Chapter 2

Ronan pulls her to her feet and turns on me with a scowl. “That's enough. She said she was sorry. She didn't mean it. Today is our mating day—are you really going to have her killed over some stupid potion?”

“A Luna should have some grace, Aurora. You're being petty. What kind of Luna are you?”

He says it like I'm the unreasonable one.

I laugh, quietly, to myself.

Last time around, he said the exact same things. No grace. Too petty. I swallowed my pride back then. I told myself I was being the bigger person. Being smart.

All I did was walk right into their trap. That's how I ended up where I did.

I remember dying. It claws at my chest. My hands curl into fists. “She tried to poison your Luna. And you just let her go? Is that fair??”

“Where’s my pack’s honor when a low-rank omega’s daughter can pull something like this and just walk away?”

Ronan's jaw tightens. “It's done. What—you want me to rip her throat out? She didn't mean any harm.”

The whole room is buzzing now. Word has already reached the guests outside.

One of the Royal Council elders steps forward to mediate. “Her Grace, Luna Aurora, the Council agrees this is a serious matter. Seraphina will be punished. But today is your mating day. Don't let this spiral. Think of the kingdom's unity.”

Right. All they care about is keeping the peace.

I look at Ronan. “You truly think what she did is nothing?”

He's too busy stroking Seraphina's hair, murmuring comfort to his precious true mate. He waves me off without even looking at me. “She apologized. She'll scrub the palace floors for a month. That's the end of it.”

She tries to poison the Luna—and the punishment is mopping floors.

I nearly laugh out loud.

Good thing I'm not the one who drank that poison this time.

A few of the female guests lean close and whisper, “Luna, call the Royal Healer anyway. Perhaps he can still reverse it.”

Seraphina cuts in immediately. “No! Call the Healer on mating night? That's bad luck for everyone.”

Ronan nods. “Seraphina's right. Tomorrow is soon enough.”

My handmaiden shakes with fury. “Luna, you've been poisoned. And he wants to wait until tomorrow?”

“Luna, let me send word to your father. Let Alpha Lord Vance handle this.”

I look at Ronan one last time. “You're really not going to punish her?”

He flicks his wrist like he's swatting a fly. “I already told you—it was a joke that went too far. She even offered to give you her pups. What more do you want?”

“You're making a scene over a cup of wine. If you don't want to be my Luna, fine. Someone else will. Someone who isn't so petty and selfish.”

I smile.

Slowly, I run my finger along the rim of the cup. Then I look him dead in the eye.

“Petty? I did this for you, my Prince.”

Word by word, I say: “That cup you just drank from? That was mine.”

The room goes dead silent.

Ronan's face turns purple. “What… did you just say?”

I point at the cup sitting in front of him. You can still see the powder clinging to the rim.

“We exchanged cups,” I say calmly. “Remember? For good luck. You drank from my cup. I drank from yours.”

“The one Seraphina poisoned?” I pause, letting it sink in. “You drank it.”

Seraphina stares at me. Then at the cup. She snatches it off the table with trembling hands.

She breathes. “You drank this?”

Ronan can't even form words.

Seraphina screams—raw, ugly—and jabs a finger at me. “Bitch! You evil, scheming bitch! That poison was for her! She made you drink it—on purpose!”