Chapter 238

Chapter 238
Juno's POV

I blinked awake to early morning light filtering through the curtains. My first thought was relief, Augustin had made it back to bed sometime in the early hours. His warm body lay next to mine, his breathing deep and even. The familiar scent around me.

Part of me wanted to reach out and touch him, to trace the hard lines of his face and reassure myself he was really there, safe. But I held back. After last night's arrests, he needed rest.

I lay still for a few moments, listening to his breathing while my mind raced with thoughts I couldn't express. The fear that had gripped me when he'd been out making arrests still lingered in my chest like a cold stone. I'd heard about the silver weapons being distributed to kill Alphas. The thought of losing him made my wolf whimper anxiously inside me.

He's safe. We're safe, I reminded myself.

Carefully, I slipped out of bed, making sure not to disturb Augustin. He barely stirred. I watched him for a moment, his silver-streaked dark hair spread across the pillow, his face relaxed in sleep in a way it rarely was when awake.

Moving quietly, I headed to the bathroom and shut the door behind me. The cold tiles beneath my feet grounded me as I washed my face and brushed my teeth. In the mirror, my red hair was a mess and my blue-green eyes still puffy with sleep, but there was a calmness in them that hadn't been there before.

After dressing quickly in comfortable clothes, I took one last glance at Augustin's sleeping form before slipping out of our bedroom.

I'd been thinking about the wedding all night. With all the chaos of arrests, conspiracies, and interrogations, we'd put the planning on hold. But I couldn't wait any longer. I needed something normal, something hopeful to focus on.

I headed toward Amelia's room, knowing Ruby and Olivia might be with her. We needed all hands on deck to make this happen quickly. After my last experience with wedding planners going missing, I wasn't about to trust anyone outside our circle again.

When I reached Amelia's door, I knocked lightly. No answer came for a good minute, which was unusual for Augustin's mother, who was typically an early riser. I knocked again, slightly louder.

Finally, the door cracked open, and Amelia peered out, her hair slightly mussed and her silk robe hastily tied. "Juno, good morning. Is everything alright?"

As soon as the door opened wider, I caught Elton's unmistakable scent. It clung to Amelia's skin and clothes, a woody, masculine smell that was definitely not her usual floral perfume. I kept my face neutral, pretending not to notice.

"Everything's fine," I said evenly. "I wanted to talk about the wedding plans. May I come in?"

Amelia hesitated for just a second, then stepped back. "Of course, come in."

I entered her sitting room and took a seat on one of the plush sofas. The room was impeccably decorated in shades of cream and gold, but I noticed small details out of place, a man's watch on the side table, hastily pushed behind a book, and two empty wine glasses from the night before.

Amelia sat across from me, looking more vibrant and alive than I'd seen her in weeks. The contrast between this renewed energy and her previous melancholy was striking, especially considering her claim that she and Elton were "just friends."

"You look well," I commented, keeping my face neutral.

A smile tugged at the corner of Amelia's mouth. "I'm sure you can smell Elton's scent all over me," she said with surprising frankness. "No point in pretending."

I laughed, making a zipping motion across my lips. "Your business is your business. I'm just glad to see you happy."

Her expression softened. "What did you need help with, dear?"

"The wedding," I said, leaning forward. "We can't keep postponing it with everything that's happening. I need someone to take charge of the planning, someone I trust. After what happened with our last wedding planner, I need eyes on everything."

Amelia's face lit up. "You want me to plan your wedding to my son?"

"If you're willing," I confirmed. "I know it's a lot to ask, but—"

"I would be honored," she interrupted, reaching across to squeeze my hand. Her touch was warm and surprisingly maternal. "Nothing would make me happier than planning my son's wedding."

I smiled, feeling a wave of gratitude. Despite our complicated history, Amelia and I had found a tentative peace. "Thank you," I said sincerely, squeezing her hand back before letting go.

"We should get Ruby and Olivia involved too," I suggested. "And don't forget, it's Ruby's wedding as well."

