For a fleeting second, I imagine turning around and marching my sorry ass straight back to the cabin, locking myself in the bathroom with a bottle of wine, and admitting that I’m a massive wimp who just has a big mouth. What was I thinking? These men we’re about to meet aren’t PTA dads or nosy neighbours. They’re real Alphas. The kind who probably wrestle bears for sport and snack on Bambi for breakfast.
I glance down at my sensible black trousers and polished boots and wonder if I should’ve gone with body armour instead.
Callen must feel my wobble through the bond because his thumb brushes soothing circles across my hand. “Hey,” he murmurs. “You’ve got this, babe.”
Ryder’s steady gaze meets mine. You belong beside us, his expression says without a word, and just like that, the panic starts to settle. The spark in my chest catches again, warmer and steadier now. These men, my mates, aren’t dragging me into that room to protect me from the world. They’re walking beside me because I’ve earned it. Because I am the Luna of this pack, and I face Alphas every single day, I just happen to be madly in love with two of them.
I draw in a slow breath and straighten my shoulders. The anxious, slightly panicked woman from two minutes ago?… She can stay behind with the imaginary bottle of wine.
When we reach the hall doors, I catch my reflection in the polished glass. My hair’s pinned up, my marks are visible, and my eyes don’t look afraid anymore.
Now it’s time to show them what kind of Luna they’re dealing with.
Remy pushes the doors open and steps aside. I step forward, flanked by my Alphas, with my head high, heart steady, and feeling every inch the woman I fought to become.
**Paige’s POV **
The hall hums with quiet voices when we enter the first set of doors. Conversations hush as soon as we step through the internal doors. All eyes turn toward us, sharp, assessing, and curious. I swear I can feel the dominance rolling off every man in here.
I thought I’d seen enough TV board meetings and courtrooms to understand the type of situation I was walking into, but this… this is something else entirely. The wolves in this room don’t need clever words to assert authority. Their very presence does it for them.
Ryder’s stride is confident, his emotions steady through the bond. Callen moves to my other side, relaxed but alert, his body angled protectively between me and the nearest group of strangers. Remy and Parker walk just behind us, their silent watchfulness like a wall of support.
The hall is smaller than I expected. It’s more like the other cabins that’s been repurposed into a meeting space.
A massive wooden table sits in the centre of the room. I notice claw marks scarring the tabletop. The scratches strangely give the solid-looking furniture character rather than ruin it. Heavy chairs surround the table, each one different, like they’ve been gathered from a dozen different places over the years. In the middle sits a few glass jugs filled with water, surrounded by mismatched glasses.
To my right, I catch a glimpse of an open doorway leading to what looks like a small kitchen. Another door on the left probably leads to a bathroom. The whole place feels more lived-in than official.
On one side of the table are five men, each of them looking serious. Two men sit while the others stand directly behind them, and then two small groups of what I assume are their enforcers line up against the wall further back. They rise from their seats as we approach, nodding in respect to Ryder and Callen. I can already tell which ones are Josh and Marcus by their positions. Both broad-shouldered and both radiating the kind of arrogance that comes from being obeyed without question, both of them have a seat.
“Josh is on the left with his betas, Cory and Caleb, behind him. Marcus is on the right with his Beta, Lance.” Parker’s smooth voice floats into my mind, and I give a subtle nod, grateful for the information.
Callen pulls out a chair for me, and I sit, with Ryder and Callen taking a seat on either side of me. Remy and Parker stand behind us the way the other Betas do.
“I’d like to thank you all for agreeing to meet with us,” Ryder speaks first.
25 Points
Josh’s gaze flicks from Ryder to me, his brows lifting slightly. “You brought your Luna?” he asks, his tone mild, but I don’t miss the undercurrent of condescension.
Ryder’s jaw tightens. “I did.”
Marcus sits and leans back in his chair, smirking. “I didn’t think you allowed humans at the grown-up table.”
A few of the others chuckle quietly. My pulse jumps, but I force a calm smile, speaking up before Ryder can respond. “Well, I didn’t think Alphas still measured strength by who gets to sit where, but here we are.”
The laughter dies instantly. All gazes seem to lock on me then, interest sparking in their eyes.
Ryder glances sideways at me, and though his face stays neutral, I feel the flicker of pride through the bond.
Callen clears his throat, breaking the tension. “This is our Luna, Paige,” he says. “She is welcome at our table in our pack.”
Josh studies me for a long moment before giving a slow nod. “Very well, I’m not here to judge how you run your pack.”
Marcus chuckles under his breath. “No, but you’ve got to admit it’s unusual. A human Luna mated to four wolves?” His gaze drifts down the line of my mates before returning to me, assessing me in a way that makes me want to growl at him the way my men do. “That’s… ambitious.”
The way he says it makes my skin prickle. I know what he’s really implying, and judging by his smirk, he wants me to rise to it.
Josh tilts his head, curiosity flickering in his eyes. “Must cause a bit of unrest among your females. Four high-ranking males, and not a single unmated one left? That can’t be good for morale.”
“The Moon Goddess made her choice,” Ryder replies smoothly. “My pack respects the Goddess and her choices.”
Marcus raises a brow, unconvinced. “Strong words, Alpha. But tell me, how long do you think she’ll survive? A human bound to four wolves… your strength alone could tear her apart if she’s not built for it. Unless, of course, you’re not planning for her to last long.”
Ryder’s growl is low and dangerous, vibrating through the floorboards. “Careful, Marcus.”
Marcus only smirks, leaning back in his chair, unbothered. “I mean no disrespect. I’m just saying, nature doesn’t usually favour these… unconventional arrangements.” His gaze flicks toward me again. “And can a human Luna even bear an heir strong enough to lead?”
My heart clenches, but before I can say anything, Callen speaks, his tone smug. “She already has.”
That gets their attention. The room goes still, even the enforcers lining the back wall straighten.
Ryder’s voice follows, steady and proud. “Paige has already given me a son. A born Alpha. Stronger than any wolf his age we’ve ever seen.”
Something about the way he says it sends a warmth through me that nearly steals my breath. My throat tightens, pride swelling where anger had been a moment ago.
Marcus’s smirk fades slightly. “A human gave birth to an Alpha?”
Callen’s lips curl into a smug grin. “Yes, a human who now shares the power of four. You’d be wise not to underestimate her again.”
Josh’s gaze moves toward the rest of my mates. “And what about them?” He nods toward Remy and Parker. “If your Luna has already given you an Alpha heir, will she produce a Beta too? Or do they just stand around making sure no one gets bored?”
Remy’s eyes flash, and for a heartbeat I think he’s going to lunge across the table. Instead, he leans forward, elbows resting casually on the scarred wood. “Oh, we’re plenty useful,” he says smoothly, his tone edged with that dangerous undercurrent of his. “And as for a Beta heir…” His grin turns wicked. “Well, we’ve been practicing for that. A lot.”
The reaction in the room is instant, some laughter, a few low growls, and one amused snort from one of the Beta twins behind Josh.
Parker just smirks and mutters something under his breath that I don’t catch.
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