Chapter 287 ALWAYS WATCHING
Edeline
Not many wolves had earned this mark, and even fewer girls carried it. It should have felt good, but the pride I thought I would feel had burned out a while ago. The pack here knocked it out of me. My wolf and I knew we deserved it, but we never went around bragging. She stopped with the showy antics—the diva moments were gone.
Now, we just stayed sharp, always watching, always ready.
I ran a hand through my hair, realizing how long it had gotten. It looked healthy, at least. Stretching out my lower back, I let out a soft breath. Even though my hair had been this length forever, I never made a big deal about it. I mostly wore yoga pants and hoodies or shorts, keeping my hair in a messy bun or braid. There was no point dressing up.
After one last glance in the mirror, I pushed the bathroom door open. The warm steam from my shower curled around me as it spilled into the bedroom. I grabbed some lotion, slathering it across my arms and legs, then threw on my black yoga capris and a hoodie—the same one I had “borrowed” from Percival.
I found it by accident while I was packing to come here, tucked at the bottom of my stuff. I never gave it back, and honestly, I had no intention of returning it. Especially now, with my heat approaching. His scent still clung to the fabric, faint but comforting.
I tied my damp hair into a messy bun, slipped on my Nikes, and headed downstairs. As I walked, the low hum of conversation drifted toward me from the dining hall.
Alpha Maxim was in there.
"I can't, Gaspar. She's a Luna. She has no clue, either. When it gets hot, I just can't help myself. Not even with a silver key. She really wants her partner by her side."
Hearing his words, I frowned, briefly wondering who he was talking about. As I rounded the corner, the voices grew louder.
The warriors were gathered around the long table, with Alpha Maxim seated at the head. His sharp gaze flicked toward me, and for a moment, surprise flashed across his face. His beta sat to his right, and Gaspar on his left, leaving a conspicuous empty seat—likely meant for a Luna or some other high-ranking official. But Maxim still had not found his match.
I felt an odd sense of satisfaction just watching Annabel, the former Luna of Praimfaya Moon, sitting stiffly beside Gaspar, our general. She had shown up here a few months ago with him, and honestly, it caught me off guard.
When I asked what had gone down, I was brushed off, as if my questions did not matter. The only thing I learned was that she was no longer Luna. Turns out, Gaspar was her real mate all along, but she rejected him to claim power by becoming the Luna of Praimfaya after Williams’ true mate—her cousin Nyra—passed away.
It blew my mind. Annabel had been carrying some serious secrets. And they had finally come to light.
I wondered... did William turn her down on purpose? Did he lose the fight because of her? Was my brother the new Alpha now?
The questions buzzed in my head, but Maxim had shut me down, telling me to stay out of it. I thought William was still Alpha, but whatever Annabel did must have been bad. He let her go without a second thought, handing her over to Gaspar as a reward for helping Percival through his... episodes.
I made my way to a seat near the middle of the table, sliding into place quietly. Just as I settled in, Annabel’s eyes locked with mine.
My mind drifted back to how she had handled Darius’s illness—without giving me so much as a warning—leaving me in the dark and putting my life on the line. That betrayal still boiled my blood. But now, seeing her so uncomfortable, with Gaspar’s pup growing inside her, gave me a strange sense of satisfaction.
"Good morning, Edeline!" Gaspar greeted me with a grin, his nostrils flaring slightly as he caught a whiff of the air. He knew exactly whose hoodie I was wearing. And even though I tried to play it cool, my body was practically giving me away—definitely not my scent lingering on the fabric.
"Morning, Gabe," I replied with a small smile.
Gabe and I had grown close over the last few months, probably because I reminded him so much of his dead sister. It was nothing more than friendship, but Annabel? She hated it. Her low, warning growl echoed across the table.
Gaspar caught her reaction immediately. With a quick pinch to her ear, he snapped her out of it, silencing her jealousy. He leaned in, whispering something sharp and private against her ear. She flinched and nodded, her eyes dropping to her lap.
A grin tugged at the corner of my mouth. She was so much more subdued now—so quiet and obedient compared to when she first arrived.
When Annabel showed up with Gaspar, it was almost funny how much she seemed to hate him. He embarrassed her constantly, parading her around with a collar and leash, only letting her eat what he gave her. The hatred burned in her eyes every time he touched her, but the nights told a very different story.
Even through the walls, I could hear her cries of pleasure. No matter how much you think you hate your mate, the bond pulls you in when things get intimate. You might fight them all day, but at night, your body craves them. And hers craved Gaspar.
Everything changed the day she announced she was pregnant. Gaspar stopped using the leash after that. He stopped tying her up for the other females to taunt and tease. The challenges became forbidden. No more fights—just peace. He even stopped making her sit on his lap and hand-feed her in front of everyone. She no longer had to train from dawn until dusk.
Gaspar treated her with more respect now, always smiling, practically glowing with happiness.
She was about a month into her pregnancy, but you could still see that fire in her eyes. Every now and then, it looked like she wanted to tear Gaspar apart—but that fierce glare would soften, just for a moment, into something like affection. She kept to herself mostly, a shadow of the Luna she once was.
She was no longer a wolf with status. No longer a Luna. Now, she had to go through retraining, starting from the ground up.
“Hey, Edeline!”
