THE PROXY LUNA

Worst mistake

VULCAN

Dak was still furious about Liam's comment.

Vulcan's wolf had been snarling in the back of his mind for the past ten minutes, clawing at his control like he wanted to rip through his skin and tear Liam apart.

He'd never been this angry at his Beta before, not once in the fifteen years he'd known him.

More proof that the mate bond was a f*****g curse.

More proof that Paula Woodridge would regret the day the moon goddess shackled her to him.

He ignored Dak's rage, clenched his fists, and walked into the hall.

The council room fell silent the moment he entered.

Twenty clan elders and ten Alphas rose from their seats as one, heads bowed, eyes down. The only sound was the scrape of chairs against stone and Paula's hesitant steps behind him.

Vulcan walked past them without acknowledgment, his designer shoes echoing across the floor, till he sat on his throne at the head of the table.

The throne was carved from black oak with wolves etched into the armrests and the Dark Howl crest burned into the back.

He let the silence stretch, watching them squirm, before raising his hand. The murmurs died instantly.

Then he gestured toward the door. Paula stepped inside.

She held her head down, hands clasped in front of her like a prisoner being led to execution. Red curls fell around her face, wild and untamed, framing auburn eyes that would probably be stunning if she ever smiled. She had pale skin and a petite frame that made her look fragile, breakable even.

She was beautiful, he'd give her that much. His eyes fell to her plump lips, moistened by her tongue or maybe her tears. He swallowed hard and the lump went straight to his groin.

Get your act together! He said to himself and looked away. After all, he couldn't afford yearning for the daughter of his enemy.

He turned his attention to the council and they were staring at her.

They're staring too much! Dak snarled.

Vulcan cleared his throat and they turned their attention back to him.

"This is Paula Woodridge. Daughter of the late Alpha Ravick." He paused, letting the name settle in. "She's going to be your Luna. You've all been pestering me for an heir. I listened. Here is my answer."

The silence that followed was sharp and heavy, broken only by someone shifting uncomfortably.

Vulcan caught the shock on Liam's face and the barely concealed fury on Maeve's. He hadn't told them because he knew they would try to talk him out of it.

Paula Woodridge would be his Luna whether they liked it or not.

He leaned back, scanning the table. Ten Alphas sat rigid, faces carefully neutral. Ten elders from his father's clan looked wary. Five from his stepmother's clan looked entertained. The remaining five from smaller families looked like they wanted to disappear.

Elder Cormac stood first. Old, gray-haired, and stubborn as hell. A member of his father's clan.

The elders from his father's clan were loyal, but only out of fear, and they made sure to be a part of every decision he made, not because they cared about him, but because they wanted to protect the seat of power from slipping out of their bloodline

"Your Grace." His voice was careful. "With all due respect, this girl is the daughter of a traitor. Her father waged war against us and killed our warriors. Making her Luna would encourage other packs to think they can…"

"I dare any of them to try."

Such a pack would receive a tenfold of what has befallen the Silvermoon pack!

Cormac's mouth snapped shut. He hesitated, then tried again. "Then surely you see…. "

"Do you have anything else to say, Lord Cormac?"

"No, Your Grace." Cormac went pale and dropped back into his seat.

Vulcan leaned forward slightly. "Paula Woodridge will be accorded the respect she deserves as Luna of this pack. If anyone has a problem with that, you're welcome to report directly to me."

His words hung in the air like a noose. He watched them calculate whether crossing him was worth risking their bloodlines.

The answer was no. It always was.

He sat back, satisfied.

His attention briefly fell on the five elders from his stepmother's clan. They were all smiling like this was the best entertainment they'd had in months.

Their silence was only loud when he made questionable decisions, but the moment he tries to do something remotely reasonable, they'd have opinions.

Just as he was about to dismiss them, Kieran raised his hand. Vulcan's jaw clenched.

Kieran was his step-cousin, the late Luna Gwen's nephew, and he had a talent for getting under his skin.

Worse, he enjoyed it.

"What?"

"Well," Kieran said smoothly, amusement dripping from every word, "our clan is in full support of this marriage."

His eyes slid to Paula like a wolf circling prey.

Rip his head off! Dak roared. How dare he look at our mate like that!

Vulcan dug his nails into the armrests.

"After all," Kieran continued, leaning back in his chair, "she's of noble birth. Pack law permits it. And she's certainly beautiful enough. No wonder my cousin couldn't help himself."

Murmurs rippled through the room. Dak's energy surged and everyone went still, fear prickling at their composure. But Kieran fought through it, even if it hurt his wolf to withstand the Alpha's aura.

He tilted his head. "Who knows? She might even be your fated mate."

The wood beneath Vulcan's hands creaked.

MAKE HIM STOP!

Kieran's smirk widened. "If it were me, I would've fallen for her charms too."

Vulcan's vision blurred red. Every instinct screamed at him to cross the room and snap Kieran's neck, to wipe that smirk off his face permanently, to make an example so brutal no one would ever disrespect him or his mate again.

But he forced himself to stay seated.

They wanted blood. They wanted him to lose control so they could use it as proof he was unstable, unfit to rule, tainted by low-born blood.

He wasn't giving them the satisfaction.

"Congratulations, Your Grace," Kieran said smoothly.

Vulcan turned his back on him. "This council is dismissed."

Chairs scraped. Footsteps hurried toward exits, eager to escape Vulcan's imposing aura. Alphas filed out first, then elders, heads bowed, avoiding his gaze.

Within seconds, the room emptied except for Liam, Maeve, and Paula.

Liam stepped forward cautiously. "Your Grace, are you…"

"Leave."

He hesitated, glancing at Maeve. She shook her head and grabbed his arm. They bowed and left without another word.

The door closed with a heavy thud, leaving him alone with Paula.

She stood frozen near the entrance, staring at the floor. He could hear her heartbeat from across the room, beating fast and anxious.

He walked toward her slowly, letting his footsteps echo. She flinched with every step but didn't run.

He stopped in front of her, close enough to see the pulse hammering in her throat.

"Look at me."

She didn't move.

"I said look at me."

Her head lifted slowly. Those auburn eyes met his, wide and glassy with unshed tears.

Something primal stirred in his chest, something he'd been fighting since the moment he'd scented her in Silvermoon. Dak howled in approval, pushing forward, demanding he claim what was theirs.

Before he could stop himself, he leaned in and captured her mouth in a hungry, possessive kiss.

For a split second, her lips softened against his and heat flooded through him like wildfire. His d**k had hardened the moment he grazed her skin, but now it was rock hard and ached so bad that all he wanted to do was bend her over the council table and f****d her so hard till her screams would be heard in all packs of the werewolf kingdom.

But then she shoved him very hard, while panting for her breath.

He stumbled back a step, more from shock than force.

Time stopped.

His blood boiled hot. Dak howled in pain and rage.

She pushed us away! Our mate pushed us away!

Vulcan turned to look at her, eyes bloodshot, wolf barely contained beneath his skin.

Her eyes dilated with pure terror.

She'd just made the worst mistake of her life.