Yet beneath the regret lurked something else—a dangerous anticipation. When Kane touched me, I forgot everything—the pain, the humiliation, even Raymond. For those brief moments, I was free.Sleep finally claimed me near dawn, my dreams a confusing tangle of wedding vows and secret promises scribble
I could feel curious eyes following me as I left the dining room. Several pack members lingered in the hallway, their hushed whispers barely concealing their interest in what had just transpired."Did you see how the Alpha stormed out?" one woman murmured to her companion."And did you hear what Kan
I adjusted my blazer one final time before knocking on Raymond's office door. The leather portfolio in my hands contained weeks of preliminary work for the Mating Gala—venue options, catering proposals, entertainment suggestions, and a detailed budget breakdown. As the new Luna, organizing this trad
"The Hunters' table needs to be at least twenty feet from the Silvermoon Pack," I explained, pointing to the seating chart spread across the table. "They had that territory dispute last spring that nearly erupted into violence."I was acutely aware of Kane standing directly behind me, close enough t
"It's the mate bond," Kane said, his voice tight. "Raymond and Giana are together right now."The confirmation only intensified my humiliation. I sank into a chair, trembling as the mark continued to burn. For a moment, Kane just watched me, his expression unreadable.Then, instead of reaching for m
The mountain of RSVPs on my desk had grown to alarming proportions. I'd been sorting through them since dawn, categorizing responses by pack affiliation, dietary restrictions, and status. Each card required a handwritten note in return—a formality that had seemed quaint when I first learned of it, b
"The floral budget seems excessive," Raymond was saying.Kane clutched his chest in mock outrage, mouthing "Flowers? In spring? How revolutionary!"I turned away, struggling to maintain my composure. "The arrangements are being created by the Williams Pack as part of our alliance negotiation. Their
"The ceiling installation needs to be raised another foot," I explained to the decorating committee. "The taller guests will be at risk of hitting the lower elements otherwise."Five committee members nodded, making notes as I walked them through the adjustments to the Gala design. We stood in the c
Surprise flickered across Kane's face before he controlled it. "You were spying on us?""I was passing by," I said, the half-truth coming easily. "But her questions seemed oddly specific."Kane's expression grew thoughtful. "Yes, they did. Almost as if she had prior knowledge of Council politics.""
I worked through the night, completely redesigning the Gala entrance and arrival sequence to accommodate Kane's last-minute security demands. By dawn, my eyes burned from exhaustion, but the revised plans were complete.A small, defiant part of me took satisfaction in the work's perfection. If Giana
The following morning, Kane was nowhere to be found at our scheduled security briefing. His second-in-command delivered the update instead, informing me that Kane had reassigned himself to border patrol duty—effectively removing himself from all Gala preparations.Two days passed in similar fashion.
I pressed my hands against my eyes, horrified to find them wet with tears I hadn't realized I was shedding. "So don't stand there and lecture me about self-respect when you have no idea what it costs me just to get through each day."The silence that followed my outburst seemed to stretch forever. W
The insistent pounding on my door started just after midnight. I knew who it was before I even reached the entryway—only Kane would dare disturb the Luna at this hour with such impatience.I opened the door to find him exactly as I'd expected: jaw clenched, eyes blazing with barely contained anger.
"A guest who's apparently the only one willing to point out the obvious," Kane retorted. "This isn't about giving Giana protection. This is about legitimizing your relationship while Aurora does all the actual work."The tension between them crackled, both men drawing themselves to their full height
"The ceiling installation needs to be raised another foot," I explained to the decorating committee. "The taller guests will be at risk of hitting the lower elements otherwise."Five committee members nodded, making notes as I walked them through the adjustments to the Gala design. We stood in the c
"The floral budget seems excessive," Raymond was saying.Kane clutched his chest in mock outrage, mouthing "Flowers? In spring? How revolutionary!"I turned away, struggling to maintain my composure. "The arrangements are being created by the Williams Pack as part of our alliance negotiation. Their
The mountain of RSVPs on my desk had grown to alarming proportions. I'd been sorting through them since dawn, categorizing responses by pack affiliation, dietary restrictions, and status. Each card required a handwritten note in return—a formality that had seemed quaint when I first learned of it, b