I was different now. Stronger, not just physically, but in so many other ways.

    And I wouldn’t let the likes of Gabriel walk all over me again.

    “You forget yourself time and time again, Beta,” hissed. “From now on, you will show me the respect I deserve as your Luna.” I pressed hing harder against the door. Not enough to crush his windpipe, but just enough to cut off a bit of air. Just enough to make him panic. “And you will never, ever speak to me like that again. Do you understand me?”

    Gabriel’s face was turning red, but he was still trying to fight back. “You can’t just

    I squeezed harder, cutting off his air supplypletely. “I said, do you understand me?”

    Finally, Gabriel’s resistance crumbled. His eyes rolled back slightly as his body went limp, and he tilted his head to the side, exposing his neck in submission.

    “I… I understand, Luna,” he gasped out. “I apologize for the disrespect.”

    I held him there for another few seconds, letting him feel the full weight of my displeasure, before finally releasing him just as I heard Alexander’s car pull into the driveway, Gabriel slumped against the door, rubbing his throat and avoiding my eyes.

    “Good,” I said, straightening my clothes. “I’m d we understand each other.”

    With that, I turned and walked into the house, leaving Gabriel coughing behind me. As the door shut behind me, I heard Alexander’s voice approaching.

    “I can’t believe you marked her,” Gabriel’s voice huffed through the door.

    I didn’t pause to hear Alexander’s response.

    I had bigger things to worry about than an insubordinate Beta-such as a baby to prepare for.

    Alexander

    “She choked you out,” I pointed out. I hadn’t seen it firsthand, but I could tell from the size and shape of the red ring around his throat that my wife-my mate now-had just had her

    hand there.

    Gabriel’s jaw tightened as he rubbed his neck. “Your wife has gotten stronger.”

    “She’s not just my wife anymore. She’s my marked mate. And apparently, she’s also perfectly capable of handling disrespectful Betas.” I strode past him, noting the way Gabriel winced when I said ‘marked mate.” “What did you say to her this time?”

    “I may have suggested that her pregnancy was strategically timed.”

    I turned to stare at him. “So you used my pregnant, newly marked mate of maniption?”

    “Alexander, you have to admit the timing is suspicious. She gets sick, you start caring about her, suddenly she’s pregnant, and now you’ve marked her? It’s textbook maniption.”

    “The timing isn’t suspicious, Gabriel. It’s biology. We slept together, she got pregnant, and I marked her to save her life and our child’s. That’s how mate bonds work.’

    “But you don’t even know if you can trust her-

    “Which is why we’re going to elerate the investigation into her pack.” I turned to face him fully. “I want you to prepare one of our best spies for infiltration. It’s time we found out exactly what happened to my parents.”

    Gabriel’s eyebrows shot up. “We’ve been avoiding direct infiltration for years. It’s too risky.”

    “The risk is worth it now. I need to know if E is a threat or just a pawn in her family’s games.” I folded my arms. “If she’s innocent, then I can stop second-guessing every interaction we have. And if she’s not…''”

    I didn’t finish the sentence, but Gabriel nodded grimly.

    “I’ll make the arrangements, Alpha.”

    “Gabriel,” I called out. He paused, shoulders tensing as I said with a smirk, “Don’t cross my Luna again. Now that she has her wolf back, she’ll rip your throat out if you keep disrespecting

    her.”