Chapter 83

ffice still smelled like my father.

Old leather, bourbon, and the smoke from a fire he always kept too high. I sat in his chair, buried in paperwork- maps, council reports, and patrol routes. None of it made sense. The chair felt massive, like I was a kid playing dress – up in a man’s life.

Outside, the pack was already moving. Guards in black, people gathering for the funeral, everyone waiting for me to step up and be the Alpha King they needed.

But I was just exhausted

I rubbed my eyes an

Marcus walked

comes with su

another paper without even looking at it. Then, the heavy doors pushed open.

wed by three Elders. They were old, powerful, and carried that quiet danger that

any wars.

“ Alpha N

I lear

st one said.

yes fixed on them. “ Can I help you? ”

hey just stood there, which was enough to make my blood simmer.

by the wall, watching us like a hawk.

the loss of your father, ” the oldest one said,

s felt like a dull ache I couldn’t shake. I looked away, staring at the wall.

ed for fifty years, ” another added. “ He kept us together. ”

n’t say anything. I just wanted them to get to the point.

But, the first Alpha continued, his voice careful. “ The packs can’t be without a leader for long. ”

And there it was. The vultures were here.

I let out a short, cold laugh. “ You Elders don’t waste any time, do you? It’s almost impressive. ”

The air in the room turned sharp.

“ My father’s body isn’t ev

ike scavengers. ”

One of them fro

No? ” I snap

ound. ”

ing to a growl. “ And you’re already circling his crown

to rip his legacy apart before we’ve even put him in the

5:59 pm

Marcus finally moved, stepping into the light. “ Nathan. Easy. ”

“ Let them speak, ” I snapped, keeping my eyes fixed on the Elders.

The oldest one didn’t flinch. “ That crown isn’t just a symbol of your grief boy. It’s what keeps us from falling apart. ”

“ Boy? Asher snapped, his voice a jagged edge in my mind. Tell that old fossil to watch his throat before I tear it

> ut. ”

“ Your father chose you as his successor years ago, ” the old wolf continued. “ Most of the packs will stand behind

hat. ”

Most. Not all. I saw the trap immediately.

“ But? ” I spat, the word coming out like a low threat.

The air in the room felt thick. No one moved.

“ You have to take the throne beside your Luna, ” he said.

My fingers dug into the mahogany desk, the wood grain biting into my skin.

“ If there is no Luna, ” another Alpha added, his voice smooth and dangerous, “ then other Alphas have the right to hallenge for the throne. ”

There it was. It wasn’t about respect or my father’s memory. It was about power. This was war disguised as liplomacy. My head started to throb.

“ You’re threatening me, ” I said.

“ No, ” Marcus said from the shadows. “ They’re warning you. ”

I pushed my chair back, the metal legs scraping loudly against the floor. I walked to the window and looked down

t the territory.

Everything was falling apart. My father was dead, my mother was a wreck, and these men were already waiting for

ne to fail.

Asher paced in the back of my mind, his claws scratching at my thoughts. Emily.

The thought of her hit me hard. I didn’t want to lose her again. But the Rogue King was already hunting her. I tood her up on a stage and called her my Luna now …

Every enemy we had would know exactly what she was. She wouldn’t just be my mate; she’d be a target.

“ She’s not ready, ” I said.

One of the Elders tilted his head. “ That girl healed the Luna Meredith in front of the whole hospital. Everyone saw it. ”

5:59 pm

I turned on him, my eyc3 flashing. “ She nearly died doing it. ”

“ A Luna’s strength is measured by what she’s willing to sacrifice, ” he countered.

Rage burned through me, hot and fast. “ She is not a sacrifice. I won’t use her like that. ”

The room went dead.

Even Marcus shifted his weight, looking at me with wide eyes. I realized then what I’d just done. I hadn’t talked bout duty or politics. I’d talked about her like she was the only thing that mattered.

The eldest Alpha let out a slow breath. “ Nathan, look. We’re on your side here. But if you want to stay Alpha King,

‘ ou don’t have a choice. This is the only way. ”

I stared him down. “ How many days? ”

“ Not many, ” he said. “ We can give you seven days. That’s the best we can do to give you time to get her ready. ”

Seven days. That was all the time I had left to protect her before the world tried to take her from me.

Seven days to put my father in the ground.

Seven days to turn Emily into something more than an ordinary Luna – a Luna Queen.

The Elders bowed their heads, their movements stiff and formal. “ We will leave you to your grief, ” one of them

aid.

No, I thought. You’re leaving me to drown.

They filed out, the heavy doors thudding shut one by one until only Marcus was left. He walked over to the desk, is eyes searching mine.

“ We’ll handle it, ” he said.

I wanted to laugh, but there was no humor left in me.

No one could handle this. They didn’t know what I knew. They hadn’t heard the way Emily’s voice shook after she voke up. They hadn’t seen her body give out while she was saving my mother,

They didn’t understand that she wasn’t just a girl. She was becoming something else entirely.

I looked down at the documents, the gold crown seal staring back at me from the leather desk pad. I looked at the uture that was waiting to swallow us both whole.

Then I spoke. “ Marcus, I’m scared as hell to make her Luna Queen. ”

5:59 pm

Nathan’s POV

Chapte

Olivia Harris is an emerging author celebrated for her captivating romantic and steamy novels. With a talent for crafting deep emotional connections and fiery chemistry between her characters, Olivia’s stories offer readers an escape into worlds filled with passion, intrigue, and heart-stopping drama.