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My Alpha Left Me For A Stripper On Our Wedding Night - 2026 ✅
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00:07hero saves helpless omega omega gives herself to her hero that was how the old stories always went
00:14it was the night of my mating ceremony with alpha dominic his beta burst into our chamber
00:20alpha miss lara's father just passed she's collapsed from grief the words had barely
00:24landed before alpha dominic froze his lips inches from my neck the mark unfinished
00:29he abandoned our mating ceremony without a word shifted and disappeared from the pack he didn't
00:35come back until morning the sacred bonding wreaths hadn't even been taken down yet when he returned
00:39and he brought with him a woman in a black lace dress a stripper from the edge of pack territory
00:43lara is the omega i rescued her father just died she has no one and there are wolves out there
00:49who
00:49want to force mark her i want to mark her bring her into our pack give her somewhere she belongs
00:55sarah if you can't accept that i'll send her away and never speak of her again he looked at me
00:59with
01:00those deep devoted eyes every word carefully respectfully placed everyone expected me to lose
01:05it to scream to shift to make a scene instead i smiled slow and easy the story of how alpha
01:12rescued
01:13a stripper is already legend in this pack to mark her as nothing more than a mistress would cheapen
01:17everything that story stands for why not mark her as your luma that would be a love worth remembering
01:23forever my bonding arrangement with alpha dominic had been decreed by the lichen king himself
01:28before we were formally bonded word had already spread through the pack he had once stepped in to
01:33protect a rogue omega named lara a stripper being harassed by other wolves lara was the kind of omega
01:38you couldn't look away from slender almost fragile but with curves that made every wolf in the room
01:43forget what they'd been saying a rogue technically as she danced at the lowest tavern on the edge of
01:48pack territory and yet wolves came from all over just to watch her move from across the room
01:53someone had wanted more than a look a wolf had tried to force mark her alpha dominic had put a
01:58stop to it the story became the kind of thing has to speak around fires
02:01omega gives herself to her hero that was how the old stories always went
02:07there is no luna in this pack yet but alpha dominic had said publicly i will not mark her friends
02:13i will
02:14not mark a mistress carelessly lara deserves better than to be seen that way lichen luna asked me
02:20herself if i felt wronged by any of this the arrangement could be dissolved my father my brothers my mother
02:26all of them had died in the war against the witch clans lichen luna had taken me in out of
02:32gratitude
02:32for everything the callaway family had given and when my wolf finally awakened she had granted me
02:37the alpha title an honor almost no one in my position had ever received she loved me the way
02:42she loved her own children maybe more but becoming the luna of north moon pack was a decree from the
02:47lichen king it couldn't simply be undone i didn't want to put her in a difficult position i knelt before
02:52her and said sarah is not troubled by this i've heard alpha dominic is one of the most powerful alphas
02:58of his generation this is the bonding wise all the andre stare at this is the kind of bonding
03:03sarah has always wanted there's nothing to dissolve what i hadn't counted on was lara appearing on the
03:09very night of our ceremony alpha dominic's lips hadn't even reached my neck yet when his beta
03:13crashed through the door alpha miss lara's father just passed she's collapsed from grief he yanked back
03:20from me shredded ceremonial clothes as a massive black wolf through the beta link his alpha command
03:27rolled through the air behind him get the pack's best healer lara is fragile bring moonstone blessed
03:34by the moon goddess gods know what state she's in i stood there and stared at the overturned table
03:39the food scattered across the floor the doors hanging off their hinges from where he'd shifted
03:43and charged through them amanda of the beta my mother had left me the one who had been with our
03:48family since before the war a her eyes went red miss sarah the alpha has gone too far
03:58tonight is your mating ceremony he's left an alpha to spend her bonding night alone
04:02all for a stripper this is nothing short of a humiliation the entire pack knew it the entire
04:10werewolf world knew it but the great alpha dominic's heart had always belonged to an omega who danced in a
04:15low-end tavern tonight i had lived it myself and i understood now that the reality was even worse
04:20than the rumors the moon goddess blessed bonding candles burned in silence through the whole night
04:25alpha dominic never came home the next morning i went to pay my respects to alpha dominic's mother
