“You’re late.”
The woman across the table smiled as she removed her gloves and placed them neatly beside her cup.
“I said I’d be here before sunset,” she replied.
“And I am.”
Zayne’s mother glanced toward the tall windows of the elegant café.
The last traces of daylight were disappearing behind the buildings, leaving the room bathed in warm golden light.
She looked back at her companion and shook her head with a small smile.
“You have always had an answer for everything.”
“And you have always complained about everything.”
The two women laughed.
To anyone watching them, they would have looked like nothing more than two well-connected women enjoying an afternoon coffee together.
Both were elegantly dressed, both carried themselves with the confidence of women accustomed to being respected, and neither had any reason to attract suspicion.
But there was more to their friendship than pleasant conversations over coffee.
They were both members of the Council.
And both knew exactly what had happened twenty years ago.
The murder of the former King and Queen had never been spoken about openly between them.
There was no need.
They had both been there.
They both knew why it had happened and they both knew that the current order of the werewolf world had been built on what they had done.
The councilwoman took a slow sip of her coffee before leaning back in her chair.
“Speaking of answers,” she said casually, “there is something I’ve been meaning to ask you.”
Zayne’s mother raised an eyebrow.
“What is it?”
“Your son.”
The Queen sighed.
“What about him?”
“He’s twenty now, isn’t he?”
“Twenty.”
“And still no mate?”
A faint crease appeared between the Queen’s eyebrows.
“No.”
The councilwoman looked genuinely surprised.
“Twenty years old. Alpha of the largest pack beneath the Council. One of the most powerful young Alphas in the entire territory. And still no mate?”
“I don’t need you to remind me.”
The woman chuckled.
“I wasn’t trying to offend you.”
“You sounded like you were.”
“Perhaps I was simply surprised.”
The Queen looked down at her cup.
Zayne had been waiting for his mate for years.
She knew how seriously he took it.
Her son had never shown interest in choosing a woman simply because she was beautiful or because her family was influential.
He had always believed that his mate would eventually appear, and he had been patient.
Too patient, in her opinion.
“He spends too much time worrying about the pack,” the Queen said.
“Leadership, meetings, training, council matters. He barely gives himself time to live.”
“That is exactly the problem.”
The councilwoman leaned forward.
“Your son isn’t simply another Alpha. Blackthorn is the largest pack under the Council. Every decision he makes affects the smaller packs beneath him. He needs someone beside him.”
The Queen nodded slowly.
“I know.”
“He needs a Luna.”
The Queen remained silent.
The councilwoman smiled.
“I may have a solution.”
That caught her attention.
“A solution?”
“My daughter.”
The Queen blinked.
“Your daughter?”
“Yes.”
For a moment, neither woman spoke.
Then the Queen slowly placed her cup on the table.
“You’re suggesting my son marry your daughter?”
“I’m suggesting they would make an excellent match.”
“You know Zayne.”
“Of course I do.”
“He won’t simply marry someone because we tell him to.”
“Perhaps not.”
The councilwoman smiled.
“But you can persuade him.”
The Queen gave her a skeptical look.
“Can I?”
“You’re his mother.”
“That doesn’t mean he listens to me.”
“Then give him a reason to.”
The Queen leaned back.
Her companion continued before she could respond.
“My daughter is educated, well respected, and comes from a powerful family. She understands how the higher ranks operate. She knows how to conduct herself around leaders, and she has been raised to understand responsibility.”
“She would certainly fit into Blackthorn.”
“Exactly.”
The councilwoman’s smile widened.
“Your pack would gain an accomplished Luna, and my family would gain a stronger position. Everyone wins.”
The Queen considered the proposal.
There was logic behind it.
More than logic, actually. The source of this chapter is novelping.com.
It was the sort of arrangement that made sense in their world.
Power strengthened power, Influence strengthened influence.
And a Luna from a respected family could make Blackthorn’s already formidable position even stronger.
“What happens if Zayne finds his mate after the marriage?”
The councilwoman’s expression barely changed.
“Well…”
She lifted her cup again.
“What if his mate is from an equally respected family?”
The Queen’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Then?”
“Then we deal with it.”
“How?”
The councilwoman shrugged.
“The mate bond cannot simply be erased. Everyone knows that.”
“Exactly.”
“But that doesn’t mean my daughter has to disappear.”
The Queen stared at her.
The councilwoman lowered her voice.
“She could remain his wife.”
The Queen’s expression changed.
“You mean a second wife.”
“Yes.”
The words hung between them.
The Queen slowly shook her head.
“That is a dangerous arrangement.”
“Only if his mate objects.”
“And if she does?”
The councilwoman’s eyes hardened.
“That depends on who she is.”
The Queen didn’t answer.
The woman leaned closer.
“If his mate comes from an influential family, perhaps we negotiate. Perhaps she accepts the arrangement. But if she comes from some insignificant background…”
She paused.
