Chapter 32

Chapter 32

My nostrils flared. “Love you, too, Mother.”

Deborah Shadowmoon, Luna Regent of the Shadowmoon Pack, paced the floor of what I liked to call the “throne room.” She held court there daily, demanding homage from higher-ranking pack members and punishing those who crossed her.

I didn’t have time for such bullsh*t. You either followed my orders, or you found yourself on the business end of my jaws. But the pomp and circumstance made Mother happy. so I let her do what she wanted.

It was just easier to let Mother do what she wanted.

Giselle was standing next to me, her eyes wide with awe at the resplendent, coiffed, powerful monarch in front of her. I was sure she was taking notes. “We could have used your mate bond to leverage Alpha Hale,” my mother continued. “At the very least, I could have a worthy, legitimate grandchild by now!”

“There’s still plenty of time for that, Mother,” I sighed, pinching the bridge of my

nose.

My mother stopped before me, going up on her toes to take my face in her hands. “Where did I go wrong? How did I raise such a stupid, thoughtless child?”

I growled. “I’m still Alpha. You could show a little respect.”

“When you’re worthy of it, I’ll show it to you,” my mother snapped. She released me to go back to her pacing.

Sometimes I wanted to snap my jaws around HER n*eck. But knowing her, she’d probably poisoned her blood or something and would take me with her. She was a witch, after all.

“Luna,” Giselle said with another deep curtsy. “I can assure you, it’s not too late. It may even be more advantageous now that a mate bond has kindled between Alpha Hale and Kora. It will hurt all the more, and there will be more to leverage.”

My mother speared Giselle with a look. “Who are you again?”

“I have no doubt that one day she will be Luna of the Fullbright Pack,” I said.

Giselle gave me a smile, thinking I was defending her.

I was actually trying to stir up trouble and get my mother’s sights off me.

“So… nob*dy, then,” my mother sniffed.

Giselle frowned. “I’d hardly call me

“Listen you st upid, grasping little toad” my mother snarled. “By the time you’re thinking of becoming Luna, there won’t BE a Fullbright Pack!”

I hid my laugh behind a cough at Giselle’s sour expression.

“Did you bring her here just to entertain yourself?” my mother asked, turning back to me. “If that’s the case, the ser vants’ entrance is over on that side of the castle. You’ve at least had the decency to take your wh ores in that way in the past.”

I was about to give her some fl*ppant comment when Giselle surprised me.

“Listen, you uppity old bat,” she seethed. “I’m the one who’s providing new information on Fullbright. I’m the one who is helping to set a trap for Kora so you CAN torment Hale. And my help isn’t cheap. If I’m going to help you, then I’m going to be rewarded. Period.”

This was getting positively delightful. I leaned back on my heels and waited for my mother to let her have it.

My mother stared at Giselle for a long time, red-faced with her finger raised.

I wondered if my mother really was going to turn Giselle into a toad. I mean, it would be a bit of a storybook cliche, but…

Then, my mother lowered her hand and began to cackle.

I couldn’t have been more surprised if she’d turned Giselle into a hamster. “Mother? Are you alright?”

“I like her. Pity Hale doesn’t,” my mother said, wiping her eyes. “Oh, to be a young, cu nning social climber once more. Trust me, young lady, being at the top is not nearly as fun as getting there. I miss it, the hunger, the backstabbing, the manipulation… girl after my own heart.”

Giselle smiled prettily and curtsied again. “I can only hope to one day be as successful as you.”

“We’ll find you a proper marriage. A place to start, at least,” my mother promised. “Luna of some pack we’re allowing to live. Fullbright, unfortunately, will not be one of those packs. It would hardly serve your purposes to be Luna of a pack that doesn’t exist.”

“True.” Giselle’s smile was my mother’s equal, and its cu nning shot straight to my loins. There was something quite s**y about a woman who wasn’t afraid to get her hands d*rty.

“So, we will be getting Kora Monroe back,” my mother went on, as though we’d always owned her and the fact she was a member of the Fullbright Pack was a mere logistical error. “And when we do… Lyle, are you listening?”

“Hmm?” I asked, flicking my eyes up from Giselle’s t*ts.

“Men, my mother grumbled. “I’m telling you, Lyle, that when we get her back, this time, you WII L accept her!”

“Fine, fine.” I yawned. “Though I wasn’t really in the market for a mate yet.”

My mother stabbed her finger in my direction, and the floor sparked at my feet. I jumped back.

“I don’t care what you’re ‘in the market for! You will have Kora Monroe, and you will HAVE Kora Monroe, and you will give me grandchildren!” my mother snapped.

“I thought this was about destroying the Fullbright Pack?” I said, patting embers off of my cloak.

“Two birds. One stone.” My mother folded her arms. “You do understand what I’m telling you, right?”

“Yes, Mother. I’m not five.” I grunted.

“Good, because I’m planning your mating ceremony to happen within the week. Your bride had better be there,” my mother warned.

I didn’t bother asking “or what.” I wasn’t stupid. Disappointing my mother was a death sentence for most-if they were lucky.

Disappointing her as a son? Well, you only had to do that once. I rubbed the scar that ran up my arm. “I will do as you ask, Mother. It’s not as though she’s some bridge troll. F**king her will be… satisfying.”

“Do you have to be so vulgar?” my mother groused.

“Half the satisfaction will come from knowing I am screwing Mason Hale out of his true love,” I smirked.

My mother gave me a proud smile. “That’s my boy. Now, see that this lovely young lady is settled, then get to pack business. You know this pack doesn’t run itself.”

I was never quite sure if it was me allowing my mother to believe she was running the pack, or my mother allowing me to believe I was running the pack. It was a delicate game we’d been playing for years, ever since I’d ascended officially as Alpha. “Yes, of course, Mother.”

My mother patted my shoulder approvingly. It was as high up as she could reach. When I was a child, she would have patted my head like a good dog.

I turned to leave, and Giselle curtsied again, following me out.

“The Luna Regent is quite pleasant,” Giselle said, her shoes clacking double-time on the stone to keep up with my long strides. “She seems like such a good mother, and you a good son. I really envy your bond-”

I stopped and caught Giselle by the wrist. “Giselle,” I responded in a sickeningly

sweet voice.

“Yes?” She looked up at me with wide, innocent eyes.

I leaned in close to her ear.

“If you ever try to d*ck me around like that, I will rip out your throat.”