bChapter /bb44 /b

The sky outside my window is already cloaked in inky darkness, scattered with the soft glow of stars. The air buzzes with anticipation–tonight is the introduction party, and somehow, I’m the center of it.

I smooth my palms down the sides of my dress again, nerves pricking at my skin. The deep blue fabric hugs my figure in all the right ces, flowing like liquid silk around my legs. It pairs perfectly with the sapphire ne resting just above my corbone, catching the light bwith /bevery breath I take.

It feels like a part of me nowb, /bas if it was always meant to be there.

I nce at my reflection onest time, hardly recognizing the woman staring back. Jasmine didn’t return to help, which worries me more than I’d like to admit–but thankfully, she left a box of makeup. I managed to apply enough to enhance my features, and for once, I feel… beautiful.

A loud horn res outside, making me jump. My heart stutters as I rush to the window and peck out.

Jack.

He’s standing beside a sleek ck carriage, dressed in a navy–blue suit that hugs his broad shoulders and fits him like sin. His dark hair is slicked back neatty, his jaw sharp and clean. Two guards nk the carriage, but all I can focus on is him—and the ridiculously romantic bouquet of roses in his hand.

He’s looking straight at my window.

I bolt out of the room before my thoughts can catch up with me and fling open the front door–just as he reaches it. He drops to one knee without hesitation, eyes sparkling.

“Flowers,” he says, his voice rich and low, “toplement your beauty.”

Iarch a browi, /itrying to act unimpressed. “Really? This from the big, bad Alpha who wants a submissive mate? You kneel now?”

He grins,pletely unfazed. “What can I say? You bring out the worst… and the best in me.”

Insideb, /bI’m screaming. But I y it cool.

“Thanks. You don’t look bad yourself.”

Jack rises and offers his arm. “I tried to match your beauty. I failed–but bI /btried.”

“I never knew you had a romantic bone in you,” I murmur as he leads me to the carriage.

“Me neither,” he chuckles, opening the door for me with an exaggerated chivalry “But here we are.”

Inside the carriage, it’s quiet but not ufortable. Jack reaches for imy /ihand, threading his fingers through mine. I nce at him, and for the first time, he looks… nervous?

“We could’ve walked,” I tease, resting my head gently against his shoulder.

“In a dress like that?” he scoffs softly. “You’re supposed to be treated like a queen.”

I roll my eyes, but a small smile tugs at my lips. The moment feels easy–like we’re just two normal mates, no games, no politics.

When the carriagees to a stop, Jack helps me down. My heels sink slightly into the grass as I take in the scene before me–an outdoor celebration lit

bynterns strung between trees.Music ys softly,ughter ripples through the air, all beneath the glow of the moon.

But the second Jack leads me forward, theughter dies. The music fades. Heads turn. Whispers begin to rise like smoke in the night.

And suddenly, I feel like I’m wearing nothing at all.

I tighten my grip on Jack’s arm and he responds with a reassuring squeeze.

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The lont be twat as princess,mons whispers

chic there tike a queen”

“, a fist nyce is he? parkling the it’s alive?

Wow not royalty?“

My shaften, but i feres myself to keep my chin high, even bas /bmy thoughts spiral. I hate this–being bat /bthe centre of attention. But bwhat /bcan I says. aded for this.

Jack stops at the centre, straightens his posture, and lets go of my hand just long enough to raise his voicemanding, clear, and unapologetically abiha

“Tonight” Jack announces, “I’m not just introducing any woman. I’m introducing the one chosen for me by the Moon Goddess herself–my mate. My dearest My son to be Luna

Gasps ripple through the crowd like a wave disturbing still water. There’s a pause–just ia /iheartbeat–of stunned silence.

Then-

“Soon to be?” a voice jeers from somewhere deep in the crowd. Male. Rough. Loud enough for all to hear “if she’s your mate, Alpha, this shouldn’t be some weak introduction party–it should be a full ceremony! And unless my eyes deceive me, she doesn’t even bear your mark. When does she start acting like a Luna? When does she start bearing your pups?”

Did he bjust/b–7

My cheeks Rame in humiliation. Beside me, Jack’s body stiffens. For a second, I think he’s going to explode. But instead, he slowly turns his head, scanning the crowd with a re sharp enough to slice through bone.

