Chapter 81

Charles

I could hear the smile in Grace’s voice when she answered as I sunk into the plush cushions of the seated lounge of the Savoy. The restaurant was nothing short of exquisite, a testament to lycan craftsmanship and wealth. Its interior was adorned with captivating lycan art, polished stone, and rich dark wood. Every seat was made to be as comfortable as possible and allow loungers to eat comfortably.

The place was Isolde's favorite and guaranteed to make her more agreeable to answering my questions without the usual snark.

Then, the door opened.

“So sorry I’m late, darling. You know how I like to pretty up for you.”

I almost laughed at Isolde’s purring tone as she sauntered in. Her eyes twinkled with mischief. Isolde, like always, sounded and looked a few moments away from wreaking havoc on some poor man’s sense of decorum. Every bit of sultry allure and playfulness she'd had when we were much younger had bloomed, deepened and darkened over the years. I glanced over at her as she sauntered in. Her gaze dropped to the phone in my hand and before I could say anything her eyes lit up.

“Tell her that she’s just going to have to wait her turn,” Isolde said, wiggling her eyebrows. "If she gets one."

“I will not, and behave yourself.” I scoffed and turned my attention back to Grace. “My meeting is starting. I’ll tell you about it when I get back. Take care of yourself, Grace.”

“Right, okay. I’ll see you then.”

I scowled at Isolde. “She’s nothing but trouble, Grace. Platonic trouble.”

“...I trust you.”

Her voice was so small and vulnerable in my ear. It sounded like a lie that she had told herself before. I almost considered halting the meeting to reassure her, but Grace cleared her throat.

“I have a meeting to get to. I’ll talk to you later.”

Then, she hung up, and Isolde let out a low whistle.

“From the look on your face, that wasn’t who I was hoping it was." She pouted at me. "Was that a bad entrance?"

I shook my head and tucked my phone into my pocket. "You're fine, Isolde. I'll straighten it out. Sit, you little troublemaker. What hell have you been raising while I've been busy?"

She sank into the seat across from me, eyeing me shrewdly. Our history was long and complex, a bond that had evolved over many years. Isolde knew me better in ways that even George or my remaining family members didn’t know—ways that I hoped Grace would know me far better, too. Once, we had thought we were mates, but I had met Tessa before we had crossed the line to find out, and it had turned out for the better.

We were much better as family in all but blood than potential lovers. When I ascended to the throne, Isolde had been an unwavering source of support, just as I had aided her in her rise to power within the Moonblood Clan, helping her overthrow her own brother's rule and set her Clan on a path away from the ruin her brother and father’s ideologies had been leading them toward. Our relationship was built on mutual respect and support.

She pursed her lips. "Call her back."

"No," I said.

"You'll regret it."

"I doubt it," I smiled. "And I know you just want to know who it was."

She lifted her hands. "Caught, but I'm still not wrong. For all your smoothness, you're still a bit blind. I think she'd like it better if she knew the truth sooner rather than later."

I smirked. "Maybe, but she'll get the whole truth the sooner we're done here. How are things in Moonblood?"

She gestured vaguely and grinned as a waiter came in with the wine and appetizers.

Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of amusement and affection. "Charles, you know how it is. Always busy, always a fire to put out, but there are a few bright spots in the darkness…. We’ve had our first newborn in the Clan.”

I sat forward. “Go on. I know you’re holding back.”

Her eyes filled with red light and happiness. “He’s the most darling little thing. His parents let me name him.”

“Terrible decision.”

She tutted. “Evander.”

My heart stuttered as she grinned at me. “Still think it was a terrible decision?”

Evander had been my grandfather’s name. It had almost been my name too.

"Careful, darling. You'll start crying. You're already looking a little to werewolf these days..."

I laughed. "Blame that bastard."

I rubbed my face. She pouted.

"I miss the beard too."

I laughed. "Go on."

