Exchanging Vows: The Swapped Wife Is a Top Shaman

Chapter 80: Chapter 80

Ivy’s Point of View

The Next Morning:

I sat in my private quarters, slowly nursing a warm cup of herbal tea, trying to find a moment of peace.

The peace shattered when my doors creaked open. It was Nell, I wondered what she was doing here, because she the maid in charge of the palace staff for the day, she should be busy.

"Mistress Ivy," Nell called. "Luna Anna has just arrived at the pack council hall." She said, and nodded.

I sipped my herbal tea, before I set my cup down. "Luna Anna? Did she come alone?"

"She is currently with Lady Otessa," Nell replied quickly. "And Luna Helena sent me to fetch you. She wants you to accompany her to the hall immediately."

My heart did a nervous flutter. After Fred’s spectacular, underwear-clad public disgrace, the entire kingdom was talking much. I wondered what desperate spin Bella’s mother was going to put on the incident.

I took one final sip of my tea, composed myself, and hurried down the corridors.

When I stepped into the council hall, their heads turned to me. Luna Helena sat at the head of the long table, across from her was Luna Anna, looking exhausted, her face filled with anxiety. But next to her sat Lady Otessa, Fred’s mother.

"Good morning, Luna Helena, Luna Anna," I said softly, bowing my head in respect.

The moment Luna Anna looked up and saw me, the lines on her face completely melted. Her expression softened so drastically it caught me off guard. "Ah, Ivy. Come in, dear. Please, sit."

I offered a polite nod to Lady Otessa as well.

Lady Otessa merely offered a tight, strained smile. Once I took my seat, the polite pleasantries vanished. The women immediately returned to the business at hand.

Luna Anna cleared her throat, as she addressed Lady Otessa. "As I was saying before Ivy arrived, Otessa... we cannot ignore the signs. After the humiliation yesterday, I took it upon myself to consult a high-order wizard from the outer territories. I paid a heavy sum to have Bella’s fortune told regarding this union."

Lady Otessa scoffed softly, crossing her arms. "A wizard, Anna? Really? We are high-rankings, not superstitious people."

"Listen to me," Luna Anna pressed on, her voice deadly serious. "The wizard was explicit. He cast the runes and looked into the alignment of their birth stars. Bella is fundamentally unsuitable for marriage this entire year. The stars dictate that any bond formed under this moon will bring ruin to both our houses."

"And what exactly does that mean for my son?" Lady Otessa demanded.

"It means they are cosmically incompatible," Luna Anna declared.

“Do you even believe that?” Lady Otessa asked. All this while, through their discussion Luna Helena was just silent. Even I, I didn’t utter a single word.

"The wizard revealed that Fred’s birth alignment acts as a literal curse to Bella’s life force. If they walk down that aisle, the spiritual clash will drain her health entirely. The heavens themselves are rejecting this match, Otessa. The incident yesterday was just the universe warning us." Luna Anna said.

This seemed like a brilliant lie to me honestly. By blaming a wizard, Luna Anna was trying to save face for both families without directly screaming that Fred was a degenerate cheater.

Lady Otessa’s face hardened. She wasn’t foolish, she immediately understood the real meaning behind the fortune-telling nonsense. They were calling off the engagement.

"This is absurd!" Lady Otessa snapped, slamming a hand on the table. "You are using a wizard’s words to break a sacred pact! Both our children are formally engaged. The announcements are already at the royal court Yes, Fred made a mistake. He was foolish, he was reckless, but he has sworn to me, and he has promised on his honor... that he will never mess around again."

Seeing that Luna Anna remained completely stoic and unmoved by her pleas, Lady Otessa turned her desperate gaze toward Luna Helena. She reached out, trying to recruit the highest authority in the room.

"Helena, please! Talk some sense into her! You know what a scandal this will cause. Persuade her"

Luna Helena sighed, looking torn. She stood up, walked over to Luna Anna, and gently took her hand.

"Anna... why don’t you think about it again? Take a few days. After all, breaking off a royal engagement so abruptly... it will affect the girl’s reputation. People will gossip. They will blame Bella."

The mention of Bella’s reputation struck a painful nerve. Luna Anna’s eyes turned slightly red, brimming with unshed tears. The composure she had fought so hard to maintain began to fracture.

"No, I will not think about it. The engagement is off. The two children are simply not meant to be together."

Seeing that there was no room left for negotiation, Lady Otessa’s demeanor instantly turned ice-cold. She stood up so fast her chair scraped harshly against the stone floor.

"Fine," Lady Otessa hissed. "If you wish to alienate the Silverside Pack over foolish superstitions, so be it."

Without another word, Lady Otessa turned on her heel and marched out of the council hall, her maid scurrying frantically behind her. The double doors slammed shut behind them.

The moment Lady Otessa was out of sight, the mask completely fell off Luna Anna. She buried her face in her hands and burst into agonizing tears. The regal Luna was gone, replaced by a broken-hearted mother.

Luna Helena stepped to her, rubbing her back in comfort. "Anna, it’s alright. Let it out."

"I had no choice, Helena!" Luna Anna sobbed. "It wasn’t a wizard. It was Bella... Last night, she threatened us. She looked her father and me in the eye and said she would take her own life before letting Fred touch her. She said she would kill herself if we forced her down that aisle! I cannot lose my daughter. I had to agree to her request!"

Just as I have thought, the readings was just a lie. Hearing the desperation in Luna Anna’s voice, it got to me that this was a twist... Luna Anna hadn’t come here out of pride, she had come out of fear for her daughter’s life.

Luna Helena nodded, her expression softening with understanding. "A mother must protect her child, Anna. We understand."

I stepped forward to them, kneeling slightly beside Luna Anna’s chair, offering a comforting hand.

"Luna Anna, please don’t cry," I said gently. "Bella is fierce, but she is strong. And please know... I am still Bella’s good friend. I will not break up my friendship with her because of this mess. I will visit your pack often to check on her and keep her company."

Luna Anna stopped sobbing, lifting her tear-stained face to look at me. She reached out, squeezing my hands with immense gratitude.

"Thank you, Ivy," Anna said, a sad smile touching her lips. "You truly are a sensible, perfect woman. Dominic is incredibly lucky to have a wife like you. I only wish Bella could find a partner who brings peace to our family the way you do."

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