Rise of the Betrayed Luna

19

CELESTE

By the time we arrived at Grey Storm Pack, my pulse was thrumming with excitement.

A small voice inside me whispered that I was being stupidly giddy again, too ready to trust Knox when I had no business trusting anyone. That voice sounded a lot like the one that whispered ‘don’t go upstairs’ on the night of my birthday at Blood Moon, before everything fell apart. I should have listened then. So maybe I should listen now.

Still, the anticipation coiled in me. This was different. It felt different. Or maybe I wanted it to feel that way.

When we arrived, Knox guided me through wide corridors and stopped before a pair of heavy wooden doors.

“This is The Den,” he said. “It is where my Council and I convene.”

He pushed open the doors, and the room beyond took my breath.

It wasn’t a simple meeting room. It was a fortress of strategy. At the center stood a massive oval table carved from dark oak, maps and charts pinned into its surface. Along the walls were weapons all gleaming under the light. It was clear that this room doubled as a war room.

The Council was already seated, waiting for us. There were eight of them, and every single one turned to stare at me. They were all familiar faces, but they appeared more casual now than when I met them a few days ago.

Knox’s voice broke the silence. “I created a Council of Ten wolves,” he said as we approached. “Including myself, my Beta, my Gamma, the leader of the Enforcers and Warriors, and five worthy Elders.”

I arched a brow at that. “And the tenth?”

He gave a faint smirk. “Before yesterday, it was for the future, but now the position belongs to you.”

He gestured to his right. “My Beta, Jasper.”

Jasper rose slightly in his seat, a tall man with dark hair that brushed his collar. His eyes were sharp but kind, and there was a constant glint of mischief there that made me instantly wary.

“My Gamma, Sloane.”

Sloane was lean, with pale blond hair. Her energy was quieter than Jasper’s, but I sensed calculation behind her gaze.

“The leader of my Enforcers and Warriors, Ingrid.”

That made me blink. A woman as chief warrior? Wow. She was tall, broad-shouldered, with platinum braids and eyes the color of cold steel. She inclined her head slightly, but I could feel her assessing me from every angle.

Then came the Elders.

“Elder Alaric,” Knox said, nodding toward a burly man with a grizzled beard. “Elder Matthias,” he added, gesturing to a tall, dark-skinned man with calm eyes and a gentle smile that somehow didn’t reach them. “Elder Fen,” he continued, pointing toward an older man with silver hair and a crooked back who looked like he’d seen centuries of battle. “Elder Torin,” a stocky wolf with burn scars on his forearm and the sharpest eyes of the lot.

“And Elder Mirella,” Knox finished.

Mirella was the only female Elder. She was a regal-looking woman with streaks of silver through her chestnut hair. Her gaze met mine, assessing, not unkind but certainly not soft.

Jasper grinned. “Well, this is a surprise,” he said. “We were beginning to think we wouldn’t see either of you for at least a week. You’re supposed to be tangled up in each other, not here scowling at us.”

Knox groaned audibly. “I didn’t want to be here. I’d rather be anywhere else than seeing your faces.”

The whole room broke into laughter.

He continued, deadpan, “But my wife wanted to meet you, and you know me, ever the obedient husband.”

That only made them laugh harder. I didn’t miss the teasing glint in Jasper’s eye or the way Ingrid snorted under her breath.

I stood there awkwardly, not sure how to respond. The atmosphere was casual. It was nothing like the cold, ceremonial dinners I’d endured at Blood Moon or Dark Vine.

Before I could stop myself, I blurted out, “Our marriage isn’t like that. It’s more of a business arrangement.”

The laughter stopped. All eyes turned to me. Knox stiffened beside me.

“We… hate each other,” I added quickly. “This is just politics. He’s my enemy, I’m his, and this whole thing is out of necessity.”

The silence lasted a beat too long. Then Elder Torin leaned forward, amusement dancing in his eyes. “So you married your enemy, Alpha?”

Knox sighed. “Apparently.”

“Ah,” Torin said, chuckling. “That explains your mood these last few months.”

Mirella folded her hands gracefully. “I must say, dear, you are far too beautiful to be stuck with a grumpy wolf like Knox.”

