(Audrey’s POV)
I couldn’t help but laugh as I overheard Victoria calling Emma Shadowcrest a homewrecker. The irony was delicious – Victoria, the very woman who had been trying to steal my mate for years, was now indignant about someone else attempting to do the same to her.
“Something amusing?”
The deep voice startled me. I spun around to find myself face to face with a tall, broad-shouldered wolf with striking golden eyes. He was undeniably handsome in a roguish way, his dark hair styled perfectly to frame sharp features. His tailored suit couldn’t quite hide the power of his wolf form beneath.
“I… was just…” I stammered, caught off guard.
His lips curved into a knowing smile. “Eavesdropping on a rather interesting conversation, it seems.”
Heat rushed to my cheeks at being caught. “I wasn’t intentionally-“
“You must be Luna Audrey Moonstone,” he interrupted, extending a hand. “Florian Stormhowl.”
I accepted his handshake cautiously. His grip was firm.
“You’re Arthur’s mate,” he continued. “The true Luna of the Moonstone Pack.”
He turned toward Victoria and Emma, who were still engaged in their heated exchange. “Emma!” he called sharply.
The young she-wolf looked up, irritation flashing across her face at being interrupted.
“Come with me,” Florian commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument despite his casual demeanor. “You haven’t even figured out who the real Luna is and you’re already trying to meddle in someone else’s relationship.”
Emma’s eyes widened as they flickered between me and Victoria. Realization dawned on her face, quickly replaced by embarrassment. She shot Victoria a venomous glare before stalking toward us.
“We’ll continue this discussion later,” Florian told me with a mysterious smile. “You’re far more interesting than the usual pack politics, Luna Moonstone.”
Before I could respond, my phone vibrated in my clutch. Arthur’s name flashed on the screen.
“Where are you?” his voice demanded the moment I answered.
I rolled my eyes at his commanding tone. “I’m near the east wing hallway.”
“Stay there.” The line went dead.
True to his word, Arthur appeared at my side less than a minute later, his expression tense. His eyes narrowed slightly at the sight of Florian and Emma retreating down the hallway.
“Was Stormhowl bothering you?” he asked, his Alpha presence flaring protectively.
“Not at all,” I replied calmly. “In fact, he just saved me from an awkward situation. I was watching Victoria pretend to be your Luna while being confronted by that she-wolf named Emma.”
Arthur’s brow furrowed. “What are you talking about?”
“Your stepsister was just in the alcove over there,” I explained, gesturing toward the spot where the confrontation had occurred. “Emma Shadowcrest mistook her for your Luna and offered her a blank check to break her mate bond with you.”
I couldn’t help but laugh softly at the absurdity. “The funniest part is that Victoria didn’t correct her. She actually played along, acting outraged that another she-wolf would try to steal her mate.”
Arthur’s jaw tightened, the muscle beneath his skin twitching with tension. “And this amuses you?”
I shrugged, feeling strangely detached from the drama. “In less than a month, our partnership will be severed. Why should I care who claims to be your Luna or who wants to be your next mate? It’s no longer my concern.”
Something flashed in Arthur’s eyes – hurt, perhaps, or anger – but it was gone so quickly I might have imagined it.
“The celebration is about to begin,” he said stiffly. “We should join the others in the main hall.”
The main hall of the Snowfang mansion had been transformed for Elizabeth’s birthday celebration. Crystal chandeliers cast a warm glow over tables laden with exotic foods, while ice sculptures of howling wolves decorated the center of the room.
Arthur guided me to our assigned seats near the head table where Elizabeth Snowfang presided like a queen. Nathan sat at her right, his expression carefully neutral despite the tension radiating from him. To my surprise, Emma Shadowcrest was seated at Nathan’s other side, looking distinctly unhappy with the arrangement.
“I see Elizabeth is wasting no time,” Arthur commented under his breath as we took our seats.
“What do you mean?” I asked, genuinely curious.
“Let them see,” Richard growled, his movements becoming more urgent, his hands eagerly caressed her breasts. “Let them all know who you really belong to.”
I felt sick, my wolf recoiling in disgust at the scene before me. With shaking fingers, I reached into my purse. My hand trembled as I retrieved my cell phone, ensuring the camera was ready. I could not let this obscene display pass without evidence.
Ever so cautiously, I aimed my phone toward the scene. I recorded silently, capturing every detail-the way Richard’s fingers gripped Victoria’s waist, the raw intensity in their movements, the explicit, lewd words they exchanged in hushed tones. I recorded Victoria’s soft yet desperate pleas and Richard’s commanding retorts. Every heated murmur, every ragged breath was imprinted onto my phone’s memory.
“Arthur never wanted to sever his mate bond with Audrey,” Richard panted as he continued his rhythmic movements. “And he never wanted you as his mate either.”
Victoria whimpered, either in pleasure or at his words.
“Only Daddy loves you the most,” Richard continued, his voice thick with lust. “Stop having illusions about Arthur.”
As I recorded, my heart pounded so fiercely I thought it would shatter. I fought back tears and anger with every second that ticked by. In that dark moment, every instinct within me screamed in protest against the incestuous betrayal that unfolded right before my eyes.
I’d seen and heard enough. I backed away slowly, still recording until I was certain I had captured everything necessary. As I turned to retreat to the mansion, I nearly collided with a solid chest.
“Quite the family drama, isn’t it?”
I looked up in alarm to find Florian Stormhowl standing before me, his golden wolf eyes gleaming in the moonlight. He glanced pointedly at my phone, still recording in my hand.
“For evidence purposes, I assume,” he commented dryly. “Rather than for… later viewing.”
Embarrassment flooded me as I quickly stopped the recording and slipped my phone back into my clutch. “I didn’t see you there.”
“I have a talent for going unnoticed when I wish,” he replied with a casual shrug. “Though I must say, tonight has been most illuminating.”
His gaze shifted to Richard and Victoria, “Your alpha mate’s pack is a real eye opener, Moonstone.” He whispered, a hint of mockery in his tone.
Most disconcerting of all, I realized I didn’t hate him for witnessing my humiliation.
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