Chapter 160 Holy Cow, Luna
Fennigan was standing in front of the full-length mirror, exhaling a sharp breath as he adjusted the collar of his charcoal suit. His mind was a chaotic map of the Vane Estate Annex—security rotations, exit points, and the precise timing Jax would need to ghost past the perimeter sensors.
Then, the bathroom door clicked open, and the world narrowed down to a single point of light.
The first thing he heard was the liquid clink-clink of gold. He turned, and his hands froze on his tie. Leela stepped into the bedroom, and she looked less like a guest and more like a warning.
The dress was a masterpiece of lethal elegance. The midnight-silk plunged in a sharp, dangerous V all the way to her navel, held together by sweeping gold chains that caught the low evening light and scattered it across the room. Her tan skin, bronzed from hours in the mountain sun, made the metal shimmer with a heat that felt physical. Right in the center of the golden web, her elemental stone was on full display, pulsing with a deep, rhythmic emerald glow that seemed to challenge anyone to look away.
Fennigan’s eyes trailed down. The dress was backless down to her tailbone, and the slit up the right side was daringly high, but his gaze stopped at the front.
"You look like a goddess of war, Leela," he rasped, his voice dropping into a low, appreciative growl. He stepped toward her, his eyes tracing the sleek lines of the silk. "But I have to ask... where are you hiding my son? You’ve got the Council thinking we’re coming to play nice, but I didn't think you could tuck him away that well."
Leela met his gaze in the mirror, a sharp, triumphant smirk playing on her lips. "The Council knows he’s coming, Fenn. They’ve seen the reports, they know about the twins, and they’ve been measuring our lives like they already own them."
She took a small, focused breath, then slowly let it out, relaxing her core. The silk shifted instantly, the fabric stretching over the proud, beautiful curve of her belly as it pooched out against the gold chains.
"I’m not hiding him," she whispered, her fingers grazing the shimmering links. "I just wanted the shock factor. I want to walk through those doors looking like an untouchable force of nature, and then, I want them to see the reality of what they’re trying to put in a cage. I want them to see the 'Source' and the heir all at once, and realize they aren't nearly big enough to contain either of us."
Fennigan reached out, his hand covering hers on the bump, his thumb brushing against one of the cool gold chains. The contrast was striking—the Alpha in his formal armor and the Luna in her shimmering defiance.
"They’re expecting a submissive pack coming to negotiate for their lives," Fennigan said, his eyes flashing with cold, predatory pride. "Instead, they’re getting the most dangerous woman in the world, reminding them exactly why they’re afraid of the dark."
He offered his arm, his smirk mirroring hers. "Let's go give them a nightmare they'll have to smile through."
The heavy thud of Fennigan’s boots and the melodic, metallic chime of Leela’s chains echoed through the stairwell as they descended into the Great Room. The sheer presence they projected was enough to halt the chaos of the evening in its tracks.
Toby, who had been mid-sprint after a giggling Briar, skidded to a stop so fast his sneakers barked against the hardwood. His jaw literally dropped, his eyes going wide as he took in the sight of Leela in the midnight silk and shimmering gold.
"Holy cow, Luna..." he breathed, completely floored by the transformation.
Sarah, who was right on his heels, nearly plowed into his back. She followed his gaze, her own eyes widening for a second before she regained her composure. She reached out and playfully, but firmly, punched Toby’s shoulder.
"Toby!" she hissed, her voice a mix of a laugh and a reprimand. "Shout some respect! Close your mouth!"
Toby’s face instantly ignited, turning a deep, vivid shade of pink that clutched at his ears. He snapped his gaze to the floor, ducking his head in a frantic bow. "Oh my gosh, I’m sorry! Alpha... Luna... I didn't mean—"
Fennigan’s bark of laughter cut through the boy's panic. He reached out, clapping a hand on Toby’s shoulder as he passed, his expression full of a rare, brotherly amusement. "It’s okay, Toby. I had the same reaction when she walked out of the bathroom. I think half the High Council is going to have the same reaction, too."
Leela smiled, the gold stone at her chest catching the light as she watched the teenagers. The moment of heavy tactical tension from upstairs had been momentarily lifted by the pure, awkward sweetness of the pack's youth.
But the "normalcy" didn't last long. Briar, seeing her "prey" had stopped moving, let out a piercing, delighted squeal and came barreling back toward the stairs. She nearly collided with Caspian, who had decided that if his sister was running, he definitely should be too.
"Gotta catch babies!" Toby and Sarah shouted in unison, their voices overlapping in a perfect, accidental harmony.
They both took off at a dead run, Toby’s embarrassment forgotten in the face of toddler chaos. Fennigan and Leela stood at the foot of the stairs for one last heartbeat, watching the two teenagers disappear around the corner in pursuit of the twins. The house was full of life, laughter, and the scent of Vannie’s cooking—everything they were going out to protect.
Fennigan held out his arm, his eyes shifting back to that cold, Alpha steel. "Ready to go break some hearts in the Capital?"
Leela placed her hand on his forearm, her chains clinking softly. "Let’s go give them a show they’ll never forget."
Her heels a little difficult in the gravel and trying to keep her baby bump tucked in, just for the effect.