Three days had passed since Damien's arrival, and Luna felt like she was slowly losing her mind. Every interaction was a carefully choreographed dance of propriety and hidden desire. In public, they maintained appropriate distances and formal addresses. But their eyes spoke a different language entirely, and Luna was certain that everyone around them could feel the electric tension crackling between them.
The treaty meetings were held in the pack's conference hall, a neutral space where the four participating Alphas could negotiate on equal ground. Luna had been assigned as the medical supervisor for the event, ensuring that refreshments were safe and that emergency medical care was available if tensions ran too high. It was a prestigious assignment that she would normally have relished, but now it meant hours of watching Damien command the room while pretending her heart wasn't racing every time he spoke.
"The northern border disputes have been ongoing for two years," Alpha Morrison of the Silver Creek Pack was saying, his gruff voice carrying across the room. "My people need assurance that trade routes will remain open regardless of territorial changes."
Damien leaned back in his chair, the picture of relaxed authority. "The Crown guarantees safe passage for all sanctioned trade. However, there are conditions that must be met."
Luna tried to focus on checking the hydration levels of the various attendees, but her gaze kept drifting to Damien's hands as he gestured, remembering how those long fingers had felt against her skin. When he caught her staring, his lips quirked in the faintest smile before he returned his attention to the negotiations.
"Luna." Seraphina appeared at her elbow, making her jump. "You seem distracted today."
"Just focused on my work," Luna replied, forcing a professional smile. "These meetings are important for the pack."
"Oh, I'm sure they are." Seraphina's green eyes glittered with something Luna couldn't quite identify. "The Alpha King is quite impressive, isn't he? So commanding, so... powerful."
Something in her friend's tone made Luna's wolf bristle with warning. "I suppose."
"I heard he's not mated." Seraphina smoothed her auburn hair with one hand, the gesture seeming casual but somehow calculated. "Imagine being chosen by someone like that. The power, the prestige..."
"Seraphina." Luna's voice carried a warning edge that made her friend blink in surprise.
"What? I'm just making conversation." But Seraphina's smile didn't reach her eyes. "Though I suppose you wouldn't be interested in such things. You've always been so... career-focused."
Before Luna could respond, a commotion at the main table drew their attention. Alpha Morrison had stood abruptly, his face flushed with anger.
"Those terms are unacceptable!" he snarled. "You're asking us to submit our financial records to Crown oversight. We're sovereign packs, not subsidiaries!"
The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees as Damien's expression hardened. "Sovereign packs that want the protection and benefits of Crown alliance. If you're not prepared to meet the requirements, you're free to leave."
"Morrison, sit down," Alpha Rodriguez interjected smoothly. "Let's discuss this reasonably."
But Morrison was too worked up to be reasonable. His wolf was close to the surface, his scent thick with aggression and wounded pride. "I didn't come here to be insulted by some pretty boy king who—"
He never finished the sentence. One moment he was standing and ranting, the next he was pressed against the wall with Damien's hand around his throat. The Alpha King had moved so fast that Luna's eyes had barely tracked the motion.
"Choose your next words very carefully," Damien said softly, his voice carrying enough menace to make every wolf in the room freeze. "I've been more than patient with your posturing, but my tolerance has limits."
Morrison's eyes widened as he felt the full force of Damien's Alpha dominance. Even through his anger, he was forced to recognize the superior power holding him immobilized. "I... Your Majesty..."
"That's better." Damien released him and stepped back, his movements fluid and controlled. "Now, shall we return to civilized discussion, or would you prefer to continue this conversation in a more... private setting?"
The threat was unmistakable. Morrison swallowed hard and returned to his seat, his earlier bravado completely deflated.
Luna realized she was holding her breath. She'd forgotten how devastating Damien could be when his authority was challenged. The display of power should have frightened her, but instead, she felt her wolf responding with unwilling arousal. The primitive part of her that craved a strong mate was practically purring at the demonstration of dominance.
When Damien's eyes found hers across the room, she saw the exact moment he caught her scent. His nostrils flared slightly, and heat flashed in his golden gaze before he turned his attention back to the negotiations.
The rest of the meeting proceeded without incident, but Luna couldn't shake the feeling that something had fundamentally shifted. As the Alphas filed out for their dinner break, she busied herself collecting empty water glasses and trying to ignore the way her hands trembled.
"Impressive display," a familiar voice said behind her.
Luna turned to find Damien standing alone in the conference room, having somehow lingered behind without her noticing. Her heart immediately began racing again.
"Your Majesty shouldn't be alone with me," she said quietly. "It wouldn't be appropriate."
"Probably not." He moved closer, and she caught his intoxicating scent. "But I find I care less about appropriate behavior when it comes to you."
"Damien..." His name slipped out before she could stop it, and she saw his pupils dilate in response.
"I can smell your arousal," he said bluntly, his voice rough with desire. "You liked watching me put Morrison in his place."
Heat flooded Luna's cheeks, but she lifted her chin defiantly. "My biological responses don't mean anything."
"Don't they?" He was close enough now that she could feel the heat radiating from his body. "Your wolf recognizes what mine is offering. Protection. Security. Partnership."
"Dominance," Luna added, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Only if you want it." His hand lifted to trace the line of her jaw, and she shivered despite herself. "I would never force anything on you, Luna. But I won't pretend that I don't want to claim you, mark you, make sure every male in a hundred-mile radius knows you're mine."
