Chapter 2

The smile on Damon’s face faded.

“Evelyn, it’s been five years. Are you still throwing a tantrum over what happened?”

He folded his arms across his chest and looked down at me with open arrogance.

“I forgave you for slapping me a long time ago. Don’t worry. I won’t let you starve.”

“I don’t need your forgiveness.” I gave a cold laugh. “I’m the Luna of the Frostmoon Pack, and I’m here tonight as Frostmoon’s representative.”

Damon froze for a moment before bursting into laughter.

The guests at the neighboring tables set down their wineglasses and turned to look at me.

“Frostmoon’s Luna?”

He lowered his head and stared into my face.

“Do you even know who Kieran is? He’s the Alpha King of pure Lane blood, and he’s also the chairman of the Pack Council.”

Damon’s eyes remained fixed on me, his voice thick with ridicule.

“You seriously think he would mark a filthy, stinking rogue and make her his Luna Queen?”

Vivian handed the pup to an attendant and walked toward us with a smile.

“Do you have any idea how much effort Damon and I put into getting the Alpha King and Luna Queen to attend this celebration? And you think you can just claim their seats because you say so?”

She pointed toward the two high-backed chairs in the center of the hall.

“You’re not even qualified to wipe those chairs clean.”

The guests burst into mocking laughter as countless contemptuous gazes landed on me.

“No wonder she refused to be a nanny. Apparently, she’s the Luna Queen of the Frostmoon Pack.”

“You know what? She almost sounds convincing.”

“I guess when a rogue is out on her own, she can give herself whatever title she wants.”

I looked at Damon. “The guard already checked my invitation. You can call him over and have him verify it again.”

“That’s enough!” Damon’s expression darkened as he raised a hand and summoned the steward. “Bring me a nanny contract.”

The steward quickly returned with the document.

Damon spread it across the table and personally wrote down the payment.

“Three gold coins a month. That’s six times what an ordinary nanny earns.”

“And unlike the other servants, who share four to a room, I’ll give you a private room.”

His pen paused before he added two more conditions.

“But you’re not allowed to tell my pup anything about our past, and you’re not allowed to tell anyone that you used to be my lover.”

I glanced down at the two lines without taking the contract and let out a bitter laugh.

Vivian picked up a glass of wine and spoke leisurely as she took a sip.

“From now on, you’ll report to me three times a day. I want to know exactly how much the pup eats and how long he sleeps.”

“And whenever you see me, lower your head and address me as Luna. Don’t make the same mistake you did before and forget where you belong.”

Looking at their arrogant expressions, I nearly laughed out loud.

I had no interest in wasting any more words on them, so I turned to leave.

A hand suddenly clamped around my wrist.

Damon had grabbed me.

His grip was so strong that it felt as though he might crush the bones in my wrist.

“I’m trying to help you out of kindness, and you still don’t know what’s good for you.”

His voice abruptly stopped when his gaze fell on my sleeve.

My moonstone mate bracelet had slipped into view, revealing the Frostmoon crest engraved on it.

“Oh?” Vivian exclaimed softly as she immediately stepped closer.

“That pattern is exclusive to the Frostmoon Luna Queen!”

She looked up, the corners of her mouth tightening. “Wow. You even had a replica made of the Frostmoon royal mate token. Who exactly are you trying to fool?”

“Don’t touch me!” I forcefully wrenched my wrist out of Damon’s grasp.

Damon stared at the bracelet around my wrist, his expression growing darker by the second.

“You’re wearing a mate bracelet. Did you take another wolf as your mate?”

“That’s none of your business.”

Damon scoffed. “He can’t even afford the real thing, so he lets you walk around wearing a fake and embarrassing yourself.”

He pulled a pouch of gold coins from his coat and shook it in front of me.

“If you’re short on money, come to me. Tell your mate to find me, and I’ll arrange some work for him so you don’t have to support him by lying to people.”

I was about to respond when I heard familiar footsteps behind me.

Noah was running toward me with a bright smile on his face, calling out as he came, “Mommy!”

His nanny hurried after him, which made it obvious that the little boy had been too eager to see me to wait.

I crouched down and opened my arms, and he threw himself straight into my embrace.

Damon’s hand froze around the pouch of coins.

His gaze locked onto Noah’s face.