04:31the former luna of north moon pack lady larian dominic was already there standing in front of his
04:37mother with lara at his side dressed head to toe in a black mourning gown the entire pack was still
04:42draped in the sacred white decorations of a new bonding against all of it her black lace stood
04:47out like an open wound the dress was the kind other she wolves rarely wore thin barely there black
04:53chiffon that skimmed her thighs she pressed herself behind alpha dominic's shoulder all wide frightened
04:57eyes when she saw me like a deer that had just caught a predator's scent her body swayed like she
05:02might fall and then right in front of me she dropped to her knees with a soft thud laura greets
05:08the luna
05:09yesterday was entirely laura's fault laura ruined the luna and the alpha's bonding night
05:15please i punish laura however you see fit her forehead touched the floor alpha dominic looked
05:22at me with an expression pulled tight between guilt and pleading laura's the omega i rescued
05:29her father just died she has still just died and she has no one left and there are wolves already
05:36circling who want to force mank her she has nowhere to go i want us after completing my bond with
05:42you
05:42mark her let her stay in the pack as my sanctioned mistress give her a place if you can't accept
05:50that
05:50i'll drive her out of the pack and never see her again laura's tears fell in silence she looked up
05:55at
05:55me all omega softness and helplessness please luna show mercy laura has nowhere left to go
06:04if there's no place for laura here laura would rather die lady larian watched with a pained
06:13sympathetic expression then turned to me sarah you are the luna of north moon pack now this is your
06:20decision to make but this pack has always been known for its kindness and generosities
06:26as it's luna i hope you'll lead with an open heart accepting her as a sanctioned mistress costs you
06:33nothing she cannot outrank you that was lady larian's closing line refuse and i was the villain
06:39except and i was a fool the story had been written before i walked into the room laura lifted her
06:44face
06:44from the floor my lord saved laura's life laura swore to repay that debt if luna fears laura will
06:52compete for the alpha's attention she pressed a hand to her chest laura is willing to take suppresses
06:57laura will never challenge luna's position alpha dominic's jaw tightened sarah laura doesn't scheme
07:05you don't need to be this hard on her then laura's attending beta a silent on the floor beside her
07:10a slammed her forehead down luna please my mistress cannot take suppresses she is already carrying the
07:17alpha's pup the room went still lady larian shot upright get her off the floor you never kneel
07:23when you're carrying dominic pulled laura up in one motion his face moving through guilt and
07:28protectiveness in the span of a second why didn't you tell me how long have you been carrying this
07:33alone i didn't want to make things harder for you i already ruined your bonding night i felt so guilty
07:40i thought if i did just her hand moved to her stomach if i quietly ended it you'd never have
07:46to
07:46choose lady larian turned to me measured and deliberate sarah even if the pup is born it
07:52remains a lesser heir it cannot supersede yours but it is still dominic's blood we cannot let it
07:58be cast out a careful pause when the pup arrives it will call you mother i looked at all three
08:04of them
08:05the rehearsed timing the tears landing at exactly the right moment the pup revealed only after every
08:10other move had failed i smiled the story of how alpha rescued a rogue omega is already legend in
08:17this pack to mark her as a mere mistress would cheapen that legend entirely dominic relaxed the
08:23moment he heard the first half if his feelings are everything the pack believes them to be
08:28he should mark her as his luna that would be a love worth howling about for generations then the
08:36second half reached him and his expression went hard and cold mark her as luna sarah lauren i never
08:42i stepped back never what never loved each other or just that the pup she's carrying isn't yours
08:50every wolf in this pack knows the story hero saves omega omega gives herself to her hero and now
08:56there's a pup i held his gaze you said publicly i will not mark a mistress carelessly i understand
09:02now exactly what that meant not a mistress just a rogue lover kept on the side is that right the
09:09color left laura's face luna she whispered laura was never that laura only laura only loves him
09:17laura never asked for anything more not even a sanctioned mistress i said pleasantly that's worse
09:24at least a mistress has a title without one what does the pup she's carrying enter this world as
09:29a rogue born with no standing in any pack she stumbled back shaking her head that isn't what
09:36laura meant i nodded once whatever you meant i will give you exactly what your love deserves my lady
