Chapter 21

Kieran pulled me to my feet, his arm wrapping possessively around my waist as he guided me through the crowded room. The way he held me—firm but gentle—felt both affectionate and domineering, as if he wanted everyone to see that I belonged to him.

"We need to greet the other Alphas," he murmured close to my ear. "Play your role well. You're my Luna now, the Luna of the most powerful wolf pack in the territory." His fingers tightened slightly on my hip. "If you don't perform well, I'll have to punish you later."

I stumbled slightly in surprise at his words, my cheeks heating. "Punish me?" I whispered back angrily. "For what? I haven't done anything wrong."

Kieran's lips curved into a smile against my ear. His hand slid lower on my back, dangerously close to the edge of my dress. "This outfit," he breathed, "is making me want to commit crimes, little wolf. That's why I want to punish you."

My breath caught in my throat at the implication in his voice. Before I could respond, we reached a group of imposing men—Alphas from neighboring packs, I assumed.

"Alpha Barton, Alpha Reynolds," Kieran greeted them formally. "Allow me to introduce my mate and Luna, Lena Thompson."

The men studied me with curious eyes. I stood a little straighter, grateful for Maya's lessons on proper Luna etiquette.

"It's an honor to meet you," I said, inclining my head slightly but maintaining eye contact as Maya had instructed. Show respect, but not submission—you're an equal to them as Luna.

"The honor is ours," the older of the two replied. "We've waited a long time to see who would finally capture the Alpha King's heart."

As they conversed about territory boundaries and pack alliances, I tried to absorb as much as I could. Kieran kept me pressed to his side the entire time, occasionally glancing down at me with what looked almost like pride.

After making our rounds through several more groups, I spotted Ethan sitting at a table with Maddie. Kieran noticed the direction of my gaze.

"Would you like to join your brother?" he asked.

I nodded gratefully, relieved at the thought of talking to someone familiar. Kieran led me to their table and pulled out a chair for me before sitting down beside me, his arm immediately draping across the back of my seat.

"Ethan," he acknowledged my brother with a nod.

Ethan looked uncomfortable but determined. "Alpha Kieran," he began formally, "I know you're now my sister's mate, and I just want to say... please take care of her. Love her well. She deserves that."

I felt a rush of affection for my protective older brother, even as I cringed at his directness with the Alpha King.

To my surprise, Kieran didn't seem offended. Instead, he casually placed his hand on my bare leg where my dress had parted at the slit, his warm palm against my skin making my pulse quicken.

"Of course I will treat my Luna well," he replied, his thumb tracing small circles on my thigh. "After all, she is my mate." He paused, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "And we've already slept together."

"Kieran!" I gasped, mortified. My face burned hot enough to ignite the tablecloth.

Ethan's eyes widened momentarily before he broke into a foolish grin, looking between Kieran and me with obvious approval.

"You look happy, sis," he said, still smiling that ridiculous smile. "That's all I needed to see."

I glared at him, unable to believe he was just accepting Kieran's crude comment. What happened to the protective brother act from thirty seconds ago?

"Don't you have something to say about that?" I hissed at Ethan.

He shrugged, looking annoyingly pleased. "You're mated to the Alpha King. I figured that would... you know, happen."

Maddie giggled beside him, leaning forward to squeeze my hand. "We're just happy for you both," she said. "It's clear he adores you."

I glanced at Kieran, who was watching me with those intense amber eyes, his hand still resting possessively on my leg. Did he adore me? Or was this all just part of his role as Alpha—claiming his Luna, putting on a show for the other packs?

My doubts must have shown on my face because Kieran leaned close, his lips at my ear again. "Stop overthinking," he whispered. "Enjoy tonight. Tomorrow will come soon enough."

As the evening wore on, I found myself relaxing into my new role. The pack members who approached us were respectful and welcoming. Maya and Damon rejoined us periodically, bringing drinks and laughter. Even Ethan seemed to be enjoying himself, though he kept giving Kieran these approving nods that made me want to kick him under the table.

Through it all, Kieran never left my side. His attention remained fixed on me, as if I were the only person in the room worth noticing. Every time our eyes met, that same heat flared between us—a promise of something yet to come.

I still had questions—lots of them. About Kieran, about what being Luna would mean, about our future together. But for tonight, I decided to follow his advice and just enjoy the moment. Tomorrow would come soon enough.