Alpha's Luna

Chapter Four Continued....

The corner of my mouth twitches before I clamp it down. I grip the armrest of my chair until the wood groans. “Enough.” My voice cuts through, sharp as a blade. Theo straightens instantly, though his lips still threaten mutiny. Selene, on the other hand, doesn’t flinch at all.

I let my gaze settle on her. “You storm into my chambers to complain about portion sizes and food taste?”

She shrugs, that maddening little tilt of her shoulder. “I’m practical. A hungry wolf is a weak wolf. Unless, of course, you’d prefer me fainting gracefully at your feet like the perfect Omega.” Her smile curves, sly and sharp. “Wouldn’t that be convenient?”

Heat coils low in my stomach, unwanted and fierce. She’s mocking me, but there’s truth in her words. She doesn’t want to be weak. Doesn’t want to bow. And for some gods-damned reason, I respect that even as it infuriates me.

Theo coughs again, trying to mask another laugh. I cut him a glare so cold he instantly straightens, spine rigid. “Leave us.”

“But Alpha, the repor…..”

“Now! We’ll discuss that later”

He bows and retreats, though I can hear the muffled chuckle he tries to hide as the door shuts behind him.

Silence stretches. Just her and me now.

I rise slowly from my chair, each movement deliberate. Her eyes track me, wary but unyielding. She doesn’t back away when I stop in front of her, close enough to catch her scent - wildflowers and storm air, threading through my lungs like a drug.

“You think this is a game,” I murmur.

Her lips part, but she holds her ground. “No. I think this is survival.”

Something sharp twists in my chest. God help me, I believe her.

For a long moment, we just stare at each other, the air between us stretched taut, humming with something I don’t dare name.

Finally, I step back, breaking the spell. “You’ll have proper meals from now on.” My tone is clipped, controlled. “But next time you have a complaint, you bring it with respect. Not like this.”

Her smile tilts, soft but mocking all the same. “Noted. Can I also use the kitchen at my own convenience? She asks.

That was out of the blue. What does she mean? Perhaps she wants to cook her own meal now?

I gesture to the door. “Go please.”

She lingers a second longer, eyes searching mine like she’s looking for cracks in my armor. “I will take that as a yes” She says, then she turns and slips out, the door closing behind her with a quiet thud.

The chamber is silent again. But I’m not.

For the first time in years, I feel something c***k. A sound rises in my throat before I can stop it - low, rough, and startlingly real.

I smile. Just a fraction, just for myself. But it’s there. And it’s her fault. "Selene" I mutter and shake my head. I wonder if she has always being like this.