09:41the bonding rights were never completed last night alpha dominic spent his bonding night with laura
09:45my entire household witnessed it every wolf in this pack can confirm it therefore i this bond is
09:51void dominic moved fast stepping directly into my path what do you mean void i know last night was
09:56wrong but laura's father died i had no choice it won't happen again his voice dropped we start over
10:03i'll spend the rest of my life making it up to you sarah then harder if you dissolve this bond
10:08you're throwing the lyman king's decree into the dirt do you understand what that means i looked up at
10:15dominic this bonding arrangement was the lion king's to give you're the one who buried it on the very
10:21first night by leaving your luma alone to comfort a rogue omega if the lycan king wants someone to
10:27answer for it it won't be the alpha's daughter who was simply left behind you want to talk about what
10:33i'm supposed to do did you think about me even once while you were deciding what she needed
10:40the color shifted in his face he knew every word was true if this reached the lycan council the
10:45humiliation landed entirely on him laura rushed forward voice cracking luna please it's all laura's
10:51fault laura will leave the pack right now you'll never have to see laura again even if those powerful
11:00alphas try to mark me and put me in their pack i'd rather die than let them succeed but i'll
11:05never let
11:06an alpha cause me trouble again she closed the distance and dropped her voice to where only i
11:10could hear miss calloway he has always chosen me he always will you never stood a chance then she
11:19turned back her eyes wide and glistening voice raised for the room luna if you leave the lycan king
11:26will punish the alpha please if anyone should go let it be me i raised an eyebrow you truly want
11:32me to
11:32stay then understand this if i stay you will never set foot in this pack again not once
11:43laura doesn't know what to do please luna i tell laura alpha she turned to dominic did laura do
11:49something wrong laura just wanted to repay you laura would be a servant laura would ask for nothing
11:55just please ask luna to let laura stay she pressed herself against his arm a vine finding its wall
12:01dominic drew her close and looked at me over her head sarah let her stay she defers to you and
12:09everything you have my word he still believed he was worth bargaining with i pulled my hand free
12:13alpha dominic my answer stands the bond is dissolved from this day forward wide your life is your own
12:21it has nothing to do with me laura clutched her black mourning dress and turned as if to leave
12:25then laura will go you don't have to ask twice you're not going anywhere dominic caught her arm
12:31i'm the alpha of this pack what i just say even here then he turned on me a and every
12:35trace of
12:36warmth vanished from his face i'm taking one sanctioned mistress one what kind of luna makes
12:41a scene over that which pack in this entire kingdom doesn't have secondary arrangements laura has had a
12:46hard life nothing like yours you lost your family yes but lylan luna took you in gave you a title
12:50gave you everything laura has had no one i was only protecting her do you think everyone has what
12:56you have a lichen luna who loves them a pack that honors their bloodline the last word barely left
13:03his mouth before my hand connected with his face sharp clean his head turned with it dominic ashvale my
13:11voice didn't waver what gives you the right to speak of my family to me the lichen king himself does
13:16not raise their names lightly in my presence what exactly are you he had always known i was an
13:21orphan with nowhere to go that was precisely why he said it because he believed i had no move left
13:25to
13:25make he straightened slowly something burning behind his eyes you hold a title sarah but it was given to
13:32you you are not lichen born if you walk out of this pack what are you walking back to do
13:37you really
13:37think the lichen king and luna will go to war with north moon pack over you he thought he had
13:42me
13:42cornered my father was the alpha of iron my mother stood beside him until the witch clan war took them
13:48both my brothers fell with their wolves howling i was shaped in that bloodline long before lichen luna
13:53ever took my hand an alpha blood a real alpha blood it does not kneel amanda my voice carried across
13:59the
14:00room pack everything lift the kalowal crest we're going home the room stopped breathing iron moon pack
14:06had been sealed for over a decade i was reopening it stop this dominic's voice cracked like a command
14:11you think you're still the iron moon alpha's daughter free to do whatever you want that life
14:16is over lady larian stepped between us sarah i know what kind of she-wolf you are you have my
14:22word
14:23if dominic ever dishonors you again i will not stand beside him a bonding is sacred a lichen decreed bonding
