ena'

ork from a huge traditi

ed me the first

teenth floor of a building that looked like every other building in the financial

n hours. She hadn't told me what she'd

rself only by her role and then stopped speaking. Velvet h

ared the end of the hall. She had been quiet most of the

oc

st telling you, this

ned before w

ck, the city spread out behind him in the hard afternoon light. He turned when we entered,

the surface, I felt it as a pressure shift in the air

immediately. Not

owena,"

d his gaze. "Thank

brief glance at my cousin. "Sh

d said nothing. H

st was

ly, feeling my heart beat

accounts, and his family's welfare entirely alone." I kept my voice even. "He has now brought another woman into the household, declared her his wife, and she is carrying his c

aw his lips twitch in what should

your resear

ad t

does he know

he decree issued be

ifted in his

look like a man who was easily surprised

wn, just resting one hand on the ed

s weight, Luna Rowena." he said. "It also carries

remained steady with my response, even th

ave witho

e Ashthorne name still holds weight i

almost to himse

r a moment longe

felt Kyra stir in s

she said

. Pleas

ddenly added, "of what Moonreign Pac

pha Kaelen

e Ashthorne transfer constitutes a significant portion of Moonreign's ope

ay ever. "The pack would feel it wit

already moved to fr

't a qu

s," I said. "What Kaelen does with th

mouth moved fully. Not quite a smile, som

He didn't use the title again

bey

ch I noticed. Celeste had drifted to the far side of the room with the part

three years," Ala

be confusion. "That's not relevant

d. "But it's r

om wen

but I knew I had to open

verything, not that part of the torn dress, or the w

ications sourced and school fees paid. Three years of being a Lu

own kind of strange. I had grown accustomed to room

d, he was quie

r wedding night

the ceremon

completed

N

uilt with your own money and your family's name." His voice hadn't changed, but som

a," I said. "That he mak

his pack." He leaned back slightly. "He

ze. "Then you

ong, the one I remembered from years ago and had s

ne transfer, the marriage contract, and written confirmation that the bond

t. Quietly. Like a door unloc

, Alpha Ki

up. So

ame way he had the last time, like he'd been holding it at a

o longer anyone's Luna...." a pause, brief

steadily. "For

he petition. Without Celeste in the c

este said, without lookin

ully this time. It chang

ng. But I di

let myself think about the way Kyra was pacing until

" she said.

t," I

dn't argue with