THE PROXY LUNA

OLIVIA

"Feel at ease, Princess."

The words slithered across Alpha Vulcan's study like ice, and Olivia felt every hair on her body stand up.

They had just returned from the dungeon where Luna Michelle, the Luna of Silvermoon Pack, handed Olivia over to Alpha Vulcan in place of Paula, her daughter.

Olivia wasn't Paula Woodridge. She was Olivia Hawthorne!

But who cared?

If she even said it out loud, her mother Sanita and little sister Mae would die. Luna Michelle made that very clear on the fivehour drive here.

So here she stood in Alpha Vulcan's study, dressed in rags, trying to breathe.

"Do you know what it means," Vulcan said slowly, "to kill two birds with one stone, Princess?"

The way he said Princess made Olivia's stomach turn.

I'd rather you call me a slut and get it over with, she thought bitterly.

Alpha Vulcan moved toward her with slow, deliberate steps, forcing her to retreat until her back pressed against the wall. Her hands clenched so tightly her nails bit into her palms.

He was towering, easily six foot five, his broad frame casting long shadows. Dark hair fell over his forehead in careless strands, giving him a permanently brooding look. His nose was sharp and pointed, lending his face a predatory edge, while his deep blue eyes locked onto hers with frightening patience.

As he stepped closer, the faint outline of a tattoo stretched across his upper back near his shoulders, barely visible beneath his shirt.

He stopped inches away.

She could smell him. He smelled of pine, smoke, something dark and rich like oud. His scent hit her like a drug and caused her wolf, Yara to wake up.

Yara had been silent the entire trip. Now she was awake, clawing at the inside of Olivia's skull.

What's wrong with you? Olivia snapped. This man just threatened us!

Mate, Yara whimpered. Our mate.

"I'll tell you what it means." His voice dropped lower, sliding over her like silk pulled across a blade. "One bird is giving your father exactly what he did to my mother. The second is making you a legitimate breeder for my heirs."

He leaned in slightly. Olivia stopped breathing.

"And you, Princess, are the stone I'll use to kill both."

Breeder? BREEDER?! Rage flared hot in her chest. Who does he think he is?

Our mate? Yara chimed annoyingly.

"He's a monster!" Olivia yearned to yell at him, but she swallowed the words before they could escape. Mae's terrified face flashed in her mind. Her mother's trembling hands.

She couldn't afford to fight back.

"You should respond when spoken to," he said, almost amused. "Or don't you know that?"

Oh, I know plenty. Like how to gut someone with a training blade. She wanted to say.

"I... I'm sorry, your grace."

Her voice cracked and she hated how small she sounded, hated how her father's years of training her to be strong meant nothing when her family's lives hung in the balance.

"Good."

He paused.

"And here's the plot twist, Princess. You're my mate."

Everything inside Olivia exploded.

Yara surged forward like a tidal wave, slamming against her mind with so much force she gasped out loud.

Mate. Mate. Mate. MATE.

Vulcan let off a deep, hollow laugh that bounced against the windows.

Yara, stop! Olivia pleaded. He's playing us!

Don't care. Want him. NEED him.

Her body betrayed her completely.

Vulcan watched her with cold amusement. Then he reached out.

His hand closed around her chin, firm but not painful. His thumb brushed across her bottom lip, and heat flooded through her.

Her pulse spiked as Yara howled.

"You feel that?" he murmured. "That's the mate bond. You'll feel it every single day you're here. But you'll never experience what it's supposed to be. And you'll never breathe a word to anyone. Understood?"

She wanted to tell him exactly what she thought of him and his threats and his arrogance.

Instead, she nodded. He let go and stepped back.

"The heirs you breed for me? You'll never hold them. Never raise them."

Tears burned her eyes.

"All the hell your father was supposed to go through? You'll bear it for him."

My father was a hero. she thought fiercely, even as tears spilled down her cheeks. He tried to stop the war. He tried to save lives. You don't know anything.

But she said nothing.

"I bet he was saving you for some little alpha." Vulcan tilted his head.

He was right on that. When she turned fourteen, her dad gave her a silver necklace with a yang pendant and the initials V.R. inscribed on it. He said her promised husband had the matching yin pendant and would come for her when she turned eighteen.

She squeezed the pendant in her hand now, the chain broken from the chaos at Silvermoon.

