Chapter 5

VULCAN

The West Wing had wide corridors and large windows that let in natural light during the day. Vulcan's room was on the last floor along with his mother's quarters, the formal dining room, his private study, and the personal gym he'd installed last year.

The floor below held the Luna's chambers, currently occupied by Paula, and on the same level were Liam and Maeve's rooms, positioned strategically so they could respond quickly if he needed them.

He climbed the stairs alone, leaving Liam and Maeve to head to their own rooms, and pushed open the door to his quarters. The space was minimalist by design with clean lines, dark colors, a massive bed he rarely used for sleeping, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the forest beyond.

He stripped off his clothes and stepped into the shower, letting the hot water beat down on his shoulders and back, trying not to think about the scars covering his skin like a roadmap of pain.

Luna Gwen had been creative with her punishments.

She'd ordered him flogged a hundred times on his back, adding a special rule to make it worse. Every time he flinched, they started the count over from the beginning.

The first few times he'd failed immediately, unable to stop his body from reacting, and they'd started over and over until he learned to go somewhere else in his mind, to separate himself from what was happening to his body.

Eventually he'd gotten good at it, good enough that he could take a hundred lashes without moving, without making a sound. The pain stopped hurting the way it used to and started feeling pleasant.

Luna Gwen had noticed the change and increased the punishments. She added starvation, locking him in dark cold cells and other creative tortures, but was always careful to hide the evidence before Alpha Rochar returned from his trips.

And his father never questioned why his son was so quiet or why he flinched when people moved too quickly near him.

Luna Gwen had told him she was training Vulcan to be an Alpha befitting of the Dark Howl Pack, and Rochar had believed her because it was easier than asking questions.

Vulcan finished bathing, dried himself and buttoned his shirt slowly as he dressed, covering the scars, and stepped out of his room.

His mother's quarters were just down the hall. He knocked softly, not wanting to startle her. The head maid opened the door and bowed before slipping past him, leaving him alone with his mother.

She sat at her vanity table in a beautiful emerald dress that brought out the gold in her hair. She'd used makeup to cover the scars on her face the way she always did when appearing in public.

Every time he saw those scars, anger rose up fresh and burning at Luna Gwen, at the assassins, at himself for being the reason she'd been targeted.

"Mom."

She jerked out of her thoughts and turned to look at him. Despite the makeup, anyone could tell at first glance that her eyes were red and puffy from crying.

"Oh, my baby." Her voice was soft, worried. "How are you?"

"I'm fine but I'm worried about you."

She stood and walked toward him, hands trembling as she smoothed down her dress. "What is this I'm hearing about you marrying that girl? Please tell me you were joking, that you only said it to get me to agree to dinner."

He wished he could tell her what she wanted to hear, but he'd never lied to his mother. "I'm sorry but I really am marrying her."

The silence that followed was suffocating.

He knew she was disappointed. They'd gotten an email a month earlier that Olivia Hawthorne had turned eighteen and was preparing for her shifting ceremony, so they'd begun wedding preparations.

But days later, they'd gotten Mike's letter on the morning of the battle. Luna Michelle had stood before them with tears streaming down her face and told them Mike and his entire family had died in the fighting, that there was nothing left to save.

His mother turned to look at him. "You know I'm not pressuring you like the elders, right? And you don't love Paula, so why are you doing this? I hope it's not for me. I don't want you to get revenge for me. All I want is for you to be happy, Vulcan. To live a normal life."

I'm beyond redemption, Mom, and I'm sorry for everything I've put you through.

"I can't bear to see you this broken," he said instead. "Everything will get better with time and even if I don't love Paula, she's my mate. It makes sense to have her as Luna so she can give me an heir."

His mother sobbed and pressed her hand to her mouth. "You should be with the woman you love, Vulcan."

"But Mom, you wanted me to be with another woman I don't know if I'd loved."

"Not any woman. You would have loved Mike's child, I'm certain of it. Any child Mike raised, you would have loved if you met her. She was such a sweet child." His mother's voice broke.

"But you only met her when she was three."

"Oh Vulcan." Her eyes brightened slightly. "I wish you'd met her then. I'm certain you would have agreed with me. She was so adorable as a child. Oh Mike." She began sobbing again.

"It's okay, Mom." He put his hand on her shoulder. "If you don't feel like coming to dinner, I'll understand."

She wiped the tears rolling down her cheeks. "No, I'll attend. I'd love to see the daughter of Alpha Ravick."

He couldn't miss the sudden flash of pain, and resentment in her eyes. Despite everything she'd been through, this was the first time he'd heard her speak with anger toward someone.

"Let's head to dinner," she said finally, pulling herself together with visible effort.

They walked out together and made their way toward the dining hall, his mother's hand resting lightly on his arm. The dining room was already set. The candles were lit, food laid out and he could see Liam and Maeve standing near the windows talking in low voices.

And then they saw her.

Paula sat on the table in a light blue sleeveless dress that hugged her curves, her red curls falling around her shoulders, hands clasped in front of her. She looked nervous, small and absolutely terrified.

His mother's grip on his arm tightened suddenly. He looked down at her with concern.

She was staring at Paula with an expression he couldn't read, her face pale, her eyes wide.

"Mom? What's wrong?"

She didn't answer, just kept staring at Paula with shock written boldly across her face.

And then she whispered almost inaudibly.

"Are you sure that's the daughter of Silvermoon's Alpha??"