THE LUNA WHO CONQUERED DEATH novel Chapter 11

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625 Paints

THE LUNA WHO CONQUERED DEATH

Chapter 9: Playing the Game

I woke to find a gift outside my guest room door.

A white box tied with silver ribbon, no card. I took it inside and opened it carefully, half expecting some kind of trap.

Inside was a dress. Midnight blue silk that would cling to every curve, with a neckline that dipped just low enough to be daring without being inappropriate. The kind of dress Damien used to buy me in the early days of our bond, before he decided I should dress more “conservatively.”

Before, he decided to check every aspect of my appearance.

I held it up to the light, and despite everything, it was beautiful. Expensive. Thoughtful, if you didn’t know it was manipulation wrapped in silk.

My phone buzzed.

Damien: There’s a pack gathering tonight. I’d like you beside me. As my Luna. As my mate. Please.

I stared at the message for a long moment. Katherine’s advice echoed in my mind: Play along. Let him think he’s winning you back.

Me: I’ll be there.

His response was immediate.

Damien: Thank you. You’ll look beautiful.

I set the phone down and looked at the dress again. Every instinct screamed at me to refuse, to throw it back in his face, to tell him exactly what I thought of his gifts and his apologies and his convenient timing.

But that wasn’t the play.

The play was to be what he wanted while I became what I needed.

So I would wear the dress. I would stand beside him. I would smile.

And I would use every second of it to gather information, build alliances, and prepare for the moment

when his world came crashing down.

The pack gathering was being held in the main hall, a monthly tradition where the entire pack came together for dinner, announcements, and bonding. In my past life, I’d loved these events. They’d made me feel connected to something larger than myself.

Now I saw them as theater. Performances where everyone played their roles and pretended the hierarchy

was natural, the Alpha was infallible, and the Luna was blessed to serve.

Episode 9.4

Larrived fashionably late, the blue dresa hugging me like a second skin. Heads turned as I entered. Conversations paused. Even Damien looked momentarily stunned.

“Sera.” He stood from Alpha’s table and crossed with me, his eyes drinking me in. “You look…”

“Like your Luna?” I replied, letting him take my hand.

“Like my queen.”

+25 Points

The mate’s bond purred at his words, at his touch, trying to convince me that this was real, that his desire was genuine. I breathed through it, remembering Katherine’s words.

Artificial. Manufactured. Not real.

Damien led me to the Alpha’s table where Marcus, Lucas, and several high–ranking pack members sat. Vivian was noticeably absent.

Good. I wouldn’t have to pretend civility tonight.

“Before we begin,” Damien said, standing to address the pack once everyone was seated. “I want to acknowledge someone special. My Luna has been working tirelessly for this pack. Her advocacy for our omegas, her dedication to our youth, her strength in training alongside our warriors. Sera Nightshade makes me proud to be her mate.”

The pack erupted in applause. I smiled graciously, playing the part.

But Marcus caught my eye from across the table, and I saw the question there: Are you okay with this?

I gave the tiniest shake of my head. No. But I was managing.

Dinner was elaborate: roasted venison, fresh vegetables from packed gardens, homemade bread that filled the hall with its scent. Everything designed to remind us we were a family, a unit, stronger together.

I picked at my food while Damien regaled the table with stories of recent pack victories. A successful business deal. A territorial dispute resolved without violence. An alliance strengthened with a neighboring pack.

He was in his element, commanding and charismatic. This was the Damien I’d fallen for five years ago.

The one who made you believe he could protect you from anything.

The one who’d wrapped me in silver chains and thrown me off a cliff.

“Luna Sera,” Patricia Lowell called from a nearby table. “Is it true you’ve been training with the warriors?”

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