He'll come, she told herself. Dad promised. He'll come and fix this.

"Save the tears for later, Princess."

Vulcan stepped close again, his breath hot against her ear.

"Defy me just once, Princess," he whispered, "and I'll go down to that dungeon and tear your family apart. One by one. Starting with your mother."

It doesn't matter who he thinks is my mother, because both my mother and Luna Michelle were in the dungeon. Olivia shook with fear.

"I'll make you watch. Then I'll hunt down every single person who shares your father's blood. Every Woodridge who still breathes."

His cold blue eyes bore into hers. "Do you understand?"

I understand that you're a monster!

"Yes, your grace."

"Good. Now let's show the council their new Luna."

Before they could move, someone knocked.

Vulcan's jaw tightened. "Enter."

The door opened. A tall man with honeyblonde hair and an easy grin swept his gaze over Olivia. Beside him stood a woman nearly as tall, darkblonde hair cropped short, her body honed from training. Her eyes flicked to Olivia, then hardened with open disdain.

"Your grace." They both bowed.

"Liam. Maeve." Vulcan's tone was clipped. "Let's head to the council hall."

He turned and started walking.

Liam fell into step beside him, glancing back at Olivia. "I didn't know Silvermoon had sexyeveninrags beauty over there."

Vulcan stopped.

The air shifted immediately. His wolf surged to the surface, a crushing weight pressing down until Olivia couldn't breathe.

They all bowed.

"I'm sorry for speaking thoughtlessly, your grace," Liam said quickly.

It wasn't until they heard Vulcan walk out that they rose. Liam and Maeve followed, and Olivia trailed behind in her rags.

The corridors were endless with stone walls and chandeliers that looked like they existed since the 1800s.

She was exhausted, her feet numb, but she knew better than to complain.

They turned into the South Wing, where the council hall was.

They arrived in front of massive double doors.

Vulcan stopped as guards bowed and opened the doors.

The sound of hinges mixed with voices from inside made Olivia's stomach drop.

Olivia straightened her shoulders just slightly. Vulcan's threats were terrifying, but she would survive this.

For her family, she would endure anything.

VULCAN

Dak was still furious about Liam's comment.

Vulcan's wolf had been snarling in the back of his mind for the past ten minutes, clawing at his control like he wanted to rip through his skin and tear Liam apart.

He'd never been this angry at his Beta before, not once in the fifteen years he'd known him.

More proof that the mate bond was a fucking curse.

More proof that Paula Woodridge would regret the day the moon goddess shackled her to him.

He ignored Dak's rage, clenched his fists, and walked into the hall.

The council room fell silent the moment he entered.

Twenty clan elders and ten Alphas rose from their seats as one, heads bowed, eyes down. The only sound was the scrape of chairs against stone and Paula's hesitant steps behind him.

Vulcan walked past them without acknowledgment, his designer shoes echoing across the floor, till he sat on his throne at the head of the table.

The throne was carved from black oak with wolves etched into the armrests and the Dark Howl crest burned into the back.

He let the silence stretch, watching them squirm, before raising his hand. The murmurs died instantly.

Then he gestured toward the door. Paula stepped inside.

She held her head down, hands clasped in front of her like a prisoner being led to execution. Red curls fell around her face, wild and untamed, framing auburn eyes that would probably be stunning if she ever smiled. She had pale skin and a petite frame that made her look fragile, breakable even.

She was beautiful, he'd give her that much. His eyes fell to her plump lips, moistened by her tongue or maybe her tears. He swallowed hard and the lump went straight to his groin.

Get your act together! He said to himself and looked away. After all, he couldn't afford yearning for the daughter of his enemy.

He turned his attention to the council and they were staring at her.

They're staring too much! Dak snarled.

Vulcan cleared his throat and they turned their attention back to him.

"This is Paula Woodridge. Daughter of the late Alpha Ravick." He paused, letting the name settle in. "She's going to be your Luna. You've all been pestering me for an heir. I listened. Here is my answer."

The silence that followed was sharp and heavy, broken only by someone shifting uncomfortably.

Vulcan caught the shock on Liam's face and the barely concealed fury on Maeve's. He hadn't told them because he knew they would try to talk him out of it.

Paula Woodridge would be his Luna whether they liked it or not.

