I don’t let myself hesitate, though. It won’t be good for Mahl to see me as someone who is trying to work around him, picking the best answer.I want to present to him what he thinks the perfect Luna and queen should be: simple, pure – generous of spirit and always, always supporting her Alpha’s choices, whatever they may be.Complete bullshit, of course – but a role I’m well accustomed to playing. I’ve been doing it most of my life.“I think,” I say, looking down at my plate and picking up a fork, poking around at a few pieces of melon. “That you are sorry for scaring me a little last night. Which you did.”“I am sorry, little wife,” he murmurs, leaning forward, his voice soft. I turn my face back towards him, letting him see a little sadness there. “Tell me,” he urges. “What did you think of it?”“I think it was more violent than I’m used to, but I think the man deserved to die,” I lie softly. “I think the people saw that you take a hard line when it comes to your family, the things

“I was surprised to find you here,” Mahl says softly, his heavy arm still wrapped around my shoulder as we walk back to the palace. “I had heard Auden ordered horses to be brought and assumed he was selecting for the Betas. I hadn’t expected the children, but your presence was the true surprise.” “I met them in the hall in the children’s wing,” I say casually, which was not a lie. I don’t bother to mention that I went to the children’s wing looking for them. “Vivianna mentioned they were choosing horses; Auden invited me along.” “You know,” Mahl says, pitching his voice low and raising a hand to hook a finger beneath my chin. “If you like children that much, we can give you one of your own.” I blush then, genuinely. Because the last thing I want, honestly, is to give Vivi and Niall a new sibling that’s both brother and uncle. And I do not want, at all, to participate in any activities that would allow me to get pregnant with that child. Mahl laughs at what he perceives to be my co