Chapter 7: Breakfast with the Grand Luna

The seminar concluded quickly, and Lady Hilda exited. This meant they wouldn't be seeing Lady Hilda for the rest of the week because they only had spoken lessons at the start of the week, and the remainder would be based on physical lessons. Harriet rose from her futon and began making her way out of the hall because she still had to cook and eat breakfast with the grand Luna (Alistair's mother).

... the good feelings that the grand Luna had for the former Harriet have begun to change to unfavorable ones as a result of her foolish actions. Since she will want the grand Luna's assistance to build her identity as the Luna of this realm, Harriet wanted to begin transforming those negative emotions back into positive ones.

Scarlett, Harriet's prior enemy, suddenly materialized in front of her and spoke in her ears. "Well, if it isn't The Idiot Luna. Luck sure is on your side; you still manage to survive the attack, but I can assure you that your luck has run out at this point, and you won't manage to escape again." Scarlett scoffed and curled her lips into a mocking smirk. "Enjoy your time with the Alpha while you can. We both know he belongs with a real wolf, not a frail human playing dress-up.

"Well, that saves me the time of finding out who tried to kill me in the forest." Harriet thought to herself. Harriet knew that Scarlett was expecting her to start throwing tantrums like she always did so that Scarlett could pretend like she knew nothing and pretend to be the nice one, and Harriet would be seen as the crazy one, further establishing the fact that she's a troublemaker, but Scarlett is about to be disappointed because the ownership of Harriet's body has changed.

Harriet's main priority right now was getting to breakfast quickly, so she swept past Scarlett without stopping her pace, providing nothing but a faint, knowing smile for a tragedy that would strike Scarlett later on. Scarlett's eyes flashed with confusion. "What? No tantrum? No desperate little outburst?" she blocked Harriet once more, hoping to elicit a response from her. "Running out of things to say, Luna?"

Harriet looked at Scarlett, her countenance placid. "Why waste words on someone who is so desperate for my attention?" she asked coolly, then walked away, leaving Scarlett astonished and bewildered. Then she looked back briefly, "Even if I die, the alpha will not take a liking to you, and you will realize that you've only been wasting your time." Harriet asked Candice, her personal maid, to follow her, and she left after dropping that statement.

Harriet is unsure of the source of her confidence in telling Scarlett that Alistair won't like her, but because they have already shared a kiss, she has made the decision that Alistair can only be hers indefinitely and that no one can stand in their way. She began to experience a sense of sorrow when she thought about Alistair once more. Harriet was unable to comprehend her emotions, but since she had made the decision to keep Alistair in her life forever, she would simply accept the feeling.

As Harriet set the last plate of pancakes on the dining table, the air was filled with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and sizzling bacon. Her pulse pounded uneasily in her chest; this was her opportunity to reconcile with the powerful woman seated across from her, the mother of the Alpha, a matriarch renowned for her piercing tongue and cold glares.

"Good morning, Mother," Harriet greeted cheerfully, forcing a warm smile despite the frosty atmosphere. The grand Luna, regal and imposing in her stunning clothing, raised a brow as she stirred her tea. "What are you doing in my chamber here? You are usually scared to come anywhere near me after being rude to me," she remarked, her tone neutral but carrying an undercurrent of judgment. "I wanted to make breakfast for us," Harriet said brightly, taking a seat. "I thought it would be a nice way to start the day," Harriet said as she ordered the maids to bring in the food.

The older woman's gaze shifted to the table heaped with food. "Ambitious," she remarked, with a note of astonishment in her voice. "I just wanted to show my appreciation for being a part of this family," Harriet said genuinely. "I know I've made mistakes, but I truly care about this pack... and about your son." The grand luna's eyes softened somewhat, but she swiftly hid it. "Cooking won't erase foolish decisions, and how am I to know you won't keep doing the stupid things you're addicted to?" she added, but her tone lacked its typical sharpness.

"I know, there's no way for you to simply erase your doubts like that," Harriet said. "But it's a start, right?" There was a brief moment of silence before the older woman reached for a pancake. "The kingdom could use more thoughtful gestures like this," she commented, taking a bite. Harriet felt relieved when she saw a fleeting smile from her husband's mother. Every modest step forward was progress.

"I hope you fulfill your promise of change. You and Alistair have been married for two years. I will forgive and forget about every foolish thing you've ever done if you can somehow drag Alistair to your bed because at the end of the day, he's the one you're married to, and I need some young cub to play with.". The grand Luna spoke out again. Harriet began blushing since she had always known the grand Luna to be stern and everything; she did not anticipate her to be able to say something like this aloud, but Harriet nevertheless summoned her confidence to respond to the grand Luna. "I... I will try my best. I wanted to ask you something."

"Of course." The Grand Lunas spoke. "Is it... is it acceptable for a maid to disrespect the Luna?" The Grand Luna's eyes hardened somewhat, and the warmth in her countenance cooled. "No. Never."

Harriet pretended to move uneasily while glancing at Candice, who had begun sweating in the corner of the room. "I've been hearing rumors—" She stopped, her voice wavering. "That I'm just an ordinary human, and since they are wolves, a higher being, then it's ok for them to be rude to me, so I want to ask if the maids have the right to be rude to me?"

"You are never 'simply a human.' You are the Luna of this pack, and that title inspires respect, not because you are faultless, but because of your strength as your husband's equal and the pack's greatest authority after Alpha. Anyone who forgets this loses their place." "So... I was right to demand respect from that maid?"

The Grand Luna smiled again, proud and approving. "You're more than right. In fact, you were too kind to let her go unscathed." Her eyes glinted mischievously. "A maid has no right to be rude to you, and you should never hesitate to remind them of that." "Thank you, mother. I know what to do now," Harriet told the grand Luna. Harriet never intended to punish Candice; instead, she wanted to intimidate her and prove that she was still in power. So, if she decides to let her go instead of punishing her, Candice will stay loyal to her, which is exactly what Harriet needs right now.