Chapter 13 Chapter 13
“The tea you requested for, Ma’am.”
Leila had placed the order and head servant Geraldine along with two other servants brought tea—fragrant and steaming in delicate porcelain.
I should bask in the warmth of my new reality but sitting down there, watching the tea being laid out by the servants took me down memory lane.
How it could have been someone else sitting with this family, and I could be arranging the tea for them.
I know the moon goddess had bonded me and Zane in a mocking way. But I could not disregard the part where she had actually seen that I wanted to be Luna.
Even as it was for a two year contract. I got to experience it at least.
We moved to the sitting area adjacent to the dining hall, settling into the chairs arranged in a loose circle.
Leila curled into hers like a cat, graceful and comfortable. Kaius sprawled with the easy confidence of someone who’d never had to worry about taking up space.
And Zane… Zane sat rigid in his chair, one ankle crossed over his knee, his expression carved from stone.
But he stayed for this small gathering. That was something, I supposed.
The conversation drifted from pack politics, territorial disputes to gossip from the northern regions that Leila delivered with theatrical flair. She had a gift for storytelling, painting vivid pictures with just her words and the occasional dramatic gesture.
I found myself laughing.
Kaius caught my eye and grinned, clearly pleased that his mother was winning me over.
And she was. goddess help me, she was.
Because this warmth, this easy affection, this family that teased each other and told embarrassing stories and actually seemed to enjoy being together was so far from what I’d expected.
Zane had always seemed like he’d sprung fully formed from stone and ice.
But watching Leila laugh, watching Kaius lean forward to interject with his own version of some childhood mishap, I realized how wrong I’d been.
This family was full of light and joy.
So how had Zane ended up so different?
I could promise that if I was not holding up to the remaining bit of childhood crush I had for him, I would have spat at him long ago from his attitude.
“Tiana?”
I blinked, realizing Leila had said something I’d completely missed and for the second time in less than an hour, I had gotten distracted thinking of Zane.
“Sorry,” I said quickly. “I was just… thinking.”
“Oh, are you sure you are good?”
“Yes,” I subtly replied, sipping from my tea.
Leila studied me for a moment. But she didn’t push. Instead, she glanced at Kaius, who immediately leaned closer to whisper something in her ear.
Her face lit up. “Oh! Of course. I almost forgot.”
She gestured to a servant hovering near the doorway, who disappeared and returned moments later carrying an elegant bag—deep blue silk with silver embroidery.
My stomach did a nervous flip. Gifts. She’d mentioned gifts earlier.
Leila reached into the bag and pulled out a wrapped box, sliding it across the low table toward Zane.
He stared at it like it might bite him.
“What’s this for?” His voice was flat.
“Your wedding, obviously.” Leila’s smile was innocent, but I caught the mischief lurking beneath it.
“Obviously,” Zane echoed, but his tone made it clear he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.
“And,” Leila continued, her smile widening, “it’s a token of forgiveness for any trouble Kaius might cause while he’s staying here.”
“Mom.” Kaius sat up straighter, his expression shifting to mock offense. “What do you mean, ‘trouble’? I’m a perfect houseguest.”
“You and Zane have been butting heads since you were children,” Leila said, though her voice was fond. “I get reports, you know. Little clashes here and there.”
“They’re not clashes,” Kaius protested. “They’re… umm… spirited discussions.”
She just rolled her eyes and turned to meet my lips that had twitched into a small smile from watching Kaius.
“See?” Leila gestured to me. “Even Tiana thinks you’re ridiculous.”
“I didn’t say that,” I protested weakly, though my lips were still twitching.
Zane’s gaze landed on me, and for just a second, I thought I saw something flicker in his eyes. Then it was gone, and he was back to staring at the wrapped box like it had personally offended him.
“There’s no tension,” he said flatly. “Kaius is welcome here as long as he needs to stay.”
It was possibly the most diplomatic thing I’d ever heard him say. And also the most transparent lie.
Leila clearly didn’t believe it either, but she let it go. Then, she turned to me, pulling a smaller package from the bag.
“And this,” she said, “is for you, Tiana.”
She placed the wrapped gift in my hands. It was soft, whatever was inside. Fabric, maybe.
“Thank you,” I replied. “You really didn’t have to—”
“Open it later,” Leila interrupted, and the way she said it—with a wink that made heat crawl up my neck—told me exactly what kind of gift this was.
Oh gods.
“What is it?” Zane’s voice cut through my mortification.
I clutched the package tighter. “I… I don’t know yet.”
“It’s personal,” Leila said smoothly, her smile turning positively wicked. “Girl things. You understand.”
Zane’s eyes narrowed, flicking between the package in my hands and his sister’s face. “Leila—”
“Some things are between women, little brother. Surely you can respect that.”
The muscle in his jaw ticked. He clearly wanted to argue, but even he wasn’t stubborn enough to interrogate his sister about what she’d given me.
I, however, was dying inside. Because I knew. Even without opening it, I knew what was in this package.
And the fact that Zane was curious about it made everything infinitely worse.
“Speaking of gifts,” Kaius said, and I could have kissed him for the save. He stood, crossing to a side table where a velvet box sat. “Since I couldn’t bring any gifts earlier, I asked Mother to bring this for me.”
He returned to the circle, opening the box as he moved. “This is for you, Tee.”
My breath caught.
Inside was a necklace—delicate silver chains woven together in an intricate pattern, with a crescent moon pendant at the center. Small diamonds were set into the moon, catching the light and throwing tiny rainbows across the box’s interior.
“Kaius,” I breathed. “That’s… that’s too much.”
“Nonsense.” He lifted the necklace from its velvet nest, and the chains cascaded like liquid silver. “You deserve beautiful things, Tiana. May I?”
I nodded, not trusting my voice.
He moved behind my chair, and I felt the first brush of his fingers against the nape of my neck.
I went very still.
His touch was gentle, as he gathered my hair and swept it over my shoulder. The heat of his hands lingered on my skin as he brought the necklace around, fastening the clasp with steady fingers.
Something about his touch made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
I didn’t need to look to know Zane was watching.
Kaius’s hands settled on my shoulders, warm and solid. “There,” he said softly. “Perfect.”
I reached up to touch the pendant, my fingers trembling slightly. The metal was cool against my skin, the weight of it unfamiliar but not unpleasant.
It was the most beautiful thing I’d ever owned.
My lips curved into a genuine smile—wide and unguarded. Then I felt it.
That piercing, predatory gaze that made my wolf whimper and my pulse spike.
I turned my head and met Zane’s eyes.
The intensity there—the raw, barely leashed anger burning in those dark depths—stole the smile right off my face.
My expression smoothed into something neutral. But Kaius either didn’t notice or didn’t care. His hands were still on my shoulders, his thumbs brushing absently against the fabric of my dress.
“Uncle,” he started. “What do you think? Does it suit her?”
The silence stretched. Long enough that I felt it pressing against my skin.
Zane’s gaze moved from me to Kaius. Back to me. Down to the necklace at my throat.
His jaw was so tight that I imagined his teeth grinding.
“It’s beautiful.”