I Am The Luna By Moonlight Muse
Chapter 68

68. A Confrontation

ZAIA. The moment of truth is finally here. The time to confront Mom about this. Sebastian had it sentover faster than I was expecting and as Mom and I enter the kitchen, I feel my stomach flip nervously.My heart is pounding and the fear of what might actually turn out to be the truth is making my heartclamour with anxiousness.

What if it’s true? I was in denial. The fear inside of me is proof that I was not expecting this. I lookaround the large kitchen, where I have lived for the last few years. A home that we made together…

I still remember the moments Mom and I shared here over hot drinks. She has been there for methrough all my worries and is always someone I could lean on. The one who has looked after mychildren when I have been busy.

“Zaia, why are you so pale?” Mom asks me, concerned, as she goes over to the sink and fills a glass ofwater from the tap. The sound of the water seems to echo loudly in the silence of the large kitchen. Ilook down at the paper. Sebastian had kept it to what I had asked him to include, but now that it’s in myhand…

“I’m going to ask you something, Mom and I want the truth. Take an oath upon me that you will tell thetruth and only the truth.” My voice is shaky, and I observe her carefully as I await her answer. She looksconcerned, worried, and even uneasy…

“I swear upon your life, Zaia. I will speak only the truth. Honey, what is it?” She asks, taking a gulp ofthe water as she approaches me. How do I ask her?

How do I accept the answer if it turns out to be true? This could change things between us forever if itis the truth.

“According to this… You were having an affair with someone by the name of Adam Toussaint, whilstyou were with father. Is it true?” I ask. My heart is pounding incessantly as I stare at her.

Her face turns ashen, her hand flying to her chest as she steps back as if seeing a ghost. The momentshe begins to tremble, her hands clamping over her mouth, I get my answer. It’s true.

How?

Why?

“You can’t show that to anyone!” Mom whispers as she rushes over and snatches it from my limpfingers.

My mind is spinning, and I feel sick, but I simply stare at her. Her face turns even more pale as shestares at the message, and I look down at the card as well.

SECRETS ARE NEVER A SECRET. SOMEONE ALWAYS KNOWS. YOUR MOTHER WHOM YOUADMIRE IS NOT WHO YOU THINK SHE IS.

HAVING AN AFFAIR WITH HER

MATE’S BROTHER IS A SIN AFTER ALL. WE ALL KNOW HUGH TOUSSAINT IS NO SAINT, GETIT?

Sebastian’s humour.

PERHAPS MY NEXT MESSAGE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO HUGH TOUSSAINT HIMSELF, HEGOT A TASTE OF HIS BROTHER ADAM TOUSSAINT’S POSITION OF ALPHA AND ADAM GOT ATASTE OF HIS MATE.

IT’S FAIR, ISN’T IT?

HOW WILL HE FEEL WHEN HE REALISES THAT HIS MATE AND BROTHER BETRAYED HIM?

DO NOT RETURN TO THE DARK HOLLOW FALLS PACK OR I WILL MAKE THIS PUBLIC.

That last sentence was something I had added to see how terrified Mom would be if this came out.“Why can’t I show it to anyone? It’s not true, is it?” I ask quietly. Her heart hammers as she tries to rip itand I snatch it from her.

“Give it to me!” she screams, shocking me. “Mom!” I shout. My eyes flash as I step back, holding itaway from her. Enough! What is wrong with you?”

Her eyes dart to the door, and she runs her hand through her hair frantically. I have never seen her sodisturbed.

“Zaia… Zaia, listen to me. No one can know.” She warns me in a hushed whisper, grabbing my arm.“Your father also cheated on me! It’s no big deal, I was hurt-”

“Were you?! Two wrongs don’t make a right! Tell me, Mother, were you even hurt? Did you really cheaton Dad after you found out? Because that makes no sense! Dad left you when he told you aboutAnnette, not before that! This message states you cheated on him when you were together!”

My own voice is shrill as Mom glances towards the windows, as if scared someone might hear. “Youyourself told me how he told you his mistress is pregnant and he broke up with you right then!”

My entire world which seems to be ridden with cracks is crumbling a little more. Mom cheated on Dad.She has lied to me all my life.

“Z-Zaia, please calm down. Don’t open things of the past! Adam is dead! I don’t know how this personhas found out, I need- I need- just don’t tell anyone!” Mom’s jumbled words are erratic as she holdsonto me as if for dear life. Desperation clear in her eyes.

