Luna Forsaken (Arya and James) novel Chapter 66

66 The Trick 2

James’s POV

The older officer looked like he was about to speak, about to correct something.

Before he could, Marcel pulled me away.

Literally.

He guided me by my elbow, steering me toward another cluster of Alphas.

I let it happen for two seconds, because making a scene would only feed the wolves

circling us, but my mind was already moving.

Why were the officers confused?

Why did Marcel interrupt right then?

Why did he drag me away before they could respond?

And why the hell did he stay by my side when I tried to speak to them?

I glanced back.

The two officers were still standing there, their expressions now more guarded, more

cautious, as if they’d just witnessed something they didn’t like.

Marcel spoke as we walked, voice light.

“Politics,” he murmured. “So many politics. You’ll learn.”

I didn’t answer.

Because I wasn’t learning.

I was noticing.

And what I noticed was that Marcel did not want me talking to Union officers alone.

I scanned the room as Marcel dragged me into introductions with Alphas whose names !

already half-forgot the moment they shook my hand.

I searched for the men who had visited my pack two weeks ago.

12:35

30.99%

The ones who had stood in my hall, the ones who had come with papers and questions, the ones who had watched the commotion unfold.

They weren’t here.

Not one.

1 checked again, eyes sweeping.

Still nothing.

So not everyone was in attendance.

Which meant Marcel’s insistence that “Union officers were present” could be selective.

Which meant this gathering was not what it had been sold as.

My throat tightened.

I forced myself to endure another round of pointless introductions, then I broke away with a polite excuse and stepped toward a quieter angle of the room where I could breathe without Marcel’s hand on me.

I didn’t get more than a few steps before Maxwell approached.

He didn’t smile.

He didn’t soften.

He walked up like a man coming to deliver a verdict.

His eyes were hard.

His voice was low, but it carried.

“I’m highly disappointed in you,” Maxwell said.

I stiffened.

The old anger rose, quick and sharp.

“Mind your business,” I snapped. “I appreciate that you care about Arya, but she’s my

business, not yours.”

Maxwell stared at me for a beat.

12:35

30.99%

Menu

Then he laughed..

Not amused.

Bitter.

“You still don’t get it,” Maxwell said. “You’re still talking like you own her.”

My jaw clenched.

“You want to lecture me again?” I asked coldly. “Go do it somewhere else.”

Maxwell stepped closer.

His presence was steady, unshakeable.

“You’re a fool to believe Marcel,” he said bluntly.

My eyes narrowed.

Maxwell continued, voice firm, no theatrics, just truth spoken like a weapon.

“He will keep stringing you along until he gets everything he wants from you,” Maxwell

said. “That territory your pack is occupying is priceless. Lots of Alphas have their eyes on

it.”

My stomach tightened.

Maxwell didn’t stop.

“If Marcel truly wanted to help you join the Union,” he said, “he would have done that

already.”

I held his gaze, refusing to react.

Maxwell leaned slightly forward, voice lowering further.

“Instead,” he said, “he forced you to make his daughter Luna.”

The words hit hard.

Because it was true.

Because I could feel the chain around my throat even as I stood here pretending to be

free.

1235

30.69%

I didn’t answer.

Maxwell watched my silence and pressed harder.

“Now that Marcel’s daughter is Luna,” Maxwell said, “if anything happens to you, who owns the pack?”

My spine stiffened.

Maxwell’s eyes sharpened.

“Do the math,” he said.

My pulse hammered once.

Maxwell continued, voice cutting clean.

“Arya was your shield from Marcel’s greed,” he said. “And you betrayed her.”

The sentence landed like a fist to the chest.

Because it wasn’t only an insult.

It was a picture.

A picture I hadn’t wanted to look at.

I reacted before I could stop myself, not with anger, but with fear, the kind that rises whi

en you realise you might have been walking into a trap.

“The Union sent officers to my pack two weeks ago for the signing,” I blurted. “A small

commotion happened, and it stopped it.”

Maxwell froze.

Confusion crossed his face.

For a heartbeat, he didn’t speak.

His brows

drew together slowly.

Then he looked at me like I’d said something insane.

I took that pause as a sign he was listening, so I continued fast, needing to justify myself.

“Marcel is trying to keep his promise,” I said. “He’s trying to get us in. That’s why they

12:35

30.77%

Get 5>

Menu

came. That’s why,

Maxwell cut me off, voice sharp.

“I have never heard of a Union joining in such a way,” he said.

My mouth shut.

My eyes narrowed.

Maxwell shook his head slowly, as if he couldn’t believe I’d fallen for it.

“Usually,” he said, “the Alpha and Luna are invited to the headquarters in Blackbirth. A licence and certificate is issued. That’s it.”

My chest tightened..

Maxwell continued, watching my face closely.

“The Union doesn’t send officers or people to packs,” he said flatly.

The words hit like a blade driven in clean.

I stared at him.

My mind stalled for a second, then started racing violently.

That couldn’t be right.

It couldn’t.

Because men had come.

Because they had stood in my hall.

Because there had been papers.

Because,

Because Marcel had said.

Because Marcel had promised.

Because Marcel had,

The unease I’d felt all night snapped into clarity so sharp it almost made me dizzy.

12:35

30.95%

I swallowed hard.

“What?” I said, voice low.

Maxwell didn’t blink.

“The Union does not send officers to packs for joining,” he repeated. “Not like that.”

My heart started pounding harder.

I dragged a breath in.

“That’s impossible,” I said automatically. “I saw them.”

Maxwell’s expression didn’t soften.

“Then you saw someone,” he said. “But it wasn’t the Union process.”

My throat went dry.

Leave a comment

12:35

30.99%

Luna Forsaken