The Vengeful Warrior Luna's Return novel Chapter 16

Astra’s POV

Kieran sucked in a deep breath, staring at me like I’d just grown a second head.

Like he was trying to read my face—figure out if I truly meant what I’d said, or if this was just another one of my “games.”

“I’m not breaking the bond.” His voice was tight, almost shaking with conviction. “You won’t force me into that.”

I couldn’t help it—I actually laughed.

Not loud, but enough for him to see the amusement in my eyes.

He could bluster all he wanted. We both knew the truth.

If word got out that Alpha Kieran of Pack Zane broke his Luna-bond with the last Hale daughter? The entire Alliance would tear him apart.

The Hale name—my father and brothers—still meant something. Their legacy on the battlefield wasn’t just remembered; it was revered.

He wouldn’t risk it. He couldn’t afford to.

“You’re still my Luna,” he said again, like repeating it made it true. “I won’t sever the bond. And I won’t mistreat you. But stop dragging my mother into this. Using her illness as leverage? That’s not a good look for you, Astra.”

I tilted my head, smirking. “So it’s not that you won’t break the bond—it’s that you can’t.“

”Breaking the bond with me would make you look heartless and cost you the loyalty of my father’s old warriors. And let’s face it, Kieran… you want your romance and your future. But you don’t get both. That’s not how the world works.”

Pack Hale might be smaller now. But I didn’t need him to survive. If anything, he was the one overestimating himself.

I must’ve hit the bullseye, because his face flushed with anger.

“Enough! The Elders decreed this union. I will mate Isla. But if you want anything else, name it, and I’ll give it to you.”

“I don’t want anything from you,” I said flatly.

His jaw clenched, frustration pouring off him in waves. “You should be proud. Your father and brothers were warriors—you, of all people, should understand the importance of strong allies. I thought you’d at least be reasonable about Alpha Isla.”

My eyes lit up. That last drink Kieran knocked over had been a tragedy. “Only if we’ve got smoked venison to go with it.”

“Already on the table,” she said cheerfully, setting down the plate. “Oh—our people from Pack Hale have their packs ready. The moment the High Elder’s release mark arrives, we’re gone.”

The pine logs in the brazier popped, filling the room with warmth.

I took a sip of berry wine—sweet and tart—and let it wash away the bitter aftertaste of Kieran’s visit.

“He’s probably with Isla right now,” I said, tearing a strip of venison with my teeth. “I know him well, he’d rather beg her for less gifts than come crawling back to me again.”

But would Isla really swallow her pride and back down?

I tipped my head back and drained the berry wine in one go.

Somewhere deep down, I knew it—

Isla and I still had one more fight coming.