Chapter 84

The Alpha King's official announcement came like a thunderbolt through the pack's political landscape, delivered by formal courier on elegant stationery bearing the royal seal. Kane and I were to serve as his personal representatives for the upcoming council, an honor that elevated us far above our current positions and painted targets on our backs in equal measure.

I stood in Raymond's office, the official letter trembling slightly in my hands as I read the appointment details. The Alpha King's confidence in my abilities was both thrilling and terrifying, especially given the current state of my relationship with my own pack.

The appointment came with significant responsibilities and privileges. We would have direct access to the Alpha King, the authority to speak on his behalf in certain matters, and the power to make decisions that could affect multiple packs across the territory. It was an unprecedented honor for someone in my position.

Raymond, in one of his increasingly rare moments of clarity, actually seemed pleased by the news. His eyes held a flicker of the warmth I remembered from our childhood as he looked at the royal seal, and for a brief moment, I saw the leader he could have been.

"You'll represent our pack well," he told me, and for a brief second, I saw the boy I'd grown up with instead of the stranger Giana's influence had created. "The King has chosen wisely. You've always had the intelligence and diplomatic skills for this kind of work."

The praise caught me off guard, bringing tears to my eyes as I remembered the Raymond who used to believe in me, who used to see my potential. This glimpse of his former self was both heartbreaking and hopeful.

But even as relief flooded through me at Raymond's approval, I found myself conflicted about the appointment. This honor would complicate our investigation, grant us unprecedented access while simultaneously making us more visible to our enemies.

"This changes everything," I said to Kane later as we reviewed the appointment documents in his quarters. "We'll have the Alpha King's ear, but we'll also be under intense scrutiny from every pack in the territory."

Kane helped me prepare for the new responsibilities, his quarters becoming our private war room away from prying ears. Maps of the territory, council protocols, and political briefings covered every surface, transforming the space into a strategic command center.

"Protocol dictates that representatives present unified fronts at all times," he explained, standing behind me as I practiced formal presentations. "Every word, every gesture will be analyzed by allies and enemies alike. We can't afford any mistakes."

"Like this?" I asked, adjusting my posture to match the formal stance required for council proceedings.

His hands settled on my shoulders, ostensibly correcting my position, but the touch sent electricity through both of us. The professional distance we tried to maintain crumbled whenever we were alone together, our growing bond making it impossible to ignore the connection between us.

"Perfect," he murmured, his breath warm against my ear. "You're a natural leader, Aurora. The King sees what everyone else should have seen years ago."

The professional lesson slowly transformed into something more intimate as the weight of our new responsibilities settled over us. Kane shared stories I'd never heard before, painful memories of his parents' deaths and how the Alpha King had been the only constant in his chaotic world afterward.

"When my parents were killed, I had nothing," Kane admitted, his voice rough with old pain. "No pack, no family, no future. The Alpha King took me in when no one else would, gave me purpose when I thought my life was over. His approval matters because he saved me when I had nothing left."

I turned in his arms, studying the vulnerability in his face. This was a side of Kane I rarely saw, the broken boy beneath the confident warrior. His trust in sharing these memories felt precious, sacred.

"You won't fail him," I said firmly, my hands framing his face. "We won't fail him. We'll prove that his faith in us is justified."

"I've never had a partner before," Kane confessed, his hands covering mine. "In anything. I've always worked alone, trusted only myself. But with you..."

"With me, what?" I whispered, barely breathing as I waited for his answer.

"With you, I feel like we could accomplish anything. Like we're stronger together than we ever were apart. Like maybe I don't have to carry everything alone anymore."

The admission hung between us, heavy with implication and possibility. For the first time since we'd met, we talked seriously about our future together, both scared but hopeful about what we might build.

The conversation was interrupted when Raymond appeared at Kane's door, seeking us out to discuss council preparations. His presence was a shock—Raymond rarely sought out private meetings anymore, and never in Kane's quarters. But his moment of clarity seemed genuine as he discussed strategy and protocol.

"I think the King chose wisely," Raymond said again, his voice carrying conviction. "Aurora has always been too good for this pack. Maybe now she'll get the recognition she deserves."

The words stung even as they warmed my heart. Raymond was acknowledging that he'd wasted my potential, that I'd been capable of more than he'd ever allowed me to achieve. It was both validation and condemnation of our relationship.

When Giana appeared later and started to criticize the appointment, suggesting it was disrespectful to Raymond's authority and inappropriate for a Luna to have independent power, Raymond surprised everyone by defending the decision firmly.

"The Alpha King's judgment is not subject to your opinion," Raymond told her coldly, and for a moment, I saw a flash of the strong leader he used to be. "Aurora has earned this honor through her own merit, not through any manipulation or favoritism."

Giana's face flushed with anger at the rebuke, but she couldn't argue with Raymond's direct order. The moment revealed that some part of the real Raymond was still fighting against her influence, still capable of independent thought and decision-making.

That night, as Kane and I lay together planning our approach to the council, I felt a shift in our relationship that went beyond the physical. We were becoming true partners in every sense, our professional and personal bonds intertwining in ways that strengthened us both.

"Are you nervous?" Kane asked, his fingers tracing patterns on my bare shoulder as we discussed strategy.

"Terrified," I admitted honestly. "But also excited. This could be our chance to expose what's really happening here, to get justice for Marcus and protection for the pack."

Kane's arms tightened around me protectively. "Whatever comes next, we face it together. No more working alone, no more carrying burdens in isolation."

"Together," I agreed, sealing the promise with a kiss that tasted of hope and determination.

But in the back of my mind, I wondered how long Raymond's clarity would last, and what Giana would do to exploit our new positions. The appointment was an opportunity, but it was also a declaration of war against forces we were only beginning to understand.

The real test would come when we reached the Alpha King's court, where every word and action would carry consequences that could reshape the future of our pack.