All Chapters of Unexpected Mate: The Cruel Alpha’s Little Wolf: Chapter 101 - Chapter 110

The council meeting ended shortly before noon. The meeting dispersed gradually. Council members lingered in small groups, finishing conversations that had begun around the table. I gathered my notes before leaving the chamber alongside Elder Rowan. "You spoke more today," he observed. I looked at him. "Is that a criticism?" "Not at all." "It means you're becoming more comfortable." "I suppose I am." "You also asked the right questions." I smiled faintly. "I wasn't sure whether I was asking too many." "There is rarely harm in asking a question." "The greater danger is assuming you already know the answer." I considered that as we walked. It sounded like another of Elder Rowan's lessons. The sort that appeared simple... Until I thought about it later. When we reached the entrance hall, our paths separated. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said. "Tomorrow." I turned towards the administrative wing once more. Before I'd taken more than a few steps,

The next few days passed quietly. The Summit had left behind more paperwork than I'd thought possible, and every morning seemed to bring another stack of reports waiting on my desk before I even arrived. I was beginning to suspect they appeared when no one was looking. Fortunately... I no longer found the thought quite as daunting. By the third morning, even Elder Rowan had remarked that I was spending less time asking where to begin and more time deciding what should be done first. I chose to take that as progress. Breakfast was already laid out by the time I entered the dining room. Aurelia looked up immediately. "Good morning!" "Good morning." I crossed the room, leaning down to kiss the top of her head before taking my usual seat. Miss Agatha poured tea with her customary quiet efficiency. "Did you sleep well, my Luna?" "I did, thank you." "I hope you did too." She inclined her head. "Very well." A moment later, Kael entered. "Good morning."

The first thing I noticed... Was that Kael had begun leaving before breakfast. Not every morning. Just often enough that I started expecting to find his chair empty. The first time, I thought little of it. The second... I assumed the council had called an early meeting. By the fourth morning... I stopped asking myself why. It had simply become part of the day. "Will Daddy be back for dinner?" Aurelia asked one evening. Miss Agatha glanced briefly towards me before answering. "I'm sure he'll do his best." Aurelia accepted the answer without complaint. She was busy arranging peas into what she insisted was the shape of a rabbit. I smiled to myself. Children had a remarkable ability to make almost anything entertaining. The dining room doors opened just as dessert was being served. Kael entered. "I'm sorry." "I've kept you waiting." Aurelia looked up immediately. "You missed the rabbit." He paused. "The rabbit?" She pointed solemnly towar

The journey back to the estate gave me plenty of time to think. We had visited three villages before the afternoon came to an end. Each had its own concerns. A stretch of road that needed repairs before the rainy season. A school requesting additional books for its youngest pupils. A clinic hoping to expand one of its treatment rooms. Nothing urgent or alarming. Simply the ordinary needs of people going about their lives. Some requests could be approved immediately. Others would require discussion with the council. Even so... I was beginning to understand something. Being Luna wasn't about solving every problem at once. It was about making sure none of them were forgotten. Beside me, Elder Rowan closed the notebook in which he'd spent much of the afternoon making notes. "You've been quiet." I looked out of the window. "I've been thinking." "So I gathered." A faint smile crossed my face. "There's so much to learn." "There always will be." I t

The journey to Aurelia's school took a little under half an hour. Eventually, the vehicle slowed before a pair of tall wrought-iron gates. Mounted on stone pillars on either side was the school's name, carved neatly into polished granite. Beyond the gates, a broad, tree-lined driveway stretched towards the main school building. As we passed through, I found myself looking out of the window. The school was larger than I'd expected. The main building stood proudly at the centre of the grounds, its light stone walls and tall windows catching the late-morning sunlight. Smaller classroom buildings branched off to either side, connected by paved walkways lined with flowering shrubs. Children in matching uniforms crossed the paths in neat little groups, some chatting excitedly while others hurried along under the gentle guidance of their teachers. To one side, I caught sight of an expansive playing field where brightly painted goalposts stood ready for the afternoon. On t