identity, to let her be recognized. This was what Lily deserved. Emma didn’t deserve it!
After saying what she wanted to say, Olivia glanced at Ethan and Elder Richard’s faces. She turned and left without a second glance.
She didn’t care how Ethan and his father would handle the aftermath. That was their business. The Stone father and son had ignored her and Lily for five years, and only thought of them when they needed to save face.
They wanted her to cooperate? How delusional!
In front of numerous media outlets, Ethan couldn’t stop Olivia and could only watch her leave without looking back, his wolf howling in frustration within him.
It wasn’t until Olivia’s figure disappeared from sight that Ethan clearly realized that what Olivia had said recently might be true. She no longer loved him and wanted to give up on him.
When he looked away from where Olivia had been, he found that Lucas Blackwood was gone. Needless to say, he had gone after Olivia.
The look in Ethan’s eyes deepened, his wolf bristling with territorial rage.
Olivia was walking toward where she had parked her car. She wondered if she should go to Matriarch Evelyn’s Villa and ask someone to take her back.
She was not in a good state, her wolf whimpering with exhaustion beneath her skin.
Just as she was thinking this, Lucas Blackwood’s voice came from behind her, “Olivia.”
Olivia stopped. “Lucas.”
She knew that at an occasion like this, the Blackwood pack must also be among the invited
guests. But she didn’t have the energy to pay attention to Lucas.
“I’ll take you back,” Lucas said gently, looking at Olivia who was clearly forcing herself to hold
it together.
“Okay.” Olivia didn’t refuse Lucas’s kindness. She really wasn’t in a fit state to drive, her wolf
too agitated to focus.
5/6
< Chapter 82 False Luna
+8 Points>
As they spoke, Thomas Griffin pulled Lucas Blackwood’s Armored SUV over. Lucas escorted Olivia into the car.
The car drove steadily out of the Stone Estate. Olivia remained silent, gazing out the window.
Today at the Stone Estate, she was filled with unexpressed frustration. Her heart was filled with sorrow. The guilt and heartache for her daughter pressed down on her like a boulder.
That deep sense of helplessness threatened to drown her.
“Cry if you want to,” Lucas raised the privacy partition, separating the back seat into a private space. He turned to Olivia, his voice gentle.
Olivia bit her lower lip, her body tensing further, her wolf curling into a tight ball within her.
Lucas looked at her, the distress in his eyes almost uncontainable. At this moment, his
emotions overwhelmed his reason.
He couldn’t help but reach out, about to pull Olivia into his arms to comfort her, when her
phone suddenly rang.