/1/125378/coverbig.jpg?v=bc5e6754fc3c325012d5e445be2fbfb1&imageMogr2/format/webp)
s National Chip Laboratory's clean
did
es slapped against shoulders. On the main screen, a sin
CC
vering above the keyboard. The chip diagram glowed on the screen i
der defense systems, and make remote Pack territories independent from human-controlled
ould change
both shoulders. "Eira! Look at the numbers. Look at them!"
e, military contracts, obscene money. Dr. Crawford, you ju
"Eira," he said quietly, "your husband... he's the Alpha of Hale Pack, isn't he? This te
lready pictur
mething impressed him-no smile yet, just his eyes sharpenin
s, if she was honest, and tonight she had finally earned it
as expected to soothe the elders, produce heirs, support the Alpha's decisions, and never become the loudest person in the room. By that math, Eira
ive had just cracked a problem the federal government had thrown money at for ten years. The badge in her bag opened doors that men with centuries o
to do tha
her clean-room suit, and placed the certification documents in
ra Cra
ul there, official enough tha
used the private suite for late business meetings, and sometimes he slept there when he claimed H
he brought
. The hallway was quiet, thick with expensive carpet and soft yellow w
ew before h
scent could be. It was the scent she had fallen asleep beside fo
it was som
loral. N
sto
of light spilled through the gap, and with it came
a Sebasti
ve always loved you.
tly in Eira's grip. She
thin blade of amusement underneath. "If you love me, why did you let that
t laugh. He used it when he wanted someone to f
I be?" Se
t the softness made it worse. "I needed a Luna. The elders wanted the positi
mle
ide the door, u
all sound of dis
the house, handles Pack accounts, keeps my mother from turning every
ank into E
o
Not Luna.
o
spoke again, her voice had lost its tea
the room. "When the time is right
the h
me without hesitation. "My h
osed he
d years ago might still affect his body. He said he did not want to hurt her. She had believed him because she wanted to believe
o
th was
s not
ena's neck. His nose brushed her skin, and his expression changed in a way E
murmured. "Your s
into him. "The
t y
hy
gs. "Because she still serves a purpose. Give her a little attention, and she'
ned around the folder
e had imagined placing it on Alpha Sebastian 's desk and watching pride fina
she heard
ed her completely. Then
Serena's hands on his shirt, the kiss that followed, the way he whispered her name like a vow. Eira recorded until her soul felt far away
topped the
e doors closed around her, cutting off cedar and flowers a
like a stranger
he did not cry there. Maybe her body had deci
f the National Research Institute. Susan answered
Crawf
ce did not shake. "I have documented evidence of the male party's infid
r rustled. "Understood. Do you want standard
doesn't know my clearance statu
d personnel protocol." Susan's voi
above her, the man she had once called
sts," she said.
es
t before he understan
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