The Lunar Queen Chapter 24

Cole POV

I sit in her room a little longer, just watching her sleep.

The room is quiet except for the soft rhythm of her breathing and the low hospital sounds in the background, but somehow none of that feels empty. Not with her here. Not with my wolf finally quiet for the first time in days.

“Our mate is so beautiful,” Zeus says.

“Yes, she really is, and I don’t think she even knows how much,” I reply.

That might be the part that gets me the most—the way she carries all of that without realizing what she does to a room just by being in it.

“Hey bro, got a minute?” Elias links me.

“Of course. Lyric just fell asleep. Where are you?” I link back.

“In my room. I couldn’t stay at that ball; all I smelled was her,” he replies.

That alone tells me how bad it is, because Elias does not complain. Not unless it is eating at him.

“Say no more. I’ll stop in my room and grab the scotch,” I say.

I kiss Lyric on her forehead and head out.

Her skin is warm beneath my lips, and even that small contact makes Zeus settle deeper, satisfied in a way I’m not going to examine too hard tonight.

Before I even reach the pack house, I see Hunter and Mason looking like they’re in a heated argument outside the hospital.

The tension around them is obvious from a distance—sharp, heavy, the kind that makes the air feel charged before a word is even spoken.

I take three steps before he notices me.

“Your majesty, a word,” Mason growls.

“Mase, I don’t think this is a good idea,” Hunter says.

“I just want to talk to him,” Mason growls.

I stop walking so he can approach me.

“What can I do for you, Alpha?” I ask.

I keep my tone even on purpose. Calm bothers wolves like him more than anger ever will.

“Why are you coming out of the hospital?” he asks through clenched teeth.

“I was keeping Lyric company since she wasn’t able to go to the ball tonight,” I reply calmly.

“That is my job,” he growls.

“Well, last time I checked, Alpha, she tried to climb the walls just to get away from you,” I say.

The truth lands where it needs to. I can see it in the way his whole body tenses.

“I got stopped by Mason, might be a minute,” I link Elias.

“Need me to come out?” he asks.

“Nah, I think his Beta has called for backup,” I reply, cutting the link.

“So what, it’s MY job to keep her company? MY job to calm her down? She is MINE,” he roars in my face.

He is too close now, too loud, too ruled by his wolf to even hear himself.

“I advise you to calm yourself, pup. You’re right in normal circumstances—that would all be your job—but unfortunately for you, your mate is terrified of being in the same room as you,” I say as calmly as I can.

“Just kill him already,” Zeus growls, annoyed.

“That will cause a war we don’t need,” I say.

“Well, at least punch him,” he suggests.

“That may need to happen,” I agree.

“I’m not trying to steal your mate from you, Mason. I’m just trying to help her heal. Your mate went through something very traumatic that led to her almost losing her life. She just needs the time and space to heal after that,” I say.

I make myself stay measured, because this isn’t about winning some pissing contest with a younger alpha. This is about keeping him from making things worse for her.

I see Alpha Liam and Mason’s Gamma and Delta coming from the direction of the pack house, along with Hunter’s dad.

“Mason, what the hell are you doing? Are you trying to start a war?” his dad says, running up.

“Don’t worry, Alpha. I’m not threatened by the pup; I just want him to understand that this isn’t about me. It’s about his mate and what she needs,” I say to him.

“SHE NEEDS ME!” he roars.

The desperation in it almost matters more than the anger. Almost.

“No, Mason, she doesn’t,” Beta Donovan says.

Mason’s head whips around quickly to him.

“What do you mean? She is my mate, Uncle D,” he says, voice cracking.

There it is. The part of him that is not just angry, but breaking.

“I know, son, but right now, you’re not helping her. You are making it worse,” he says gently.

“She ran from you, Mase. She was pulled back into that moment just from hearing your voice,” Hunter says.

“She is not okay,” he adds.

“Yeah, man, you gotta give her time. She’s been through a lot, all for the sake of being around you,” I think Lucas is his name says.

“If you all have this under control, I’ll take my leave. I’ll see you all tomorrow, gentlemen,” I say, walking toward the pack house.

