Alpha's Shadow, Luna's Fire

Estelle's POV Cassius Blackwood had cheated on me. The realization didn't stir a single ripple inside me. It settled over my heart like the thin layer of ice that forms on a lake overnight—silent, cold, and thick enough to seal away every emotion beneath it. I walked down the Packhouse corridor carrying a silver tray. Resting on it was a crystal goblet etched with a wolf crest, filled with dark red deer blood wine. The air was saturated with a familiar scent—Cassius's. Sharp. Dominant. Unmistakably Alpha. Once, that scent had made me feel safe. Now it only made me sick. My wolf growled low in the back of my mind. I didn't try to calm her. Her anger came from the same place as mine. When I pushed open the study door, Cassius was seated behind his desk, reviewing documents. The Northern Frontier Conference had clearly just concluded. He had returned to the Thunderclaw Pack only this morning. The sleeves of his black shirt were rolled to his forearms, and despite the faint weariness shadowing his features, he was still devastatingly handsome. If I didn't know the truth, who would ever believe an Alpha like him was betraying his own Mate? "What are you doing here?" he asked without looking up. I set the goblet beside him. "You've been working all day. I thought you could use something to recharge." Cassius frowned. "I'm not thirsty." I smiled. "It's deer blood wine. The kitchen prepared it specially." "Leave it there." His disinterest couldn't have been clearer. Then a soft noise drifted from the lounge adjoining the study. Something had fallen over. The room seemed to freeze. The hand holding Cassius's pen visibly tightened. Slowly, I lifted my gaze toward the closed lounge door. "Is someone in there?" I took a step toward it. "Estelle." Cassius's voice cut through the silence. I turned back. He had already picked up the goblet and drained it in a single swallow. His throat worked as he emptied the glass. Then he set it down. "Happy now?" he asked. "Can we get to the reason you're here?" I glanced at the empty goblet and allowed myself the faintest smile. Perfect. The potion should start working soon. "There are a few documents that need your signature." I handed him the folder I had prepared. Cassius was clearly impatient. He flipped through the pages without reading more than a few lines. "What are these?" "Territorial adjustment agreements from the Northern Frontier Conference," I replied smoothly. That part was true. The first dozen pages were legitimate official documents. Frowning, he turned to the signature pages and began signing. His pen moved quickly across the paper. Cassius Blackwood. Page after page. Sharp. Decisive. In less than two minutes, every document had been signed—including the one buried among them. The Mate Bond Dissolution Agreement. I lowered my eyes and carefully gathered the paperwork. My heartbeat remained steady. Surprisingly steady. A second noise came from the lounge. This time it was louder. More frantic. Like someone had accidentally bumped into a table. I looked up again. "Sounds like someone really is in there." Cassius's expression darkened immediately. "Beta." The Beta standing guard outside entered at once. "Escort Luna back to the main house." The room went still. I slowly turned to look at Cassius. "Why?" "Because you've been overly sensitive lately." Displeasure edged his voice. "There's no one in the lounge. Estelle, since when did you start imagining things?" I stared at him. And suddenly, I found the whole situation almost funny. A cheating man accusing someone else of being suspicious. How ironic. I lowered my gaze. "Sorry. Maybe I was overthinking it." His expression eased slightly. "Go get some rest." "Okay." I nodded and turned toward the door. The Beta opened it for me. The moment it shut behind me, every trace of apology vanished from my face. Back in my bedroom in the main house, I locked the door and pulled the signed documents from the folder. The final document slid into view. Across the top, printed in bold black letters, were the words: MATE BOND DISSOLUTION AGREEMENT. On the last page, Cassius's signature was already there. Clean. Decisive. Exactly the same way he signed every official order. I traced the ink with my fingertip. Then I laughed softly. The deer blood wine had never been ordinary wine. It had been laced with a potion brewed by a witch. The potion wouldn't harm him. It merely dulled the senses connected to the Mate Bond. Even after signing the dissolution agreement, he wouldn't notice anything unusual. The truth was, I had known for a long time who was hiding in that lounge. I had known for a long time that he had brought the young she-wolf from Northfall Pack back to Thunderclaw. I even knew how long their affair had been going on. The only person who didn't know how much I knew was Cassius. I was far smarter than he gave me credit for. On the next full moon, the agreement would take effect. The Mate Bond would be severed automatically. And when that happened, it would all be over. I opened the Mind-Link communication channel. Recipient: Lyra Blackwood, Cassius's mother. The message was sent immediately. [I'd like to discuss a proposal with you.] Less than ten seconds later, a reply appeared. [About leaving my son?] I looked out the window. Silver moonlight bathed the Thunderclaw Pack, peaceful and still as the sea before a storm. A small smile touched my lips. Then I typed my response. [Yes. And I think you'll find it very interesting.]