Chapter 189

Chapter 189

ARIA

Finished

“You settle disputes,” he finally said. “You provide stability in pack dynamics. You handle administrative work that would otherwise fall to me, freeing me to focus on larger strategic concerns. You’re present and engaged with pack members in ways that build connection and community p>

“I’m adequate at bureaucracy,” I summarized flatly. “That’s my contribution. I can file paperwork and mediate arguments and show up to events looking appropriately Luna-like. Meanwhile, Ivory creates compounds that save lives and plants that grow in minutes and innovations that fundamentally change what’s possible for this pack p>

“Different types of contributions are still contributions, Kael argued. “Not everything valuable has to be dramatic or revolutionary. Sometimes the steady, consistent work of maintaining pack cohesion is exactly what’s needed p>

“Tell that to the elders,” I said. “Tell them that my steady consistent adequacy is worth the same as Ivory’s extraordinary brilliance. See if they agree p>

A knock on the door interrupted whatever Kael might have said in response. Nina’s voice came through, professional and urgent.

“Alpha Kael, Luna Aria-Elder Bridget requests your presence in the council chambers. She wishes to begin the formal assessment interviews p>

My stomach dropped. Already. They were starting already.

“We’ll be right there,” Kael called back. He looked at me his expression serious. “Whatever they ask. Whatever they want to know. Just be honest. Be yourself That’s all you can do p>

Be honest. Right. Be honest about my inadequacies, my insecurities, my secret visit to Damon that would confirm every suspicion they had about my unsuitability for this position.

I wanted to tell him then. Wanted to confess about the note, about what Sera had written, about the truth that was going to come out during these assessments anyway. But fear choked the words before they could form.

“Let’s go,” I said instead. “We shouldn’t keep them waiting p>

We made our way to the council chambers, passing pac members who watched us with expressions ranging from concern to curiosity. Everyone knew the ders were conducting assessments. Everyone was wondering what would be discovered, what judgments would be rendered, whether their Alpha and Luna would pass inspection.

The council chambers had been arranged differently than usual. Instead of the long table where pack business was normally conducted, there was a semi-circle of chairs facing two seats positioned in the center. Like a stage. Like we were about to be put on trial.

All five elders were present, seated in that semi-circle, their attention immediately fixing on us as we entered. The weight of their combined focus was almost physical-like standing under intense spotlight that revealed every flaw and imperfection.

“Alpha Kael. Luna Aria,” Bridget greeted us formally. “Please, sit p>

20:53 Wed, Jan

Chapter 189

4.15%8

Finished

We took the indicated seats, and I felt horribly exposed Vulnerable. Like a specimen being examined under microscope rather than a person being interviewed.

“We’ll begin with general questions,” Bridget said. “About your bond. About your roles within the pack. About how you came to hold your current positions. Alpha Kael, tell us about your curse. The one that consumed eight years of your life p>

Kael took a breath and began explaining. The curse that had transformed him, trapping him in wolf form with limited human consciousness. The isolation it had required. The desperate search for solutions that had consumed years and resources.

“And how was the curse broken?” Lunaris asked, her melodic voice somehow making even that question feel weighted with meaning.

“Ivory gave me a potion that turned me human, but I stayed human through bonding with Aria,” Kael said simply. “The bond that was the key to breaking the curse p>

“True mate bond,” Mooris repeated, his deep voice making those words sound like a question. “You claim that you and Luna Aria are true mates p>

I felt Kael tense beside me. Because we both knew the answer to that question. Knew that what we had was bond of necessity rather than destined connection. That true mates were rare, special, something neither of us believed we actually were to each other.

“We’re bonded,” Kael said carefully. “Properly bonded through all the required rituals. Whether that constitutes true mate bond or simply strong political alliance bond-I can’t definitively say. But it was enough to break the curse p>

“Interesting,” Kalicus murmured, his pale eyes fixed on me now. “Luna Aria, tell us your perspective. How did you come to be in Shadowmere? How did you come to bond with Alpha Kael p>

This was it. The moment where I had to explain my presence here. Had to justify why I was Luna instead of the person they remembered and clearly valued more.

“I came from Blackwood Pack,” I began, my voice steadier than I felt. “I was… escaping a difficult situation. A bond that had become toxic and controlling. Alpha Kael offered me sanctuary, and during my time here, we discovered that bonding might break his curse p>

“Escaping a difficult situation,” Aryada repeated gently. “Can you elaborate? What were you escaping from p>

I glanced at Kael, uncertain how much to reveal. He nodded slightly, giving permission to share whatever I felt comfortable sharing.

“I was claimed by Blackwood’s Alpha,” I said quietly. “Damon Cross. It wasn’t a formal bond initially, but he became… obsessed. Possessive. He kept me isolated on the outskirts of pack territory, away from pack life, treating me more like property than person. When I tried to leave, he would find me. Bring me back. Make it clear that I belonged to him whether I wanted to or not p>

“And yet you managed to escape,” Bridget observed. “How p>

“Luna Margaret, my stepmother, she told me about Shadowmere. About Alpha Kael needing to break his curse. She suggested I come here, offer to help with the bond that might free him. I think she saw it as opportunity to remove me from Blackwood, to eliminate the complication I represented in her daughter’s life p>

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20:53 Wed, Jan 7

Mated To My Mate’s Worst Ene

Mark