There is nothing else for me to do here tonight except make him angrier, and Lyric deserves a quiet night more than he deserves another argument.

I stop at my room, grab the spiked scotch, and head down the hall to Eli’s room.

When I get there, Xavier and Dom are already there.

“Zay, why aren’t you with your mate?” I ask.

“She is having a girls’ night with Winter. She said she would like to get to know her future Beta female since we will be leaving soon and she won’t see her again for a while,” he says.

“I can’t wait for her to meet Lyric. She’s going to love her,” I say.

That much, at least, I know without question. Lyric has a way of getting under people’s skin without even trying.

“So, what’s up, bro? Why did you call us all here?” I ask, walking to the bar and pouring us all drinks.

The scotch has a little wolfsbane in it to actually allow us to get intoxicated.

“What is this pack going to do about Summer?” he asks, taking a sip of his drink.

“Well, right now, they can’t prove it was her, so I guess until they get proof or Lyric actually testifies, we can’t do anything,” I say.

And that answer tastes just as bitter as it sounds, because we all know who she is. Knowing and proving are two different things.

“Did they find out who helped her?” Xavier asks.

“No, not yet,” I say.

“When are we leaving?” Dom asks.

“Tomorrow,” I say.

He growls at that.

I raise my brow at him.

“I’m sorry, Alpha,” he says.

“It’s okay. I know it’s not going to be easy to leave your mate, but we still have duties and responsibilities. As much as I would like to stay here with my mate, I have a kingdom and a pack to run. And you, my friend, are the Beta of that pack and kingdom,” I say.

I mean it for both of us. Maybe all of us. We don’t get to stop being who we are just because fate finally showed up.

“You can talk to her every day, and she can come visit at the palace until her birthday,” I add.

“I know, it’s just Mars isn’t dealing with it well,” he says.

“He will be fine,” I reply.

Eventually. Maybe not quietly, but he’ll survive it.

“Eli, if you want to leave first, you can, I say.

“Oh, I will. I don’t want to smell that bitch any more than I need to,” he growls out.

“Okay, good. I think Lyric is getting released from the hospital sometime tomorrow. She healed faster than the average unshifted wolf,” I say.

“Think it means something?” Elias asks.

“Not sure, but it is a good thing for her,” I reply.

And right now, I’m not sure I care why. I’m just grateful she’s still here.

“Do you think she will be okay?” Xavier asks.

“I’m hoping that when the boys come to the palace for training, it will make things easier for her. If he isn’t here to make things hard, she should be fine,” I answer.

At least that’s what I tell myself. The truth is, I don’t know what healing looks like for a girl who’s had pain built into her life for that long.

“When are they leaving?” Dom asks.

“In a week. Micah doesn’t turn 18 until Tuesday,” I reply.

“I’m going to head out. I’m beat and want some decent sleep before I go see my mate,” I say, walking toward the door.

“Dom, make sure all of our warriors who found their mates are ready to go. We will be heading out at 5pm Anyone who would like to head home before then can leave with Elias in the morning,” I instruct.

“Got it, Alpha. See you in the morning,” he responds.

I head into my room, strip, and get in the shower.

The water should help. Usually it does. Tonight it doesn’t do much except give me a quiet place to think too hard.

“Are you going to tell her about the prophecy?” Zeus asks.

“No, that is a conversation for us to have when she comes to live at the palace next year,” I reply.

“You know they are searching for her. We already know they have moles in the packs waiting for her,” he adds.

That thought sits ugly in my chest, because he’s right. The danger around her did not start or end with Summer.

“As of right now, they don’t know it’s her. She doesn’t even know, and as long as it stays that way, everything should be fine,” I tell him.

“If she is like me, her wolf might,” he says.

“If she is, she hasn’t told Lyric yet,” I respond.

“Like I said, until something changes or when she moves to the palace, we say nothing,” I conclude, shutting him out.

I climb into bed and dream of those green eyes.

This time, I can’t stop thinking about the girl attached to them.

Because wanting her is one thing.

Finding her was one thing.

But now that I actually know her—

now that I know what she has survived, what she’s still carrying, and how easily she could’ve been taken—

wanting her feels different.

It feels dangerous.