He leaned back, scanning the table. Ten Alphas sat rigid, faces carefully neutral. Ten elders from his father's clan looked wary. Five from his stepmother's clan looked entertained. The remaining five from smaller families looked like they wanted to disappear.

Elder Cormac stood first. Old, grayhaired, and stubborn as hell. A member of his father's clan.

The elders from his father's clan were loyal, but only out of fear, and they made sure to be a part of every decision he made, not because they cared about him, but because they wanted to protect the seat of power from slipping out of their bloodline

"Your Grace." His voice was careful. "With all due respect, this girl is the daughter of a traitor. Her father waged war against us and killed our warriors. Making her Luna would encourage other packs to think they can..."

"I dare any of them to try."

Such a pack would receive a tenfold of what has befallen the Silvermoon pack!

Cormac's mouth snapped shut. He hesitated, then tried again. "Then surely you see.... "

"Do you have anything else to say, Lord Cormac?"

"No, Your Grace." Cormac went pale and dropped back into his seat.

Vulcan leaned forward slightly. "Paula Woodridge will be accorded the respect she deserves as Luna of this pack. If anyone has a problem with that, you're welcome to report directly to me."

His words hung in the air like a noose. He watched them calculate whether crossing him was worth risking their bloodlines.

The answer was no. It always was.

He sat back, satisfied.

His attention briefly fell on the five elders from his stepmother's clan. They were all smiling like this was the best entertainment they'd had in months.

Their silence was only loud when he made questionable decisions, but the moment he tries to do something remotely reasonable, they'd have opinions.

Just as he was about to dismiss them, Kieran raised his hand. Vulcan's jaw clenched.

Kieran was his stepcousin, the late Luna Gwen's nephew, and he had a talent for getting under his skin.

Worse, he enjoyed it.

"What?"

"Well," Kieran said smoothly, amusement dripping from every word, "our clan is in full support of this marriage."

His eyes slid to Paula like a wolf circling prey.

Rip his head off! Dak roared. How dare he look at our mate like that!

Vulcan dug his nails into the armrests.

"After all," Kieran continued, leaning back in his chair, "she's of noble birth. Pack law permits it. And she's certainly beautiful enough. No wonder my cousin couldn't help himself."

Murmurs rippled through the room. Dak's energy surged and everyone went still, fear prickling at their composure. But Kieran fought through it, even if it hurt his wolf to withstand the Alpha's aura.

He tilted his head. "Who knows? She might even be your fated mate."

The wood beneath Vulcan's hands creaked.

MAKE HIM STOP!

Kieran's smirk widened. "If it were me, I would've fallen for her charms too."

Vulcan's vision blurred red. Every instinct screamed at him to cross the room and snap Kieran's neck, to wipe that smirk off his face permanently, to make an example so brutal no one would ever disrespect him or his mate again.

But he forced himself to stay seated.

They wanted blood. They wanted him to lose control so they could use it as proof he was unstable, unfit to rule, tainted by lowborn blood.

He wasn't giving them the satisfaction.

"Congratulations, Your Grace," Kieran said smoothly.

Vulcan turned his back on him. "This council is dismissed."

Chairs scraped. Footsteps hurried toward exits, eager to escape Vulcan's imposing aura. Alphas filed out first, then elders, heads bowed, avoiding his gaze.

Within seconds, the room emptied except for Liam, Maeve, and Paula.

Liam stepped forward cautiously. "Your Grace, are you..."

"Leave."

He hesitated, glancing at Maeve. She shook her head and grabbed his arm. They bowed and left without another word.

The door closed with a heavy thud, leaving him alone with Paula.

She stood frozen near the entrance, staring at the floor. He could hear her heartbeat from across the room, beating fast and anxious.

He walked toward her slowly, letting his footsteps echo. She flinched with every step but didn't run.

He stopped in front of her, close enough to see the pulse hammering in her throat.

"Look at me."

She didn't move.

"I said look at me."

Her head lifted slowly. Those auburn eyes met his, wide and glassy with unshed tears.

Something primal stirred in his chest, something he'd been fighting since the moment he'd scented her in Silvermoon. Dak howled in approval, pushing forward, demanding he claim what was theirs.

Before he could stop himself, he leaned in and captured her mouth in a hungry, possessive kiss.

