Page 4 of Moon Kissed

“Kill her!”

“Now, now,” I called. “Before anyone does anything rash, you might want to listen to—”

A hard force slammed into my back, popping me off my feet. My shout was cut short by a hard, vicious crack on the head.

Darkness took me.

“WAKE UP.”

Pain exploded in my cheek.

“Wake up!”

I blinked blearily, squinting under harsh, stabbing light. “Wha... What happened...?”

“I’ll tell you exactly what happened. You made your last and stupidest mistake, Daciana Volana.” My vision cleared on a tall, severe woman with short hair, thin lips, and a pantsuit that repelled wrinkles. “The alpha council is on their way. Your execution is at dawn.”

Groaning, I rolled my neck—feeling the thin trickle of blood running down it. Whoever clocked me got me good. Points for the quick-thinking. I never saw them coming.

Pantsuit was still running her mouth but I ignored her while I took stock.

I was tied to a chair, that much was clear from the thick bands around my wrists, cutting off circulation to my fingers.

We looked to be in a small meeting room. Big enough for the no less than seven figures surrounding me, but not so big for me to shift.

Not that I need to,I thought, eyeing the guarded door.I’ll be walking out of here soon enough.

“Thank you,” I broke in, cutting off her crowing. “Kind of you all.”

“You—! Excuse me?” the woman said, arching her brow. “It’s kind of us to gather every clan and every wolf so that they can share in the joy of watching your head torn from your body?”

“No,” I drew out. “It was kind of you not to grope me while I took my forced nap. Supposed enemies or not, there’s really no excuse for that kind of behavior toward women.” I inclined my head to her furrowed-brow confusion. “Your basic decency toward me is acknowledged and appreciated.”

“Decency?” she cried, sharing a look with the other men and women in the room.

“That’s right. And it’s because you granted me the basic respect of not pawing me while I was unconscious that I’m going to say this with much less gloating than I planned.” I flashed her a beaming smile. “There’s not going to be an execution because of what you didn’t see when you weren’t looking.

“I still bear the mark of Luame,” I dropped.

The smirk wiped clean off her face. “You’re lying.”

“Nope. I am the mother wolf, and if you kill me, you’ll end the wolf race with one slice of your claw.” I grinned wide, laughing in her face. Okay, I was gloating a little. “Forever.”

“Lies!” one of the men shouted. He pounced on me, ripping my shirt up.

Clear for all to see was the crescent moon birthmark where a belly button was supposed to be, but never was.

“This isn’t possible! It’s a trick. It’s makeup!” He vigorously rubbed my stomach, making me burst into giggles.

“Stop that!” Pantsuit pulled him off. “No wolf mistakes the mark of Luame for makeup.” The weight of her glare bore down on me. “It’s real.”

Whispers broke out. Whispers I heard clear as a church bell. They were actually debating if they should call the execution off, and if there was a way to kill me without ending the wolf line for good.

They whispered, but Pantsuit didn’t. We locked in a long, measuring stare.

I could sense it. Everyone else was decoration. The true power in this room... was her.

And me.

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