LOGINKAELThe rain fell harder between us after my words settled into the silence.Christine looked away first not because she was dismissing me but because she looked emotionally exhausted.I stared at her another second before pulling my coat off silently and stepping closer.She noticed immediately when I placed it carefully around her shoulders.Her fingers tightened slightly against the fabric from the reflex.Then her eyes lifted toward me slowly.“You came back fast.”There was no accusation in her voice, just a quiet realization.I leaned against the concrete railing beside her while the city glowed beneath the rain below us.“Yes.”That single word seemed to hit her harder than an explanation would have because Christine was intelligent enough to understand what it meant.I abandoned Moonblade pack immediately after Darius contacted me.I left the elders, the council, the succession discussions and the political pressure waiting for me there.I left all of it unfinished just for h
CHRISTINEI knew something was wrong the moment I walked into the living room.Nathan was already awake which wasn't unusual anymore lately but this time, the atmosphere felt heavier, too quiet and tense.Three different screens glowed across the dining table while lines of code and message traffic moved rapidly across them.Nathan didn’t look up immediately when I entered the kitchen and that alone unsettled me.
KAEL“Alpha Kael has returned.”The announcement echoed across the massive stone gates just before dawn as the vehicle crossed into my pack. Cold mountain air hit immediately once the gates opened fully and the scent of pine, snow and werewolf territory spread sharply through the air.Moonfall city always smelled like steel, rain and crowded ambition but Moonblade pack smelled ancient and alive.
CHRISTINE“Kael left before sunrise.”Nathan’s voice drifted across the kitchen while I stood near the counter pretending to focus on the coffee machine instead of the stack of unfinished documents beside me.My hand paused briefly around the mug and Nathan noticed instantly.I continued pouring coffee like it meant absolutely nothing.“When was I supposed to care?”Nathan snorted softly before walking deeper into the penthouse kitchen.“Apparently sometime between glaring at his messages and pretending not to think about him.”I grabbed a napkin immediately and threw it at his face and he caught it easily.He was a very annoying person. “The council meeting got moved forward,” Nathan continued while reaching for another coffee mug. “His pack demanded his presence earlier than expected.”I leaned back slightly against the counter. “So Darius is handling things here?”“For now.”Something about the answer unsettled me anyway.The city already felt different this morning and sharper
STEPHANIEConversations softened the moment I stepped into the upper hall, not fully silent but just quieter and controlled.The kind of reaction influence created naturally inside Moonfall’s noble circles.I was here to attend a private political dinner. Crystal chandeliers reflected gold light across polished marble while servers moved carefully between politicians, merchants, bloodline representatives and territory officials. Music floated softly somewhere near the far balcony, but even beneath the elegance, tension still existed underneath the city tonight.You could feel it.More guards were stationed near entrances, more enforcement movement outside and more whispers travelled between tables whenever Moon Blade security crossed the hall.Kael was tightening control across Moonfall aggressively now and everybody knew it.Nobody said Christine’s name openly but they didn’t need to.I accepted a glass from a passing server before continuing through the gathering calmly.Eyes fol
KAELSilence settled heavily inside the office after I read the message attached to the dead informant.Nathan and Christine were still on the screen while Darius stood beside the desk waiting quietly for my response.“What happened?” Christine asked from the screen but I didn't answer.I stared at the paper for maybe two seconds too long before speaking coldly.“Do not let her leave the penthouse alone tomorrow.”Christine reacted immediately. “I’m standing right here.”I ignored her completely as my eyes stayed on Nathan instead.“If anything unusual happens, you contact me first.”Nathan looked exhausted already. “You’re acting like she’s under security lockdown.”“She might need to be.”Christine scoffed instantly. “I’m not a prisoner.”My gaze finally shifted toward her through the screen.“No, you’re bait.” I said calmly and that landed exactly the way I expected.She went visibly still for half a second before irritation replaced the reaction immediately.“You’re unbelievable.”







