CHAPTER ONE MONDRED & EIGHTY SIX
+25 Bonus
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & EIGHTY SIX
Talia’s POV
Jason and Michael’s banishment spread quickly.
By sunset, the elders had already sent word to the neighboring packs. Some packs agreed while some seemed cautious about how the Alpha King intervened.
Shadowclaw would finally have the opportunity to grow and thrive.
I did not allow myself to relax. I still needed to prove that I could rule Shadowclaw. If I wanted the pack to follow me, I had to move quickly, speak clearly, and make decisions that could not be questioned.
The first thing I needed to do was to decide on what to do about Henry.
I met him in the main hall of the palace in front of Elders and a few warriors. I wanted my decision to be public, so no one could twist the narrative behind closed doors. The Elders had stood against me when Jason first betrayed me, I couldn’t trust them
fully yet.
“Princess Talia, this was an odd request. We could have met within one of our conference rooms,” one of the Elders said.
I ignored the elder and turned toward Henry. He looked nervous. He bowed and greeted me, “Princess Talia.”
“Beta Henry,” I said. “I called you here to discuss the leadership of Shadowclaw moving forward.”
“Splendid,” the previous elder said.
“We have some candidates that…”
“Henry will remain Beta of Shadowclaw,” I said, cutting the elders off. They paled at my declaration but none of them spoke against me.
“Understood, Luna,” Henry responded.
“You answer to me,” I continued. “You do not answer to anyone who claims authority, only to me.”
Henry nodded once. “Yes, Luna.”
“What of Alpha Nolan? I am sure he would need some input as he is your mate, isn’t he?” the elder asked, trying to stir up conflict.
“Princess Talia does not need my input to be Luna of Shadowclaw,” Nolan simply said. I noticed how he stood a step behind me. He was clearly making it known that I was in control of this situation, not him.
“Elders, do you have any questions?” I asked.
None of them spoke and I left them where they were to find an office to work on the final paperwork. Once everything was completed, I leaned back in the chair and finally allowed myself to relax.
“You handled that well,” Nolan said, offering me a cup of tea.
“I handled it because I had to,” I replied.
“Do you always have an issue taking a compliment?” Nolan teased.
I blushed and before I could respond, Nolan had left me with my thoughts, so I did what I had been doing for days. I focused on the next task. I met with two elders who had supported Michael in the past and warned them that any attempt to stir unrest would be dealt with immediately. I made sure the kitchens had enough food for the pack, because instability made people hungry in more than one way.
That night, the pack insisted on a celebration.
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CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & LIGHTY SIX
+25 Bonus
Fires were lit in the courtyard. Tables were pushed together. Music played from a small speaker, and someone started a chant that made others laugh because it sounded ridiculous.
Della found me before I could slip away back to my room.
“Where do you think you’re going?” she asked.
“I am going back to my room to get some rest,” I replied.
“You can’t do that,” Della whined. “This is your celebration even if everyone looks like they’re walking on eggshells. You have to be seen.”
Della did have a point, but I wasn’t going to admit it. I took a sip of my drink and then I noticed she was staring at me.
“What?”
“So,” she said, drawing the word out as she looked me over, “still not marked.”
I stared at her. “So, that’s why you came to find me.”
“I came because I wanted to make sure you were okay and not going to burst a blood vessel by overthinking again,” she replied.
“I am not overthinking and what does that have to do with me being marked,” I said, then realized how unconvincing I sounded. Della laughed. “Because I know you. So, what, you talked yourself out of the situation, didn’t you?”
“It wasn’t the right time,” I snapped. My tone was sharper than I intended.
Della’s smile faded just enough to show she understood. “You weren’t thinking about that before, so why now?”
I looked down at my cup. “Now it is real. Shadowclaw is mine. Nolan is my mate. I agreed to all of it, and I still feel nervous.”
“Nervous that Nolan could end up like Jason,” she said plainly.
My throat tightened. “Yes.”
Della bumped my shoulder gently. “Nolan is not Jason.”
“I know,” I said weakly.
Della sat her cup down and placed her hands on my shoulders. “Then act like you know it. Release the past, even if you do it one step at a time. Tonight will be a good night.”
Before I could answer, someone brushed too close behind me. My hand jolted, and the wine in my cup spilled down the front of my dress,
“Sorry, Princess, I didn’t….” the omega stammered.
“It’s fine,” I quickly said. “Just go and enjoy,”
The omega bowed and scurried away as if afraid I would change my mind and punish him.
“Go change before it stains,” Della said, “And come right back. You’re dancing tonight.”
“Alright, alright,” I said, already turning.
When I reached the room, I paused with my hand on the door. Nolan’s scent was nearby, but he wasn’t in the room. This would give me a moment to go through my thoughts.
I stepped in and closed the door behind me.
I stripped out of the ruined dress, set it aside, and moved to the bathroom. The water was hot, and I let it run over me until my
2/4
ONE HUNDRED & FIGHTY SIX
+25 Bonus
skin.
Still, when I stood there alone, the questions returned.
When would I let him mark me?
Minutes later, I heard the door open and close in the outer room. My pulse jumped as I immediately knew it was Nolan.
I wrapped myself in a robe and walked out slowly.
Nolan stood near the table, his jacket already removed, his sleeves rolled just slightly as he poured a drink from the bar. He turned to look at me.
“You left early,” he said.
“I spilled wine on myself,” I replied.
“Do you think I made the right call today with Henry?” I asked quietly.
Nolan’s expression hardened slightly, not toward me, but toward the thought. “You did what you thought was best.”
“That is not an answer,” I said.
His eyes met mine. “Yes. You made the right call.”
I swallowed. “Do you mean it?”
“I do,” he said. “You are the Luna of Shadowclaw. You will not be undermined in front of your pack. Not by the Elders, not by anyone else, and especially not by me.”
I blinked rapidly as I attempted to fight back the tears. I didn’t realize I needed to hear that from him. Nolan trusted me without a second thought.
“Talia,” he said, and his voice softened, “what are you thinking?”
“I keep thinking about what happened with Jason,” I responded and noticed Nolan’s jaw tightened but he didn’t say anything.” And I keep thinking that I do not want fear to make me hesitate forever.”
I stepped closer before I could overthink it.
“I am ready,” I told him softly.
He blinked, caught off guard. “Ready for what?”
I let the robe fall to reveal my naked body.
J Judith GW Author
Hi dear readers! How was your Christmas holiday? I hope it was amazing! I had a wonderful time with my family, so I apologize for the delay in updating. Now, with our princess Talia officially taking over Shadowclaw, it’s time for her to relax and enjoy some intimate moments with Alpha Nolan. Are you excited?! Please drop your comments!
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