The room roared with laughter. I flushed, and to my utter surprise, Knox’s hand brushed mine briefly.

Then Jasper and Sloane exchanged looks. “You see it too, right?” Jasper said, nudging Sloane.

Sloane smirked. “Oh, absolutely. He’s tense.”

I frowned. “Tense?”

Elder Mirella rolled her eyes. “Newly mated tension, dear. You’ll get used to it.”

My jaw dropped as the entire Council burst into another fit of laughter while Knox muttered something that sounded suspiciously like a curse.

Knox rubbed the bridge of his nose, muttering, “Remind me to dissolve this Council when we’re done.”

Jasper chuckled. “You’d never survive without us.”

“Don’t tempt me,” Knox shot back dryly.

I had no idea what was so funny about all this, but apparently, watching their usually cold, terrifying Alpha squirm was their favorite pastime. It was strange watching him like this. He was still stoic, still aloof, but there was a faint ease to him here, a familiarity that softened the edges of his ruthlessness. These people knew him. They weren’t afraid of him. They respected him enough to tease him, to push him, to laugh in his presence without fearing for their lives. It was endearing, in a way I wasn’t ready to admit.

“I’m surrounded by idiots,” Knox said finally, dragging a hand down his face.

“Correction,” Jasper replied easily, “you’re surrounded by wolves who are thrilled to see you actually feel something for once.”

That earned another round of chuckles.

I didn’t get it. The man standing next to me was cold. The idea that he was “feeling something” was laughable. His default expression was a mix of mild annoyance and absolute authority. And yet there was a flicker in his eyes whenever he looked at me. I quickly looked away and folded my hands before anyone could see how flustered that made me.

Knox cleared his throat, forcing the Council to settle. “Enough. Celeste wanted to meet you all, and now she has. Get it out of your system and let’s move on.”

Mirella smirked. “Of course, Alpha. But do you plan to keep her standing there while we talk?”

He shot her a flat look, but then he gestured for me to sit. I took the empty seat beside him, the one that seemed carved specifically for a Luna.

Sloane leaned forward first. “Since the new Luna is here, we might as well tell her what we do so she doesn’t assume we’re your personal army of jesters.”

Knox grunted. “You are jesters.”

That earned him a glare from half the room.

But Sloane continued. “I’m his Gamma. I make sure our Alpha here doesn’t forget to eat, sleep, or occasionally smile. I also handle negotiations and external diplomacy.”

She said it calmly, but the undertone was clear: cross me, and you’ll regret it.

Jasper leaned back next. “And I’m Beta. I handle internal security, intelligence, and pack discipline. If something happens inside Grey Storm borders, I’m the one you’ll be dealing with.”

“Which means he talks too much,” Knox muttered, and Jasper threw a crumpled paper at him.

Ingrid spoke next. “I lead our Enforcers and Warriors. If there’s a battle, I’m the first in and the last out. My duty is to protect this pack and its Alpha.”

Her piercing gaze landed on me. “And now, to protect you, Luna.”

I inclined my head politely. “Thank you, Ingrid.”

Then the Elders took turns introducing themselves—Alaric as the voice of law, history and traditions, Matthias as the wellbeing, health and spiritual adviser, Fen as the oldest strategist for territory, long-term planning and strategic defense, Torin as the head of trade and resources as well diplomacy, and Mirella as the one who balanced all their madness with logic and headed internal conflict resolution.

They each spoke with pride, and I listened carefully, taking mental notes. I’d been a Luna before. I knew how important it was to understand everyone’s role, to know who truly held power behind the scenes. It didn’t escape me that they all spoke with fierce, unwavering loyalty to Knox. They respected him deeply, and almost reverently.

Grey Storm seemed efficient and balanced. It was everything Blood Moon wasn’t. As they spoke, I found myself watching Knox. His expression was neutral, but I noticed the subtle pride in his eyes.

When they were done, Ingrid leaned forward, fingers interlocked. “You’ve seen how we work, Luna,” she said. “We operate on loyalty. To the pack, to the Alpha. Always.”

I nodded, but the air in the room shifted. The casual humor drained away, replaced by a quiet intensity. One by one, the others straightened in their seats, and I could feel the change in energy.