Page 24 of Season's Greetings
He wrote a few lines. Read them over. Then started again.
Truth doesn’t need applause, Claudia. It survives. You should try it.
Then he sealed the letter with the old family crest and placed in the outgoing post tray.
Chapter 12
Matthew
Having his parents call and suggest ‘coming over for coffee’ was a major red flag.
Matthew was torn. On one hand, he didn’t want Toby to be tainted by the narrow-mindedness and prejudices his parents had shown him growing up. But he also didn’t want to deny them access to their grandchild.
It was the point-scoring that annoyed him most.
Even after everything Claudia had said and done, they were still defending her actions. Which was why he was shocked when they mentioned the latest podcast fromThe North Star Sentinel, the city’s online gazette. Right there on the front page, underMoonlight Matters, was a feature interview with Claudia.
Toby had taken one look at his grandparents standing stiffly in the foyer and bolted upstairs with Barney. Leaving Matthew to deal with them.
Once the niceties were over—and his mom had commented on his hair needing a cut—it was straight into name-dropping, anti-bear slurs, and…her.
Matthew had his coffee halfway to his mouth when his mom pulled upMoonlight Matterson her phone.
The podcast’s host, Orin Blay, was a wolf shifter known for tough conversations. No matter the subject, he was impartial. He didn’t editorialize—he reported. And not even he could denythat Daniel and Matthew’s relationship, their bond, and the court case were news.
Orin’s voice was smooth as silk with a touch of gravel—perfect for pulling in listeners and putting them at ease.
“Welcome toMoonlight Matters, where instinct meets insight. Today I speak with Claudia Hamilton—legal advisor, activist, and most recently, challenger of one of the oldest bonding precedents in our city’s history. Claudia, thank you for joining me.”
“A pleasure, Orin. I only wish it were under better circumstances.”
Her voice came through clear—full of confidence and arrogance. Matthew knew the look on her face. He’d seen it often. Smugness with a touch of zeal.
Orin didn’t waste time.
“You’ve made waves lately, contesting Alpha Daniel Sanders’ claim of bond with Matthew Hamilton. Many question why now. Why reopen old wounds?”
Claudia’s attempt at sounding hesitant was textbook—wanting everyone to hang on her every word. Drama-llama.
“Because the wound never closed. Daniel Sanders exploited a forgotten ritual—a Hollow Moon Rite—to trap my ex-husband in a legal bond without his knowledge or consent. If that stands, who’s next? How many outdated customs will be used to cage shifters into obligations they never agreed to?”
True to form, Orin kept his tone neutral.
“But Matthew was present during the ceremony, yes? And bore signs of bond resonance?”
Most listeners wouldn’t notice the shift in Claudia’s tone—but Matthew did. Frosty. Clipped. Defensive.
“Emotional manipulation is not consent. Bears—especially male alphas—thrive on dominance. They scent control, notconnection. Daniel used silence as a weapon. He didn’t offer love. He offered shackles.”
The subtlehmmfrom Orin was loud and clear to Matthew’s shifter hearing. He wasn’t buying it.
“Some argue you’ve launched a smear campaign. You’ve shared details of Daniel’s personal history, implied emotional abuse—yet he hasn’t responded publicly. Do you think that silence strengthens or weakens his position?”
“Silence is cowardice. Typical of Northern Bears—they growl in court, then vanish behind pack loyalty. And let’s be clear—bears? They weren’t built for love. They were built to conquer. That’s not a partnership. That’s possession.”
Matthew couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
With every word, he wanted to burn the bitch down.
