Chapter 0066
Chapter 0066
Violet
I waited for him to open the message. His face didn’t give much away, but there was something about the stillness in his posture that told me plenty. Owen was trying to pull out of the deal he’d struck.
“Well?”
“He’ll consider Shelter after you officially become luna of Midnight.”
My shoulder slumped. That… wasn’t nearly as bad as I had expected, but it was still a problem.
“Consider? Is that what he said?”
He nodded and I set my jaw. Of course he would only consider it, which meant he wasn’t planning to allow it at all. He was going to dangle it in front of Theodore until he either couldn’t or Theodore gave up.
The petty bastard.
Theodore shrugged, utterly unfazed. “The Luna ceremony will be after we win against Lucas. Plenty of time to perfect the proposal.”
I looked at him, wondering if he really had that much faith in Owen or he had some other plan up his sleeve. I had to believe it was the later because there was no way he believed that Owen wasn’t going to just keep yanking him around.
“Let’s move it up.”
“What?”
“The ceremony. Let’s move it up. We can use the moonstone thing as a catalyst. He won’t think it’s weird and he’d be forced to hurry up and make a decision.”
Outing himself as a liar in the process.
His lips curved into an infuriating smirk. “Eager to be my Luna already?”
“Not even a little,” I snapped, crossing my arms. His smirk faltered. It served him right. “We both know Owen’s going to keep using Shelter–and me–as leverage against you. He wants control, and this is how he’ll get it, and the sooner he’s outed as just out to spite you the better.”
Theodore shrugged, unconcerned. “Let him try.”
“Spoken like someone who isn’t the pawn in his little chess match,” I scoffed. “But fine. Your monkey, your circus. What about the proposal I gave you before we left?”
Theodore waved his hand. “I’m not undermining the efforts of my men. They oversee their families because it’s their responsibility as protectors and providers. It works out just fine.
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Chapter 0066
There’s no need for it.”
I was again dumbstruck by what he was saying. He wanted refuge and peace for rogue women of other packs, but the idea that a woman in his pack might want the right to pursue her own education rather than waiting around for a mate to take care of her was met with there’s no need for it?
I set my jaw. Staring at him. I didn’t want to believe that he was so very much like every man I knew. I wanted to believe that he had some plan that he just wasn’t telling me.
Maybe he liked to see me irritated, liked holding something over my head–liked having a plan that I wasn’t privy to.
My gut churned at the thought, and I thought of Lucas. It only pissed me off. I clenched my hands in the skirt of my dress. I took a deep breath, centering myself. I had my own plans to carry out. I didn’t have the time or energy to invest in trying to figure it out.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Violet, don’t just shut down because I don’t agree with you.” I twitched and looked at him. “I can tell this is a sore spot for you, but you have to understand-”
I held up a hand to stop him. “I don’t have to understand anything. Your pack. Your decision.”
I stood to leave, not wanting to even think about it any longer. He reached out and grabbed my
arm.
I looked back at him, seeing his eyes filled with light. He really had to learn to control that.
He set his jaw, his hand tightening around my wrist. “Violet, I’m trying to talk to you.”
His voice was dark and heavy, more of a growl with something else behind it. I grew tense, every part of me was on edge, bracing for an attack even though I knew that was unlikely.
“I don’t have anything to add to this conversation.”
“Don’t give me that. Pouting doesn’t suit you.” I set my jaw, and let the words roll off my back. “My power, as great as it is, is built on a carefully balanced network of allegiances. Changing too much will upend it all, and what good will that do anyone? You might not understand it being from a noble pack, but that’s the facts.”
I blinked at him. “Is that all you wanted to say?”
He worked his jaw. “Yes.”
“Then let me go.”
“Why are you—
))
I snatched my wrist free of his grip. “I said I had nothing to contribute to this conversation.”
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+25 BONUS
Chapter 0067
