Chapter 4

"Are you trying to ruin Kian?!"

Mara's voice was hoarse and cracked with rage,

mixed with the crisp sound of porcelain shattering in the background. I could feel her hysteria even through the phone.

I twirled a pen between my fingers, my phone flat on the desk on speakerphone, without even a flicker of an eyebrow.

After she finished her tirade, I slowly spoke, my tone as calm as if discussing the weather:

"Mom, please speak slowly, I'm listening. I just don't understand what I've done to make you so angry."

"You're still playing dumb with me!" Mara's volume shot up another eight octaves, making the speaker vibrate slightly.

"Look at the post you sent! Now it's spread throughout the Pack, even to several neighboring Packs!

Where does Kian put his face? Where do we Blackspire Pack put our face?!"

I didn't interrupt, casually flipping open the book on my desk, patiently waiting for her to vent.

Her reaction was entirely within my expectations.

Valuing reputation over right and wrong, and fiercely protecting her own to the point of irrationality—this was the disposition I'd figured out on my first day of marriage.

When she finally stopped, breathing heavily, I slowly began:

"Mom, instead of questioning me, why don't you first ask your precious son if he had me in mind while he was lying next to another woman."

"An Alpha out socializing, getting drunk and being looked after—isn't that perfectly normal?" Mara's tone was self-righteous.

"Lila, a young girl, kindly took care of his safety. You don't appreciate it, and you're letting rumors fly around, ruining her reputation!

Where are your manners? Where is your graciousness as Luna?"

I gently tapped the desk with my fingertips, a cold sneer in my heart, but my face remained calm:

"My manners dictate that my mate does not sleep in another woman's hotel room on our wedding anniversary."

"And certainly not that the woman has sex with my man and then sends me photos to flaunt it."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

Then, Mara's tone shifted from anger to righteous favoritism:

"So what! Which Alpha doesn't have a female confidante outside? Do you have to make such a public spectacle of it?

Can't you just tolerate it for Kian's future, for the sake of the Pack?"

"Tolerate?" I sounded as if I'd heard the biggest joke. "Mom, a Luna of the werewolf Pack never tolerates such things."

"You! What kind of attitude is that!" Mara was clearly choked by my words.

"Elara, I'm telling you, we Blackspire Pack will absolutely not tolerate a jealous Luna!"

"You immediately go to the Pack Council SnapChat group, and to Kian's department group, and explain clearly that it was a joke you made!

Apologize to Lila, and this matter will be over!"

"Apologize?" The curve of my lips grew colder. "Does she even deserve it?"

"You ungrateful woman! Don't think Kian can't live without you!

I'm telling you, there are plenty of women who want to be Luna!"

"That's wonderful," I replied casually. "Have him replace me immediately; I certainly won't stand in his way."

"You just wait! I'll make Kian divorce you right now!

Women like you should be cast out with nothing, sent back to your Frostveil Pack!"

"Fine," I said. "I'll wait for the subpoena."

With that, I hung up the phone and blocked her.

All in one swift motion.

Muddying the waters, twisting the truth, and always, always defending her precious son.

That was my dear mother-in-law.

I had experienced it before.

My phone vibrated again; this time it was Brynn, my best friend and the Pack's chief physician.

I answered.

"Elara! You finally turned your phone on! Are you okay?" Brynn's anxious voice came through.

"I'm fine." Hearing her voice, my taut nerves relaxed slightly.

"Good, you scared me to death! That move of yours was brilliant! Now the entire Northern werewolf community is talking about it."

"Kian's department probably can't even get any experiments done today; everyone's too busy gossiping." Brynn's voice held a hint of gleeful excitement.

"I'm fine, and I'm doing great."

"The more attention, the better. I want it to be a spectacle."

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