“Not that it’s any of your business,” he beginsb, /beach word sharper than thest, “or that I owe you an exnation. But I’ll say this once, for all of you- what happens between me and my mate is private. You want to know why this isn’t a ceremony?”

He pauses, his tone now biting. “Because all of you demanded I introduce another woman to you–Lady Celestia–even though you knew I had already found my true mate.”

Uneasy murmurs rise again–this time, it’s heavy with guilt.

Jack bturns /bto me and takes both of my hands in his, gently this time. My heart flutters as his thumb brushes over my knuckles.

“This is only an introduction,” he continues, looking back at the crowd. “To make it crystal clear. Lady Celestia or anyone else will never be Luna of this pack. The woman standing beside me will assume her role when she is ready. And when that timees, she will stand by my side not just as my mate, but as your rightful Luna.”

I blink rapidly, caught off guard. His words take me by surprise. He’s been kind and sweet all evening–romantic even–not the arrogant Alpha I was used ol start="10"li10. /li/ol

And I feel myself slowly, helplessly, beginning to fall.

I offer him a small smile–just for him. This moment feels perfect. Almost like a dream.

Jack’s lips curve into a confident smile. “So tonight,” he announces, “we celebrate. We drink. We dance. And when the full moon rises, we run in our wolf forms. My mate and I will lead tonight’s run, as bit /bshould be.”

Cheers erupt from the crowd, loud and wild.

But me?

My body turns to ice.

雪印膏

The area for forts, sagliter, my babi stigle from his without meaning to the brach d’tered Asting Mons in fo Tin the past part

The sucks his time furrowing “Are you alright?

b1 /bte quiety wish..

Troo`re just nervous, he says, smiling gritty bas /bbe brishes a strand of his behind my ear. Once bthe /bmoonlight touches byour /bfur, you’ll feel better. You’ll

De dei really have to brun/bb? /bI’m bnot /bI mean, I’m not Luna yet…”

“You’ve my mate,” he cuts in, bpride /bswelling in his voice. “That’s more than enough. And yes, you have to be there. They need to see you know you’re capable Show them you can blead /b

try to breathe. Try bto /bbpretend /bI’m calm

But inside?

I’m spiraling

My wall isn’t like a bnormal /bshe wolf. If they see her… they’ll bcall /bme ba /bfreak–or worse, ba /bthreat.

hopen my mouth, ready to say something–maybe lieb, /bsay I’m wolf–less, let them pity me instead of fear me but before I can speakb, /bba /bwarrior appears beside bJack/bb, /bmurmuring something about the preparations for the run.

“I’ll be right back,” Jack says, winking bas /bhe bgives /bmy hand ba /bgentle squeeze before heading toward the treeline.

As soon as he’s gone, I exhale sharply, my shoulders sagging, Fuck, what do I do?

b“/bLuna?” a familiar voice bbreaks /bthrough my panic.

I look up to see Fury stepping beside meb, /bconcern in his eyes.

i force a smile. “Yeah… I’m fine. Just… a lot of eyes on me tonight.”

He nods slowly

“Did you…bum/b… did you deliver those letters for me?” I ask quickly, hoping to change the subject before he pushes further.

“I did,” he replies. “I’ll let you know as soon as I hear anything.”

nod, grateful. “Thank you.”

He’s about to speak again when a hush suddenly falls over the crowd. Whispers roll through the air like fog

is that Lady Celestiab?/b”

She’s back?i” /i

…bWhy /bwould shee nowi?/ii” /i

“Maybe for revenge”

The crowd begins to part, slowly, as if something dangerous is walking through it.

Then I see her.

Lady Celestia

She’s walking tall, Ax cuded into a knowing smirk, nked by several royal guards. But it’s not her presence that makes my skin bcrawl/b.

203 the man beside her an older man, hunched slightly, walking with a dark wooden cane. His eyes… gods, his eyes–ck and soulless—lock onto mine, and 1 koel a chill race down my spine like ice water.

Something about him feels… wrong

Just then, beside me, 1 bear a low, stunned voice.

Iturri sharply

Fury

He’s staring straight at Lady Celestia, his expression frozen, unreadable. The word lingers in the air like ba /bcurse.

People Gasps Eyes widen. Murmurs rise.

Everyone begins to nce between Fury and Lady Celestia.

Even she seems caught off–guard for a heartbeat–but then ba /bwicked smile curves on her lips.

b“/bWell,” she says, her voice smooth and dangerous. “Isn’t this… unexpected.”