CHAPTER 76: CHAPTER 76

Celeste POV.

In my room, I pictured Seraphina saying, "Yes, yes!" to my plan. I could see it so clearly, us telling everyone Aria’s secrets, making her step down as Luna, and the whole Shadow Claw pack laughing at her. It made me feel strong, like I was about to win something big.

I got dressed and sat on my bed, staring at the clock on the wall. The hands moved so slow, like they were teasing me.

I tapped my fingers on my knees, thinking about what was going to happen. My tummy felt all fluttery, but I kept my eyes on the clock, waiting for the right time.

Finally, after what felt like forever, the clock said 10:00 p.m. My phone buzzed, reminding me it was time to go. I grinned, feeling like everything was falling into place.

I grabbed my phone, slipped it into my bag, and slung the bag over my shoulder. "Let’s see if you can get out of this one, Aria," I whispered to myself, my voice sneaky and excited.

I left my room and headed out, but I didn’t see Mom anywhere. I wasn’t sure where she went—it was late, and that was a little weird, but I knew she’d be okay. I walked to the bus stop and hopped on a bus to the tavern. It wasn’t far, just a short ride.

When the bus stopped, I got off and smoothed out my dress, a big smirk on my face. I walked into the tavern, my eyes looking all around for Seraphina. The place was noisy, with people talking and laughing, but I couldn’t spot her anywhere. My heart skipped a beat, wondering where she was.

I sat by the window in the tavern, waiting for Seraphina to show up. I kept looking outside, hoping to see her, but minutes turned into hours, and she was nowhere. The tavern started getting quiet. People left, chairs emptied, and soon it was just me and a few men sitting around, late at night. My heart felt heavy, like a rock in my chest.

I grabbed my phone to call her but stopped. What if something bad happened to her? What if calling her would get me in trouble? Or what if Mom was right, and Seraphina wasn’t coming? I bit my lip, my tummy all twisty with worry. I felt so silly for believing her. She was probably just tricking me. I got mad, my face hot, and stood up, grabbing my bag to leave.

But just as I took a few steps toward the door, it swung open. There she was—Seraphina! She had a hoodie on, covering her face, but I knew it was her. My heart jumped, half happy, half annoyed.

She walked right up to me. "Leaving already? Couldn’t wait a few minutes?" she said with a laugh, like I was being silly. She brushed past me and sat down at a table.

I rolled my eyes, my hands squeezing into fists. I was so annoyed, but I wanted this plan to work so bad. I turned around, walked to her table, and plopped my bag down.

She spoke first, her voice sharp and a little mean. "So, what’s this big thing you want to tell me?" she asked, sounding like she didn’t care much.

I swallowed my anger. I needed her to help me get rid of Aria. "If you want Alpha Kael," I said quietly, "you have to stop the person he loves most."

She laughed and crossed her arms, leaning back in her chair. "Oh yeah? And who’s that?" she asked, one eyebrow going up, like she was super curious.

I glared at Seraphina, my heart pounding so hard it hurt. "It’s my twin sister, Aria," I snapped, my voice sharp like a knife. "We both know she’s pretending to be me!" My fingers squeezed into tight fists, my nails digging into my palms.

Just thinking about Aria stealing my place made my blood boil, like fire racing through me.

Seraphina laughed, a mean, loud laugh that made my cheeks burn. She leaned closer across the table, her eyes sparkling with a challenge. "So this is all about you?" she said. "Where do I fit in? If I help you show everyone Aria’s a fake and you take her place, how do I get Alpha Kael?" Her voice was sneaky, like she was testing me.

I took a deep breath, trying to stay calm even though my heart was racing. "I won’t fight you for him, Seraphina," I said quickly. "You can have Kael whenever you want, I promise—" But before I could finish, she cut me off.

"That’s nonsense!" she shouted, her face twisting with anger. "I should’ve known better than to come here!" She sounded so mad, like she regretted even stepping into the tavern. She started to stand up, her chair scraping loudly against the floor.

I panicked, my heart jumping to my throat. I grabbed her hand, holding on tight. "You’re the only one who can do this!" I begged, my voice shaking. I needed her so bad—my whole plan depended on her.

But Seraphina yanked her hand away, her face scrunching up like I was something gross. She pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her hand, like touching me made her dirty. It stung, like a slap across my face, and my eyes burned with tears I wouldn’t let fall.

"I’m not stupid, Celeste," she said, her voice cold and mean. "If Aria stole your place, just tell everyone. You’re her twin sister. They’ll believe you. You’re supposed to be the real Luna." She stood up, staring down at me with hard, angry eyes.

"And don’t you ever touch me again," she added, her words sharp like thorns. "We were never friends." She turned around fast, her hoodie swishing as she marched toward the door.

I jumped to my feet, my heart breaking and my anger exploding. "You’ll be sorry after the Lunar Festival!" I yelled, my voice loud and shaky. But Seraphina didn’t even look back. She just kept walking, the door slamming shut behind her.

I groaned, so mad I could scream. My hands shook as I grabbed my bag, my chest tight with disappointment. My plan was falling apart, crumbling like sand in my hands.