Moonblood had new roads in some of the smaller towns. The wheat farms had gotten hit a bit hard from a winter storm, but they had enough stored from the previous harvest to be more than fine. I was proud of how far Isolde had built up her Clan.

So, it made it even harder to understand what she could have been thinking.

"You look like you're upset," Isolde said, her pout becoming more pronounced. "What is it?"

"Devin."

“You mean Devin’s gigantic, near insurmountable debt to the Moonblood Clan."

“Insurmountable?”

“For a lazy, would-be swindler?” She grinned, slow a vicious. “Of course.”

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Have I offended you in some way?"

Her eyes widened. "Why would you ask such a ridiculous thing--"

"You loan sharked my son."

She scoffed. "Devin's dealings with my Clan have been... intricate. He's entangled in matters that go beyond mere financial debts."

"It's not like you to hold things like this from me."

She looked down. "It was... a calculated risk."

I paused. "Is this about the Choosing?"

Her gaze jumped to mine. "So you've heard."

"Amy."

"Devin's mate?" She tilted her head and grinned. "Cultivating loyalty in the enemy camp, are you?"

"Always, but not intentionally. She's an omega."

She nodded. "The moon has a funny way about her. i lured Devin in, more or less, with a bit of money. Not enough to hurt my Clan, but I made it seem like a big deal. The idiot doesn't know the value of it or anything he told me."

She smiled at me. "You have my word, Charles. You are my brother in all but blood." Then, she wiggled her eyebrows. "Though we could change that with a few nights and most of a year."

I laughed. "So you can curse at me? I don't think so."

She pouted. "Shame. I would love to see the look on that witch's face. I'd sleep with you for that sort of payback."

"Your loyalty is loved and cherished," I said. "So what did he tell you?"

"That's he's a puppet of the Elders, nothing that I didn't expect, but... it seems that the LSU has finally started to... bend a bit."

"In a good way?"

"In the worst way. Have you heard of the Blood Moon?" She sneered. "That anti-lycan fear-mongering machine playing at terrorism is going to get my stiletto in its ass one day for using that fucked version of my Clan's name, but there's a rumor going around that the LSU, the Elders, and that travesty are going to start coordinating attacks... More than that, there's a traitor in your camp, Charles."

"There were other ways to get the information from him, Isolde..." I narrowed my eyes. "Why lend Devin anything?"

Isolde leaned back in her chair, a sly grin playing on her lips. "Oh, Charles," she purred, her tone dripping with amusement. "It couldn't have been just me being a good neighbor, extending a helping hand to a fellow lycan in need?"

I snorted. "Try that with someone whose hair you haven't cut in retaliation."

She pouted. "You were cute with your little pony tail."

I scowled at her as she giggled. "It was humiliating. Fess up, Isolde. What did you hope to get out of it?"

Her grin widened, and she chuckled softly. "Well, I suppose I was hoping for a future favor, just in case I needed something from our dear King.”

“You could ask nearly anything of me, Isolde, you didn’t have to go through Devin.”

Her eyes softened. “Charles, I know that.”

“Then, why—“

I frowned staring at her and groaning. “Is this about Tessa?”

“Ding. Ding. Ding! You win,” she beamed at me. “I saw her little tantrum at the Festival. George keeps me up to date about her comings and goings, and I have a watch on any time she crosses my borders. The cow tried to get an audience with me recently…”

“How recently?”

“Recently enough that I could count on her to get wind of it and react quite dramatically."

I couldn't help but chuckle at her mischievous nature. "Isolde, your love for drama hasn't changed a bit. Do you still have to pick a fight with her at every chance?"

Her eyes turned cold. “Until the day she does everyone a lasting service and falls on a sword.” Then, she winked playfully. "Besides, life would be dreadfully dull without a bit of intrigue and excitement, wouldn't you agree?"

"I--"

A knock sounded on the door. My eyes widened as the waiter walked in. I heard Tessa's voice from down the hall.

"Your Majesty, I--"

I waved my hand. "Let her in."

Isolde grinned. "And so the show begins."