Page 70 of King Luna

He stops me in front of everyone, tilting my chin to reveal my fresh mark.

My claws prick his arm with my nerves—I feel more vulnerable than ever to fawn for him in front of so many powerful figures. But when Noah presses a featherlight kiss on my neck, my eyelashes flutter.

I mean it. I really love you. I'm not the King, but you've always had the grace and kindness in you of a Queen Luna. Let them see it. Let them see it, right now.Noah’s proud, heavy-lidded gaze stirs my heart to new heights. It bolsters my confidence tenfold, rolling my shoulders back and unclenching my jaw.

Once we've officially entered the event space, we’re swarmed. Wolves nuzzle and sniff me, new names blurring until I can’t remember a single one.

You’re doing great. Keep breathing,Noah mindlinks without needing to turn his head; our bond fluctuates faster than I can keep up with as we’re overloaded with sensory stimulation.

Most wolves give Noah a much wider radius than they give me, but if anyone inches too close to me, all Noah has to do is look at them.

A thrill runs through me each time an Alpha scampers away from him—submitting to Noah, even though we’re in the company of the world’s top Alphas. It's clearer by the second that, like me, Noah is far more powerful than he gives himself credit. He might not be the King Alpha, but my mate carries himself like one.

I stare up at his sharp profile, my heart fluttering at his rapid tracking of any and all movement he sees.

Anyone here I should watch out for, gorgeous?I attempt to follow his gaze.

I’m scanning for them. But mainly, I’m looking for my one true ally. I want you to know who to go to if you’re in trouble.

I swallow hard. Noah has mentioned him before: the top Alpha in Idaho, Reid Nordskov.

But Reid is even more aloof than Noah. No pictures exist of Alpha Reid online—not officially, at least. All Noah has on his phone is an old picture of the bottom half of Reid’s face, only a wide smile peeking through. The rest of the photo is blocked by Reid’s wide palm covering the lens.

Reid is special to Noah. I’ve heard Noah calling him on the phone sometimes to get his opinion on pack issues, but Reid never seems to want to be involved in the top global rankings, preferring to aid the state of the world from the shadows. I don’t blame him. The weight on Noah’s shoulders pains my heart too, and Reid might even be able to accomplish more out of the spotlight. While it’s different from our strategy, it’s an ingenious one.

Needing support at the Summit is a recurring concern between every pack leader I’ve spoken to thus far. Things must get tense here.

And I’m gravely disappointed; there are hardly any women or non-binary wolves leading as top Alphas here, let alone fellow queer couples—unless the men and women I see are bisexual, like us. Not to mention almost none of the top leaders are Omegas or Betas in the first place, top Alphas touting their Lunas like accessories.

Greenfield Pack seems to be more of an anomaly than I realized. I’m positive powerful Lycans exist in these packs beyond the Alpha men attending the Summit in the vast majority, but this must be what Noah has been worried about.How can packs thrive with domineering Alphas shoving their own pack members down? It only creates a culture of hurt.

Worry consumes my rocky stomach. While Noah defies the Elders in our pack, does this mean he defies a large majority of the Lycan world’s traditions too? How are we going to be able to make things safer if Alpha-domination culture is this widespread?

The second that thought crosses my mind, my focus latches onto the murmuring behind our heads.

“That’s him, Luna. The shy ‘King.’ I bet he’s too much of a little bitch to fight anyone. Real Alphas don't exist anymore, thanks to cowards like him.”

Before I think it through, I turn around with a snarl. “I’mnot shy. Don’t come anywhere near my mate.”

The Alpha raises his hands in defense, flashing a sly grin. “No harm intended, little Luna.”

His smirk wavers as Noah’s chest puffs beside me. Noah slowly turns to the Alpha with his expression completely flat—until his lips curl into a vicious smile.

A smooth darkness seeps from Noah’s rumbling tone. “You’re the top Alpha in Illinois, aren’t you?”

Everyone around us shrinks, anticipating Noah’s next move—except one Alpha in particular. A tall, stoic leader paces a few steps behind the Illinois Alpha, his stare sharpening until a chill runs down my back.

My feet shuffle in anticipation. I don’t recognize this pacing Alpha, but he looks like he's waiting to strike. Is he on our side?

When Noah places his hand on the Illinois Alpha’s shoulder, multiple wolves jump. “Well?”

The Illinois Alpha hardly breathes. “Y-yep, Illinois. Logan Brightville of Brightville Pastures Pack. No harm intended to you either, King.”

Noah frowns—at first. His smile creeps back up one cheek, exposing his incisors. “I’m not the King.”

Logan’s jaw ticks, his torso twitching through shaky breaths in a failed attempt to remain stoic.

Noah lifts one eyebrow. “But I do know what your Alpha-domination buddies are up to. And I think you know how I feel about that.”

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