<i>Zephyrine </i>


    The carriage halted in the courtyard, the weight of everything that had happened still heavy on my chest. I stepped out, my limbs stiff, and moved slowly into the hallway. At first, it was quiet.


    Thenughter spilled from the dining hall ahead.


    I followed the sound with dragging steps, each one echoing louder in my ears. And then I saw them all seated, all glowing in warmth and light, like a perfect portrait.<fnd4ce> ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? f?ndnovel</fnd4ce>


    Nyroth at the head of the table. His mother beside him, dressed in rich emerald.


    Olivia, his younger sister, radiant in pale silk and Kai, Nyroth’s Beta, seated beside her with a drink in hand.


    They wereughing. Joking. At peace. After everything they’d done, they could stillugh.


    I stared. Watching. Waiting. Hoping I was wrong about what I’de home to. But they saw me and theughter died.


    Forks clinked awkwardly against tes. Napkins froze mid–air.


    Nyroth’s mother met my eyes and gave me the kind of look reserved for dirt tracked across polished marble. I didn’t flinch. No one said a word. No one asked where I’d been. No one asked what I’d gone through. Not even him.


    I turned away, my chest burning, and walked toward the hallway that hosted two chambers. One for the Alpha, and one for me. I stepped into mine.


    The room was small. A bed tucked in the corner. A few dresses. A couple pairs of shoes. Nothing else.


    Come to think of it, Nyroth had never cared.


    All he focused on was his rise to Alpha and the growth of the pack. He’d promised that when things settled, he’d announce our mate bond. That he’d mark me as Luna.


    But Ka had returned. His precious Ka, his childhood crush, the one who rejected him and left for her envoy mission five years ago.


    Now that she was back, I knew. That promise would never be kept.


    I let out a shaky sigh and began to undress, fumbling with the zipper at my back when the door creaked open.


    Nyroth entered quietly.


    Our eyes met in the hazy mirror as he approached, and without a word, he reached to help with the zipper, his fingers brushing mine,


    “Where did you put the moonstone vessel?” he asked softly, his breath grazing my neck.


    “In the memorial hall,” I answered, my voice barely above a whisper.


    He finished unzipping the dress. It slipped to the floor, pooling at my feet. Then his hand came around my waist, his touch


    unfamiliar.


    I shivered and closed my eyes, bracing.


    “Zeph…” he breathed, “Let’s get married.”


    Ifroze.


    I turned to him slowly, searching his face.


    “What?”


    “It’s been five years,” he said, his voice low. “I want to seal it. Mark you. Make you my Luna. Have pups.”


    My breath caught. It should have meant something. But something about the timing. I watch him looked down. Hesitated.


    “But first,” he added, “you must apologize to my mother and sister. For how rude you were. Kneel before them. Ask for their forgiveness.”


    My chest went still. His eyes lifted to meet mine, waiting for a response and that’s when it hit me.


    The marriage was bait. The real purpose of this talk was the apology.


    Of course.


    I took a step back, shaking inside, heading toward the bath chamber, only for him to catch my wrist.


    “Zeph…”


    “Let me go,” I said tightly. “Now.”


    “It’s just a simple apology. You know you’re the one at fault…”


    “They called my dead parents unlucky,” I snapped, my voice sharp as a de. “They disrespected them.”


    He flinched. But said nothing.


    “How would you feel,” I hissed, “if I called your mother a curse? A bad omen? Would you fall to your knees and thank me for it?”


    Silence stretched. Atst, he nodded.


    “So you won’t apologize.”


    I stared at him, realizing words wouldn’t fix any of this,


    482as


    “Tread carefully, Nyroth. Push me too far, and I’ll demand a rejection.”


    His fingers went cold around my wrist.


    “What?”<ul><li></li></ul>


    *


    M


    “You never loved me,” I said, my voice shaking with fury. “Ka’s always been on your mind. Five years ago, when she turned you down and left, you were heartbroken. You proposed to me that same week, brought me to Hue Pack because you needed someone to fill the hole she left. That’s all I was.”


    “That’s not true,” he muttered. “Ka and I… we’re childhood friends. I told you she saved my life once.”


    “That’s your excuse,” I bit out. “It’s always been your excuse. Today was one of the most important days of my life. I brought my parents home after five years, and y


    ou couldn’t even show up. Instead, you went to dinner with her


    He didn’t deny it. He just stared at me, chest rising and falling with quiet rage or guilt.


    “I can’t reject you,” he whispered atst. “A wolf from Hue Pack only gets one mate in a lifetime. If I lose you…”


    He reached for me again but I stepped back.


    He sighed.


    “Fine. I’m sorry.”


    He leaned in, cupped my cheek, and ced a kiss on my forehead, the same way he always did when he wanted to calm me.


    “How about this?” he murmured. “Tomorrow morning, we go together to pay your parents the respect they deserve.”


    I didn’t answer right away. I was still seething. But the bond… the bond made me hesitate. Made me want to believe.


    So I nodded.


    He kissed my forehead again and gave a gentle smile. “Tomorrow morning. Without fail. Goodnight.”


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