Chapter 94

Olivia POV

Elroy left with a thousand soldiers the next morning, half on horseback and half in their wolf forms. I supposed I should be curious about the battle strategy, but I wasn’t. I couldn’t bring myself to care.

A part of me knew I wasn’t defeated, that I would still fight for wolves’ rights and work to make Lunaris the city it should be.

But the rest of me was tired. I had pushed myself hard, and I needed to gather my strength for the next round. As my mother would say, “Always remember that rest is productive.”

So while I didn’t plan to spend the whole day in bed, I didn’t plan much of anything else. I had breakfast with tea in my room, asked Jordan to come visit another time, and told Iris I didn’t need anything from her.

I didn’t tell Elroy’s mother I never wanted anything from her ever again, but it was a near thing.

I managed to eat lunch at my desk and read through several reports of the White Paw Initiative’s early findings from several surveys of the Lunaris omega population. Unsurprisingly, the Moonshadow region’s scores were much better than those from Eclipse, but I was left uneasy by the numbers from Ravenscrest.

The omegas had nice enough things to say about their lives, but there was an odd similarity to some of the interviews, almost sounding coached or rehearsed. And whereas reports from Moonshadow and Eclipse districts—well, they weren’t really districts per se, but packs did tend to congregate—went into their details about their challenges, those from Ravenscrest kept to vague things like “academic rigor” and “financial issues.”

I sat there for a while thinking about Ravenscrest Pack, which was the smallest of the three major packs in Lunaris. The pack members tended to keep to themselves and hardly ever married someone from other packs.

There was nothing wrong with that, of course, but those cookie-cutter responses to the surveys were worrisome.

After that, I decided to tidy up my papers a bit before taking a nap. I was starting to feel the weight and strain of my pregnancy more these days, and I was always hungry.

I’ve never been one to worry about my weight. I’ve always been active and tend to prefer fruits and proteins over sugars and carbs, so I was actually concerned about gaining enough weight to support my pup fully.

I remembered Elroy wouldn’t be back that night to nourish our child, and we hadn’t slept together the night before, of course. I rubbed my belly bump and told myself not to worry, but it was difficult.

And that was when I found it: a letter sealed with wax someone had slipped into a pile of reports. For a second, I thought it might be from Elroy, but my excitement turned to disappointment when I didn’t recognize the handwriting on the thick envelope.

It was done in strong strokes and with odd little flourishes. Perhaps it was from Astor? I hadn’t seen him in weeks.

But when I opened it, I felt my stomach sour.

Dearest Olivia,

If you are reading this, my hopes of taking you away from Elroy and his loathsome family betrayals have not come to fruition. I hope you can understand how deeply I long to feel you in my arms. I know your skin will be as soft against my body as it has been in my dreams.

Do you like to be kissed firmly, or softly at first? Do you think my hands on your breasts will bring you to peaks of pleasure even before I am inside you? I long to feel you everywhere and to know that you are mine, just as I have been yours these many years.

I know we will make each other very happy and will find ecstasy over and over again when we are together. When I am in bed alone at night, I warm myself with thoughts of how perfectly we are suited.

I stopped reading, feeling more than a little creeped out. Obviously, the writer—Denis, of course—considered himself romantic, but I just felt violated.

I thought about throwing the fucking thing away, but I needed to finish the letter. Denis might reveal something about his plans I could convey to Elroy.

I closed my eyes. How could Elroy think I was in league with a murderer? How could Denis think this kind of letter was going to turn me on?

Reluctantly, I read on.

I have been collecting every bit of news I can about you. You’re making yourself in such a wonderful Luna, even though it’s not for your fated mate. I can only imagine how you will flourish once we are joined before the goddess as we should be.

But this letter I write isn’t just about how much I am looking forward to our union. You’re a strong and loyal woman, that is clear, and I know how deeply you must feel connected to the child inside you.

I want you to have no fears. Unlike Elroy and his family, I would never exile or execute an innocent babe. Once you have given birth and weaned the child, they will have to be sent away, of course, but only to a good home. Then you and I can have the children we are destined to love with all our hearts.

So, do not be concerned about Elroy’s baby. I will be merciful to the child.

I cannot wait until we are together again.

Yours before the Moon Goddess herself,

Denis

I sat heavily in my chair and breathed through the nausea until I no longer felt like vomiting.

“Who the fuck does he think he is?” I demanded of the room. “Just who the fuck?”

There was a knock on my door.

“Who is it?” I called.

“It’s Jordan, Luna. Alpha Elroy has returned and is asking for you.”

Well, I wasn’t going to be able to stay moping about in my room all day after all. I heaved myself out of my chair, hid the letter back among the reports, and called for Jordan to come in.

“Are you all right, Luna?” Jordan asked as she entered, looking at me in some alarm.

“I’m fine,” I said. “Just tired.”

“Yes, you need to rest. But the Alpha was most insistent that you come down.

I nodded and let her fuss about getting me into a simple dress and brushing my hair. I yawned my way through it and tried as hard as I could not to think about the vile words I had just read.

“Does the fireplace work properly?” I asked Jordan.

“Yes, Luna. Would you like a fire this evening? It is a little chilly.”

I want to burn an abomination to a crisp, I wanted to say, but I nodded again instead.

“A fire would be lovely,” I said. “And so appropriate.”

I met Jordan’s eyes in my vanity mirror while she put a necklace on me, and she looked puzzled. “Luna?”

“Don’t worry about it, Jordan.” I managed a smile. “It will all be fine.”

I prayed to the Mood Goddess what I said was true.