Chapter 53 Alpha Hale, You’re Hurting Her

Eira lifted her chin.

"I’m having dinner with friends."

Lila nodded. "I invited her."

Alpha Sebastian and Serena exchanged a startled look. They knew Eira was close to Lila. They had not realized she was also comfortable around Luna Seraphina.

Alpha Sebastian’s gaze stayed on Eira.

Serena touched his sleeve.

"Sebastian."

Then she turned to Luna Seraphina with a polished smile.

"Luna Sterling, I’m Serena Winthrop. Dr. Victor Winthrop is my grandfather."

Luna Seraphina raised an eyebrow.

"Then I’m confused. Your reservation asked the staff to call you Luna Hale."

Serena’s smile froze.

"There must have been a mistake."

Monica spoke calmly. "My staff used the title provided with the reservation."

Color rose in Serena’s cheeks.

"I’m not Sebastian’s wife," she said quickly. Then she looked at Eira. "She is."

Luna Seraphina turned to Eira in surprise. "You’re married to Alpha Hale?"

"For the moment," Eira said.

Alpha Sebastian’s expression darkened. He caught her arm, but Eira pulled back.

Luna Seraphina’s voice cooled. "Let her go, Alpha Hale."

Alpha Sebastian looked down and released Eira at once.

Serena frowned. "Why didn’t you tell anyone?"

Eira rubbed her arm. "Sebastian spent four years keeping our marriage quiet. Ask him."

The answer wiped the last trace of satisfaction from Serena’s face.

Luna Seraphina looked between Alpha Sebastian and Serena, understanding settling over her features.

"Eira doesn’t owe anyone an explanation," she said. "She’s here as our guest."

Lila smiled. "Exactly."

Luna Seraphina turned back to Alpha Sebastian. "I believe your family is waiting."

The dismissal was polite but clear.

Alpha Sebastian kept his eyes on Eira. "Meet me downstairs after dinner. We need to talk."

"Okay." Eira’s voice was flat. Compliant.

Alpha Sebastian finally walked away with her.

Eira looked at Luna Seraphina. "I’m sorry about that."

"You have nothing to apologize for," Luna Seraphina said.

Lila picked up her menu. "Good. Now can we order? Watching Alpha Sebastian get shut down made me hungry."

Eira laughed despite herself.

Luna Seraphina smiled, though questions remained in her eyes.

---

Back at the Hale table, Alpha Sebastian could barely follow the conversation.

Every few minutes, his gaze drifted toward Eira. He caught glimpses of her golden hair and the curve of her profile whenever she turned to speak to Luna Seraphina.

She was smiling.

That bothered him more than it should have.

Serena noticed every glance.

"What happened over there?" Isabella asked. "And who was that woman you grabbed?"

Serena forced a smile.

"That was Eira," Alpha Sebastian said.

"What?" Isabella’s voice carried across the room.

A server appeared beside her. "Ma’am, please keep your voice down."

Isabella flushed and waited until he left.

"That was Eira?" she whispered. "What is she doing at dinner with Luna Sterling?"

Luna Margaret glanced toward the other table.

"She certainly moves fast."

Alpha Sebastian’s expression cooled. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"She’s trying to trade up," Luna Margaret muttered.

Alpha Roger gave a dismissive shrug. "One dinner with the Sterlings doesn’t make her one of them. Alpha Killian isn’t going to make a divorced Omega his Luna."

"Divorced?" Alpha Sebastian’s head snapped toward his parents. "What are you talking about?"

Alpha Roger and Luna Margaret exchanged a glance and shook their heads.

"Nothing. Forget about Eira." Luna Margaret’s tone brightened artificially. "We’re here to celebrate you."

She smiled at Serena.

"And we have Serena to thank for putting all this together."

"It was nothing," Serena said, pleased to have the attention back.

As dinner arrived, Alpha Roger leaned toward her.

"This contract could change everything for Hale Group. If you hear anything useful, I hope you’ll point Sebastian in the right direction."

"Dad," Alpha Sebastian warned.

Serena rested a hand beside her glass. "I can help with public information, but I can’t discuss anything covered by my NDA."

"We’re not asking for documents," Luna Margaret said. "Even a small hint about what the review panel wants could help."

"No," Alpha Sebastian said. "If Serena crosses that line, she could lose her position and face an investigation."

Alpha Roger sat back. "Fine. Forget I asked."

Serena gave Alpha Sebastian a grateful smile.

"Thank you for looking out for me."

She had ordered his usual steak, medium rare, with no sauce. It should have been exactly what he wanted.

Instead, it reminded him of Eira.

She used to know every small preference without asking. His coffee. His meals. Which tie he wore to Pack meetings. What he needed before he realized he needed it.

He had treated that care as if it came with the house.

Alpha Sebastian glanced toward her again.

Eira was laughing at something Lila had said. She looked more at ease with the Sterlings than she ever had at a Hale family dinner.

His steak suddenly had no flavor.

Alpha Sebastian pushed back his chair.

Serena caught his wrist. "Where are you going?"

"To take care of the check."

At the host stand, he handed over his card.

"Put both tables on this."

The hostess checked the reservations.

"I can close out your table, Alpha Hale, but Luna Sterling’s party doesn’t have a bill."

Alpha Sebastian frowned. "Why not?"

"They’re guests of Monica Vale, the owner. She’s dining with them."

Alpha Sebastian paused.

He was used to being treated with respect because of his title. The Sterlings moved through a different world, one built on old friendships and quiet influence.

What unsettled him was not that Eira had entered that world. It was how naturally she seemed to fit into it.

She used to be the woman who revolved around him. Now she had friends, plans, and an entire life he knew nothing about.

Alpha Sebastian’s jaw tightened.

For the first time, he wondered how much of Eira he had never bothered to know.