Rose’s POV
I felt a surge of relief as my part of the council meeting finally wrapped up. The heavy tension lifted as I exited the chamber, desperate for a moment to breathe. But word of my rejected mate status had spread through the room like wildfire, igniting curiosity and, judging by the approaching figures, a swarm of intrigue.
I barely made it three steps before Samuel, Alpha George’s son, stepped into my path, flanked by his Beta, Cornilus. His New Yorker accent was rich and deep as he greeted me. “Luna Rose, it’s a pleasure to see you again,” he said, leaning in to kiss my hand in a way that could only be described as… calculated.
“The pleasure is all mine,” I replied, offering him the sweetest smile I could muster. Two could play at this game.
Samuel’s gaze flickered with some
