CROWNED AS THE RUTHLESS ALPHA'S CELESTIAL LUNA

ARMED CONVOY

HEIDI’S POV

When he heard my firm declaration, Kurt immediately turned his massive body away from the hallway and walked directly back toward the marble kitchen island. He planted his large hands firmly on the smooth countertop, and his dark eyes narrowed considerably as he processed my demand. Since his primary biological instinct involved keeping his mate completely safe from physical harm, the idea of bringing me to a highly dangerous border dispute clearly angered his inner wolf.

"You are absolutely not leaving the safety of this estate today, Heidi," Kurt commanded in a very deep and authoritative tone while leaning his broad shoulders forward. "Alpha Thomas brought over two hundred heavily armed warriors to our property line, and a border dispute can easily turn into a violent bloodbath in a matter of seconds. I will not allow my destined mate to stand in the dirt while rival soldiers throw silver weapons and threaten our family."

I absolutely refused to let his protective nature overrule my logical reasoning, so I maintained direct eye contact with him and kept my posture completely straight. "You publicly declared me the Luna of this entire territory yesterday afternoon, and a true leader absolutely does not hide inside a luxurious house while her people face a military threat. Those three exiled elders specifically went to Alpha Thomas to complain about my lack of a wolf, which means this specific conflict centers entirely around my presence in your pack."

Kurt clenched his strong jaw tightly, and the thick muscles in his neck strained visibly because he knew my logical argument was completely correct. He let out a heavy sigh of frustration, running his large right hand through his dark hair before nodding his head slowly to concede the argument.

"You are incredibly stubborn, and your defiance frustrates me greatly," Kurt admitted in a low voice, yet a distinct look of deep admiration appeared in his dark eyes. "I will allow you to ride in the vehicle and stand at the border, but you must follow one strict rule without any arguments. You will stay exactly one inch away from my side during the entire confrontation, and if the rival warriors draw their weapons, you will immediately get back inside the armored truck and lock the heavy metal doors."

"I accept your strict conditions completely, Alpha," the response left my lips quickly to finalize the agreement before he could change his mind.

I turned my attention toward the young boy sitting quietly on the tall wooden stool, and I reached out to gently pat his shoulder. "Leo, your father and I need to go handle some important pack business outside the house right now, so I need you to stay in the kitchen and finish coloring your beautiful picture."

Kurt signaled for the interior security team, and two highly trained pack warriors walked into the kitchen to guard the young heir. We walked rapidly out of the kitchen after making sure Leo felt completely comfortable with the two guards, and we headed toward the front entrance of the massive estate. Jason pushed the heavy mahogany doors open, and the bright morning sunlight illuminated the large circular driveway where three massive black SUVs waited for our arrival.

The vehicles featured thick bulletproof glass and heavy armored plating to protect the occupants from physical attacks. Jason quickly climbed into the driver's seat of the middle SUV and started the powerful engine. Kurt walked over to the back passenger door, pulled the heavy metal handle outward, and gestured for me to enter the vehicle first. I stepped up into the tall cabin, and my body settled onto the soft black leather seat. Kurt climbed inside immediately after me and pulled the heavy door shut, sealing us completely inside the quiet and enclosed space.

Because the armored vehicle contained very thick doors and bulky safety equipment, the seating area in the back row was surprisingly narrow. Kurt possessed very broad shoulders and long, muscular legs, so his massive frame occupied a significant amount of the available space. His left thigh pressed directly against my right leg, and the physical contact instantly sent a sudden rush of heat spreading across my skin. The enclosed cabin smelled strongly of his expensive cologne and his natural scent of fresh rain, making my pulse beat rapidly against my neck.

Before the SUV started moving down the driveway, Kurt suddenly turned his body toward me and leaned his massive chest directly into my personal space. Reaching his large hands across my lap, his thick fingers grasped the heavy metal buckle of the safety belt located near my hip. As he pulled the black strap across my torso, the back of his warm hand brushed deliberately against the exposed skin of my waist where my shirt had lifted slightly. The highly sensitive contact caused my breath to hitch loudly in the quiet cabin, and my hands gripped the leather seat tightly.

He snapped the metal buckle into the locking mechanism with a loud click, yet he did not move away from my body immediately. He kept his face positioned merely inches away from mine, and his dark eyes slowly dropped to stare directly at my lips. The intense physical chemistry between us felt incredibly heavy, and I completely expected him to lean forward and kiss me to release the building tension. Instead, he smirked knowingly, pulled his body back into his own seat, and looked straight ahead through the bulletproof windshield. He deliberately left me feeling completely breathless and highly frustrated, proving his previous point about playing games with a hungry wolf.

The armored convoy drove quickly down the dirt roads of the territory, passing numerous wooden houses and thick green forests. After fifteen minutes of tense silence inside the vehicle, Jason slowed the SUV down and brought the heavy truck to a complete stop near the southern border line. I looked through the thick glass window and saw exactly why the patrol guards sounded the emergency alarm earlier this morning.

A wide strip of cleared dirt marked the official boundary between our land and the Blood River territory. Standing directly on the opposite side of the dirt line was Alpha Thomas, a tall and angry-looking man wearing expensive leather armor. Directly behind Alpha Thomas stood over two hundred heavily armed rival warriors holding sharp silver blades and long wooden spears. The three exiled elders from our pack stood cowardly behind Alpha Thomas, pointing their wrinkled fingers directly at our arriving vehicles.

Kurt pushed the heavy metal door open and stepped out onto the dirt, completely ignoring the massive army standing only thirty feet away from his boots. I followed his previous instructions exactly, stepping out of the vehicle and positioning my body right next to his solid arm. The morning breeze blew my dark hair across my face, but I kept my posture completely straight and looked directly at the rival leader.

Alpha Thomas immediately spotted my smaller frame standing next to the Warlord. The rival Alpha threw his head back and laughed loudly, completely mocking our presence at the border. He stopped laughing suddenly, raised his right hand in the air, and pointed a long silver blade directly at my chest.

"So this is the pathetic little creature causing so much political trouble today!" Alpha Thomas shouted angrily across the clearing to make sure both armies heard his insulting words. "Warriors, cross that dirt line right now, grab that wolfless freak by her messy hair, and drag her over to my side so we can throw her in a cage!"