For a split second, her lips softened against his and heat flooded through him like wildfire. His dick had hardened the moment he grazed her skin, but now it was rock hard and ached so bad that all he wanted to do was bend her over the council table and fucked her so hard till her screams would be heard in all packs of the werewolf kingdom.

But then she shoved him very hard, while panting for her breath.

He stumbled back a step, more from shock than force.

Time stopped.

His blood boiled hot. Dak howled in pain and rage.

She pushed us away! Our mate pushed us away!

Vulcan turned to look at her, eyes bloodshot, wolf barely contained beneath his skin.

Her eyes dilated with pure terror.

She'd just made the worst mistake of her life.

OLIVIA

Olivia stared in shock at the man who was red as a bull in front of her.

Why the hell would you do that?! Yara wailed.

Olivia began to stagger backwards. It wasn't her intention to actually push him that hard. But this was her first kiss and it meant so much to her.

Olivia Hawthorne what have you done?

Offer a soothing apology now Olivia! Yara advised.

Olivia nodded, but before she could react, Vulcan's dominance crashed over her like a tidal wave. His wolf imposed itself on hers, raw and commanding, and she felt Yara submit instantly.

He covered the little distance she put between them in one long stride, then pulled her till there was no space between them.

"You belong to me," he said coldly as he whispered against her mouth, his voice dark and possessive. "Body and soul. You'll give yourself to me anytime I want."

Then he grabbed her face and kissed her again, harder this time, claiming her mouth with a hunger that left no room for resistance.

Yara surged forward, thrilled and eager, her excitement flooding through Olivia's veins so strongly it made her dizzy. Without permission, Olivia's fingers tightened in Vulcan's shirt, pulling him closer. Her mouth moved against his with sudden urgency, her teeth brushing his lower lip as she deepened the kiss.

This is our mate, Yara purred.

You traitor, she said furiously at her wolf. You're making this easy for him!

But Yara didn't care. She was lost in the mate bond, reveling in Vulcan's touch, and Olivia hated that her body followed suit.

Then footsteps echoed in the hallway.

Olivia jerked away from him like she'd been burned, gasping for air just as the council hall doors opened. Her lips were swollen, her face burning hot. She probably looked completely wrecked.

Vulcan looked amused.

Maeve appeared in the doorway, her sharp eyes zeroing in on Olivia immediately. She scanned her flushed cheeks with predatory eyes, her jaw tightening so hard the muscle jumped beneath her skin. Her hands curled into fists at her sides.

"Your Grace," she said through gritted teeth.

"Come on, Maeve. We're alone," Vulcan replied casually.

Maeve scoffed. "Really, Vulcan? Liam and I need to see you. With the Luna excused."

Olivia glanced between them, confused. What kind of relationship allowed Maeve to speak to the Alpha King so casually? People were supposed to tremble around him, not talk like irritated siblings.

Vulcan strolled back to his throne and sat down. "Call the head maid. Have her take Paula to her chambers. She'll be dining with us tonight. And send word to my mother about the dinner."

Maeve looked like she wanted to commit murder, and Olivia had a feeling she was the intended victim.

Who in this pack wouldn't want to? Only that Maeve's gaze was too intense and she wondered why.

Maeve left and returned with an older woman in a crisp gray uniform.

"This way, my lady," the head maid said after bowing to Vulcan.

Olivia nodded, clutching the necklace her father had given her. She'd been holding onto it since the dungeon, like it was the only thing keeping her steady.

As they walked through the corridors, the reality of her situation crashed down on her.

Even if her betrothed burst through those doors like some heroic warrior from her father's stories, it wouldn't change anything. Vulcan had already claimed her in front of the council. The mate bond hummed through her veins like a living thing.

No one could challenge what the Alpha King had decreed.

Good, Yara yawned lazily, still reveling in the joy of kissing Vulcan. I don't care about some random betrothed anyway. We have our mate now.

Olivia wanted to argue, wanted to remind her wolf that their mate had threatened to destroy her family and was using her for revenge. But she was too overwhelmed.

Would you rather have Romain as your betrothed? Yara pressed.

Olivia nearly choked. "I'd rather die than be with Romain."

She'd once stupidly assumed Romain might be her betrothed because he was Paula's brother and always acted like she belonged to him. The relief when her father told her it wasn't Romain had been staggering. He was mean and treated her terribly when there wasn't anyone around.

