The Moon Garden didn’t just hum with energy- it thrummed with it, like a living creature breathing down my neck. Perfumes too expensive to name mixed with the scent of seared steak and truffles, creating a heady cocktail that made my wolf’s nose twitch. Glass walls reflected a thousand points of light–moonlight, chandelier glow, the cold glitter of diamonds around too many throats.
Ezra’s elbow nudged mine as we followed the waiter. “This place is crawling with alphas,” he muttered under his breath.
I didn’t need to look to know he was right. The weight of stares pressed against my skin like physical hands.
“Of course it is,” Dad said, too calmly. “We’re in Nightshade territory now.”
A shiver crawled down my spine.
The Nightshades.
Every wolf child grew up hearing the stories. Not the sanitized ones about brave warriors- no. the other stories. The ones whispered after lights–out, where the monsters weren’t mindless beasts but something far worse: wolves smart enough to play the long game.
They were unseen yet omnipresent. Their influence stretched far beyond borders, reaching into places no ordinary pack would dare set foot. Kings waged wars, alliances were forged and broken, but through it all, the Nightshades remained untouched, unchallenged. The world bent to their will. yet no one could claim to have truly seen them.
They owned this restaurant. Hell, they owned the entire building. But it didn’t stop there. Their reach extended to underground trading rings, secret black markets, and even the highest circles of politics. All the top notch businesses, high–end restaurants, hotels established- they owned everything.
No one knew their numbers. No one knew their true strength. Their pack was a phantom, their Alpha a shadow among shadows. Even the Alpha King himself, the ruler of all wolves, kept his distance, choosing to coexist rather than confront. Because the one thing that everyone knew, the one undeniable truth, was that the Nightshades were untouchable and cursed.
“Shit,” Ezra breathed, finally noticing the subtle crest etched into the marble floor- a coiled serpent with emerald eyes. The Nightshade sigil.
My clutch suddenly felt heavier. Everything here is being watched. Was that why Kael chose this place? To remind us how far his family’s reach extended?
“You were right about keeping cool,” Ezra admitted grudgingly.
I adjusted a loose curl behind my ear, my voice dropping. “We’re not just dealing with the
Chapter 25 Dinner Table.
“A stage,” he finished, golden eyes scanning the room. “And we’re the unwilling actors.
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The waiter seated us at a table that probably cost more than our monthly mortgage. Crystal goblets caught the light, throwing prismatic dots over the linen like scattered jewels. Beautiful.
And utterly terrifying.
I ran a finger along the knife’s edge. Sharp enough to draw blood. The thought came unbidden.
Then the doors opened.
Conversation died mid–sentence. Forks hovered forgotten over plates. Even the clinking of glasses stilled.
Alpha King Darius entered like the room owed him money- black suit tailored within an inch of its life, golden eyes sweeping the crowd with the case of a man who’d never known fear. Luna Cassandra floated beside him in emerald silk, her smile as polished as her diamond choker.
And Kael.
He’d worn the grey suit I’d once said made his eyes look like liquid sunlight. Me in my past life would have gone weak on my knees at that look. But not anymore. Since I came back, I felt nothing towards him.
His gaze found me immediately, that familiar half–smile playing on his lips. Like we shared some private joke. Like he hadn’t left me during the engagement.
“Lilac.” Kael’s voice was warm honey as they reached our table. “You came.”
I made myself smile. It felt like cracking ice. “Wouldn’t miss it.”
Alpha King Darius inclined his head–the barest nod of acknowledgment.
Luna Cassandra’s manicured hand fluttered to her pearls. “We’re so pleased you could all join us tonight.” Her smile didn’t touch her eyes. “After everything… it’s important we remember we’re still family.”
Ezra snorted into his water. Dad shot him a warning look.
“You look lovely, dear.” Her jasmine perfume couldn’t mask the tension radiating off her.
The seating arrangement was a special kind of torture: Kael directly across from me, his knee brushing mine under the table. I jerked back like I’d been burned.
First course: Amuse–bouche of awkwardness.
Dad made stiff conversation about vineyard harvests. Mom complimented Cassandra’s earrings. Ezra demolished a bread roll like it personally offended him.
And Kael? He watched me, fingers steepled under his chin. “You’re quiet tonight.”
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Chapter 25 Dinner Table
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at us.
Kael’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “You always did hate being the center of attention.”
A lie. I’d loved it–when it was just us. When his attention felt like sunlight rather than a spotlight exposing all my cracks.
Kael leaned forward, elbows on the table. “How have you been, beautiful?”
The casual tone with a smile. As if we were just two people.
My fork screeched against the plate. “Peachy. Though getting out of an engagement really frees up your schedule.”
The Alpha King’s knife stilled. Luna Cassandra’s wineglass hovered mid–sip.
Kael flinched. Good.
Silence stretched, thick enough to choke on.
The waiter appeared with our appetizers, saving the day. Oysters glistening on ice. Kael knew I hated shellfish.
“Try one,” he urged, nudging the plate toward me. “They’re-”
-a metaphor?” I interrupted. “Beautiful shell, slimy inside?”
Ezra choked on his water.
I couldn’t help but feel a flicker of unease. The Reventhorns presence loomed over the room like a shadow, their influence felt but never seen. And as I took a bite of my food, the flavors rich and decadent, I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were all just pawns in a game far greater than we could imagine.
What are you planning, Kael? I felt helpless and suffocated.
The night was far from over, and I knew that whatever happened next would change everything. But as I sat there, surrounded by my family and the Reventhorns, I felt a flicker of determination.
Send Gifts
U
His Abandoned Luna
