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“I know Damon may have served his selfish interests and acted from a place of righteousness against you, but think about the discord that will arise when the pack becomes aware of the full extent of what is going on. And then you bring a stranger to lead them as your Mate? One rejected by even her own pack? One who is at the root of the discord itself?”

“This pack needs a Luna.” Kieran’s normal tone is back now, sounding like an Alpha. “Someone strong, someone who understands what it means to fight and survive. And Hazel is exactly that. She’s my Fated Mate. I can't turn my back on that. I see why the Goddess blessed me with our bond now.”

The bond hums louder, my wolf reacting to his words with an ache that feels almost physical. But I push it aside, my chest tight with doubt.

Ayana’s voice pulls me back to the kitchen. “Hazel? You okay?”

I force a nod, my throat tight. “Yeah. Just…distracted.”

She gives me a curious look but doesn’t press, her attention returning to the sandwiches.

I glance toward the door again, Kieran’s words echoing in my mind.

She’s my Mate. I can’t turn my back on that.

But trust doesn’t come easy, and Kieran has a long way to go before I can believe in his words. For now, I’ll keep my guard up. It’s safer that way.

“I’m not supposed to be having fun making grilled cheese alone, Hazel.” Ayana walks over with a plate of delicious-looking sandwiches.

I shrug, avoiding her gaze. “I’m sorry.”

“Is it him?”

I frown, but it’s weak.

Ayana gives me a look, her brows pinched with both concern and curiosity. “What did he say this time?”

I recount what I overheard, my voice steady even as my heart stumbles over the details. Ayana listens intently, her expression softening with each word as she munches on one of the sandwich halves .

When I finish, she leans back, her arms crossed. “That’s…a lot. Do you believe him?”

I shake my head, frustration bubbling to the surface. “I don’t know. Part of me wants to, but after everything he’s done, how can I?”

Her lips purse thoughtfully. “People change, Hazel. Sometimes it takes a hard wake-up call for them to realize they’ve been wrong.”

“That doesn’t mean I have to forgive him,” I snap, the bitterness in my voice surprising even me.

“No, you don’t,” she says calmly, offering me a sandwich.

The weight of her words settles over me, but before I can respond, the door bursts open.

Nina strides in like she owns the place, even with the new situation of her brother, Damon, being a slimy traitor.

Her perfectly coiffed hair and sharp copper eyes radiate superiority, but I know it's a bluff.

She can't have any power now due to Damon’s situation.

She takes one look at me and smirks, the kind of smirk that makes my wolf bristle.

I won't be surprised if she’s just like her brother, a conniving weak link of the pack.

“Well, isn’t this cozy?” she drawls, crossing her arms. “The little Nightclaw charity case, feeling comfortable, as if she’s Luna already.”

My fists clench at my sides. “What do you want, Nina?” I just want to ram my fist into that symmetrical face of hers.

She tilts her head, her smirk widening. “I thought I’d remind you of your place. Kieran might be entertaining this…fantasy for now, but he’ll come to his senses. He always does.”

Ayana steps between us, her expression fierce. “Back off, Nina. You’re not helping anyone with your jealous tantrum.”

“Jealous?” Nina laughs, the sound cold and sharp. “Please. I’m just stating the obvious. Hazel doesn’t belong here. She’s nothing but a liability.”

My wolf snarls, her anger coursing through me like fire.

“Say what you want, Nina, but I’m not going anywhere.

If Kieran has an issue with that, he can tell me himself.

” I don’t know where that came from. There’s no use going back and forth with her.

I don’t even want to be Kieran’s Luna. It was once a dream, a dream that made me feel like I could belong.

Like I was a wolf after all. But that was a long time ago. And the dream is dead now.

Nina’s eyes narrow, her lips curling into a sneer. “Don’t kid yourself. Kieran needs a Luna who’s more than just a decent fighter. Someone with grace, intelligence, loyalty—”

“Like you?” Ayana cuts in, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

Nina glares at her, but before she can respond, the garden door opens.

Kieran steps inside, his presence filling the room instantly. His sharp blue eyes sweep over the scene, lingering on me before narrowing at Nina.

“What’s going on here?” he asks, his voice low and commanding.

Nina’s demeanor shifts instantly, her hostility melting into practiced sweetness. “Just a friendly chat, Alpha.”

“Friendly?” I snort, rolling my eyes and crossing my arms. “That’s one way to describe it.”

His gaze locks onto mine, and the tension in the room shifts.

We haven’t been in the same space since that night.

I’ve rejected every advance he’s made to get through to me.

It’s no use. But Goddess, this pull to him is exasperating.

The way his lips loosen. The hastened beat of his heart.

The delicious scent of his musk mixed with the light fruit smell from the garden.

Desire pools in my core and between my legs like a steady thrum that makes my skin flush and my heart race.

I feel it before I even realize what’s happening, the heat is building in my chest, spreading through my limbs like wildfire.

Ayana told me this was a possibility because I didn't spend time around my Mate, and the seal is only going to worsen my wolf's estrus each time.

The healer said so as I was passed out. I've become so weak from rejecting Kieran.

My breath catches, my knees threatening to buckle as a wave of need crashes over me.

It's even worse than when I was a Nightclaw Omega, and now, it overwhelms my senses to the point where I feel nothing but primal lust for my Mate. If I don't have him, I am bound to suffer like this forever.