Page 34 of Wolf Queen Ruin
“I am,” Damien said with a slight inclination of his head.
Something shifted in Raymond’s demeanor—a subtle straightening of his shoulders, a new wariness in his eyes.“I see.That is unexpected.”
“Life is full of surprises, Uncle,” I said, forcing a pleasant smile.“Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re expected elsewhere.”
“One moment,” Raymond said.“Your daught—“
“No,“ I snapped, so loudly that the sound drew stares.My chest tightened painfully, my eyes scorching.“That subject is no longer pack business.”
Damien’s arm curved around my waist, his body a physical barrier between me and my uncle.The gesture wasn’t part of our practiced routine.It felt instinctive, genuinely protective.
“We’ll be going now,” he said, his voice gentle but leaving no room for argument.
My uncle’s gaze drifted once more to my engagement ring.“Just be careful, Luna.And remember what you surely know about wolves and vampires uniting under any circumstance.”
Raymond executed a formal bow and retreated into the crowd, his form now a blur.Damien guided me in the other direction, putting more distance between us and my uncle.He led me from the dance floor toward a quiet alcove partially concealed by ornamental fae-light trees whose branches cast shifting patterns of illumination.The secluded space offered some privacy.
“Are you all right?”he asked.
I couldn’t answer.His hand moved to my back, tracing small, soothing circles.He didn’t press for words, simply providing quiet support while I fought to calm my ragged breathing and the steady stream of tears.
“I know your history,” he said after a moment.“The clinical details, at least.But I’m beginning to understand that knowing facts isn’t the same as comprehending their weight.”
The simple acknowledgment—that my pain was real, that it mattered—loosened something tight in my chest.
A soft chime echoed through the gala space, audible even over the music and conversation.
“That’s our summons,” Damien said.“Selene is ready to receive us.”
I took a steadying breath, wiped my tears, adjusted my mask, and smoothed the shimmering fabric of my gown.“When I cry, I look like a wet goblin.Tell me how bad I look.”
He chuckled.“If that’s what wet goblins look like, then I have been missing out.”His gaze traveled over me with an intensity that curled heat through my veins.“You look magnificent, Luna.Authentic in a room full of carefully constructed facades.”
I found something so raw and genuine in his expression that I smiled, though it wobbled some.
I reached out instinctively and took his hand.“Then let’s go memorize a skin map without puking, partner.”
Chapter ten
Luna
“TheCross-Rookwoodparty,”Selenesaid.“An unexpected but fascinating alliance.Please, approach.”
In the center of the Meridian Room stood a round table of what appeared to be liquid moonlight somehow held in solid form.Selene waited beside it, her mask catching and reflecting the light as she turned toward us.In this private setting, she seemed even more otherworldly, less like a being wearing a human shape and more like something elemental condensed into physical form.
We crossed the threshold into the room, and I immediately felt the shift in magical pressure, like descending underwater, except the medium was pure energy rather than liquid.The enchantments here were older and more potent than those in the main galleries, wrapping around us like curious tendrils before retreating.
“Madame Selene,” Damien said, his voice carrying formal authority.“We’re honored by your hospitality and the opportunity to view your remarkable collection.”
“The honor is mutual,” she replied, her eyes, now a swirling violet, studying us with unnerving intensity.“It isn’t every day I entertain a vampire of the esteemed Cross House and the exiled daughter of Alpha Rookwood.Particularly not as an engaged couple.”
Her blunt acknowledgment of both our identities caught me off guard, though Damien appeared unsurprised.
“Knowledge has always found its way to those who value it properly,” he said with a slight incline of his head.
“Knowledge is the currency I value above all others.”As though Damien had passed some kind of test, Selene smiled and gestured to the table.“Speaking of which, I believe this is what drew you to my humble gathering.”
With a graceful movement of her fingers, she summoned the wooden box I’d seen displayed earlier.It floated to the center of the moonlight table, its ornate carvings seeming to writhe.The carvings depicted scenes of ancient battles between what appeared to be early vampires and proto-shifters.
