Leo
I paced the length of my study, anxiety churning in my gut despite the outward calm I tried to project. The Council’s arrival was precisely the complication we didn’t need right now—not with Marcus still at large and a traitor possibly hiding among us.
When the door opened, my wolf surged forward. My tension eased only slightly when I saw her—Victoria. Even harried and worried, she was breathtaking, her chestnut hair falling in loose waves around her shoulders, her eyes bright with determination. My mate. My Luna. My everything.
“Leo,” she breathed, crossing the room quickly.
I pulled her into my arms before she could say another word, burying my face in her hair, inhaling her scent—wildflowers laced with the earthy sweetness of fresh rain. The bond between us thrumd, alive with shared anxiety but also with the strength we drew from each other.
“I ca as soon as I heard,” I murmured, brushing a kiss against her temple. “Are you alright?”
Victoria leaned back just enough to et my eyes. Her expression was resolute, but the pulse at her throat fluttered under my fingers. “I’m fine. But the Council—”
“I know,” I growled, irritation slipping through. “Their timing couldn’t be worse.”
She perched on the edge of my desk, crossing one leg over the other. The movent hiked her skirt just enough to catch my attention, and damn if she didn’t know it. “What do they want, exactly?”
“To stick their noses where they don’t belong,” I said tersely, forcing my eyes back to hers. “The Council’s always been wary of my power. They’ve been waiting for an excuse to crawl into Shadow Pack politics—like vultures circling a carcass.”
Her fingers drumd against the polished wood. “And now they have one. .”
I moved closer, catching her hands before she could pull into herself. “Listen to , Victoria. We have to be strategic. The Council values bloodlines and tradition above all else. If they find out the truth about your abilities—”
“They’ll see as a threat,” she finished quietly. Her lips pressed together. “Or worse, as a resource they can control.”
“Exactly.” My jaw tightened. “Marcus’s attack gives us so cover. We focus their inquiry on him, not on your heritage.”
Victoria bit her lip, a nervous gesture I found maddeningly erotic. “And if they push to... perform?”
I leaned in, close enough that my lips brushed the shell of her ear. “Then we give them nothing. They may think they rule, but here? This is my territory. My rules.”
She shivered, not from fear. A small smile tugged at her mouth. “You realize you’re impossibly hot when you start growling about territory, right?”
My control snapped. I stepped between her knees, caging her against the desk as my hands slid to her waist. “Only my mate calls that,” I rumbled before claiming her mouth.
The kiss was supposed to be quick, grounding. Instead, it spiraled—hotter, deeper. Her fingers fisted in my shirt, dragging closer until her body was flush with mine. My wolf howled approval.
When we finally broke apart, she was breathless, pupils blown wide. “We don’t have ti for this,” she whispered against my lips, though her hands still lingered at my chest.
I let out a dark laugh, pressing my forehead to hers. “We’ll make ti later. I’ll hold you to that.”
She exhaled shakily but pulled herself back into business mode, another thing I admired about her. My Luna could pivot from lover to leader in the blink of an eye.
“Carson will be your strongest advocate on the Council,” I said, forcing myself back to strategy. “Tiny will handle security—no one gets private access to you without .”
“What about Emma?” Victoria asked. “Should she leave? I don’t want her dragged into this.”
I considered it. “No. Having her here actually helps us. Friendship between humans and wolves is still fragile—barely a few decades old. You and Emma standing together? You’re living proof that alliances can work.” I cupped her face, softer now. “Besides, I know she gives you strength.”
Her eyes softened. “You give strength, Leo. More than you realize.”
A knock at the door interrupted the mont. Tiny’s voice rumbled through the oak. “Alpha, Luna—the Council is assembled and waiting.”
I pressed my forehead to hers once more. “Rember—only what they need to know. Nothing more.”
She nodded firmly. “We stand together.”
“Always.” I sealed the promise with a quick, searing kiss before guiding her toward the door.
As we walked down the corridor, my hand steady at the small of her back, I felt Ronan—my wolf—surge within , bristling with protective pride. The Council might wield political authority, but they had never faced the combined force of Alpha Leonard Moretti and his extraordinary mate.
They were about to learn what happened when anyone dared to threaten what was mine.
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