14:30most of all we cannot simply undo it let me arrange for you both to complete the reets tonight
14:35properly with no interruptions i'll see to it myself and if you truly cannot accept lara's
14:41presence she need not be a mistress at all she can serve in the pack nothing more they had forgotten
14:46what i was even without a bloodline i carried the alpha title granted by the lichen luna herself
14:50something that had never been given to an orphan before my father's name still carried weight in
14:55every corner of this territory his brothers in arms his allies the wolves who had bled beside him
15:01none of them had forgotten the calloways did dominic truly believe that i are the last blood of the
15:06calloway line i would simply absorb every humiliation and stay there's no need i met lady larian's eyes
15:11directly the bond is dissolved alpha dominic is free to mark lara freely and completely the pup she
15:17carries will be born as the legitimate first heir of north moon pack that is right and proper
15:22otherwise the alpha's firstborn enters this world as a rogue born with no standing
15:27what kind of life is that for a pup the shadow that crossed dominic's face was almost satisfying
15:31and in lara's eyes just for a moment something lit up sarah dominic's voice dropped into something
15:38dangerous if you walk through that gate you will not be walking back through it this pack does not
15:42open twice for the same wolf she stepped back eyes glistening voice raised for the room luna
15:47if you leave the lichen king will punish the alpha please if anyone should go let it be lara
15:55you truly want me to stay i said softly then know this if i stay you never enter this pack
16:02again
16:02not once lara bit down on her lip the axe slipped lara doesn't know what to do please luna tell
16:10lara she turned to dominic voice going small alpha did lara do something wrong lara just wanted
16:16to repay you lara would sweep floors lara would ask for nothing just please ask luna to let lara
16:23stay close to you she pressed herself against his arm like she had always belonged there
16:28dominic held her and looked at me over her head sarah she defers to you and everything
16:33that's my word he still believed he was an offer worth taking i stepped back alpha dominic my answer
16:39stands the bond is void i turned toward the gate from this day forward live however you choose
16:44it has nothing to do with me iron moon pack had been sealed for over a decade the day after
16:51my
16:51mating ceremony dowry crates loaded on carts my household walking behind me i brought it back to
16:56life word traveled ahead within days every hall was swept every hearth relit the keep smelled of pine
17:01and open air instead of dust and loss lichen luna's summons arrived before the week was out i knelt before
17:07her red-eyed composed my luna i cannot bond with alpha dominic his heart was given long before i
17:13arrived and the omega he gave it to as she carries his pup amanda knelt beside me and delivered every
17:18detail of the bonding night voice raw tears running openly lichen luna listened her expression went very
17:25still i knew that wolf had a wandering eye she said at last but on the bonding night itself
17:30with a tavern dancer she exhaled slowly i wouldn't have believed it of him sarah if you walk away from
17:38this bond the pack will whisper you know how they treat she wolves who leave i lifted my chin my
17:43luna
17:44the one who behaved wrongly was not me i'm not afraid of whispers my father and brothers were warriors
17:51my mother stood beside them until the end i carry that same blood i will hold the calloway name up
17:58myself
17:58i don't need anyone to hold it for me lion and luna was quiet for a long moment
18:04then something flickered in her eyes something that looked almost like pride you are exactly your
18:10father's daughter she said the calloway name will stand again the lichen king sent gifts to iron
18:17moon pack within the week the pack's winds shifted overnight invitations arrived she wolves came to the
18:22gate allies of my father's old pack wolves who had bled beside my brothers they came one after another
18:28and stayed lady harwick whose mate had fought at my father's side took both my hands in hers
18:34sarah our families go back too far for distance you're home now come to us whenever you need
18:42anything a sound of elegant contempt as for that tavernist for that tavern dancer don't waste a thought
18:48on her when the time is right i'll find you a match that actually deserves the callum bloodline
18:54dominic had assumed i was posturing that in a few days once my temper cooled
18:58he could come to me with the right expression and i would return quietly to north moon pack
19:04then the lion man king's gifts arrived at my door and he understood i had no intention of going back
19:10the dissolution reached the lichen council the lichen king addressed it in open session his voice
19:15carrying the particular dryness of a man stating the obvious it seems alpha dominic finds the match i
