My Second Chance Mate is a Barbarian (Sera and Fenris) novel Chapter 399

Sera

Chief Vane stood outside my door, his knuckles rapping against the wood so softly I almost missed it. "Luna, may I enter?" he called through the thick oak. His voice sounded polite enough, but I could hear the unease behind it.

"Enter," I called back, and I made myself sound steadier than I felt. I stayed seated in my chair, facing the door as Mina stood silent guard at my side.

When Vane stepped inside, whatever confidence he'd mustered in the hall outside seemed to leave him. His shoulders stiffened as he scanned the room, taking in my darkened private chambers. His eyes touched briefly on Amara where she stood near the hearth and moved on without pausing, the way a man's gaze passes over furniture he already expects to find there. The only light came from a single candle burning beside me, and it cast long shadows across his face.

He bowed his head in greeting, my title falling stiffly from his lips. "Luna."

I studied him, trying to read his mood. Vane was an older wolf with silver hair cropped close to his head. He held himself upright and proud, like a man who knew he shouldn't be here but meant to be here regardless. He edged closer, glancing at Mina with a faint furrow of his brow. Clearly he expected her to leave, but I gave no such indication. After a tense moment, he looked away from my silent guard and fixed his gaze on me.

"Luna," he said again, his voice formal. "I would not have troubled you, except that the matter is urgent."

I held his stare, letting the silence stretch between us. It felt thick and heavy in the air, a palpable thing. I could taste it in the back of my throat. Vane shifted slightly, his hands clasping each other at his hips. He seemed to expect me to speak first, but I kept quiet. I'd never seen him here before, never had any business with him beyond the council chambers. He had no reason to be in the Luna's private chambers.

Finally, he broke the silence. "The truth is, I am here on behalf of the council." He paused, then added: "We are concerned about the duel tomorrow morning."

I nodded slowly, my hands still tight in my lap. "I would hope so," I said quietly. "A duel between the Luna and a chief's daughter is no small thing."

Vane cleared his throat. "With the Alpha away, the pack is unsettled. And if you and Taya... if a fight breaks out between you, with Fenris not here to control the outcome..." He trailed off, the unfinished thought hanging in the air.

I met his eyes steadily. "But I was challenged, Chief Vane," I said. "I did not seek this fight. I cannot simply withdraw."

Vane's face tightened. "You wouldn't be withdrawing. You would be yielding."

"The pack won't hear the difference," I told him. "A Luna who backs down from a challenge she accepted is finished here, Chief Vane, and you know it."

Vane's jaw flexed. He seemed at a loss for words.

Mina stirred beside me, drawing Vane's attention to her for a heartbeat before he looked back at me. "I am concerned for pack order," he said at last. "And for your safety, Luna. The men are on edge without your mate. It is not the time for this duel."

I let the silence fall again, watching him, waiting. Mina shifted her weight from one foot to the other, a whisper of movement that drew Vane's gaze. Amara didn't move at all, her eyes going from Vane to me and back again, the same quiet tracking she'd kept up all night. But he said nothing. He stood stiffly, his hands still clasped at his hips, his eyes flicking between me and my guard.

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