Page 5 of Moon Kissed

“Very well,” she gritted. “We cannot kill you, but the dark, dank, dirty hole you’ll live in for the rest of your life will make you wish you were dead. You will pay for Castor’s murder and the betrayal of our people, traitor. That I promise you.”

I hummed. “Mmm, nope. Wrong again.”

She laughed. “Is that so?”

“It is so, and it’s not me saying that. It’s my friend on the outside who will release a video to the world that shows me shifting.” I trapped her widening gaze. “Unless she hears from me morning and night, confirming that I’m safe, free, and happy. She’ll drop the existence of werewolves on the planet.”

I shrugged. “Not big news for the vampires, demigods, or fae, but the mundanes are in for a surprise. And you know what mundanes do to people they don’t understand.”

“You’re lying,” she rasped. “You’d never do such a thing. You’d be putting all of Wolf Nation at risk. The hunts, the slaughter, the capture and experimentation. We’d be persecuted until the end of everything. You wouldn’t do that to your own people.”

My grin was wicked. “Just like I wouldn’t rip my fate’s throat out in front of my own people?”

It was chaos. People shouting, threatening, and partially shifting—their wolves begging to be free to slaughter me. But amidst it all, Pantsuit and I locked eyes.

“What do you want?” A short, sharp question, but it silenced all the whispers.

I smiled. “See? I knew you were the smart one. Please.” I phased through the ropes, letting them drop harmlessly to the ground. “Sit.”

Growls, snaps, and the man who tickled me jumped to attack. Pantsuit stopped it all with a raised palm. “Calm yourself, Kellan. She’s not just a moon wolf, she’sthemoon wolf. Those ropes were never more than an accessory.” Pulling out the chair at the end of the table, she sat—maintaining a healthy distance between us. “I repeat,” she said. “What do you want?”

“I would’ve thought that was obvious. I will attend Corvin Academy.” I didn’t make it a request or a question because it wasn’t one. I was Corvin Academy’s newest student whether anyone had a problem with it or not. “Oh, and, just in case this wasn’t clear, I will do so as a free wolf of the Nation with all the rights afforded me.

“No imprisonment, no probation, no executioner’s axe hanging over my head. When the alpha council arrives, they will stand with me before all the packs, and give me a full pardon.”

Her expression was unreadable, but her body language wasn’t. She clenched her fist so tight, her claws pierced her palm and stained the table red. “Such a high price for a video you claim to have made, and a mystery person supposedly waiting to release it. How do we know you’re telling the truth?”

I said nothing. Simply took out my phone and hit redial. Lucia picked up on the third ring.

“Oh, what a shame. You’re still alive.”

I bit off a sigh. If Pantsuit didn’t think I was punished, she was wrong. Knowing Lucia for five fucking minutes was punishment I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. “Dear sweet friend, I’ve got a request for proof.”

“Ugh, whatever. Give me a second.”

Pantsuit frowned. “What is—?”

Half a dozen phones trilled, chimed, and rang. I watched their faces while they all pulled them out.Confusion, shock, surprise, and there it was, anger.Their priceless expressions while they watched the video that would be a viral hit within twenty-four hours of hitting cyberspace were everything.

I kicked back, crossing my legs. “As you can see, the video does exist and my associate is ready and willing to unleash it.”

“How did she do that?” Pantsuit demanded. “You don’t know my number.”

I winked. “Exactly.”

Her grip tightened on her phone until her knuckles went white. She was aching to punch my grin out through the back of my skull. “I see,” she gritted. “So, in exchange for not unleashing this video, you want a pardon for your crimes and admittance to the academy? Is that all?” Her voice said that had better be all.

Too bad it wasn’t.

“There’s one more thing. I want on the alpha track.”

Her forehead crumpled. “Excuse me? Why on earth for? You’re a high priestess. What possible purpose would it serve you to do anything other than the priestess track?”

“What purpose would it serve metodo the priestess track?” I replied. “I’m not like the others here. I was raised, trained, and put on the path to high priestess from birth. I know everything and more than my instructors could possibly teach me. If this isn’t going to be a boring waste of my time, I’ll have to study something else.

“Alpha,” I pressed. “It’s not a negotiation.”

Pantsuit’s eyes narrowed. “No. That’s not the reason. You want to join the alpha track because somehow, someway, you discovered that your fates were moved from their safe house and brought to the academy to begin their study.” She punched the table, shooting up. “That’s why you’re here! To kill them!”

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