19:19arranged less to his dike than a rogue omega from a tavern very well i won't force a wolf to
19:22honor
19:22what he's already dishonored mark your dancer consider the matter settled one sentence that
19:27was all it took the pack understood the lichen king was not angry at sarah calloway he was done
19:32with dominic ashvale dominic returned to north moon pack looking like a wolf who had walked into a
19:37trap he'd built with his own hands the king's words had closed the only door that might have reopened
19:41if he bonded now it would be with lara that was the shape of his future and every wolf in
19:46the
19:46territory could see it what alpha family with any standing would accept a rogue tavern dancer as
19:51their luna lara's belly grew dominic ran out of options he chose the least bad one and set a date
19:57lara was overjoyed she had walked into that pack expecting to be a mistress at best and somehow she
20:02was going to be its luna the bonding day arrived the great hall filled with guests many came out of
20:07old
20:08loyalty to the ashvale bloodline others came simply because they wanted to witness it themselves
20:12lara had commissioned her ceremony gown from the finest atelier in the territory
20:16cut wide draped cleverly so the curve of her belly wouldn't show from a distance ceremony master
20:21called the hall to order luna approach for bonding an attendant stepped forward to arrange the ritual
20:27offering at lara's feet the girl wore a scented sachet at her hip in the warm packed hall the fragrance
20:33bloomed thick and sharp and drifted straight into lara's face as she leaned close lara's stomach turned
20:38she couldn't hold it back a small involuntary sound escaped half gasp half wretch the attendant lurched
20:44upright my lady are you unwell the scent hit again lara swayed the ceremonial veil slipped
20:51her face had gone the color of bone she pressed her hand over her mouth a too late she pitched
20:57forward
20:58and was sick right there in the center of the hall in front of every witness north moon pack had
21:02gathered
21:03the hall erupted guests stumbled back hands over their mouths the neat rows of witnesses dissolving
21:09into something between horror and dark fascination the sharper-eyed she-wolves had already drawn their
21:14conclusions she's carrying she was carrying before the last bonding fell through no wonder alpha calendy
21:20dissolved the arrangement who could blame her the alpha of north moon pack tangled up with a rogue
21:25tavern dancer and now marking her as luna this is what binding ceremonies look like now she danced at
21:30that border tavern how many wolves bought a private show and we're supposed to call her luna we don't even
21:36know it's his half the men in this hall have probably tipped her at something lara stood white-faced at
21:41the center of it all one hand pressed to her ribs searching for dominic through her tears
21:48alpha lady larian sat rigid in the front row the expression on her face was the particular blankness
21:53of a wolf absorbing a humiliation too large to process in public she turned to the nearest attendant
21:57voice flat and cold take the luna inside now she's not to remain in this hall
22:04the luna who cannot stand through her own ceremony she said quieter to herself
22:07what kind of blood is this bringing into our line a tavern stripper as our luna her jaw tightened i
22:13should have put my foot down the moment dominic carried her through the gate a mister i could have
22:15tolerated but this he threw away the lichen king's fated match for this the ceremony ended before it
22:22properly began guests dispersed in a wave of polite horror and barely suppressed gossip and dominic
22:27ashvale once the pack's great romantic hero became its most discussed cautionary tale
22:32lara for her part was triumphant by the time the healers cleared her and the private rites were
22:37quietly completed she was luna ashvale not a mistress not a rogue lover luna ashvale she had
22:44climbed from a border tavern floor to the highest seat in the pack she let herself feel every inch of
22:49it the morning after she went to pay her respects to lady larian she found the former luna deep and
22:54easy
22:54laughter with a young she-wolf lady larian's hand wrapped warmly around the girls
23:00cousin when dominic and lara entered the girl rose with an unguarded smile and reached for dominic's
23:05arm lady larian's expression warmed in a way it never had for lara this is viviane dominic's cousin
23:11they ran together as pups before her father took the family east her father has returned to the pack
23:16now and she with him light and easy viviane tells me she'd rather be here than anywhere else
23:21so i've told her the keep is her second home her father is the new minister of pack riles a
23:26significant appointment a meaningful pause viviane since lara is carrying and can't manage the
23:32household just now i'd like you to oversee it you know this pack better than almost anyone