The possessive words should have triggered her defensive instincts, should have reminded her of Marcus and his rejection, of all the reasons she'd learned not to trust Alpha promises. Instead, they sent heat pooling low in her belly.
"The treaty meetings..." she managed weakly.
"Are important," he agreed. "But not more important than this. Not more important than us."
Before she could respond, the conference room door opened, and Alpha Rodriguez walked in with several of his advisors. Damien stepped back smoothly, his expression returning to polite professionalism so quickly that Luna wondered if she'd imagined the last few minutes.
"Your Majesty," Rodriguez said with a slight bow. "I wanted to discuss the border patrol schedules before dinner."
"Of course." Damien's voice was perfectly controlled, but Luna caught the slight tension in his shoulders. "Dr. Nightwood, thank you for your assistance today. Please ensure the medical station is prepared for tomorrow's sessions."
"Yes, Your Majesty." She managed a professional nod and gathered her supplies, acutely aware of his eyes following her movements.
As she reached the door, she heard Rodriguez speaking in low tones to his advisors. "...make sure Dr. Nightwood has everything she needs. The Alpha King seems quite concerned about medical preparedness."
Luna escaped into the hallway, her cheeks burning. If Rodriguez had noticed Damien's attention to her, how long before others did? How long before the careful balance they were maintaining collapsed entirely?
She was so lost in thought that she almost missed the figure waiting in the shadows near the medical facility. When she finally noticed, her blood ran cold.
Marcus Stoneheart stepped into the light, his familiar face marked by five years of success and what looked like recent sleepless nights. He was still handsome, still carried himself with the confident bearing of a powerful Alpha, but something in his eyes had changed.
"Hello, Luna," he said quietly.
"Marcus." She fought to keep her voice level. "What are you doing here?"
"I came for the treaty meetings. My pack has interests in the northern territories." He moved closer, and she instinctively stepped back. "But mostly, I came to see you."
"I don't think that's a good idea."
"Please." The word seemed to cost him significant effort. "Just give me five minutes. There are things I need to say."
Luna glanced around the empty corridor, weighing her options. She could call for help, could invoke pack protocol to have him escorted away. But the broken look in his eyes stopped her.
"Five minutes," she said firmly. "In my office, with the door open."
He nodded gratefully and followed her into the medical facility. Once they reached her office, Luna positioned herself behind her desk, using the furniture as a barrier between them.
"You look good," Marcus said, his voice rough with emotion. "Strong. Happy."
"I am happy." And it was true, she realized. Despite all the complications Damien's arrival had brought, she was happier than she'd been in years.
"I'm glad." He ran a hand through his dark hair, the same gesture she remembered from their youth. "Luna, I need you to know... rejecting you was the biggest mistake of my life."
The words she'd once longed to hear now felt hollow, meaningless. "Marcus—"
"No, please, let me finish." His eyes were bright with unshed tears. "I was young and stupid and so focused on pack politics that I couldn't see what I was throwing away. You were perfect for me, and I destroyed it for a political alliance that fell apart six months later anyway."
Luna felt a unexpected surge of pity for the man who had once broken her heart. "I'm sorry your marriage didn't work out."
"It was never a marriage," he said bitterly. "It was a contract. And every day of it, I thought about you. Wondered what you were doing, if you were happy, if you'd found someone else."
"Marcus, this isn't—"
"I want you back." The words tumbled out in a rush. "I know I have no right to ask, I know I hurt you, but I'm a different man now. I can give you everything you deserve. Love, respect, a true partnership. I'll make up for every day of pain I caused you."
Luna stared at him, amazed by the irony of the situation. Five years ago, these words would have meant everything to her. Now they felt like echoes from another lifetime.
"I'm sorry," she said gently. "But that's not possible."
"Because of him." Marcus's expression darkened. "The Alpha King. I can smell him on you."
Luna's wolf bristled at the accusation in his tone. "What I do with my life is no longer your concern."
"You're making the same mistake I did," Marcus said desperately. "Choosing politics over love. He's a king, Luna. He'll use you and discard you when political necessity demands it."
"You don't know anything about—"
"I know men like him!" Marcus's voice rose, and Luna was grateful for the open door policy she'd insisted on. "Powerful Alphas who think they can have whatever they want. He'll break your heart just like I did."
"The difference," Luna said coldly, "is that I'm not the same naive Omega who believed in fairy tale endings. I can take care of myself now."
Marcus's face crumpled. "Luna, please. I love you. I've always loved you."
"No," she said firmly. "You love the idea of me. The memory of what we could have been. But that girl is gone, Marcus. You killed her when you chose political advantage over our mate bond."
He flinched as if she'd struck him. "So that's it? I get no chance at redemption?"
"You get the chance to find happiness with someone who can love you the way you deserve," Luna replied. "But that person isn't me. Not anymore."
Marcus stood slowly, defeat written in every line of his body. "If he hurts you..."
"He won't." The certainty in her own voice surprised her.
"How can you be so sure?"
Luna met his eyes steadily. "Because unlike you, he's willing to risk everything for me. And unlike the girl you rejected, I'm strong enough to demand nothing less."
As Marcus left, his shoulders bowed with the weight of his regrets, Luna sank into her chair and tried to process the emotional whiplash of the day. First Damien's heated promises, then Marcus's desperate plea for redemption.
But there was no question in her mind which man held her heart. The only question was whether she was brave enough to claim what the Moon Goddess had given her, despite all the obstacles in their path.