Chapter 83

Grace

As I dressed for the meeting, my thoughts kept circling back to that woman on the phone with Charles. Platonic trouble is what he called her. I told him I trusted him, but even I could feel how hollow the words sounded. It had been a few days since then, and Charles hadn't called me. I'd gotten a few text messages from him, checking on me, but he didn't mention the woman.

I wanted to call him. I wanted to trust him. I wanted to believe that it was all right, but I...

I huffed and went to my closet, pulling out the dress Amira had picked for me for this meeting and getting dressed. It was sultry but not sexy. It felt confident and appropriate for me. The luxurious fabric glided against my skin. It made me think of Eason, and made me wonder how much longer it would be before he was able to come home and get back to filling my closet with his whims when he wasn't masterminding PR overhauls.

You know how I like to pretty up for you...

Her voice was going to haunt me for the rest of the week. I knew it. I couldn't help but wonder if he was meeting with his mate. Did she know about me? About us? About my children? Did she have children of her own that weren't Charles'?

It took me three times to fasten the bracelet around my wrist. I almost forgot to curl my hair, and I changed my shoes three times before deciding I had to get going or be late.

As I looked at myself in the mirror one last time, I heard the warm way he spoke to her.

Behave yourself...

It was obvious that they knew each other intimately. How intimately? Was she someone I was going to have to interact with regularly?

The unease pushed me out of my bedroom and down to the foyer. I grabbed my new coat and let the warmth of it, the memory of how it had felt to have Charles help me into it, settle my nerves.

I couldn't afford to look worried or to worry about Charles' meeting.

I couldn't afford to jump to conclusions or let my insecurities get the best of me. Charles had his responsibilities, and I had mine.

The driver smiled at me through the rearview mirror and pulled away from the house, headed towards the Le Noire in Mooncrest, a high-quality restaurant known for its elegant ambiance and exquisite cuisine. It was a rival of the Apex and another tourist hotspot.

I opened my phone to go over all the notes Amira had put together for me about Gabriel Black. There wasn't much about him personally, but Silver Eclipse had a big reputation. It had doubled its land stake over the past two years by buying up a lot of the surrounding area and expanding down the border and across the shoreline. There was speculation that Gabriel would be eligible for a seat on the Senate soon, but nothing had been confirmed.

Arriving at the restaurant, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of nervousness and curiosity. Gabriel was about as old as I was, and he'd done so much for his pack in such a little amount of time. I hoped that I could learn something from him and that he wasn't just here to tell me to go back to being a mother.

I clenched my fist and reminded myself that punching an alpha of a far more affluent pack would be a bad idea, even if he turned out to be a jerk.

I took a deep breath, reminding myself to stay calm and collected. I entered Le Noire and was greeted by the warm and inviting ambiance of the restaurant. The host led me from the foyer through the dining room. The air was filled with the tantalizing aroma of gourmet dishes being prepared, and the soft lighting created a gentle and intimate atmosphere.

My heart raced with anticipation as I made my way to the private room.

"Alpha Wolfe," a warm male voice greeted me. He stood as I approached and smiled warmly. He was a striking figure, tall and confident, with dark hair and piercing blue eyes that seemed to see straight through me. His presence was commanding in a way that reminded me of Charles.

He extended his hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Alpha Black," I replied, shaking his hand. "The pleasure is mine. Welcome to Mooncrest. I hope you've been enjoying your stay so far."

"I'm sure I will," he said. "I'm staying at your pride and joy as I hear it. Please join me. I took the liberty of ordering wine. I was surprised to find Blue Moon on the wine list. It's not often available outside of the border territories."

I had no idea what he was talking about, but I smiled anyway.

His eyes twinkled. "You have no idea what I'm talking about."

I winced. "Was it... obvious?"

"A little." He lifted a shoulder. "It's a lycan wine, rather hard to get. Le Noire must have a good middleman."

He grinned. "I wonder if it comes through Silver Crest or somewhere else."

I gave him a thin smile. "I... have no idea. I am glad you're finding some comforts here, though."

"Forgive me," Gabriel said. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I understand that you've recently come into your position."

That was probably the nicest way anyone could have put it, and somehow, it just made me feel worse.

I nodded stiffly. "I'm not offended. I imagine you and half the States know about me in some fashion."

"I'm not interested in knowing of you," he said. I went stiff, waiting for the rest of his statement to come and hoping it wasn't what I dreaded. "It would be impossible to be allies and simply know of one another."

Hope bloomed in me.

"Allies?"

He nodded. "I think we have a lot to gain from each other."

"What are you hoping for?"

He hesitated for a moment before sitting back in his chair. He looked at me as if he wasn't sure what he should and shouldn't say.

"Silver Crest, as you know, is on the border between the States and the Clans' neutral zone. While that is good for business, it is... challenging in other ways."

I frowned. "What do you mean? You're trading pack, I thought. Are the dynamics so different than anywhere else?"

He hummed and poured us glasses of wine. The scent of it hit my nose and made my mouth water. It smelled floral and rich like berries, but I couldn't say what kind of berries. I had a feeling that I was going to start craving it, even though I had never really liked wine.

"It's a delicate balance, and many in the States have their apprehensions against my pack," he replied. "We have to maintain good relations with anyone who might come through the neutral territory. Many think that had corrupted us irreparably, but I find that most of the States are so trapped in their fear and arrogance that their opinions are not worth the air it takes to voice them."

I snickered and lifted my glass. "Cheers to the start of a brilliant relationship."

He smiled and nodded. "I should hope so. As far as I have been able to find, we are the only half-lycan alphas of a pack territory."

My eyes widened. He smiled.

"Surprised?"

I nodded. "Is that... a big deal?"

"It's known but not talked about, but I believe it's a unique chance for us to leverage some elements of the population to better the States as a whole."

I bit my lip, thinking back to the speculations about Silver Crest.

"My assistant didn't find anything about you being half-lycan."

"There is a long list of reasons for that, but it is not because I have actively hidden it," he said. "Much like you, anyone willing to do a little digging could find out."

I nodded. "Right... You interact with humans a lot, right?"

"Sometimes more than I care to."

"Do they... really think we're controlled by the moon?"

He laughed. "The number of times I've had to explain that the myths they have about half-wolf creatures running around biting people are a horrible, nightmare fuel blend of lycans, werewolves, and vampiric propaganda is horrifying. I've considered releasing a book: What Not To Ask A Werewolf And Why."

I laughed. "I can imagine that to be a pain."

He nodded. "I believe it will serve my ultimate goal."

"Which is?"

"Getting a seat on the Senate."

I blinked. "So, those rumors are true."

"And you could have asked about it earlier."

I winced. "How did you know?"

"That you wanted to ask? It was practically written on your face," he shook his head. "I've been working on initiatives to change the public view of lycans and other species within the States, as part of the pre-requisites."

"Pre-requisites for a seat?" I frowned. "I thought the pack just had to be big enough."

He shook his head. "That's usually what people talk about the most, but it's just one of the nine requirements. I have eight of them under my belt. Ironically, I, too, am facing a population crisis. Having allies like your pack could make a significant difference."

I narrowed my eyes, and he smirked as if he had been waiting for my suspicion.

"And what exactly do you mean by that?"