Luna's Moon

Chapter Fourteen

We settled into the boardroom, a sleek, formal space with a long table stretching down the center. The Prime Minister and several other dignitaries occupied one side, dressed sharply and already deep in quiet conversation. On the other side sat Aurelian at the head, with Rachael seated beside him, Collins next, then me, and his four men—David, Isaac, Matt, and Coby—spaced evenly like a silent wall of strength.

I stood up to assist the other assistant with the distribution of refreshments and files, only to realize with a jolt that it was Camille. We went to high school together. She hadn't changed much—polished, aloof, always a little too aware of herself.I gave her a polite nod.

She didn’t acknowledge it.

Typical Camille.

Once the drinks and documents were handed out, I returned to my seat, notepad in hand, ready to take the minutes.

"How do you intend to handle this?" The Prime Minister’s voice was sharp as he flung a stack of photographs from the folder toward Aurelian. I glanced down and immediately wished I hadn't. The images were grotesque—bloody scenes, torn limbs, terrified eyes frozen in death. My stomach turned.

"You need to take care of this... threat."

Rachael raised a perfect brow, cool and unreadable. "We’re working on it. Did you hear about the airport situation?"

"Then work on it faster," the Prime Minister snapped. He didn't acknowledge the airport situation. I guess an attack to Aurelian doesn't concern him and well no human was killed as well, but that's thanks to Aurelian. Does he know that?

Her lips curled just slightly, and I caught the flash of a fang. A warning. Yikes.

"They’re masking their scents," Aurelian cut in smoothly, his voice calm, polished. "That’s what’s making them harder to track. But we’re doing all we can, Prime Minister."

"Are you still on our side, Alpha?" he said, spitting the title out with mockery.

I lowered my notepad into my lap, blinking. Did he really just speak to Aurelian like that? The air shifted. The wolves in the room were tense—eyes flashing gold, power rising like static. Collins even let out a low growl.

Aurelian, of course, remained unbothered. "Yes, I am."

"Good. Because you know what’s at stake."

What is at stake? I stared at the Prime Minister, trying to read between the lines. What could possibly be used as leverage against Aurelian Moon?.

The meeting dragged on, shifting from the murders to human safety protocols and even upcoming joint business ventures. Aurelian contributed calmly, laying out logical plans, clear strategies—but the Prime Minister was dismissive more often than not. Interrupting. Challenging. Smirking.

Every time he cut Aurelian off or rolled his eyes, I felt the tension spike. The wolves didn’t hide it either. Racheal’s jaw was tight, Collins sat so still it was unnerving, and the four men looked ready to leap across the table. But their Alpha gave no reaction, only that same cool composure.

By the time the meeting adjourned, the air in the room was thick with restrained fury. Everyone stood. The Prime Minister gathered his files with a smirk, already halfway to the door when he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for even my own human hearing:

“Mutts.”

Aurelian’s eyes narrowed, sharp and dangerous, following his retreating figure. But he said nothing.

The others? They looked ready to riot.

I moved out to go throw away the throw cups.

"Hey, loser."

Camille's voice cut through the air like nails on a chalkboard. Yup, there it was—the nickname she gifted me back in high school when tormenting me was apparently her full-time job. She was a werewolf, proud and mean, and never missed a chance to remind me just how fragile and human I was. According to her, I wasn’t even worthy of breathing the same air as them.

Which was exactly why working at Top Teir meant so much to me. After years of hearing how unqualified, untalented, and utterly beneath them I was, getting shortlisted from thousands of applicants and landing the job felt like reclaiming something. Like I had finally taken a step into a world I was always told I didn’t belong in.

I never really understood the "loser" nickname though. Maybe because it starts with an 'L'—just like Luna. Or maybe just because Camille liked the sound of it.

"I see you did sleep your way to the top eventually," Camille sneered, her voice low but sharp. "It’s the only way a weakling like you ends up working with the Alpha."

I stiffened, turning to her fully and regretting looking into the same grey eyes that had given me nightmares as a teen.

"And why are you working for someone who disrespects your Alpha?" I shot back before I could stop myself.

Her lips curled into a bitter smile. "You know nothing, as always. Dumb and weak."

She stepped closer, her voice now a hiss near my ear.

"It’s none of your business. And a word of advice?" She wrinkled her nose in mock disgust. "Next time, don’t drown yourself in perfume. It chokes."

I clenched my notepad harder, resisting the urge to throw it at her smug face. This wasn’t high school anymore—but Camille clearly hadn’t gotten the memo.

The door opened and Aurelian emerged, his people trailing silently behind him like shadows.

"Alpha," Camille greeted, bowing quickly, her voice sweetened with fake reverence. But his eyes didn’t flicker in her direction. Instead, they locked onto mine with quiet intensity.

"What’s your name, wolf?" he asked, gaze still rooted on me.

"Camille," she answered with a smile that tried to shine, as though she’d just been handed a moment she’d waited her whole life for.

But Aurelian's expression didn’t shift. “The next time you speak to her in that manner, you’ll lose your tongue,” he said, calm and cold, like he was stating the weather.

Camille's eyes widened, disbelief flooding her features. “She’s human—”

He moved before she could finish the sentence. One second she was talking, the next, he was in front of her like a blur of rage and grace. He seized her face, fingers clamping down, pinching her tongue between them.

“I didn’t ask what she was,” he said, voice low, dangerous. “Have I made myself clear?”

She nodded furiously, eyes wide, tongue caught painfully in his grip. Her hands gripped his wrist, trembling.

“Don’t look at her. Don’t talk to her. Clear?”

Another frantic nod.

I took a step forward instinctively, heart hammering, but Rachael’s hand shot out, firm on my arm.

“Don’t,” she murmured, her voice soft but firm.

Camille whimpered as Aurelian finally let go, and she stumbled back, clutching her mouth, eyes darting between us before she bolted out of sight.

I stood frozen, unsure if I should feel grateful or terrified. Maybe both.

He let her go and without a word, his hand found mine—warm, large, possessive. He gripped it firmly and led me away.

We stepped into the driveway, the tension still clinging to the back of my neck like a shadow. That was when we saw her—Camille. She sauntered past us like nothing had happened,sliding into the backseat of the Prime Minister's car. The Prime Minister leaned over and slapped her ass. My mouth dropped open.

He looked straight at Aurelian, his lips curling into a smirk that oozed challenge, mockery—and something far more dangerous.

"Alpha. We need to run," Racheal announced, voice sharp but eerily calm, eyes darting toward Collins, who was trembling ever so slightly. A sheen of sweat glistened at his temple.

The others didn’t look any better. Isaac cracked his neck, jaw tight, clearly trying to shake the tension off, but it didn’t seem to help.

Aurelian didn’t speak. He just nodded once, slow and controlled.

We all piled into the car in silence. The air was thick, not with fear—but fury.