23:37i trust you completely viviane smiled at lara with the ease of a wolf who had never needed to perform
23:42warmth because she simply had it don't mind me sister i practically grew up here let me carry the
23:50weight while you're carrying the pup that's all the color left lara's face she understood the message
23:56precisely she laughed carefully mother viviane comes from a good family wouldn't it be beneath
24:02her to manage a household as staff please you know what i'm asking don't do this oh i see exactly
24:11what you mean you're absolutely right it would be beneath her that's why i'm proposing she come in
24:16as a co-mate equal standing it would honor her rank properly and give this pack a luna who can
24:22actually represent us at formal summits while you recover dominic needs a mate who can stand beside
24:28him in public after all lara turned to dominic for the first time since the ceremony she let him see
24:33what was underneath you told me your heart was only mine it is viviane is family nothing more this is
24:38a formality whatever title she holds in the pack you are the one i come back to focus on the
24:43pup let her
24:44handle the work isn't that easier you're new to this world high pack households have ways you
24:48haven't learned yet i'll put the household back in your hands i promise three days after the bonding
24:52ceremony viviane crane moved into north moon pack as co-mate when word reached me at iron moon camp i
24:58laughed dominic had played it cleverly vivadian's father the new minister of pack rights was exactly
25:04the alliance and alpha in his position needed lara couldn't hold a formal summit vivadian could now the
25:09pack had something new to whisper about two lunas behind one set of gates waging a quiet war between
25:15them whose room dominic slept in whose table he sat at longest whose name the pack members said with
25:22more weight every morning brought a new skirmish every night reset the board vivian called lara a
25:27border dancer who didn't know which fork belongs at her own bonding table lara said vivian was no better
25:32than the omega she looked down on crawling after another she-wilves mate with less dignity than the
25:35tavern ever required dominic stopped going inside when he came home it was like in luna's commission
25:41that brought me back into the same room as dominic and lara i was hosting the spring charity gathering
25:46at iron moon keep a formal occasion and i had dressed accordingly dominic saw me across the hall and went
25:52still then his gaze drifted to lara standing not far off her face carrying the specific gray yellow
25:57exhaustion of a she-wolf deep in a difficult pregnancy her silhouette nothing like what it once was
26:02and something moved behind his eyes he came to find me sarah are you well careful deliberate i've
26:09been meaning to come to the keep to apologize properly i was afraid you wouldn't see me to
26:15anyone who didn't know better he looked like a wolf carrying genuine regret i stepped back he followed
26:20sarah i had a jewelry suite commissioned at the silver quarter a full set i'd like to send it before
26:27your birth moon consider it alpha john i smiled pleasantly we have no bond and no arrangement
26:32you are another she-wolf's mate if you send jewelry to my keep and someone notices what exactly do you
26:37expect them to think i am an unbonded she-wolf with a clean name i intend to keep it that
26:41way
26:41please conduct yourself accordingly lara had already spotted us she crossed the room fast tucking
26:46herself against dominic's arm with the practiced ease of something territorial alpha calloway her eyes
26:51were bright with a very specific kind of pleasure the lichen king may be arranging another match for
26:55you i do hope this time you won't run from it i looked at her at the triumphant expression at
27:02the
27:02careful grip on dominic's sleeve and i smiled luna ashvale before you worry about my future perhaps tend
27:10to your own i kept my voice effortlessly light i hear your co-mate made quite an impression at the
27:14last council summit her tea ceremony i exceptional apparently the kind of performance that turns
27:21heads your alpha seemed very proud of her she's been sleeping in the east wing for the better part
27:26of a month now hasn't she once she's carrying the first legitimate air of north moon pack comes from
27:32her you and your pup i let the pause settle like a stone dropped into still water we have very
27:37very little
27:38ground left to stand i turned and walked away before she could answer behind me i heard lara's
27:43voice rise a low and sharp aimed at dominic three minutes are you already regretting dominic's tone
27:49came back flat and tired i marked you didn't i if i wanted her i wouldn't have brought you to
27:54this pack
27:54lara stood very still one hand resting on the swell of her belly running the numbers on everything i'd
27:59said about vivian she thought about the last summit vivian's tea ceremony the whole room murmuring
