The Royal Legacy 5: When the New Moon Falls
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Emily Goulden
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43
An Arrangement
Book 5: When the New Moon Falls
LEO
Quinn’s paws hit the ground hard as he tore through the woods. Rain poured down, soaking his black fur and making the leaves stick to him.
He let out a low growl, pissed at the storm for slowing him down. When he reached the edge of a rushing creek, he threw his head back and howled—loud enough to compete with the thunder.
“Everything okay, Alpha?” An omega’s voice echoed in my mind.
“Yes,” Quinn and I answered at the same time, both of us on edge.
Quinn shook his head, annoyed at the interruption. He was even more irritable than usual, probably because of my dad’s latest bullshit.
Earlier today, my father—Frank Storm, the former alpha—dragged me to a meeting. He ordered me to pick a mate and make her luna.
Today was my twenty-eighth birthday, and apparently, that was the magic number for an alpha to stop waiting for his fated luna. Like hell I’m just going to settle.
Quinn was furious about it. He wanted our true mate, and honestly, so did I.
An alpha is never stronger than when he’s with his destined luna. Some random girl wasn’t going to give us what we needed.
Just thinking about it made Quinn’s fur bristle. He howled again and sprinted back toward the packhouse.
What now? I thought, spotting my father waiting on the front lawn, probably plotting his next move.
Quinn shot him a glare before heading inside to shift. I stormed off to my office and changed into dry clothes, yanking on a pair of jeans.
I barely had time to zip up before my father barged in—no knock, of course. He brought Victor Nice, alpha of the neighboring pack, with him.
His last name was a joke. His daughter, Amber, followed them in, looking just as tense as I felt.
I dropped into my chair. “Alpha Victor, what brings you here?” I grumbled.
My father shot me a look for being so casual.
“Your father proposed a deal that could benefit both our packs,” Alpha Victor said.
“Did he?” I sighed, not even trying to hide my annoyance.
Alpha Victor glanced at my dad, probably wondering why I was being such an ass.
“Yes, I did,” my father snapped. “I suggested an arrangement between Amber and you.”
“An arrangement?” I practically spat the word.
“My daughter would make a great luna,” Alpha Victor said, and I swear my jaw hit the floor.
“You’ve lost your minds,” I said, barely holding Quinn back. “Both of you.”
“Leo, it’s not good for an alpha to be without a luna this long. It’s affecting your mood,” my father said, frowning.
Quinn and I had enough. I stood up and glared at my dad. “Right now, you’re what’s affecting my mood,” I snapped.
Then I turned to Amber. “I’m sorry, Amber, but there’s not going to be any arrangement.”
I looked at Alpha Victor. “My father misled you. You’re welcome to stay in my territory as long as you want, but this meeting is over.”
My father looked at me like I’d just kicked his puppy. Alpha Victor opened the door for Amber, and they both left, looking defeated.
I turned to my father. “Don’t ever try something like that again,” I growled at him.
“I’m just trying to look out for the pack,” he said.
“No, you’re trying to micromanage me. Get out,” I told him, waving him off.
He glared at me but finally left the office.
I slumped back in my chair, trying to calm down.
He really has the nerve to offer up an alpha’s daughter like she’s a slice of pizza.
A few minutes later, my beta, Jacks, burst in.
“Jacks, what’s up?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.
“You’ve gotta come see this,” he said, grinning like an idiot.
I followed him into the hallway and immediately saw what had him so entertained. Amber and my gamma, Nick, were making out like crazy against the wall.
I couldn’t help it—I burst out laughing at the look on my father’s and Alpha Victor’s faces.
“That’s what I call karma,” I told my dad, who just kept glaring at me.
“A gamma!” Alpha Victor shouted, throwing his hands up like the world was ending.
I tried to offer him a handshake, forcing a smile. “Congratulations, Alpha Victor, your daughter is mated to one of my best guys. We’re happy to have her here at New Moon,” I said. But I could tell he wasn’t in the mood for celebrating.
He always thought his daughter would end up with an alpha, not a gamma. He should be proud—maybe even excited—but his ego was way too big for that.
This day has just gotten a whole lot better.
AUSTYN
“You are so pathetic. I don’t even know why my father kept you around in the first place.” Kayden, the alpha’s son, shoved me to the ground again.
