All Chapters of THE LUNAR THAT WASN'T ENOUGH : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Elder Thomas spoke first. "I have grandchildren in this pack. Watching them struggle because their parents lost jobs... it breaks my heart. But asking you to abandon your own child?" He shook his head. "I can't vote for that. No matter the cost.""I can," Councilman Derek said. Everyone turned to him. "My son can't afford his medication anymore. My daughter-in-law is working three jobs. That baby you're fighting for? It'll be raised in a palace with every advantage. Our children are here, suffering now. I vote you sign."The room divided quickly. Half couldn't stomach asking their Alpha to abandon his child. Half couldn't watch their pack families struggle any longer.The vote tied. Ten to ten.Adrian looked at Alex. "You're the tiebreaker.""No.""That's an order.""Then court-martial me." Alex's voice was steel. "I'm not making this decision for you. You want to be a father? Fight for it. You want to be an Alpha? Protect your pack. But don't ask us to choose which part of you lives

"Leila, you can't make decisions based on protecting everyone else's feelings. Sometimes being honest is kinder than stringing someone along."She knew he was right. But the thought of disappointing Harry, who'd been nothing but thoughtful and patient, made her feel guilty.They reached the sitting room to find a modest wooden box on the coffee table. No elaborate wrapping, no extravagant presentation.Just a simple box with a handwritten note on top.Leila opened the note first:Princess Leila,I found this in an estate sale last week. The seller mentioned it belonged to a Lycan family from the northern territories. When I saw the inscription, I thought of you.I hope it brings comfort.Yours,HarryCurious now, Leila opened the box.Inside was a delicate music box, its wood aged but lovingly maintained. The design was intricate, tiny wolves carved around the edges, a crescent moon on the lid.But it was the inscription on the bottom that made Leila's breath catch:For Helena, with a

Madame Rousseau arrived at two o'clock sharp, followed by three assistants carrying fabric samples, sketches, and measuring equipment."Princess Leila," the stylist said with a practiced bow. "I'm honored to design your introduction gown."Madame Rousseau was in her sixties, elegant and sharp-eyed, with a reputation for dressing royalty that spanned three decades."Thank you for taking this on," Leila said."Nonsense. This is the opportunity of a lifetime." Madame Rousseau circled Leila, assessing her with a critical eye. "Stand straight, please. Arms at your sides."Leila complied, hyper-aware of her belly."You have a lovely figure," Madame Rousseau said. "Slim but feminine. We can work with this."One of the assistants began taking measurements while Madame Rousseau consulted her sketches."The ceremony is formal, so we're thinking traditional silhouettes. Perhaps an A-line with a fitted bodice? Or a ballgown with structured boning?"Both options would draw attention to Leila's tor

"Adrian, please. I just want to talk.""I said get out." He still didn't look at her. Couldn't. "You're not welcome here.""I'm your mother.""You're the woman who drove away my mate. Who called her a gold digger while she was bleeding on the ground. Who made her life hell for three years." Adrian's voice was ice. "You're not my mother. Not anymore."Silence.Then: "I made mistakes.""Mistakes?" Adrian finally looked up, and whatever his mother saw in his expression made her step back. "You abused my mate. Systematically. For years. While I stood by and let it happen.""I was trying to protect you.""From what? From happiness? From having a family?" Adrian stood, his alpha power filling the room. "Everything I've lost is because of you. Because I listened to you instead of trusting my mate.""That's not fair…""Fair?" Adrian's laugh was harsh. "You want to talk about fair? Leila endured your abuse for three years and never complained. Never fought back. Never told anyone. She just too

When had anyone ever implied she was enough exactly as she was?"I'm sorry," Harry said quickly. "I didn't mean to make you emotional.""No, it's... it's nice. Hearing that." Leila wiped her eyes. "I spent three years being told I wasn't enough. That I needed to try harder, be better, do more.""Then you were with the wrong person.""I know that now."They talked through dessert, a rich chocolate torte that Leila savored slowly. Harry asked about her foundation plans for orphanages. She asked about his pack's social programs.They found common ground in unexpected places: both believed in educational reform, both supported mental health resources for pack members, both thought traditional pack hierarchies needed modernization."The old ways worked when packs were isolated, self-sufficient communities," Harry said, gesturing with his wine glass. "But now? We're interconnected. Global. We need leadership that adapts to that reality.""My father would like you," Leila said. "He's been pu