Reborn Luna (Hope and Keith) novel Chapter 58

32 Mutine 2

32.Mutiny-1

Hope

We crest the final hill, and there it is-Virelia, the royal capital. White stone towers reach toward the sky like they’re trying to scrape it clean. The palace sits at the city’s heart, crystalline and imposing, nestled behind high walls and flanked by massive iron gates. Even from this distance, I can see the royal banners flapping in the wind-deep violet threaded with gold, a lion mid-roar.

Tessa gasps beside me, pressing her face to the window.

“Why do the most beautiful places hold the ugliest souls?” she wonders out loud.

“It’s alright,” Ben says with an unimpressed shrug. “My wolf would running grounds.”

go crazy if we had to live this far from

I nod, though my thoughts aren’t on the city itself. My eyes catch on the soldiers posted at every corner- Enforcers in sleek black uniforms and warriors bearing swords, their gazes sharp and restless. Even in a city of elegance, power breathes down our necks.

“Why do you think the king has so many enforcers?” I ask out loud to no one in particular.

I didn’t think too much about it during my waking memory. I just chalked it up to having a larger territory that needed more people to defend it.

Seeing it through clearer eyes, it doesn’t make logical sense.

Virelia is surrounded by human cities, bringing the risk of rouges and ferals down so low an attack rarely

happens.

Without that threat, there isn’t a need for a force larger than its citizens.

“The king has always been paranoid,” Keith says easily.

“Of what? Mutiny?”

“In a sense, yes. It’s no secret that his ancestors come from ancient Lycan blood, but his line is diluted.” That gets Papa’s attention. I can see him looking at Keith from the corner of his eye. The rest of us are just as alert. We’ve never heard any of this.

“You’re right, Clinton. We are family now,” Keith’s eyes find mine before looking back at Papa. “What I tell you stays in our family. It is to protect us, and nothing is more valuable than knowledge.”

Papa nods. “My word is without question.”

“As is mine,” says Ben.

“The royal line hasn’t had traces of Lycan power for several generations. As it turns out, their ancestors were more wolf than Lycan. Now, they are nothing more than average shifters.”

His words unraveled layers of questiona and answers.

The royal families claimed their following was based on lineage and leadership. That leadership has been questioned over the past few years because of the clear lack of care and understanding of their people, but still, people followed because they think they are Lycan blood.

And now Keith is saying they aren’t.

I look at Tessa. She must be thinking the same thing because we both look at Keith.

Because he is.

Suddenly, their dislike and suspicion of him make sense.

So does the desperate way Lilith tried to claim Keith for herself.

Was it a power play? An assurance for the future of the royal line?

The car slows as we reach the cobbled square in front of the hotel. It’s massive, like a palace in its own right, with marble columns, glass balconies, and a grand chandelier visible through the front doors. Gold-trimmed windows reflect the dying sun, and valets in dark blue uniforms line the steps.

“Good to know this is where our taxes are going,” Ben mutters behind me as we climb out.

I laugh. “I’m surprised it isn’t bigger.”

Dad chuckles. “You know what they say about overcompensating,” He claps a hand on Keith’s shoulder, then looks pointedly at Ben. “Boys with the boys, girls with the girls. No funny business.”

Tessa’s face turns crimson. “Dad!” she hisses, swatting his arm.

He winks and disappears into the lobby, whistling.

“You heard your father, you have to control yourself tonight, sweetheart, no mawling me,” Ben teases. “One more word, Benjamin,” Tessa warns, “and you’ll be training the D rank warrior for a month.”

Comments

LUCK DRAW >

Vote

32.Mutiny-2

Keith and Ben trade a grin. 1 glance at Tessa, who still looks mortified.

“You okay?” I tease, nudging her.

“Shut up,” she mutters, dragging her suitcase toward the elevator.

We’re assigned adjacent rooms on the eleventh floor.

As we gather near our doors, Keith turns toward me, eyes catching mine with intent.

“Hope,” he says, voice low. “Can I steal you for a second?”

Tessa’s eyebrows rise, and she shoots me a look that says absolutely not.

I roll my eyes.

Mate, my wolf croons excitedly.

“I’ll be right back,” I say.

She crosses her arms but lets me go. I follow Keith down a corridor to a wide lounge overlooking the city.

Plush chairs, soft lighting, and floor-to-ceiling windows stretch before us. Virelia sprawls beneath us, a twinkling maze of rooftops and torch-lit streets.

He doesn’t speak right away, just leads me to the window. I follow a few steps behind. He doesn’t look tense, but I can’t tell for certain.

I watch his reflection more than the city. High cheekbones, straight, strong nose, jawline you could cut yourself on. His dark hair curls slightly near the ends, and his deep blue eyes seem darker here, stormy

and unreadable.

“I wanted to talk to you about the ball,” he finally says.

I tilt my head. “What about it?”

He shifts, not quite meeting my eyes. “I know the customs. That ranking males get first pick at dances. And Prince Camille is sure to notice you. But-” he pauses, jaw tightening, “-I don’t know how I’ll react if they’re… too familiar with you.”

I raise a brow. “Jealous, Alpha?”

His eyes flick down, meeting mine. “Possessive. I may not have the privilege of telling them who you are yet, but it doesn’t mean I’ll allow another to access what is mine.”

His words send a thrill down my spine, much to my wolf’s delight and horror.

I’m not sure if I like it, or if I’m ready to admit I do, but I understand it.

The bond between us isn’t fully formed, not yet, but the imprint is starting.

Lean feel it. A thin vine sprouting, linking part of us together.

My wolf stirs at his proximity

His scent is grounding, his presence like gravity pulling me in.

“I’ll do what’s expected,” I tell him. “But they’ll know I’m not interested. I’ll make it clear.” He looks surprised, like he expected resistance. Tsmirk. “I know when to push. And when to pull.”

A flicker of something darker passes over his expression. He steps closer. “That’s a fine quality in a mate.”

The room quiets. I can hear my own pulse. My fingers ache to reach for him. To close the space and pull

him to me.

I swallow hard. I can’t rush this. Not again. Not like in the waking memory.

I need to stay alert, especially inside the royal’s territory. I don’t know what exactly they did or what the plan was in the other timeline, but I know they were at the center of it.

That they wanted Keith to do it, I had to be out of the way.

I shift, forcing a smile to my lips. “What happens when you go back to the Lotus Pack?”

He blinks, clearly not expecting the question. But he recovers quickly.

“I imagine we’ll work something out. A schedule. You visit me, I visit you. Until we’re ready to take the next

steps.”

I lean on the edge of the window. “And what are the next steps?”

Keith steps forward. One, two, three. Close enough that I can feel his warmth, but he doesn’t touch me.

His voice is velvet and steel. “I want everything from you, Hope. And I will have it. No matter how long it

takes.”

My breath hitches.

Before I can speak, a voice cuts in behind us.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify