Chapter 3
The morning mist clung to the forest floor as Harrison strode along the eastern border of Silver Moon territory. His boots crushed fallen leaves with a satisfaction that bordered on arrogance. Three years of war had only sharpened his edges, making him more Alpha than ever before.
"The Rogue Wars were just the beginning," he muttered to himself, surveying the boundary markers with a critical eye. "We'll expand further once I've reestablished control here."
I watched him from a distance—not physically present, but through memories that still haunted me. Even now, I could sense the ripple in the pack bond when Harrison's confidence surged.
"Titan," Harrison called internally to his wolf, "what do you think of the northern ridge? We could push the boundary another mile."
Silence answered him.
"Titan?" Harrison's brow furrowed. "I need your input on this."
More silence.
I remembered how Titan had once been Harrison's strength, his counsel in times of doubt. Now, the wolf remained stubbornly quiet, retreating deeper into Harrison's consciousness with each passing day.
Harrison's jaw tightened as he forced the connection open. "I don't have time for your tantrums. We're discussing pack strategy."
A wave of nausea flooded through him—not his own disgust, but Titan's. The wolf's displeasure manifested as a physical sensation that made Harrison stumble.
"What's wrong with you?" Harrison growled, steadying himself against a tree trunk.
He closed his eyes, remembering Lillie's delicate smile as she'd welcomed him home. The way she'd trembled in his arms, so fragile yet so devoted.
"She's been invaluable in my absence," he thought warmly. "The perfect Luna until I return permanently."
The nausea intensified tenfold. Titan's revulsion was unmistakable now.
"Enough!" Harrison snapped, slamming his mental walls down with brutal force. "You're a beast, nothing more. You don't understand pack politics or strategic alliances."
Titan retreated further, his presence fading to a whisper. Harrison straightened his jacket and continued his inspection, confident in his superiority over even his own wolf.
---
"The intel is solid," Beta Marcus reported, sliding a folder across Harrison's desk. "A high-profile rogue matching her description was spotted in Aurelia three days ago."
Harrison's fingers stilled on the paperwork he'd been reviewing. "Kennedy?"
"Yes, Alpha." Marcus's voice remained carefully neutral. "The informant claims she's been seen near the luxury hotels, begging for scraps."
A cruel smile twisted Harrison's lips. "So the mighty Luna-elect has fallen to begging. How fitting."
I felt a chill even in my distant memory. The casual cruelty in his voice when speaking my name—it was as if he'd already forgotten the bond we once shared.
"We're going to Aurelia," Harrison announced, rising from his chair. "Pack light. We leave tomorrow."
"May I ask why?" Marcus ventured cautiously.
Harrison's eyes gleamed with malicious anticipation. "Because a true Alpha doesn't abandon his responsibilities. Even to a rejected mate."
---
The Grand Aurelia Hotel gleamed like a diamond against the city skyline. I adjusted my platinum cuffs—each embedded with a tiny royal crest visible only to those who knew what to look for.
"Are you ready?" Liam's voice came through our mind link, his presence a comforting warmth at the edge of my consciousness.
"As ready as I'll ever be," I replied silently.
The trade summit had drawn representatives from every major pack in the region. As I entered the main conference room, conversations faltered as heads turned in my direction.
The white dress I wore was deceptively simple—until one noticed the thread of actual silver woven through the fabric, or the cut that emphasized the regal bearing I'd cultivated over the past year.
"Queen Kennedy," announced the moderator, using the title that was still officially secret. "Representing the Royal Interests."
I inclined my head slightly, accepting the title with the grace Liam had helped me develop. No trace remained of the broken woman who'd fled into the night three years ago.
"Alpha Reynold," I greeted the leader of the neighboring Black Crest Pack with a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes. "I believe we have business to discuss."
The aging Alpha's gaze sharpened with interest as I took my seat across from him. "Indeed we do... Your Majesty."
I leaned forward, my voice dropping to ensure only he could hear. "Let's talk about the northern territories. I understand your pack has been experiencing... difficulties?"
Reynold's eyebrows rose in surprise. "News travels fast in royal circles."
"Everything travels fast when you know where to look," I replied smoothly. "Now, shall we discuss terms?"
As we began negotiations for trade rights that would benefit both our territories, I felt a strange prickling at the back of my neck—the sensation of being watched by someone who knew me all too well.
I glanced toward the window overlooking the hotel entrance and froze.
Harrison Austin had just stepped out of a black SUV, his eyes scanning the hotel facade with predatory intensity.
He was here. In Aurelia.
Looking for me.
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