All Chapters of Lunar Lake: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

62 (Tyler’s POV) The council hall smelled like polished wood and old secrets. A long table of dark oak cut through the middle of the room, flanked by high-backed chairs carved with the crest of my pack. The elders were already seated when I walked in, Kate at my side, Camerin a silent wall just behind us. Rowan, Malik, and Grant filed in like they owned the air itself. They didn’t bow. They didn’t need to. Alphas bowed to no one not even each other, unless blood forced it. Kate kept her chin high as we took our seats at the head of the table. She settled beside me, her hand resting on the table’s edge. I felt her thumb tap once, twice, against the wood, the only sign she was anything but carved from stone. Rowan leaned back in his chair, one arm draped lazily over the back. “Shall we begin?” Elder Corwin, the oldest and most insufferable of the five, cleared his throat. “Alpha Tyler, we thank you for gathering us today. The matter of Jaxson’s land…” “Is not up for debate,” I cu

64 (Kathryn’s POV) The dining hall glowed with soft candlelight and the warm hum of voices. Long tables stretched end to end, dressed in white linen and polished silver. The air carried the scent of roasted meats and fresh bread, layered with the subtle tension of too many powerful wolves forced to be civil under the same roof. I sat at Tyler’s right, as Celia instructed Luna's place, close enough that every wolf could see where my loyalty lay. He rested a hand on my knee beneath the table, his thumb tracing lazy circles that betrayed none of the simmering authority in his voice whenever he spoke. To my left sat Mirella, her posture regal and her wine untouched. Across from us, the other Alphas and their Lunas formed a tight arc of polite smiles and guarded eyes. Plates clinked. Cutlery scraped. Conversation rose and fell like the cautious flick of tails before a fight. Celia leaned behind me, pouring more wine into my glass before gliding down the line to check plates and w

66 (Kathryn’s POV) The morning sun spilled across the courtyard in streaks of gold and gray. Warriors moved in crisp lines, hauling trunks and crates to waiting SUVs. The rumble of engines starting up broke the quiet, mixing with the chatter of ranked wolves giving last-minute orders. Tyler stood beside me at the top of the steps, his arm draped protectively around my waist, fingers tapping lightly against my hip. It should’ve been comforting and it was but there was tension coiled tight in him too, barely leashed. Below, Mirella spoke with her mate, Alpha Rowan, their heads bent close in a final exchange of words too low for me to catch. Nearby, the other Lunas gathered their cloaks and bags, their sleek poise only cracking when they thought no one was watching a huff here, a tight frown there. The council’s bickering had left a taste in everyone’s mouths. “Is it always like this?” I asked, just loud enough for Tyler to hear. He huffed a laugh against my hair. “Not always. Som

68 (Katryn’s POV) I didn’t sleep much. I rested, sure Tyler wrapped around me like armor I didn’t know I needed but my mind wouldn’t be quiet. By the time dawn turned the windows pale gray, I was up, standing in front of the mirror lacing my hair back tight, my stomach twisting with nerves and something that tasted like determination. Tyler watched me from the bed, propped up on one elbow. He looked unfairly calm for a man about to throw his mate to the floor repeatedly. “Last chance to back out,” he said, voice still scratchy with sleep. “Not a chance,” I shot back, tying off my braid. I grabbed a hoodie, tugged it over my head, and turned to face him. “Come on, Alpha. Let’s get this over with.” Camerin was already waiting for us at the training grounds, an open circle of dirt and grass near the tree line, surrounded by a few curious warriors who’d caught wind of what was about to happen. He gave me a nod, arms crossed, eyes sharp as ever. “You ready, Luna?” he called. I stepp

70 (Kathryn’s POV) Morning dew still clung to the grass when I stepped onto the training grounds. My boots squelched through it, cold soaking through the seams, but I didn’t care. I’d barely slept, mind racing with every scenario of how this would go and when I did drift off, I dreamed of claws and teeth and the dark thrum of power that was Tyler when he let Goliath come close to the surface. Tyler was already there. He’d stripped off his shirt a clear message that this wasn’t some gentle warmup. His bare chest gleamed with sweat from stretching and his wolf eyes, those pale, hungry golds tracked me like prey the second I crossed the line. He tossed me a padded helmet, which I caught on reflex. “You won’t need that,” he said, voice calm but edged with warning, “but it’ll make Camerin feel better.” Camerin stood off to the side, arms crossed, face unreadable. He’d laid out mats on the hard-packed earth, but the soft courtesy didn’t fool me. This was going to hurt. I strapped on t