Then stop overthinking, Yara said more gently. Live first. Figure out the rest later and try to get us more kisses.

Yara! Olivia's face turned beet red, without her permission. She fanned her face with her hands, hoping no one would notice.

The head maid led them into the West Wing. The design here was sleeker, with clean lines and tall windows. Charcoalgray walls glowed under soft recessed lighting.

They stopped in front of large double doors on the secondtolast floor.

"These are your chambers, my lady," the head maid said.

The room was massive. A kingsized bed with silvergray linens sat against the far wall. Dark hardwood floors shone beneath her feet, and a plush sitting area near the windows held a couch and armchairs.

"These are your personal maids," the head maid added, gesturing toward two women. "Trisha and Olivia."

Olivia's stomach dropped.

Paula.

Paula stepped forward, and all the air left Olivia's lungs.

Luna Michelle had pleaded with Vulcan in the dungeon to let Paula come as Olivia's personal maid. Vulcan had agreed, probably finding it amusing.

Paula looked different in the maid uniform, less commanding than in her elegant gowns. But the fury in her eyes hadn't changed.

She blamed Olivia for her father's death. But her father had been responsible for Olivia's father's death too, a truth Paula would never accept because it meant admitting her Alpha father had been reckless and powerhungry.

Olivia still remembered eavesdropping on her parents the night her father tried everything to stop Alpha Ravick from starting the war. When words failed, he'd written a secret letter to Dark Howl Pack, warning them. That letter had been intercepted by Alpha Ravick and as punishment, her father was sent to the Frontline.

He died in a war he tried to prevent.

"My lady," Trisha said softly. "Let me prepare your bath."

She slipped into the bathroom, leaving Olivia alone with Paula.

Paula scoffed. "You must be enjoying this. Playing Luna and living my life."

Olivia didn't respond.

"If you're going to pretend to be me, at least get it right. Stop slouching. Walk with confidence. Don't stutter. God, there's so much you don't even know!" Paula circled her like she was inspecting a cheap imitation. "Do you know how long it took me to learn all this? While you were busy sparring with your father?"

Olivia's jaw clenched.

"I know it's hard," Paula continued mockingly. "Acting like a princess when you're basically a nobody. But you'd better try. Unless you want everyone to figure out the truth."

Something inside Olivia snapped.

"I'm doing everything I can," she said quietly, meeting Paula's gaze. "And no matter what you say or do, I'll protect my real family. Even if it costs me my life."

Paula's face flushed red. She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "You think you're so noble? Your family is alive because of my mother's mercy. Don't forget that. One wrong move and they're dead." She smiled coldly. "And I'll make sure you watch."

Trisha returned before Olivia could respond. "My lady, your bath is ready."

Olivia escaped into the bathroom.

The tub was enormous, filled with steaming water that smelled like lavender and vanilla. She sank into it, trying to block out Paula's words.

Paula wasn't entirely wrong. And that hurt the most.

Her father had taught her to fight when people said it wasn't appropriate for a girl. He said strength wasn't just for sons, that she deserved to know how to protect herself.

Those training sessions had been her favorite. She loved the way his face lit up with pride when she mastered a difficult move. They'd spend hours in the yard, then collapse on the porch afterward, talking about pack history and honor.

Later they'd watch TV with Mae while Mom made dinner and pretended to scold him for teaching her "dangerous things."

He'd prepared her for everything except losing him.

He will never see her shift. Never meet Yara. Never watch her run through the forest under the moonlight.

Trisha helped her out of the bath and wrapped her in a soft towel. She dried Olivia's hair, applied light makeup, and led her to the walkin closet.

Most of the dresses were light blue.

Olivia frowned. "Why are they all the same?"

Trisha's eyes flickered briefly before she bowed. "I'm sorry, my lady."

She had no idea. Olivia sighed and let Trisha dress her in a sleeveless dress that hugged her waist and flowed to her knees.

When they stepped outside, two guards were waiting.

Paula and Trisha stayed behind.

Olivia glanced back. "Aren't you coming?"

Trisha shook her head. "Not everyone is allowed on the top floor, my lady. That's where Alpha Vulcan resides."

Olivia looked at Paula. Her eyes brimmed with fury and jealousy.

Olivia turned away and followed the guards up the stairs.

Whatever was waiting for her on the top floor, she'd face it alone.