35

The evening breeze is sharp, refreshing on my skin as I enter the palace courtyard. The skirmish might have concluded for the moment, yet the conflict continues to pulse, hidden underneath every hushed dialogue and every doubtful gaze.

Liam is living—but feeble. The group is fracturing, their belief in each other weakened. And Lisa’s hold is strengthening, her power seeping like poison through the fissures of doubt.

I need to concentrate on my upcoming action. I ought to be organizing, formulating plans.

However, I sense him before I spot him.

A shadow glides away from the stone arch, moving with a fluid, hunting elegance.

Kyle.

I remain unfazed, exhibiting not a hint of astonishment. He’s been orbiting around me for days, observing, anticipating. I was certain he would arrive sooner or later.

“You're developing a tendency to sneak up on me,” I state, maintaining a calm, even tone.

He grins, moving nearer, the gentle illumination of the courtyard lights creating bold shadows on his features. "You used to appreciate that aspect of me."

I raise an eyebrow, feeling unaffected. "I used to enjoy many things."

Kyle laughs softly, both entertained and bemused, yet there’s a hint of something sharper hidden beneath the exterior. He steps ahead once more, intentionally reducing the distance between us.

"You're throwing away your time on him," he remarks, his tone as smooth as silk. "Liam is unable to keep you safe." “However, I am able to.”

I take a deep breath, compelling myself to stay calm and unbothered.

Here it is. The true purpose of his presence.

Not merely to brag, not solely to poke at past hurts—but to give me something.

A suggestion. A snare.

I angle my head a bit, examining him, looking for the deeper meaning behind his words. "Is that true?" Kyle's grin remains unwavering. "You're aware that it is." Observe your surroundings, Nina. The group is turning against him. The council is doubting his leadership. He’s losing strength, and once that occurs, there’s no return from it.”

I remain silent, refusing to provide him the pleasure of a response.

Because the most difficult aspect?

He isn't mistaken.

Liam is currently vulnerable, and in a world such as ours, vulnerability can be deadly.

Kyle advances another step, so near that I can sense his warmth, the silent authority in his aura. "You have become stronger than you were previously." More intelligent. You have acquired the skills to endure. “However, merely surviving isn't sufficient, is it?”

He inclines closer, his voice becoming quieter, more sinister. "I can offer you more than that, Nina." Together, we can ascend to the throne. The group will trail behind me. They currently exist. What about you? “You were never intended to be his Luna.”

My fingers tremble at my sides, the impulse to hit intense and sudden.

Despite all of Kyle's charm, his smooth talk, and thoughtful manipulation, I am fully aware of his intentions.

Seduction.

He’s presenting it to me like a stunning, shiny weapon.

An opportunity to turn away from Liam. An opportunity to stand next to the man who is succeeding, the man who is advancing.

An opportunity to regain authority.

And for a brief moment, the thought wraps around my mind like vapor.

What would happen if?

What happens if Kyle is correct?

What if I allowed Liam to falter, to be crushed by his own frailty, and I seize the future for myself?

It would be simple.

Kyle poses a threat, yet he is also intelligent. And merciless. And achieving victory.

After years, I might finally be the one wielding the power. Not in a subordinate role.

Not as a person lurking in the background.

In the role of a queen.

Yet, just as swiftly as the idea arises, I eliminate it.

Because I understand the significance of being next to Kyle.

It would signify entering a different cage, another meticulously designed game where I remain a game piece—merely his piece rather than Liam’s.

Kyle is not interested in having a partner.

He desires a weapon.

He seeks an advantage.

I have invested too many years struggling for my freedom to allow myself to become another person's advantage again.

I allowed a slow, thoughtful smile to form on my lips as I finally looked into his eyes, tilting my head ever so slightly, as though pondering his proposal.

Then, in that very moment, I move closer—just enough to intrude upon his space this time.

And I murmur, gently yet sinister, “You consistently undervalue me.”

Kyle's gaze shifts, his grin wavering for a moment.

Then, just as fast, it comes back, but I’ve already observed what I needed to observe.

He believed he could influence me.

He believed I would take it into account.

And perhaps I did. Perhaps, for a brief moment, the idea crept into my thoughts, a risky, shining opportunity.

However, I am not a woman to be possessed.

Not from Liam.

And not by Kyle either.

I smile, slowly and cunningly, then pivot on my heel and walk off.

Since Kyle might be seeking control.

However, I am as well.

"You’re out of touch with reality."

The words escape my mouth before I can hold them back, yet I have no regrets.

Kyle doesn't even react. If anything, his grin widens, his dark eyes shining with something much more sinister than simple pride. “Am I?” he whispers, tilting his head a bit as if I’m the one failing to see the complete view. "I don’t believe that, Nina." "I believe I perceive everything precisely as it is."

He approaches slowly and thoughtfully, resembling a predator encircling its prey that is still unsure whether to flee or confront. However, I refuse to retreat.

I will not do that.

Instead, I raise my chin, facing his gaze directly. "If your intention is to persuade me to betray Liam, you're just wasting your time."

Kyle laughs quietly, as if he finds me funny, as if this is a playful situation for him. “Do you believe this concerns Liam?” His voice drops, oozing with a self-assurance that sends chills down my spine. “This concerns you." "Regarding what you are entitled to."

I remain quiet, my stillness a prompt he readily accepts.

"I'm presenting you the throne, Nina," he states, his voice filled with allure. “Not in the role of a pawn.” Not as someone’s cast-off partner. "As a Luna next to a deserving Alpha."

He allows the words to linger between us, encircling me like a rope.

And for a brief, transient moment, I grasp the attractiveness of his words.

Strength.

Regulation.

A throne that does not belong to Liam. A position that isn’t a penalty, or an aftereffect, or something I needed to endure.

If I agreed, if I joined Kyle, I wouldn’t be a flaw in somebody else’s narrative. I refuse to be the woman who is neglected, the mother driven into banishment, the warrior battling to restore her position.

I would govern. The pack would submit to me, not as Liam’s partner, not as the forgotten Luna—but as a power of my own.

Kyle notices the uncertainty in my gaze. He moves in even nearer, his tone gentler now, persuading. “Do you believe Liam will ever allow you to become more than what he abandoned?” He requires you to be vulnerable. "I do not."

I gaze at him, at the man who has consistently been a shadow hovering just beyond my narrative, anticipating his opportunity to step into the spotlight.

I understand precisely what he is proposing.

A crown, though it comes with a price.

Strength, but not my own. Forget it.

I would be exchanging one confinement for another.

And I promised long ago—I would never betray myself again.

Thus, I allowed my lips to form a gradual, keenly edged grin.

"I'd prefer to set the throne on fire rather than sit on it next to you."

Kyle's face remains unchanged, yet a glimmer flashes in his eyes. A brief moment of irritation. A fissure in the mask.

Then, just as swiftly, it disappears, substituted by something aware, something self-satisfied.

“You'll reconsider,” he says calmly, taking a step back, as if my rejection doesn't count. It’s like I haven’t genuinely turned him down—merely postponed the unavoidable. "When Liam stumbles, and he will, you'll realize that I was correct."

I do not respond.

I simply turn away from him, rejecting him as he desires to reject me.

Since he is incorrect.

Liam could tumble. The group could turn against him. The globe could be opposed to him.

Yet, I will never support a person like Kyle Korner.

I am not a woman who can be purchased, owned, or controlled.

And regardless of what occurs next, I will ensure that Kyle always remembers that.