Gabri


    “Hello there,” | said carefully, watching as my only son’s mate released herself from another man’s arms.


    It might have been better if I’d found her with a stranger, actually, rather than Braden. | might have. convinced myself a stranger


    posed no threats. But this man was different.


    The pair of them had... Okay, | wasn’t sure it could be called a rtionship history, exactly, but you don’t let a vampire feed off


    you without creating some kind of bond.


    Clearly, she was still feeling it with him.


    | smoothed my frown. “So sorry. | didn’t mean to interrupt.”


    Lanie shook her head. She was glowing. Some of it was Luna energy, but some of it was a pulsing shine. that came from an


    entirely different source. It was faintly red and softer than the Luna glow. Almost hidden.. Almost...sly.


    “No, no, we were just talking. Catching up,” she said,


    That sounded like maybe a little bit of a guilt. | bit back my frown and kept my distance, adding a little light chuckle to my reply.


    “| had so much free time on my hands without the babies that | thought I’d explore the ce a bit. | was looking for somewhere to


    sit and do a little reading.”


    | held up one of the paperbacks I''d pulled from themon library. It was a thick human novel about werewolves that I''d heard


    was hriously inurate.


    “| can find another ce, if you two need some privacy.”


    I


    “Not necessary,” Braden said. “I actually have a meeting | need to get to. Lanie, would you like to walk with me? I can introduce


    you to Delh. She’s one of the mentors you could be working with.”


    “Mentor?” | asked.


    Lanie nodded. “Yes. To help me learn more about my vampire skills. Mchi wants me to learn more


    about how to ess and use them.”


    Of course, he did.


    That was the extra glow. | should’ve known by the crimson shade. Her vampire self was rising the way her wolf could. Only,


    unlike her wolf self, the vampire part of her would never be something wholly different.


    Vampires were always fully vampires and never anything else.


    But Lanie was a hybrid...


    | shook myself, aware they were both staring at me forced a smile and held up the book. “Have fun. I''ll


    cua iniry


    “Dinner’s an event tonight,” Braden said. “A big wee for you all. See you there. C’mon, Lanie.”


    They both left, and | watched carefully to see if they were holding hands or anything like that. They didn’t, but the image of them


    embracing left a lingering bad taste in my mouth. | settled into afortable chair, but


    | couldn''t concentrate on my book.


    them.


    We were supposed to be safe here.


    Safe enough that | could leave the babies | loved so much in the care of others who didn’t even know


    Safe enough that my son and his Beta could go off and run and take the son of my husband''s mistress.


    with them.


    Safe enough that | could finally, after so long, let my mind dwell on everything I’d been pushing out of my


    thoughts.


    The words of the book ran together as | tried to focus


    Finally, | put it aside and simply let myself rx into the chair. The sun overhead was bright but dim at the


    same time. | smelled magic underneath the scents of the different exotic flowers. The cool tinkle of the


    fountain should have been soothing.


    Why was | suddenly so anxious?


    Tears clogged my throat and burned in my eyes. | pressed my fingertips to my eyes hard enough that colored lights shed in my


    vision. | swallowed hard, again and again, each swallow like a razor de.


    | didn’t want to cry over Orion.


    My mate had betrayed me. Stolen from me the honor of being the only mother of his pup. He’d lied to me for years. Everything


    we''d had together was false.


    And now he was dead.


    | would never get to confront him. Never have closure. He was gone and would never have to face the consequences of his


    actions...but | would.


    My wolf howled inside me.


    She circled, trying to draw close enough tofort me. But with the grief ripping at my heart. It felt like she was too far away


    | couldn''t call on my powers, the gifts of the Moon Goddess, my strengths. | would never truly lose them, of course, but | was no


    longer the Luna. That role had been taken over by Lanie


    Was she going to betray my son the way his father had done to me?


    Worse did that vampire part of her mean she was destined to betray us all?


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