Alpha Maxim’s voice cut through the clatter of plates as I piled my food high, ready to fuel up before the fight. I froze for a second, raising an eyebrow at him.
“So... your heat’s about to start, huh?” His brow arched with playful curiosity, and every warrior at the table suddenly gave me these sly, amused grins.
I fought the urge to crawl under the table. Heat talk in front of a whole pack? Just great. Clearing my throat, I tried to play it cool. “Yeah.” I forced a shrug. “About a week out.”
He hummed, his eyebrows pulling together thoughtfully. The way his muscles shifted under his shirt made my stomach flip, and I caught myself licking my lips without thinking. His bright blue eyes flicked up just in time to catch me, and the amused glint in them made my face burn.
“Hey,” he said casually, like he didn’t just catch me checking him out. “Have you heard from Praimfaya Moon recently? How’s the family doing?”
His easy authority hit me like a wave, thick with power that had my wolf all dizzy. And with the heat creeping closer, the pull felt even stronger. I gritted my teeth, trying to hold myself together.
I shook my head, guilt sneaking in. “I haven’t talked to anyone since I left.” I let out a quiet sigh. “Figured it’d be easier that way—no strings, you know?” But thinking about it now, I felt like I’d screwed up. I should’ve called them. My parents. Nixx. I needed to check on Mirabelle and the pup too. Staying away felt right at the time, but now? Now it just felt like I’d abandoned them.
“Catch me after breakfast,” Maxim said, eyes narrowing slightly—leaving no room for argument.
“Sure thing, Alpha.”
It felt weird. When I first got here, I had this surge of new energy—like power just bubbling up inside me. That drive shot me straight through the ranks, faster than I ever thought possible. I really thought Maxim might try something with me at some point—he flirted like it was second nature. But no. He kept it respectful. Even though he brought a different she-wolf to bed almost every night, he never crossed the line with me. Same with Gaspar.
Maybe it was because I reminded Gaspar of his dead sister. That thought crossed my mind more than once. But whatever the reason, neither of them treated me the way they treated others—no hazing, no power plays. Some of the other wolves didn’t like that. Jealousy can turn nasty fast.
I had to fight harder than ever to earn my spot at the warriors' table. But somehow, I made it. It felt like the moon had gifted me with something fierce—like it wanted me to have this strength.
I scarfed down the rest of my breakfast, feeling the tension buzzing beneath my skin. As the other wolves cleared out, I stayed, sitting across from Maxim. Just the two of us now.
He leaned back, his sharp gaze locking onto mine. “Edeline... I’ve been keeping your family in the loop. Letting them know you’re doing well.”
I blinked, thrown off. “Wait—you’ve been talking to them?”
He nodded, calm and matter-of-fact. “Yeah. We’ve got an alliance with Praimfaya Moon now.”
This was news to me. “Since when?”
He gave me a small smile. “For a while now. Your folks know you’re doing okay.”
“Do they know I’m a warrior?” My heart tightened at the thought. I wasn’t sure how they’d feel about that.
He shook his head, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. “Nope. I figured you’d want to tell them yourself.”
Then, out of nowhere, he leaned in slightly, dropping a bit of gossip like we were old friends. “Your buddy, Mirabelle... I gotta be honest, I almost ended up spending the night with her while I was there.”
My jaw tightened. Why the hell are you telling me this?
Maxim chuckled low, not noticing—or not caring—how awkward I felt. “Your brother, Nixx, found us before anything happened. He was already on edge—losing it over Tatiana running off with Conor. And with Mirabelle pregnant? Yeah, me being around her didn’t help.” He shook his head, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth like it was some big joke.
I sat there, stunned. What is wrong with him?
“Anyway,” he said with a dismissive wave, like we were just catching up on small talk. “Things got a bit intense with Nixx. Last month, Mirabelle decided she couldn’t take it anymore and left the pack.”
My heart sank. I hadn’t known any of this.
“Nixx was getting too possessive—like a real Alpha.” Maxim gave a shrug, as if that explained everything. “I should’ve told you sooner, but you really should’ve reached out to them, too.” His words hit hard, making guilt twist in my chest.
I looked away, feeling like the worst kind of coward. I should have called them...
When I finally looked back at him, I asked quietly, “Where did she go?”
Maxim let out a deep sigh. "She went to Conor’s pack.” He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Tatiana... she’s doing better now. Actually, she and Mirabelle have been talking. They even became friends.” He chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Tatiana asked her to move in—girls against the guys and all that.”
I blinked, stunned. “You’re kidding.”
This made no sense. Tatiana, becoming friends with Mirabelle—the girl carrying her mate’s child? How is that even possible? I tried to wrap my head around it, but it just felt unreal. Letting your mate’s baby mama live with you? That takes a level of maturity I couldn’t even imagine. If it were me, I’d lose my mind. But Tatiana? She wasn’t exactly easy to deal with back in the day.
"She’s really grown up," I muttered, still processing it. "But Mirabelle… I feel bad for her. She was just looking for love."
I hesitated before asking, “So... what’s going on with Nixx? And what about Tatiana’s dog?”
Maxim's playful demeanor faltered, and his brow furrowed deeply. “Mirabelle lost the pup this morning,” he said quietly. “She bled a lot.”