I glance down, suddenly feeling foolish. “Everyone knows,” I mumble. “The tacit pact between your family and his. The great Kael Winters, Alpha of Shadow Ridge, and Sabrina Shadowmere, future Luna.”
Sabrina rolls her eyes, grabbing a brush and tugging me into a chair. “Oh, please. My parents and Damien are the ones obsessed with that stupid pact. ‘Forge an alliance between Shadow Ridge and Crescent Moon,’” she mimics her mother’s sharp, imperious tone with dramatic flair, but there’s a flicker of something behind her eyes—something too sharp to be indifference. “They’re always scheming about power and politics.”
“But isn’t that what you want?” I ask softly, watching her in the mirror as she starts brushing out my hair. “To be Luna? To rule beside Kael?”
Her hand falters, just for a second, before resuming its quick, practiced strokes. “Kael is…” She tilts her head, her lips curving into a faint, dismissive smile. “Kael is fine. Strong, handsome, and… very Alpha. I’m sure he’ll be a decent mate.”
Her tone is light, but I don’t miss the way her gaze sharpens, her smile tightening at the corners. “Decent?” I press, narrowing my eyes slightly. “You don’t sound very excited.”
She sighs, setting the brush down and smoothing her hands over my shoulders. “What do you want me to say, Talia? That I’ve been dreaming of this my entire life?” She lets out a soft, almost bitter laugh. “That I’ve imagined standing beside him, everyone bowing to us, calling me Luna?”
I blink, startled by the sudden shift in her tone. Sabrina’s smile turns brighter, sharper—like the edge of a blade. “Well, fine. Maybe I have been looking forward to this. Maybe I’m mad over Kael.” Her eyes flash, and she leans closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Do you know what it means to be Luna, Talia? It’s not just about finding a mate. It’s about power. Real power. The kind that makes wolves bow without question. The kind that sets you above everyone else.”
I swallow hard, unsure how to respond. She’s still smiling, but there’s a hunger in her expression now, raw and unguarded.