CHAPTER 24
AVA’S POV
The royal courtyard buzzed with the kind of energy that made my stomach twist, horses stamping impatiently, nobles laughing too loud, and anticipation was thick in the air. This wasn’t just a hunt. It was a tradition. A centuries-old tradition where the Northern Lycan court paraded their strength, forged alliances, and reminded everyone who belonged at the top of the food chain. For me, the new Southern Luna, it felt like stepping into a trap wearing silk ribbons.
I didn’t want any part of it. Maya had given me lessons on the importance of the hunt as a new Luna. The blood, the chase, the kill it all made my stomach turn.
But if I didn’t learn, the pack would never respect me. And backing out would only feed the whispers. So I stood there in my riding habit, the