28:05and admiration dominic's face lighting up with the specific pride of an alpha made to look good in
28:09public he had slept in vivian's wing for most of the following month it word had reached her that
28:16vivian was now consulting pack healers about conception rituals laura had to do something she had to take
28:22the room back she looked around the hall guests sipping tea low polished conversation and rose to her
28:28she announced to the nearest cluster of guests just sitting here sipping tea is so dale
28:33lara has been working on something new her voice sliding back into that warm easy register she had
28:38carried through years in the tavern give you all something worth remembering i'll see you soon
28:45a look crossed dominic's face that lara didn't see the males in the room began to clap and call out
28:56we haven't seen her dance since she bonded what a treat best offering of the evening i'd wager
29:04lara rose to it this a this was the sound she had grown up with the warmth of a room
29:09turning toward
29:09her she had missed it more than she'd ever let herself admit she moved to the center of the hall
29:14without a veil without hesitation and she performed she performed beautifully the room went quiet when
29:21she finished the applause was genuine and full i raised my fan to cover my smile and spoke quietly
29:26to the nearest attendant luna ashvale performed magnificently please offer her a token of appreciation
29:32i started it the room followed as rooms always follow someone of standing a gold pin from one she-wolf
29:39a bracelet from another silver coins from a lord who used to visit the border tavern on his mate's
29:44free evenings small tokens from others placed on a tray with the easy generosity of an audience
29:49rewarding a show they had enjoyed the tray came to lara piled high her attendant presented it with a
29:55bright smile luna ashvale ah from the guests in appreciation lara looked at the tray at the silver
30:00coins the scattered pin money the small denomination tokens pressed into the palm of a performer at the
30:05end of a good night she looked up at the room dominic's face had gone somewhere past anger into
30:10something colder he crossed to her in four strides the sound of his hand connecting with her cheek cut
30:15through the hall like cracking ice you are luna ash he said low and vicious not a border dancer
30:21you just performed at a charity gathering and accepted tips in front of every titled wolf in this
30:27territory is the pack not providing for you do you need the coin that badly take her out he turned
30:34to
30:34the nearest attendant back to the keep confined to her rooms until she understands what her rank
30:40requires of her lara stood frozen one hand pressed to her face then her voice came back a high and
30:47unravelling she made me do this alpha calloway said if i didn't prove i was worth more than vivian
30:55you'd hand the pack to her she told me i pressed a hand to my mouth in exaggerated shock
31:04alpha dominic luna ashvella i beg your pardon what am i supposed to have said my voice carried the room
31:10turned i am an unbonded she-wolf hosting a charity event i have not spoken privately with luna ashville's
31:16today i let the bewilderment sit for one precise beat then let it soften you dissolved my bonding
31:22arrangement and caused me considerable embarrassment before the lichen king and luna i have never held
31:29that against you i ask only that you not damage my name with accusations you cannot support you know
31:36what you did lara's eyes went red with fury you brought me here on purpose you made them tip me
31:41like
31:42i was still on that stage i turned to the hall my voice was calm and clear every gathering i
31:48have
31:48hosted this season has been a fundraiser the format is always the same guests offer a token in response
31:55to any talent they enjoy and every item on that tray goes in the donor's name towards supplies for the
32:01border pack units food winter gear healing herbs for the wolves protecting our borders i let my gaze move
32:09across the room several guests performed before luna ashville arrived they all wore veils as is customary
32:17for a charitable showcase to keep the focus on the cause rather than the performer a gentle pause
32:24luna ashville chose not to wear one that is entirely her right but the tray is the same tray
32:30and the cause is the same cause it has always been a murmur of confirmation moved through the crowd
32:35she arrived late we'd already donated twice before she came in i didn't realize she hadn't been briefed
32:43with the other guests dominic was already steering lara toward the gate one hand at her elbow both of them
32:48wanting to be anywhere else in the territory lady larian heard the full account before they cleared
32:53the pack border that wretched creature she said to no one in particular he had a like an appointed alpha
32:59a general's daughter a royal title the king's direct favor and he threw all of it away for that
