The Fake Luna: Marked By The Alpha King

an'

d go after her. Smooth things over li

ound my wrist, yanking me back.

to talk to her before s

ke tell everyone you cheated? She won't. She loves

running a hand

elf to exhaustion for the Pack, enduring my mother's cruelty, raising Marcus

eard our conversat

She would've been hysterical. Screaming, cryin

ck, accepting this child with pure Alpha bl

wly. "I guess

s right."

ke this-bold, unapologet

s, when she'd dragged me bleeding out of the for

e was my True Mate-chosen

I understood what it meant, because ac

, Aria's perception of

ouldn't feel the pain and would still

d rapidly under her guidance. I kept my pup Marcus by her

ying the devoted mate. It was the

s voice cut thr

ired of hiding, tired of sneaking around like a dirty se

r I take Marcus and

r one roof was a disaster waiting to h

myself say. "Y

round my neck and kissed my jaw. "You

-

a's

papers at Mr. Castellano's o

t window I saw them-Ethan, Clara, and Marcus aroun

and resting on the back of her chair. Marcus

hair; Ethan caught her hand and

tic b

blind to see for two yea

Marcus flinched whenever I tried to hold him. C

"grateful." Sophie's knowing smirks whenever Clara's n

nown. Everyo

he, to push down the rag

ded to play this smart.

o careful neutrality. The laughter

tween himself and Clara, as if that erased what

he kitchen. "I wasn't

to occupy my hands than anythi

eps be

Ethan's voice w

ly. "About yo

said, slipping into that patro

arcus's nanny. He needs consistency, a

ning this Pack for you, Ethan. Every meeting, ever

ned. "That's n

what

ds to be ta

came out flat

ed. "Exc

y home. I didn't agre

s helped raise Marcus since h

ause she was h

"If you want Clara housed, buy her an ap

anaging me, like I was an obstacle, like my opinion was a

nothing t

ri

wom

all face twisted with rage. "You'r

's enough-" E

at me, hands outstretched. He sla

table-exactly where I'd hit the floor in Ethan's office earl

im by the shoulders. "Wha

e dry-nothing but calculated defiance. "She's

me. "Aria, I'm sor

d away.

me

t tou

mming in my vision. My tailbone throbbed

ing his hair while he buried his face in her neck. The

urmured, kissing his tem

otion," I said. "I'm starting to wonde

early she wasn't sure how much

pointed in you. Words like that don't

s, each step sending fresh

a, w

idn

could stand. My hip had already darkened to purple, matching the bruise f

po

apped in a towel, the house had gone quiet. A

me

oor carefully. He looked tired. Wor

e you f

our son has q

's been disciplined. I

last dozen time

ay has been difficult. But Clara needs to stay here. Mar

re. Hard to bond with a child who's

you and Clara. This is about what's best for Marcus. He's settled her

sband, my mate. This man who'd convinced me I wa

s success on my labor while keeping h

ating. Still expecting me to just

him thin

conditio

ed across his fa

fore. So this year, I want a proper gift." I kept my voice light

That's a fifteen mill

it's fair-as a birthday gift, and as

nt I thought he might finally drop the p

y. "Consider it an ea

I added. "For Aria's ho

ion darkening with every second,

dollars. Transfe

hday," he s

the endearment drip with a

his phone. "

tays," I

ded an

d shut, then pulled out my pho

: ¥15,1

anquets, negotiating allian

a single paycheck, no

thousand saved from part-time jobs during

ecause she was the leverage that finally

path