The Vengeful Warrior Luna's Return novel Chapter 17

Astra’s POV

Bekkie tossed another strip of jerky onto my plate, then scoffed,

“So Isla talks about being all honest and open, huh? If she really was generous, she’d just waive the whole dowry and save us the trouble of wolves eyeing our family’s coins.”

“A thousand coins for a gift? Like the Pack Hale family’s mines just grow on trees! When you got in, our family took only 150 coins as the wedding gift. We got totally ripped off.”

I poked at the wild berry jam in my bowl, feigning a hurt look.

“Right? I practically gave myself away for cheap.”

Bekkie chuckled at that, but then suddenly choked up, tears falling quietly on the floor.

“Luna’s had it rough. Lady Hale really thought Kieran’s promises—saying he’d stay loyal forever—were true. But it was all lies. She ruined Luna’s life.”

She wiped her eyes and stepped outside. Soon she returned with a clay jug and wooden tray—filled with homemade mead and glossy smoked venison legs.

A few of our kin followed her inside, gathering around the fire to share the meal.

The High Elder’s release mark still hadn’t arrived. We’d only told our pack members so far.

The Hale wolves were trustworthy. No way a word would slip out, even if the sky fell.

I gnawed on a venison leg, but inside, I was restless.

Breaking the bond and getting kicked out of the pack were worlds apart.

The former meant walking away with everything you brought; the latter meant losing property—and maybe even your place in the clan.

It’d been almost three days. Why hadn’t the Elder’s seal arrived?

Had Kellen changed his mind? Or was Pack Zane pulling strings behind the scenes?

The more I thought about it, the more I couldn’t sit still. Before the Elder’s seal arrived, at least I needed to make sure I reclaim what’s rightfully mine.

So I called in Agnes, my sister-in-law. The pack’s accounting had been delayed by all the recent chaos.

And the skins and ores they wasted… I kept track of it all. Just didn’t bother spelling it out.

“Astra, I just can’t manage the money anymore,” Agnes said, eyes pleading.

She understood how tight things were. How hard it was for everyone to scrape together support?

“Help us one more time, and maybe… once Isla arrives, things will get better?”

I smiled and slid the ledger toward her.

“Sure. You keep it for now. When Isla comes, just say you’re not feeling well, and hand the accounts over to her.”

Agnes opened her mouth to protest, but swallowed her words.

She probably saw it too—

I was no longer the Omega who’d sacrifice herself for “family harmony.”