The Queen’s eyes widened slightly.
“No.”
The councilwoman gave a small smile.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“You know exactly what you’re suggesting.”
“And you know exactly what I’m capable of suggesting.”
The Queen’s voice dropped.
“We are not discussing murder in a café.”
“Keep your voice down.”
The councilwoman glanced around the room before continuing.
“I’m simply reminding you that some problems have solutions.”
The Queen stared at her.
For several seconds, neither spoke then the councilwoman smiled again, almost as though the previous conversation had never happened.
“After all, you and I have known each other for a very long time.”
The Queen’s fingers tightened around her cup.
“Don’t.”
“I’m not threatening you.”
“It sounds like you are.”
The councilwoman sighed.
“I don’t want our friendship ruined over something as simple as a marriage arrangement.”
‘Friendship’.
The word almost sounded absurd considering what they had done together but perhaps that was what made their alliance so dangerous.
They knew too much about each other.
Neither could afford for the other to turn against them.
The councilwoman reached across the table and gently touched the Queen’s hand.
“Think about it.”
The Queen slowly withdrew her hand.
“My son may refuse.”
“Then convince him.”
“He’s stubborn.”
“So are you.”
The Queen almost smiled.
“And your daughter?”
“She would be thrilled.”
“She wants this?”
“She has admired your son for years.”
The Queen raised an eyebrow.
“Really?”
“Oh, please. You know how girls her age are. Your son walks into a room and half the young women forget how to breathe.”
The Queen laughed softly.
“That sounds about right.”
“He’s handsome, powerful, respected, and soon to be one of the most influential Alphas in the territory. My daughter knows exactly what she wants.”
The Queen looked toward the window.
Zayne had grown into a man she was proud of.
Perhaps too independent for her liking, but undeniably powerful and if this marriage strengthened Blackthorn’s position… Maybe it was worth trying.
“I’ll speak to him.”
The councilwoman smiled.
“Good.”
“But I promise you nothing.”
“I don’t need a promise.”
The woman picked up her handbag and stood.
The Queen watched her walk away.
For some reason, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had just agreed to something that would eventually become much more complicated than either of them expected.
*********************
The councilwoman arrived home shortly after nightfall.
Her daughter was waiting in the sitting room, sprawled comfortably across one of the couches with her phone in her hand.
The moment she saw her mother, she sat upright.
“You’re back.”
“Yes.”
“How was your meeting?”
Her mother smiled.
“Interesting.”
That immediately caught her daughter’s attention.
“What happened?”
“Come here.”
The young woman placed her phone down and walked over.
Her mother sat down and looked at her for a moment before speaking.
“I spoke with the Queen today.”
Her daughter’s eyes widened.
“About what?”
“About you.”
“Me?”
“Yes.”
The girl stared at her mother.
Then her expression slowly changed.
“What did you say?”
“I suggested that you and Alpha Zayne might make a suitable match.”
“Mom!”
The girl threw her arms around her mother.
Her mother laughed as she tried to steady herself.
“Calm down.”
“You’re serious?”
“Very.”
“Oh my goodness!”
She pulled away, her face glowing with excitement.
“Alpha Zayne?”
“Yes.”
“THE Alpha Zayne?”
“There is only one Alpha Zayne I know.”
Her daughter began pacing around the room, unable to contain herself.
“I can’t believe it.”
Her mother smiled.
“You’ve always liked him.”
“Liked him?”
The girl pressed a hand to her chest dramatically.
“Mom, he’s gorgeous.”
Her mother laughed.
“And powerful.”
“And powerful.”
“And respected.”
“Very respected.”
“And he’s the Alpha of Blackthorn.”
“The largest pack.”
Her daughter’s smile grew even wider.
“I would be Luna.”
Her mother watched her carefully.
“Yes.”
The girl stopped pacing.
For a moment, she simply stood there, imagining it.
The palace.
The pack.
The title.
The influence.
Everything she had ever dreamed about suddenly felt within reach.
She turned toward her mother with a grin.
“Mom, you’re my favorite person in the entire world.”
Her mother laughed.
“I thought I was your favorite person yesterday.”
“You’ve moved up the rankings.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
The girl hugged her again.
“I can’t believe this is actually happening.”
Her mother gently patted her back.
“It’s not done yet.”
“But you spoke to the Queen.”
“Yes.”
“And she agreed?”
“She agreed to speak to Zayne.”
The girl’s excitement returned immediately.
“That means it’s happening.”
Her mother smiled.
“Perhaps.”
The girl walked toward the window, looking out at the lights of the territory.
She could already imagine herself standing beside him.
Beside the most powerful young Alpha in the territory.
The future suddenly looked brighter than it ever had before.
She smiled to herself, “Soon, I will be the Luna of Blackthorn Pack.”