Mira left the Alpha King's office with her chin raised, her shoulders squared, and determination burning through her veins.
The sound of their retreating footsteps echoed through the corridor, but the sound barely reached Mira's ears.
The only thing she could hear was the sound of her own heart racing.
What had happened in there?
Her thoughts reeled, replaying the moment King Evren's hand had closed around her throat.
She'd felt fear at first, felt panic surge, felt pain.
But above everything, she hadn't felt one particular emotion.
Rejection.
She hadn't heard her wolf snarl, didn't feel her wolf recoil. Instead, the wolf had gone eerily still, alert in a way that unsettled her far more than fear ever could.
That shouldn't have happened.
Her wolf should've rejected the touch of another male.
Perhaps it was his authority, she reasoned. The sheer dominance of the Last Lycan overwhelming instinct itself. Power like his bent the world; it made wolves submit before they understood why.
"Yes," she whispered to herself, lost in her own thoughts. "That had to be it."
Her secretary, who walked beside Mira glanced at her, wondering if the Luna had lost her mind. He wouldn't be surprised. She had, after all, crossed the world to face the most dangerous man and not only that, she had survived. He wasn't sure if she was brave or simply foolish. But whatever it was, it stirred a reluctant admiration.
"Luna Mira."
The sound of her name pulled Mira from her thoughts. She turned to see a steward approaching her in hurried steps.
The steward bowed when he got to her, presenting something with both hands-a slim velvet box.
"This is from His Majesty," he explained. "The King hopes it will serve as... a reminder. That agreements made in his presence are not easily forgotten."
For her?
Surprise flickered in her gaze but she quickly masked it, hesitating-for just a second-before accepting it warily.
Inside the box lay a bracelet-dark metal etched with ancient runes, a single obsidian stone set at its center. It was understated, nothing like the ostentatious pieces Adrian favored. But she found herself breathless, mesmerized by the powerful piece given to her. The moment her fingers brushed it, warmth pulsed faintly against her skin.
She didn't overthink it. She fastened it around her wrist.
If the king meant it as a reminder, she would accept it as a declaration.
"Thank you," she spoke, before bidding him farewell.
"Where to next?" Her secretary asked, already knowing the answer.
"The hotel," she muttered.
***
Mira didn't waste a breath. The first thing she did was to take a picture of her new bracelet and post it.
She didn't add a caption, or explanation.
It was a simple photo of her wrist resting against white linen, the bracelet stark and unmistakable.
The reaction was immediate.
Adrian saw it less than a minute after it went live.
The moment his eyes landed on the unmistakable design-on the aura clinging to it even through a screen-unease crawled up his spine. He'd heard of her journey to see the king, but he hadn't expected her to be successful in doing so-or worse, to leave with a token.
Now he stared at her wrist through a screen, unease locking his shoulders in place. King Evren's reputation was legendary: brutal, untouchable, indiscriminately indulgent. A ruler who took what caught his interest and discarded the rest.
And right now, Mira seemed to have caught his interest.
Mira, his wife, his mate.
The mate bond stirred-sharp, insistent, warning.
He left the hotel room he shared with Ivy, not bothering to offer her an explanation.
His movement was hurried, frantic. He drove through the city like his life was at stake. His wolf growled, snarled, demanding to reclaim dominance. To reclaim his wife.
"Where is she?!" He demanded, as he barged into the hotel lobby.
Mira's secretary who had come out for some air shakily blurted out her room number.
Adrian wasted no breath.
He knocked once, twice until Mira unlocked the door.
Compared to Adrian's agitated state, Mira was calm-visibly so. Her posture was relaxed, her hair tied up in a ponytail, her body clad in a silk nightgown.
"You shouldn't be anywhere near him," Adrian snapped the moment the door shut behind him. "Do you have any idea who Evren is?"
There was no warmth, no greeting. They hadn't seen each other for days, yet all he seemed to care about was possessing her.
Mira's chest tightened but she didn't show it. She faced him calmly, too calmly.
"Hello to you too, Adrian," she greeted coolly.
"I don't have time for games Mira," he warned, taking a step closer.
Mira still didn't look fazed. She shrugged, crossing the room to sit on the bed. Her movement was slow and deliberate, as if he were the one intruding.
It made him even more agitated. His nostrils flared, a growl threatening to slip out.
He'd convinced himself she'd done it for attention, posted the picture for his attention yet here she was, acting as though she hadn't wanted this.
"I'm not playing games." She responded. "And yes, I know exactly who he is."
"He's dangerous," Adrian pressed, starting to pace. "D-did he give you the bracelet?"
He knew the answer already, but he wanted to hear it from her, to hear her say it.
Mira paused, holding his gaze. The room was silent for a minute, then she spoke.
"Yes."
Adrian growled, getting closer, his gaze locked on the piece of jewelry on her wrist.
"Take it off," he seethed when he got close enough. He wanted nothing more than to rip it off her hand. His wolf threatened to come out, to remove the property of another male from his mate.
"It was a gift, Adrian, I can't." Mira explained, standing to her feet. She'd been calm before, but now, with the threat of the bracelet being taken, her heart raced with uncertainty.
"Men like him don't give gifts without expecting something in return." He reasoned.
"Funny," she raised her chin, her eyes darkening. "You didn't seem to think that way when you bought Ivy her bracelet."
The words hit their mark.
Adrian's jaw clenched tightly. The room was plunged into another silence.
"I was wrong," Adrian said finally, his voice lower. "I should never have done that. I didn't consider how it would affect you."
The apology caught her off guard. She frowned, her breath catching.
He stepped closer. "I'm sorry, Mira. Truly. Let me make it up to you. I'll cook tonight-your favorite."
Mira's heart pounded.
"It'll be just us. The way it used to be," he pressed, his voice soft. "Just take the bracelet off. So we can go back to the way we were."
Mira hesitated. His voice, his eyes, they called to her, pulled her. The bond between them pulsed.
She glanced down at the bracelet.
"Come on baby."
Her defense faltered. This was the man she had loved. The man she had bound her life to. His words tugged at old habits, old hopes.
She reached for the bracelet.
Then his phone rang.
They both glanced at the table, where Adrian's phone lay.
Ivy's name flashed across the screen.
Adrian's expression shifted-hesitation, guilt, inevitability-and Mira felt something inside her settle into clarity. Her hand dropped back to her side.
He answered the call.
"Yes," he muttered into the phone, his eyes darting around, looking at anything but her. "I'll be there soon. Be safe."
"Mi-"
"It's okay," she cut in, unwilling to hear his excuses. "You don't have to explain anything. I understand."
He hesitated, for just a fraction of a second before turning around and leaving.
And just like that, the moment was gone.
Mira looked down at the dark bracelet on her wrist, its cool weight grounding her.
"This'll be the last time," she whispered to herself, alone in her hotel room. "This'll be the last time I'll let myself be swayed by the matebond."
It was a promise. One made from disappointment.
One she intended to keep by all means.
