Alle Kapitel von RISE OF THE SCORNED LUNA: Kapitel 61 – Kapitel 70

ARLO The grand doors of the council hall swung shut behind me with a satisfying thud.I rolled my shoulders, shaking off the tension from that pointless meeting, and headed straight for the car. Kael would catch up soon enough; the guy probably got dragged into one of his father's lectures. Fine by me. I needed a breather anyway, and the fresh air outside beat the stuffy elder bullshit any day.The council grounds sprawled out like some ancient fortress, all stone walls and manicured lawns that screamed old money and older egos. I fished a cigarette from the pack in my jacket pocket. Flicking the lighter, I brought the flame to the tip and inhaled deeply, the smoke curling into my lungs. Exhale. Yeah, that hit the spot.A couple of elders shuffled past on their way to their own rides, their robes swishing like they were auditioning for a medieval drama. One of them, the grizzled one with the perpetual scowl, shot me a look that could curdle milk, his lips pursing in that judgment

ARLO I was deep in conversation with an associate when I caught sight of Andre weaving through the crowd. Damn it. I should have seen this coming.He looked... sharper tonight, suit tailored just right, no visible signs of being wasted or high. But he was still Andre, and I knew my big brother enough not to put it past him tonight. Yeah, he was technically part of ARKA, even if all he did was bleed resources without giving a damn thing back.I wrapped up with the associate, Viktor, quickly, excusing myself with a firm handshake and a promise to circle back. “Family calls,” I muttered, heading straight for Andre before he could vanish into the crowd again. He spotted me approaching and straightened, his usual scowl absent for once.“Arlo,” he said, tone surprisingly genuine, “I have to admit, you put together a hell of a fundraiser. The whole place is eating out of ARKA's hand.”I blinked, caught off guard. Compliments from Andre were rarer than a full moon in daylight. For once, t

KAEL The fundraiser had settled into that polished, dangerous calm I knew too well.The point where everyone had already drunk enough to loosen their tongues but not enough to forget who they were speaking to. I nursed a scotch, scanning the room out of habit, my mind half on the pack politics simmering back home and half on the lingering ache that Camile wasn’t beside me. She was probably somewhere in the crowd, no doubt turning heads in that gown we picked out.And then there was her.Yara Winters.She was gliding through the crowd, like she was the host of the event, having easy conversations. Two years since our brief introduction at some stuffy diplomatic dinner, back when the alliance talks first sparked. She'd jetted off to handle whatever international intrigue her pack demanded across the continent.Tonight was the first time I would actually see her face-to-face.The rumors hadn’t exaggerated.She was striking in a way that wasn’t just physical, though she was undeniably

CAMILE It was my birthday.I knew it was, my phone calendar reminded me first thing in the morning, but somehow, it didn’t feel like it at all.The day moved like any other. No calls, no messages, no dramatic “happy birthday” interruptions. Just work. Someone at the office remembered, I guess. Or maybe HR did. A limp-looking card was dropped on my desk sometime before noon, signed by people who barely spoke to me outside work. Happy Birthday, printed in a generic font like an afterthought.I stared at it for a while before I crumpled it into my drawer and tried to focus on the spreadsheets blurring before my eyes.Truth was, I didn't give a damn about anyone else. The only people who mattered were Arlo and Kael, but even they seemed oblivious and that was the part that hurt. They didn’t say anything all day. I even dressed up, more than usual, took extra time with my makeup, wore a dress I knew Kael called dangerous and heels Arlo said made my legs look so sexy.Nothing. Then I we

SIXTY-NINE ARLO But before I could suggest we leave this place and go grab a drink, or better still, go right into the hands of the very woman that caused all these stir, a sharp voice sliced through the quiet from the doorway. “Arlo. My study. Now.” Cassius. “Oh, oh…” Kael teased and I nudged him. I honestly thought he left with Dimitri. I turned around and saw him standing there, arms crossed over his broad chest, his face neutral but I knew better. His eyes had signs barely contained fury, fury he didn’t show one bit when the elders of the council were here. The lines around his eyes deepened, silver streaks in his dark hair catching the dim light. “Someone is in trouble,” Kael teased again and I gave him a look. Cassius didn't wait for a response before he turned on his heel and strode off, expecting obedience like always. I rolled my eyes, pushing up from the table with a groan. “Duty calls,” I muttered to Kael, who clapped my shoulder as a way to tell me I should