Page 130 of His to Hunt

My phone vibrates silently on the nightstand. I check the screen—Sebastian. Again. I slide out of bed carefully,making sure not to disturb Luna, and move to the hallway before accepting the call.

"This better be important," I say quietly, closing the bedroom door behind me.

"It is," Sebastian replies, his voice tense even through the phone. "The police have officially ruled Finch's death as self-defense during a kidnapping situation."

I exhale slowly, some of the tension easing from my shoulders. "Good."

"Your statement about finding him in the process of assaulting Luna, combined with the evidence of her injuries and the security footage from the gallery showing her being taken... It all checks out." There's a pause, then, "You got lucky, Beckett."

"Luck had nothing to do with it," I reply, moving toward the kitchen. "Evidence doesn't lie."

"Still, it's over. Officially. No charges."

No charges. No investigation. No consequences—at least not legal ones—for what I did to Christopher Finch in that warehouse. The relief I feel isn't for myself. It's for Luna. She won't have to relive that night in court testimony or police interviews. She can heal without that additional trauma.

"What about Baine?" I ask, changing the subject.

"Federal custody," Sebastian confirms. "The evidence was overwhelming. Corporate espionage, attempted theft of trade secrets... He's looking at fifteen years, minimum. No one at the Club is lifting a finger to help him."

"And Preston?"

"Acting as interim head of the Collectors until a formal vote. He's been asking about you. About Luna."

I pour myself a glass of water, considering the implications. Preston Wolfe has always been the most pragmatic of theCollectors—not overly bound by tradition, but still respectful of the Club's overall purpose. His interest could be benign or dangerous, depending on his motivations.

"What exactly does he want to know?" I ask.

"Officially? He wants to acknowledge Luna as your protected Possession within the Club. Complete immunity from any future claims or challenges."

That gets my attention. Such acknowledgments are rare—usually reserved for particularly valuable Possessions or ones with complicated histories. The fact that Preston is offering it suggests he knows more about Luna's situation than he should.

"And unofficially?"

Sebastian sighs. "I think he's trying to align himself with you. Baine's fall has created a power vacuum. Preston's smart enough to recognize that you were behind it, even if he can't prove it."

"Better to have me as an ally than an enemy," I muse.

"Exactly."

I consider the offer carefully. On one hand, official Club recognition would provide Luna with an additional layer of protection. No one would dare touch what had been formally acknowledged as mine. On the other hand, it reinforces the very possession I'm beginning to question.

"Tell him I'll consider it," I say finally. "But I want something in return."

"What?"

"Protection for Genevieve Laurent. The same immunity. No claims, no invitations, no Hunt."

There's a pause on the other end of the line. "That's... unprecedented. She's not a Possession. She's not even affiliatedwith the Club."

"Those are my terms," I reply, voice hardening. "Luna's sister remains untouchable, or there's no deal."

Sebastian is quiet for a moment, then says, "I'll pass it along. But Beckett... this is going to raise questions about why you care what happens to her sister."

"Let them question." I take a sip of water, unconcerned with Club politics at this point. Luna's safety—and by extension, her sister's—is all that matters.

"There's something else," Sebastian says, his tone shifting slightly. "Luna's parents have been looking for her. They've filed a missing persons report, claiming she disappeared the same night as Christopher."

My grip tightens on the glass. "They're lying."