LOGINLanaI didn’t even realize I was holding my breath until it came out in a shaky exhale.My fingers were pressed flat against the door, my ear almost glued to the wood as I listened. Every word. Every damn word.Diego’s voice slid through first, smooth and casual as ever.“It was just a party,” he said, he sounded amused. “People attend parties all the time. I don’t really see the issue.”My brows pulled together.What the hell…?Why was he defending me?No not me. I reminded myself.Still… it didn’t make sense.Someone else scoffed inside. An elder, I think.“So you’re excusing this disgrace?” he snapped. “The Luna of the entire kingdom reduced to... this?”My stomach twisted.Gods… they were really saying it out loud.My throat suddenly felt dry. Part of me wanted to burst in. I just wanted to kick the damn door open and shut them all up myself. My wolf stirred under my skin, restless and angry, begging me to do it.But I didn’t. I stayed right where I stood because Ashton was inside
LanaI didn’t move. For a second… I actually couldn’t.An orgy…?My brows pulled together slowly as my squeezed against the a metal pole behind me.No. No, I must’ve heard that wrong.I strained my body to listen again, hoping, seriously hoping I was misunderstanding things.But the voices didn’t change.“…I’m telling you, it’s true.” I heard them whisper.“They said she was completely and utterly wasted!”A quiet scoff escaped from their mouths. “Disgusting.”My stomach turned.This wasn’t a joke.That wasn’t even close to a joke.That was venom. Pure, nasty venom.My chest tightened as something cold pricked under my skin.What the hell is this…?I didn’t wait to hear more of what they had to say.I stepped out from behind the pillar and walked straight out of the storage block, my pace faster than I intended. The air outside suddenly felt different. I felt too open and exposed.That caused my wolf to growl.My mind kept replaying their conversation over and over again.Orgy. Drunk.
Amethyst“Your sister is becoming a damn problem!"Diego’s voice echoed across the room like a cannon.I didn’t bother looking up right away.Diego had been pacing on that green carpet for the past five minutes with a glass in hand, muttering curses under his breath like his wolf chewing on a bone that refused to break.“All of this is because that little bitch decided to ask questions." He snapped, throwing one hand in the air.Ever since Dianne came running in earlier, breathless and wide-eyed, spilling her little story about my nosey sister asking for documents regarding Silvercrest’s “expansion,” Diego had been losing his mind ever since.I should be losing my mind too, but I was far too elegant for that.“Do you even understand what she asked for?” Diego went on, dragging a hand through his hair. “Expansion documents. Records and reports. All of those!”“They don’t exist, Amethyst.”I watched him quietly. Diego rarely panicked. That was one thing I always admired about him. Eve
Lana“Luna Sapphire, how did things go in Silvercrest regarding the border patrol dispute?”Councilman Elder Edward asked, leaning slightly from across the table as the council meeting kickstarted.Routine had returned rather early. The next morning after my return from Silvercrest, I found myself seated at the long crescent-shaped council table beside Ashton.Several heads turned toward me, all anticipating a good yet plain response.“It went well,” I replied calmly.“As you all know, the winter floods pushed the riverbank further into Silvercrest territory. Patrols from our pack and theirs were still using outdated maps, which caused repeated encounters along the border.”A few council members murmured knowingly. “Typical,” someone even muttered.I continued. “With the help of the three delegates the king sent to me, we did a review on the patrol routes and redesigned the boundary lines based on the river’s current position.”My fingers gestured lightly toward the documents placed b
LanaI had honestly expected that answer from Dianne Castelle.The moment she blinked at me and asked What operation? I almost laughed.Of course, she pretended not to know.In situations like these, people always did the desperate thing where they acted confused at first in a bid to purchase extra time while their brains scrambled to build a lie significantly strong enough to survive a few more questions.I tilted my head slightly, my eyes studied Dianne’s face the way a hunter studied a nervous animal.“Let me ask again,” I said calmly, my voice sounding harmless enough.“Silvercrest’s recent expenditures. Money like that doesn’t just disappear. It has to be going somewhere, doesn’t it? Somewhere important."Her eyes flickered for half a second. There it was. The crack.I watched realization dawn on her face that she had already stepped into the trap when she pretended not to understand the question. Now she had to recover immediately.“Oh, right!” She 'realized' suddenly as her exp
LanaBy the time the meeting started the next morning, the air in Silvercrest council chamber already felt heavy.I could feel the tension prickle at my skin where I sat—at the center seat meant for the Luna.Sapphire had probably sat in one of these meetings before with her head lowered, saying very little or nothing while everyone else talked over her.But that wasn’t happening today.On my left sat two elders from the King’s Estate, their dark cloaks marking them as royal representatives.Ashton had sent them himself, which honestly made me feel a little less alone in this room full of Silvercrest wolves.Across from me was Amethyst, that smug diaplay on her face consistent as ever. And there was Diego who sat relaxed in insouciance.One elbow rested casually on the table, his fingers loosely intertwined like he was attending a pleasant afternoon discussion instead of a meeting meant to resolve a border dispute between two territories.When his eyes met mine, he let out a light smi