"Of course," Amelia nodded, but I noticed her glancing toward the bedroom door several times as we spoke. Her mind seemed elsewhere, and I had a pretty good idea where, or rather, with whom.

I stood up, recognizing it was time to leave. "I'll let you get back to your... morning," I said diplomatically. "Perhaps we can meet later today to discuss details?"

Relief flashed across Amelia's face. "That would be perfect."

As I headed to the door, I couldn't resist one small tease. "Oh, and Amelia? Please let Elton know that Augustin expects him in the sitting room before he wakes up."

Amelia's mouth fell open, then closed with an exasperated sigh. "You're terrible."

I grinned, feeling lighter than I had in days. "See you later."

Back in our bedroom, Augustin was still fast asleep. I slipped under the covers beside him, careful not to wake him. The emotional weight of the past few days crashed over me suddenly, and exhaustion pulled at my limbs. Just a little more rest wouldn't hurt. I closed my eyes and drifted off, feeling safe and warm beside him.

I woke again to the sound of movement in the room. Blinking sleepily, I saw Augustin getting dressed, his back to me as he pulled on a dark shirt.

"Look who's the sleepyhead now," he teased, turning to face me with a smirk. His eyes, those deep gray pools with flecks of silver, softened as they met mine. "Morning, Berry."

"I've been up for hours," I protested, sitting up and running a hand through my tangled hair. "I got ready and everything. Just came back for a quick nap."

Augustin raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing me. I slipped out of bed and padded over to my drawer, pulling out the USB drive I'd gotten from Isabelle.

"Here's the list from Isabelle's USB drive," I said, handing it to him.

"We should use this to question the prisoners," I suggested, watching his face carefully. "See if their stories match up."

He shook his head slightly. "Not yet. The prisoners are demanding to see the Elder Council, which I've denied. The Council will contact me next, demanding I turn them over. I'll refuse."

I frowned, trying to follow his strategy. "And then?"

"Then they'll go to the district leaders, trying to have me removed as Alpha King," he explained calmly, as if discussing the weather rather than a potential coup. "But my allies will propose that I become the actual King instead, and let the families handle the situation."

Understanding dawned on me. It was a chess game, and Augustin was several moves ahead. "You're baiting them into revealing themselves."

He nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Exactly."

Part of me wanted to push, to suggest we take more direct action rather than waiting for our enemies to make their move. But I trusted Augustin's judgment. He knew this political landscape far better than I did.

"So what do we do in the meantime?" I asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Augustin's smile widened, reaching his eyes. "Spend time together. Shift and hunt in the forest. Have a picnic. Make love under the stars."

A shiver of desire ran through me at his words, and I couldn't suppress the small moan that escaped my lips. The thought of running as wolves through the forest, free from all the plotting and politics, was intoxicating.

"I'll take that as a yes," Augustin said, his voice dropping to a husky whisper as he noticed my reaction. He stepped closer, his scent enveloping me, making my head spin with want.

"I need to meet the others in the sitting room first," he said, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "Then we can start our day."

He pulled me to him, his eyes searching mine with an intensity that made my breath catch. "When this is all over, when all our enemies are dealt with, we're going to have a normal life, Berry. Just you and me."

His hand dropped to my stomach, where our child grew, his touch gentle and possessive. "And our family."

My heart swelled at his words, at the promise of a future together. His lips found my neck, pressing against the spot where his mark would soon be. I tilted my head, offering myself to him, craving the bond that would tie us together forever.

We didn't need the Purplemoon ritual like others did. Our connection was already so strong, so undeniable. But the marking would make it official, binding us together in the eyes of all wolves. And I was more than ready.

Augustin placed one final kiss on my neck before pulling away, his eyes dark with promise. "Later," he murmured, and I nodded, anticipation humming through my veins.

With a last lingering look, he left for his meeting, and I found myself alone with my thoughts and the phantom sensation of his lips on my skin.

I decided to find my friends to pass the time until Augustin was done with his meeting.