Chapter 2

Claire looked from my stomach to Mattew’s face.

“Pregnant? But I can’t smell a mate on you.” She paused. “Does the father even know?”

My mark was beneath my collar, and I had used a scent suppressant before the flight because pregnancy had made strong scents unbearable.

“My husband knows,” I said. “He’s joining me here.”

Mattew’s expression hardened, but before he could question me, I pointed to the sign in his hand.

“Aren’t you here to collect me? Let’s go.”

Marcus laughed. Claire glanced at the sign, then back at me.

“We’re waiting for the Luna of Blackwood Pack. Alpha King David’s mate. Do you understand who that is?”

“Yes. I do.”

“Then you should understand why we don’t have time for this,” Mattew said.

“The King rarely lets anyone close,” Marcus added. “But he listens to his Luna. If she supports our application, Riverdale could finally get Blackwood’s protection.”

Claire lifted her chin. “He waited years to find her, you know. A man like that could have chosen anyone, but he refused to settle.”

I remembered David telling me about the council members who had urged him to take a mate for political advantage. When I asked why he hadn’t, he had looked surprised.

“Because I would have had to spend my life with her.”

It had seemed so simple to him. He had never asked one woman to wait while he gave her place to another.

“Last month, he had the Moon’s Tear brought from Europe for her,” Claire continued. “Have you seen the photographs? Every jeweler is selling copies.”

She noticed the pendant at my throat and stopped.

“Where did you get that?”

Mattew reached for it. I stepped back, keeping my hand over the moonstone.

“It was a gift.”

“From this husband of yours?” His gaze moved over the setting. “It’s a convincing copy. I’ll give him that.”

David had fastened it around my neck on our anniversary. Our son had insisted on helping, and David had held him up so he could move my hair out of the way.

I still remembered their faces in the mirror behind me.

“Think what you like,” I said. “Don’t touch it.”

Mattew caught the chain before I could move away. The clasp broke under his pull, scraping my neck.

“Give it back.”

Claire took it from him and examined the pendant.

“It’s better than the one I ordered,” she admitted. “But I’d never wear mine to a royal reception.”

“You bought a copy?” Marcus asked.

“For comparison.” She turned the moonstone over quickly, then smiled at me. “I’ll buy this one from you, Georgia. Whatever you paid, I’ll double it.”

“It isn’t for sale.”

“Don’t be difficult. You clearly need the money.”

She let it swing from one finger. I reached for it, afraid she would drop it.

“Give it back. David gave that to me.”

Mattew slapped me.

My head snapped sideways. For a moment, all I could hear was the ringing in my ear. I steadied myself against my suitcase and tasted blood.

“Don’t drag the King into this,” he said. “Do you have any idea what those lies could cost us?”

Marcus stepped closer. “We’ve spent months arranging this visit. If the Luna hears you’re using her husband’s name—”

“Then let her hear it.”

I wiped my mouth and looked at Mattew. His eyes dropped to the blood on my fingers, and he stopped speaking.

For years, he had told me Claire needed his protection. He had just struck me in front of her, and she was still holding my necklace.

“Mattew was trying to help you,” Claire said. “You know how much this alliance means to him. Why would you try to ruin it?”

“I asked for my necklace.”

“You claimed the King gave it to you,” Mattew snapped. “All because you can’t stand Claire having something you want.”

“She’s holding something that belongs to me.”

He glanced at the pendant, then reached into his jacket. I thought he might finally tell her to return it.

Instead, he took out his checkbook.

He wrote an amount and held the check toward me.

“Twenty thousand dollars. Buy yourself some clothes and find somewhere to stay. If you don’t want to look after Claire’s son, I’ll find you another job.”

I didn’t take it.

“Georgia, I’m giving you a way to put this behind us.”

There was no apology for hitting me. He was waiting for me to accept the money so he could call the matter settled.

I pushed his hand aside and turned to Claire.

“The necklace. Now.”

She looked at Mattew. When he gave a curt nod, she let me take it.

I put the broken chain in my bag, then picked up my suitcase.

“Keep your money, Mattew. I haven’t asked you for a thing.”