I wiped my lip with the back of my hand and stared at the blood.
“As if I would ever take someone like you as my mate. As a luna!” Kayden’s words stung more than the slap.
“You’ve always been worthless and you’ll always be worthless,” he spat, literally, right in my face as I crouched on the floor. “If you ever tell anyone about this, I will do more than just reject you, got it?” Kayden’s voice was cold as he kicked me in the ribs.
“Yes.” I groaned, feeling something snap inside me.
“Get out of here.” He waved his hand toward the office door like I was nothing.
I scrambled to my feet, clutching my side, and ran out of his office as fast as I could. I didn’t stop until I reached the servant quarters.
Today was my eighteenth birthday, and I’d just been rejected by my mate—the one person who was supposed to love and protect me no matter what.
That was my life, though—a never-ending shitstorm of unfortunate events.
It all started when my parents were killed in a rogue attack twelve years ago. My dad was the beta, so I got to live with the alpha and luna until I turned thirteen. Then they shipped me off to boarding school like I was some dirty secret.
Six months ago, I came back home and was put straight to work as a servant in the pack house. Honestly, I wasn’t even surprised.
Alpha Victor and Luna Michelle hated me. I was just a stain on their perfect family, and I could never compare to their precious son and daughter. Kayden was set to be alpha, and his sister Amber was busy trying to catch the eye of the neighboring alpha.
I struggled down the long steps to the servant quarters, which were in the basement—right next to the dungeon.
Cozy, right?
Fern, the head housemaiden and alpha’s maid, was the first to see me. She rushed over and helped me the rest of the way down the steps. “What happened?” she gasped, her eyes wide.
“Kayden,” I answered, trying to sound tough as I sat down in a chair.
One of the other maids brought over the first aid kit.
“You’ve got to watch that mouth of yours, Austyn,” Fern said, shaking her head, but her hands were gentle as she worked.
“It wasn’t my fault this time!” I whined, wincing as Fern wrapped my side in gauze.
“Oh, wasn’t it?” Fern sighed, clearly not buying it.
“No, it was Ember’s.” I blamed my wolf, because why not?
“And how was it Ember’s fault?” Fern asked, raising an eyebrow.
“She decided to mate with Kayden’s wolf,” I said, feeling the sting all over again.
Fern looked up at me, her face full of shock. “You’re mated to the alpha’s son?”
The room filled with gasps, like I’d just announced the world was ending.
“Not anymore. He promptly rejected me. Hence the broken ribs and busted lip,” I grumbled, trying to sound braver than I felt.
“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry.” Fern’s frown made me want to cry even more.
“My mate was my one chance out of here.” I bit my lip, fighting back tears.
“Trust in the plan, Austyn,” Fern offered, giving me a small, hopeful smile.
“The Moon Goddess’s plan for me so far has sucked,” I muttered, not even trying to hide my bitterness.
I was four the first time I heard my wolf’s voice in my head. It was unheard of to get your wolf before eighteen. I couldn’t shift or anything, but Ember and I could talk. My parents kept it a secret, scared of what it might mean.
Two years later, our pack was attacked by rogues. Everyone thought it was just a random attack, but my parents knew better—they knew the rogues had come for me.
The rogues didn’t hesitate—they came right for our house, moving like they’d planned it all out. My parents didn’t stand a chance.
I was hiding in the basement, thinking I was safe, but they found me anyway. They stuck me with a needle, and whatever was in it made Ember’s voice vanish from my head.
Then they just left. Like it was nothing.
The pack’s doctors rushed in, taking blood and calling the elders, hoping for answers. Turns out, the stuff they injected me with was some ancient serum—one everyone thought had been wiped out by werewolves ages ago.
But they were wrong. So, so wrong.
Today was the first time I’d heard Ember’s voice since we got poisoned. But what she told me broke my heart.
The serum took away her ability to come forward. I’d never be able to shift again, and Ember would never get to run free.
She’d only exist in my mind now. Is this really it for us?
“You never know what your future may hold,” Fern said, her voice all wise and soft, like she was some kind of storybook owl.
I just grumbled. I wasn’t in the mood, while she kept patching me up.
As if today could possibly get any worse.