33:06she pressed the back of her hand to her mouth strip her rank give it to vivina one luna who
33:11can
33:12actually function is worth more than two useless ones fighting over the same sleeping quarters
33:18lara heard what lady larian had said before the day was out she pressed both hands flat over her belly
33:23and walked straight to dominic you promised me to lose seat you promised this puck would be your first heir
33:33now your mother wants to strip my rank and hand it to viviana her voice was quiet precise
33:38which lie would you like to start with if you demote me she said quieter still i will put my
33:42head
33:43through that pillar right now in front of everyone dominic grabbed her stop nobody is taking anything
33:49from you an attendant came running in from the courtyard breathless and beaming alpha congratulations
33:54luna vivane has just confirmed a pregnancy the healer says she's strong my lord she's asking for you
34:01dominic's grip loosened lara still braced against a resistance that had vanished had nothing left to push
34:06against she went sideways and controlled the sound was solid and terrible she slid down to the floor
34:12blood running from her temple both hands clutching her abdomen the pup she gasped something's wrong
34:19help lara's labor came too early she had hit her head hard enough to drain most of her strength
34:24before it began the healers kept her conscious through roots and ritual but she fought through a full
34:29day and night but she finally delivered was a girl small early thin as thread a pup that hadn't been
34:34ready
34:34to arrive lara passed out when she woke she took one look and screamed it's not right i was carrying
34:40a son
34:40where is he someone switch them give me back my son it's vivian she raged and wept and accused until
34:48the walls of the keep rang with it she was absolutely certain give my son back give him back vivian
34:53didn't
34:54bother to engage she was too pleased the first legitimate heir of north moon pack would come from her
34:58now that was the only number that mattered she celebrated too early at the daughter's full moon naming
35:04ceremony the traditional sweets were laid out for the guests vivian wanting the occasion's good
35:08fortune helped herself to a bowl of honey lotus porridge she was back in her rooms before the cramps
35:13began by the time her attendance reached her she was doubled over soaking through her robes calling
35:17for anyone who would come the healers arrived too late to stop what had already started the pregnancy
35:23barely two months along was gone the healer examined the remaining porridge and went still he asked to speak
35:29with dominic privately there is red clover extract in this at a concentration i have never seen outside
35:35of deliberate preparation a pause there is also something else something that will prevent luna
35:40the vivian from carrying again vivian's voice when they brought lara to her rooms bring her here now was the
35:51sound of a wolf with nothing left to lose lara walked in carrying her daughter she did not look
35:56frightened she looked like someone who had made her decision long before this moment yes she said
36:02before anyone asked i put it in the porridge the red clover and the other one and i would do
36:08it again
36:09she looked at dominic really looked at him for the first time in months with nothing performing behind
36:14her eyes you claimed me under false pretensions you brought me into this pack under false pretensions
36:21and three days after our bonding you tried to hand my rank to your cousin her voice was flat and
36:28even
36:28lied to me more times than i can count i lied to you once i think that's fair you dishonored
36:34me first
36:34dominic don't act surprised that i stopped pretending to be good
36:40the minister of pack rights arrived at north moon pack before sunrise he wanted lara handed over to pack
36:45justice formal charges real consequences lara said simply that if anything happened to her she would
36:51tell the lichen council everything she knew about certain private arrangements involving north moon
36:56pack things that had never been made public she named nothing specifically she didn't need to
37:01dominic intervened the minister agreed to stand down on conditions lara would be exiled to the pack
37:06shrine the old stone den at the edge of the territory used for the disgraced and the penitent
37:11she would not return to the pack she would not raise the daughter she had nearly died to deliver
37:16the pup would go to vivian dominic would take no further mates no mistresses no arrangements of any
37:22kind vivian crane would hold the luna seat of north moon pack for the rest of her days barren
37:27childless raising another she wolf's daughter despising her for it the conditions were accepted
37:32north moon pack went quiet after that not the quiet of peace the quiet of a place that had used
37:38itself up
37:38entirely
37:38entirely
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