“How could you… The hatred you have for Annette… when you yourself are just the same as her?” Iwhisper, unable to hide my disappointment.

“No! I’m not!” “Then tell me how you are not! Why? Why did you do it? You said you Dad. Did you reallyfake that too?” loved.

“I loved your father, but Adam was… he had a way, and we were alone so often! Your father was solost in his work that he didn’t give me the time and attention I needed! Of course, now I know why hewas so busy because he had another woman!”

I want to scream and tell her that Dad had never cheated on her! Is this really my mom? “True lovemeans you can be apart for weeks, months or years and you won’t cheat!”

“Stop it… just stop it!” I scream, cutting into her rambling of hatred. I know Dad is innocent, but I won’ttell her that. “You did the same to him as he did you! It doesn’t make it right! You lied to me, Mom! Youalways pretended to be a victim when you have done nothing but lie to me! How dare you?!” My ownvoice is trembling. It sounds pitchy to even me, but today I feel like I’ve just lost so much. How can Iremain calm?!

“Zaia! It’s in the past. We are not together, stop it!” she hisses, glancing at the door worriedly, her tearsstreaming down her cheeks. I pull away, and she begins sobbing when I shake my head.

“No. You hated Sebastian and called him a cheat, and so much more, yet YOU are the cheater, nothim! How could you even be so rude to him when you yourself have done worse?” I ask, my voicebreaking. She stares at me, as if stricken, before she slowly steps back.

“I was young… and stupid-”

“And you should have owned up to it! You have done nothing but fill my ears against Dad when you didthe very same!” I shout. “You instilled hatred for Dad into me!”

My heart is thundering far too loudly, and we stare at one another. Neither of us speaks for a moment,our emotions consuming us before she rushes to the kitchen counter and, to my surprise, she grabs aknife.

“If you tell anyone, I will kill myself!” She threatens, holding the knife to her neck. I stare at her, unableto believe this. “Put it down,” I say quietly. I’m so tired….

“No!” “Very well… I won’t tell anyone, but I will be leaving for Dark Hollow Falls pack, and that means itmight come out “Then you can’t go!” She cuts me off, her eyes look wild. “I’ll kill myself, Zaia!”

I shake my head slowly, brushing my hair back. “I will, but I know you now and I know that you won’thurt yourself. You’re too selfish for that.” I whisper, turning my back on her. I close my eyes as silenttears trickle down my cheeks. How could she?

I open the door, about to step out, when Mom calls out to me. “Zaia, please! Please listen to me!” shegrabs the back of my top and I look at her. Her eyes are filled with guilt as I slowly remove her handsfrom me.

“Please, it’s not my fault.” “If you didn’t play the victim… If you admitted your wrongs, I would haveforgiven you and accepted you as I did, Dad.” I whisper. “But all my life you made Dad the bad one andeven now… you’re pretending to play the victim.”

“Zaia… Adam is dead. Don’t cause more problems.” She whispers. “I regret what happened!”

“No, you regret getting caught,” I say, pushing her hand off me. “Your secret will not leave my lips… butif someone else announces it’ that is not on me, nor will I allow your wrongs to hold me back. You arefree to move to that pack or remain here. I honestly don’t care.”

“Zaia, please.” I brush my tears away as I walk away from her, refusing to answer her. She lied… shekept at it… as if wanting me to hate father… even as the years passed, she’d often bring it up…

Lies…

A little sob escapes me, and I halt, not wanting the others to see me like this. I rush to the stairsinstead, ready to go to my room, but I’m only a few steps up when someone grabs my wrist. My heartthuds, recognising the touch and I look down at Sebastian.

His piercing eyes are filled with concern. I turn away as he reaches me and pulls me into his arms. Iclutch his shirt, allowing myself to cry into his chest, feeling protected. It hurts so much…

He holds me, caressing my back, and I feel safe. I remain like that for a while, until all my tears havedried, and I have calmed down. And as much as I want to remain in his arms forever, we have things todo…

Taking a deep breath, I move back slightly and look up at him. He frowns as he brushes my tears away,searching my eyes for confirmation of whether it’s true or not…

I nod slowly, and he looks down for a second, heaving a heavy sigh, but says nothing on the matter.“It’s going to be ok,” he says quietly.

Will it be? Because the way I see it, nothing can fix the trust she destroyed between us… things willnever be the same…

Ever. But… if the Colosseum of Rome can stand to this very day… Then, something like this cannotbreak me.