But my focus is on one thing: finding Kieran… and the betrayal I now hold in my hands.
I clutch the phone tightly, my fingers trembling as I replay the recording in my mind. Nina’s voice—sharp with jealousy, dripping with venom. Damon’s arrogance, his confidence that Eldon would tear Moonfang apart from the inside.
I force my feet to move, weaving through the chaos, my breath coming fast and shallow. I have to find Kieran.
The estate gates loom ahead, flanked by warriors forming defensive lines. And there, at the center of it all, stands Kieran.
He’s giving orders, his voice sharp and authoritative, his presence a solid force among the frenzy. His wolf lurks just beneath the surface, the flicker of glowing eyes betraying his barely contained rage. Elder Darell, Ian and a few others are beside him.
Perfect.
I don’t hesitate.
“Kieran!” I call, pushing past two guards who try to stop me. My voice is raw, urgent. He turns sharply, his eyes locking onto mine.
For a moment, something flickers across his face—relief? Concern? But I don’t let myself think about it.
I shove the phone into his hands. “Play it. Now.”
His brows furrow, but he doesn’t question me. He presses play.
And Nina’s voice spills into the air like poison loud enough to stop passing wolves in their tracks.
“The little bitch thinks she can just waltz in and take my place. Good thing she has that seal. But, oh brother, I'm so tired of tolerating her! Are you sure this will work?”
Damon’s smug reply follows, and with every word, the courtyard falls into stunned silence. The warriors standing nearest stiffen, their ears twitching.
“Don't worry sister, we have other plans to bring them all down. We need to crush him, make him feel like he’s nothing. We need to take everything away from him, including that so-called Mate of his. And he will know what it truly means to be alone.”
“And he gets to see what he passed up on not taking me as his Luna.” There's a pause.
Kieran’s grip tightens around the phone, his body radiating fury. But he looks at me.
In that moment, something shifts.
Not just in him. In everyone.
They’re waiting. Watching.
The pack is still divided—half of them uncertain about me, about my place here. But this? This moment? It changes everything.
Because Kieran doesn’t hesitate.
He steps forward, his eyes locked onto mine.
And then, in front of everyone, he grips my wrist and pulls me closer, his body heat washing over me, his scent wrapping around me like an unbreakable bond.
Then, his lips find my neck.
A gasp ripples through the crowd. My breath catches.
He doesn’t bite. He doesn’t mark. But the press of his lips, the way his nose brushes against my skin—this is a claim. A declaration.
When he pulls back, his voice is steady, unshakable. “Hazel is mine, and in time, your Luna. She has proven herself, time and again. You will yield to her orders. You will respect her.”
Silence.
Then, murmurs. Shock. Realization.