Page 30 of Moon's Call

“A human?”

The silence that followed felt thick enough to cut. Lorelei reached the bottom of the stairs, her chin lifted proudly despite the tension. She took her place beside him, close enough that he could feel the slight tremor in her hands.

Draken wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against his side. The gesture was as much for his benefit as hers – his wolf demanding they protect their mate from the scrutiny.

“My Luna,” he said loud enough for all to hear, letting his pride show through. Let them see his certainty, his acceptance. The pack would follow his lead.

The marble floor beneath their feet vibrated slightly – Lorelei’s powers responding to her emotions. Rather than concerning him, it made Draken smile. His mate might be human, but there was nothing weak about her.

Chuck caught his eye from the crowd and raised his champagne glass in silent support. Agnes beamed from her place near the front, nodding in approval. These small gestures of acceptance strengthened Draken’s resolve.

He looked down at Lorelei, finding her brown eyes already fixed on him. Despite everything, despite the weighted silence and judging stares, she managed a small smile that hit him right in the chest.

His wolf settled. Whatever came next, they would face it together.

Draken squared his shoulders and tightened his grip on Lorelei’s waist, drawing strength from her presence. His voice rang out across the grand ballroom with the authority that came naturally to an alpha.

“Yes, the Luna is human.” The words were clear and confident despite the shocked expressions before him. “I was just as shocked as you all are, and you can understand why it has taken a week before Lorelei is being introduced to you.”

He felt Lorelei’s slight tension beneath his fingers and stroked her side soothingly. His wolf preened at how naturally she leaned into his touch.

“Because I myself was concerned with the fact, I took my time to meet her, really get to know her. I feel confident that, though she’s not a wolf, she’s still capable of leading our pack alongside me.”

The murmurs shifted from skeptical to curious. Draken caught Agnes’s approving nod from the crowd, and several other pack members began to whisper more positively. His enhanced hearing picked up fragments like “well, if the alpha believes in her” and “she does have strong earth magic.”

Pride swelled in him. His pack was already starting to come around just as he knew they would. His wolf sang with satisfaction.

“Humans don’t have the fated mate sense like we do,” he continued, allowing a hint of humor to creep into his voice. “So I’ve also been spending time trying to show her how much we have to offer.” He glanced down at Lorelei, catching the slight blush that colored her cheeks. “And that’s what I’d like to ask of you all tonight. Get to know our new Luna, but make sure to leave a favorable impression and help me woo my future queen!”

Laughter rippled through the crowd, breaking the last of the tension. His wolf practically strutted at how well his words had landed. Even the visiting princes looked more intrigued than judgmental now.

Draken’s chest filled with an overwhelming warmth as he watched his pack members already starting to gather closer, their expressions open and welcoming. He’d known his people would follow his lead – they always had – but seeing it happen filled him with a deep satisfaction. His Luna deserved nothing less than their full acceptance.

Draken soon drew Lorelei closer. The silk of her gown whispered against his tuxedo as he bent to whisper in her ear. Her scent - earthy rain and moonlight - filled his senses, making his head swim.

“You’re breathtaking,” he murmured, letting his lips brush her ear. “The way you’re handling this, standing tall despite their stares...” His wolf preened as a shiver ran through her. “You’re showing them exactly why you’re meant to be Luna.”

Her pulse jumped beneath his fingers where they rested at her waist. The marble floor trembled ever so slightly - her magical powers responding to his proximity just as his own powers surged at her touch.

“I’m terrified,” she whispered back, though her spine remained straight as steel. “But I refuse to let them see it.”

“That’s my mate.” When had his opinion of humans changed so dramatically? This woman had turned his world upside down in the best possible way. “Strong. Determined. Perfect.”

She turned those sharp brown eyes on him, a hint of mischief dancing in their depths. “Flattery will get you everywhere, Your Highness.”

“Is that so?” He pulled her impossibly closer, his wolf delighting in her soft gasp. “Then let me add brilliant and gorgeous to the list.”

“Careful,” she breathed. “You’ll make me lose control of my powers in front of everyone.”

“Let them see.” He traced his thumb along her waist. “Let them witness exactly how powerful their Luna truly is.”

Her answering smile lit up her entire face, and Draken’s heart stuttered. How had he ever thought being mated to a human would make him weak? With Lorelei at his side, he felt invincible.

FOURTEEN

LORELEI

Lorelei’s heart hammered in her chest as she stood before the mirror smoothing nonexistent wrinkles from her green gown. The intricate gold embroidery glinted in the light, vines seeming to dance across the fabric with each movement. She took a deep breath, watching her reflection’s ample cleavage rise and fall with the motion.

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