"Prepare a convoy for tomorrow morning. We head back to Dravengard. My honeymoon has just been cut short," Derek said into the phone.

He stood a few yards from his car and the courtyard chaos, speaking quietly into his phone to Connor and Dray. Behind him in the centre of the open courtyard, a pyre had been lit, consuming the remains of the Umbras and the few brave gammas who had lost their lives defending the stronghold. The orange glow lit up the night, casting long shadows across the stone ground. The smell of smoke and burnt fur hung heavy in the cold air.

He listened to their responses, then continued. "Double the patrols around Dravengard. Tighten every entry point. This attack wasn’t a random hit," he said, his eyes tracking the embers as they floated into the night. "They knew exactly when to cut the power. They knew the layout. Contact Bruce in Moonfang. I want to know exactly what the situation is on the ground there. If there is movement, I want to know about it before sunrise."

A few yards away, Kira sat in the backseat of their car, the door left open so she could get some air. Derek’s suit jacket draped over her shoulders. The fabric still carried his scent, warm and grounding, and it helped ease the chill that had settled over her. A small group of Lunas had gathered near the open door, speaking to her in soft, respectful tones.

"You handled yourself so bravely tonight, Your Highness," one of them said, eyes wide with genuine admiration.

Another nodded quickly. "We are truly glad you are safe. The Queen of Dravengard is stronger than any of us realised."

Earlier that evening, several of the Lunas had looked at Kira with nothing but dismissal or subtle disdain. Now, things were different. They had seen Derek go absolutely feral when he realised Kira was missing. They had seen the King of Dravengard, a man known for his icy restraint, lose complete control when she went missing.

Kira offered them small smiles, nodding in thanks. It was clear to everyone present that she wasn’t just an unloved bride of the King, as they had all heard in rumours. She was his Queen, and crossing her meant facing the beast. It was obvious they had decided it was wiser to stay on her good side rather than risk his wrath.

One of them had even offered her a pair of slippers!

Luna Cassie hurried over, weaving through the small crowd with a glass of water. Her face was still pale, but her kindness was steady. "Here, dear. Drink this," Cassie said softly, handing the glass to Kira.

Kira took the glass and gave her a grateful smile. "Thank you, Luna Cassie. You’ve been so kind."

In her mind, she thought about how nice Alpha Lucas and Cassie truly seemed. Their pack felt serene, like them — peaceful gardens, warm smiles. It was too bad that the Umbras had chosen this place to cause such chaos. As she sipped the water and spoke quietly with Cassie, her eyes wandered past the Luna, catching a flash of movement across the courtyard.

She spotted Sandra hurrying toward Derek, whose back was still turned to the rest of them as he spoke on the phone.

When Sandra reached Derek, she called his name, and the moment he turned around, she lunged and threw her arms around his torso. Burying her face in his chest, she began to weep dramatically, her shoulders shaking, her voice muffled against his shirt.

"I was so worried about you," she cried. "I could not even imagine something bad happening to you after finally setting eyes on you again tonight, after so many years."

Derek froze. His arms stayed at his sides, his body turning into a pillar of stone. The shock of her audacity seemed to paralyse him for a moment.

Kira’s blood ran hot. Her fingers squeezed the glass so hard she thought it might crack. Her boiling rage chased away the last of her exhaustion.

The nerve of this woman, she thought.

Without a word, she jumped down from the car and marched straight toward them, water sloshing in the glass.

Derek spoke quickly into the phone. "I’ll speak to you later." He ended the call and stared down at Sandra with fury bubbling in his eyes.

"Sandra," he called in a calm but dangerous voice.

Sandra sobbed harder, hugging him tighter.

"I need you to remove your hands from my person. Right now," he growled, the words low and dangerous. His tone would have made any sane person run.

Before Sandra could even sniffle a response, Kira appeared behind her, reaching out to tap Sandra firmly on the shoulder.

"Excuse me," Kira said.

Sandra spun around. In the same motion, Kira splashed the entire glass of water straight into her face.

Sandra screamed in shock, water dripping from her lashes and soaking the front of her dress. For a second, pure disbelief crossed her features.

Kira immediately dropped the "angry" act and replaced it with a look of wide-eyed, fake innocence. She began to fuss over Sandra, her voice dripping with mock concern.

"Oh! Oh, goddess! I didn’t see you there!" Kira gasped, fluttering her hands near Sandra’s wet shoulders. She leaned closer to Sandra’s ear. "I hope this teaches you to keep your fucking hands away from people’s husbands, especially mine."

She pulled away. "I am so, so sorry. Are you okay? I must have tripped on the gravel. Are you hurt?"

The few people nearby had turned to watch, their eyes wide with curiosity. Sandra’s face flushed deep red with frustration. She shoved Kira’s hands away roughly and glared at her, eyes burning with humiliation. Without another word, she spun on her heel and stormed off into the night, shoulders stiff and wet hair clinging to her neck.

A slow smirk tugged at the corner of Kira’s lips as she watched the woman walk away. She then turned to Derek. "Darling, can we leave now, please? I’m so frazzled from such a long night."

Derek did not smile, but amusement danced clearly in his amber eyes as he stared down at her. He placed a hand on her lower back.

"Indeed," he murmured and led her back toward the car.

As he opened the car door for her, a voice called out from behind them.

"Your Highness!"

They both turned. Alpha Braxton was hurrying over, that bright, easy smile of his lighting up his face in a way that stirred something warm and confusing in Kira’s chest. His eyes flicked briefly to Derek before settling on her. He held out her phone, the screen still intact.

"I think this belongs to you."

Kira smiled, taking the phone from his hand. "Thank you, Alpha Braxton. I really appreciate it."

She climbed back into the car and settled into the leather seat. From inside, she watched as Derek shook Braxton’s hand firmly.

"Braxton," Derek said, his voice surprisingly level. "Your assistance tonight has been noted. We should have dinner in Dravengard sometime—at your own leisure, of course."

Braxton’s smile widened, and he dipped his head in a respectful bow. "I’ll work towards meeting your offer, Your Grace."

Kira’s brows furrowed in total confusion. She watched the two men speak for another moment, looking for all the world like old friends catching up. Was this the same Derek who had looked ready to tear Braxton apart with his bare eyes just a few hours ago at dinner? The shift felt strange, leaving her wondering what had changed in such a short time.

When Derek finally climbed into the driver’s seat and shut the door, Kira turned to him. "What was that all about?" she asked, leaning back on her seat. "Since when are you and Alpha Braxton best friends?"

Derek ignited the engine, the powerful car roaring to life. He didn’t look at her as he shifted into gear, his focus entirely on the road ahead.

"It is nothing to worry your frazzled mind about, Kira," he replied calmly.