The Lunar Queen Chapter 48

Lyric POV

The look on everyone’s faces, including the she-wolf, is laughable , their expressions shifting between disbelief and irritation as their eyes drag over me like I don’t belong standing here beside him.

“Your Majesty, any she-wolf you choose as your mate has to be evaluated first,” one of the councilmen says.

Cole’s growl shakes the entire chamber , the power behind it making the walls feel like they’re closing in on them.

“Who are you to tell me my fated mate, given to me by our Moon Goddess, needs to be evaluated?” he snarls , his aura pressing down hard enough to make a few of them shift uncomfortably in their seats.

I step into his arms and cup his cheeks, and he inhales my scent , his chest rising deeper as he grounds himself in me instead of tearing them apart.

“It’s okay, my love, calm down,” I link him.

“We know they don’t want me to be here for many reasons,” I link.

He relaxes a little, and I stand back next to him and take his hand , threading my fingers through his like a silent warning to everyone watching.

“She looks to be just a child, my King,” another man says.

Nova starts getting annoyed by the insults , her irritation bleeding into me like heat under my skin, so we decide to show them what this child can do.

“You are right, Councilman Henderson, I just turned 18, but I am just as young as your mate was when you ripped her from her family and forced her into being your mate when you found out your fated mate was barren,” I say, smiling , watching the confidence drain from his face in real time.

The room gasps , the sound sharp and sudden against the silence that follows.

“How—how do you know that?” he says, shocked , his voice no longer steady.

“Have none of you registered my face yet?” I say, smiling , letting my gaze sweep slowly across each of them.

Then I hear it from a female council member.

“Eloise,” she says softly , like she’s afraid to say it any louder.

“Ding ding ding, Councilwoman Sharp has earned me not reading her thoughts today,” I say, winking at her.

“You—the one who said I needed to be evaluated—your name is Councilman Grayson, and you aren’t even of alpha blood, so how did you earn a seat on the council. Ohhhhh, your mate is the previous alpha’s daughter, former Councilman Tate’s daughter, and you raped her and got her pregnant, so he forced you to take her as your mate, and since she was the oldest, you got the Alpha position when he died. I know he would be hurt to know you beat his daughter constantly and she is a shell of the woman she was before you destroyed her life,” I say , each word landing heavier than the last as the room turns on him.

He snarls and moves to attack me.

“Sit down, Alden,” I say , my voice calm but laced with power that wraps around him before he can take another step.

And he sits in his seat , his body going rigid as he realizes he has no control over it.

“I may be a child as you put it, but I am not weak, and whoever this she-wolf is, she will not be his mate because I am, and we are already marked, so get used to it,” I say.

“Oh, and I will be your Queen, and it will do you all well to show me some respect, as my mate doesn’t really like it much when you don’t, and you stay away from him. I don’t want to have to make an example of you,” I say, looking at Serena , holding her gaze just long enough for the threat to settle under her skin.

“They will all learn we are not to underestimate us,” Nova says.

“They will,” I say to her.

“Your Majesty, we need to discuss this,” Councilman Henderson says , his tone weaker now, like he’s trying to recover ground he already lost.

“The only thing we will be discussing is her coronation,” Cole says , his voice final, leaving no space for argument.

“Now, if you will excuse us, my mate has a date with my little sister,” Cole says, grabbing my hands as we walk out , not even sparing them another glance.

The little bitch doesn’t take a hint and runs behind us.

“Wait, Cole, I thought we had a connection,” she says, grabbing his arm.

He pulls his arm from her grip immediately, like her touch disgusts him.

“No, we didn’t. I was being respectful. I found my mate last year, and I told the council I was not interested in taking a chosen mate—they just don’t listen. Now get the fuck out of my face before I ban you from the palace,” he snarls at her , his patience snapping completely.

I just wink at her and we continue down the hall , feeling her glare burn into my back.

“We just started something, my love,” I say , the shift in the air already undeniable.

“Good, now they will see we will not be overthrown, and it will not be easy,” he says.

“Let’s go to our room, I need some alone time with you before Elise steals you for the night,” he says, kissing my head , his hand tightening slightly around mine like he’s not ready to let go yet.

Serena POV

I don’t know who this little bitch thinks she is , walking in there like she belongs, like she has any right to stand next to him.

Daddy promised me Cole, and I will get him , no matter what that marked little slut thinks she has.

She thinks because she has a mark that he still can’t be mine , like that bond actually means something permanent.

She will learn.

Who the hell does she think she is embarrassing the council like that , exposing secrets that were never supposed to be spoken out loud?

How dare he allow her to be so disrespectful , how dare he stand there and choose her over everything that was already set in place?

He was trying to make me jealous by bringing her around , that has to be it, because there’s no way he actually chose her over me.

We can play that game together.

He will be mine, and nothing will get in the way of him being mine , not her, not the bond, not whatever power she thinks she has.

I will be the Queen.

I wasn’t going to take the witch’s help to win him over, but now I see I will, because he won’t come willingly , and I’m done waiting for him to realize what’s right in front of him.

Enjoy him while you can, you Eloise look-alike, enjoy standing in a place that isn’t yours, wearing a title you haven’t earned, breathing air that can be taken from you just as easily as it was given—

because when I’m done, you won’t just lose him… you’ll lose everything, and this time there won’t be anyone left to save you.