NATALIA
I turned sharply, my only plan to vanish into the nearest hallway, blend back into the safety of shadows. The last thing I wanted was a confrontation—not here, not like this.
But I didn’t get far.
A hand brushed my elbow, light but insistent.
“Oh, wait! Excuse me—aren’t you Alpha Andrei’s sister-in-law?”
I stopped. Slowly turned.
The voice belonged to a younger Luna, someone clearly eager to rise in the ranks of political favor. Her gown was soft pink, her smile too wide, her eyes glittering with calculated cheer.
“You can’t leave just yet,” she said, stepping in front of me. “I’ve been meaning to introduce myself—your connection to Moonshadow is so intriguing.”
Connection.
I could feel the trap tightening before I had time to breathe.
She kept talking, blissfully unaware
