Rise Of A Shattered Luna (Natalie) by Kave Derry novel Chapter 161

Chapter 161 Guess Who Runs This Place

Natalie’s POV

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On the plush rug, Sean and Susie were a whirlwind of giggles, their small hands clutching at my sleeves as we sprawled among a sea of colorful brochures.

We were supposed to be picking out a kindergarten.

“Mommy, look! This one has a fountain with a wolf statue!” Susie chirped, pointing a sticky finger at a glossy photo of a familiar academy.

“And a track field.” Sean added, his eyes serious as he traced the lines of a training circuit.

At five, he already had the soul of a warrior, his gaze often drifting toward the door where his father had disappeared hours ago.

I smoothed Susie’s hair, my fingers lingering on the soft curls.

For a few moments, I let myself breathe.

I helped them sort through the options, circling the ones with the highest security ratings while pretending to care about the music programs.

Baron appeared in the doorway, his skin still slightly damp from a brisk shower, wearing a dark suit that stuck to him like a second skin.

He walked over and sank down beside us.

For thirty minutes, we played.

Baron let Susie “braid” his dark hair with plastic clips and laughed as Sean tried to tackle him.

Neither of us spoke about the storm quietly brewing beneath the surface.

After a quiet lunch together, the children were ushered off for their nap.

The house fell into a choking silence.

“I have to head to the Black Market,” Baron said, his hand lingering on the small of my back.

His golden eyes searched mine.

I could feel my wolf shift within but I suppressed her.

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Chapter 161 Guess Who Runs This Place

I hadn’t told him about Nyx and I wasn’t ready to show him.

“There is a meeting I have to attend at the border.”

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“Go.” I said softly, reaching up to straighten his tie. “I have my own business to attend to.”

His hand came up, catching my wrist before I could pull away.

Too tight.

Not enough to hurt.

His eyes searched mine.

“Don’t do anything reckless,” he said quietly.

I held his gaze.

“That depends.” I replied just as softly.

A beat.

Then he let go.

He knew.

He leaned down, pressing a hard, possessive kiss to my forehead that felt like a brand.

“No matter what happens, Natalie. I’ll always have your back… Remember that.”

Once his car cleared the gates, I pulled out my phone and dialed Chris, the head of the Stone family’s private security.

“Chris, gear up,” I said. “Meet me at the Moonmilk Cafe in twenty minutes.”

“Understood, Madam,” Chris replied.

I had never intended to face Jensen alone.

Chris obeyed my orders without question.

Yvonne was left behind to watch over the kids with a secondary team, her eyes full of pride as she watched me dress.

When we arrived at the Moonmilk Cafe, the atmosphere was already electric.

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Chapter 161 Guess Who Runs This Place

My men moved in first, fanning out with a practiced lethality.

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I stepped out of the car, the sharp click of my heels against the pavement sounding like the cocking of a hammer.

Inside, the cafe was a masterpiece of glass and greenery, but all I saw was the man/sitting at the center table.

Jensen.

He was sitting there, his hawk–like eyes fixed on the door, his posture tense.

As I walked toward him, I could feel his wolf reaching out as I reeled Nyx back in.

I saw the way his eyes widened as I approached.

I saw the flicker of horror and hope in his gaze.

But as I stood before him, I saw his breath hitch.

He stood up, his chair screeching against the floor, his voice a broken whisper.

“Natalie…”

I simply looked at him with the detached look that showed nothing that I was feeling.

The feeling of anger and hatred rushed back as I stared at his face.

“Guess again, Jensen,” I said, my voice quiet enough that he had to lean in to hear it.

“Carefully this time.”

His breath hitched.

“Because the next word out of your mouth determines how badly this ends for you.”

The Alpha I had tipped off were already positioning themselves at the windows.

My men had already secured the exits.

I sat down, crossing my legs with a slow, deliberate grace, and gestured for Chris to stand directly behind me.

“You wanted to talk about my ‘self–respect, Alpha?” I asked, leaning forward until I could see the sweat on his brow. “Then let’s talk. But first, let’s talk about how much you owe me for

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Chapter 161 Guess Who Runs This Place

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every design and transcripts you’ve stolen from me while I was busy dying in your memory.”

Jensen’s POV

The Moonmilk Cafe was a neutral zone, a place of glass, greenery, and the perfect setting a meeting.

Natalie and I had been here multiple times.

I was already there, seated at a corner table that gave me a full view of the entrance.

Every time the bell above the door chimed, my heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped beast.

Cairn was restless, pacing the perimeter of my mind, bristling with a mixture of grief and anticipation.

‘She is coming, the wolf whispered. ‘She’s coming back to us.

I had been picturing what she might look like now.

My mind was a gallery of horrors, each one worse than the last.

That fire at the Pavilion had been severe, surely her skin had been burned.

I imagined her face hidden behind a veil, or her hands scarred and clawed by the heat.

In such a short time, it would be nearly impossible to undergo successful skin grafts for that level of damage.

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