Chapter 5

• Camellia's POV
• His eyes glowed wolf-gold.
• "Try me," I hissed. "How fast can I shift here? Three seconds? Five?"
• He let go fast—knew I'd wreck his precious gathering.
• But he still glared at me viciously.
• However, Lionel was already passing by. His black-gloved finger brushed my back, and my dress zipper slid down an inch.
• "Feisty as ever," his whiskey-warm voice ghosted my ear. "Just like under the hotel sheets."
• My face went up in flames the second Lionel spoke.
• A jumble of emotions hit me—embarrassment, sure, but also this weird flicker of thrill.
• "Lionel." Esmond's greeting came out flat.
• I relaxed. He hadn't caught Lionel's whisper.
• Lionel gave a curt nod and kept walking.
• My eyes tracked him anyway.
• Every move he made had this magnetic pull, like my wolf was clawing at my ribs to get closer.
• Lyra vibrated inside me, obsessed with Lionel's scent.
• My pulse spiked, breath turned shallow, heat pooling between my thighs.
• "Why're you staring at Lionel?"
• "Not your business." I shrugged Esmond off.
• "You know I hate you eyeing other men. Besides, he's my uncle, technically." Esmond gritted out.
• Ever since we got together, he'd been possessive.
• I used to think it was romantic.
• Now? Pathetic.
• I shoved him hard, fingertips still warm from Lionel's lingering touch. "You hate me looking at guys? Cool. I hate you screwing other women. Yet here we are."
• Esmond's jaw twitched. "This is pack gathering. We'll handle this at home."
• "Then quit policing me," I shot back.
• Everyone knew why Esmond resented Lionel. He was a walking spotlight.
• When Alpha Drogo offered him the Ironclaw Pack, Lionel said no. He walked out to start his own company.
• Everyone called him arrogant.
• Everyone expected him to fail and come back to inherit Ironclaw Pack, but he succeeded.
• Five years later? His PioneerTech empire could buy six Dalton Groups.
• Now he ran a new pack, Starlight Pack.
• Yeah, Esmond's jealousy made sense.
• Lionel's golden hair caught moonlight near the altar.
• He kissed Luna Chelsea's hand, wolf-tooth necklace tapping his collarbone. That same hair I'd gripped that night now glinted like liquid gold.
• "Eyes front." Esmond dug fingers into my silk dress hard enough to bruise. "Remember your place."
• He dragged me toward Luna Chelsea.
• Moon moss crunched underfoot, glowing like fireflies.
• "Starlight Pack needs a Luna," Luna Chelsea said, her sable wrap slipping to reveal Lionel's exact shade of blond.
• "Once I find my true mate." Lionel crushed moss under his combat boot. His emerald eyes flicked to me.
• Lyra howled like fireworks were bursting under my skin.
• "Look at Esmond," Luna Chelsea pressed. "Successful company, gorgeous mate. You? Still single at your age."
• Lionel's gaze swept over us. "Can't argue with that."
• I stopped breathing. The dude had a rep for chaos—kick stray dogs when pissed, and drop truth bombs mid-gala.
• "Is that the point?" Luna Chelsea snapped. "I'm saying you shouldn't be obsessed with a true mate—rrue mates are rare. Your father and I weren't fated, yet look at us. Stability requires a Luna."
• "Maybe I'll find one tomorrow."
• "You're just trying to brush me off." Her nose wrinkled. "I've lined up daughters from LA's strongest packs. Betas, too."
• "Great. More packs to piss off by dawn."
• "You're impossible!"
• Lionel downed his whiskey, old scar peeking above his collar. "Heard Esmond hasn't sealed the mark yet."
• His voice wasn't loud, but it brought the surrounding conversations to an abrupt halt.
• "Hmm?" Chelsea's blue eyes suddenly locked onto my lower abdomen, the moonstone on her staff reflecting a cold glint.
• “Camellia, when do you plan to give the pack its pups?”
• Gasps rippled through the crowd. Esmond's arm turned to steel against my back.
• Spotlights burned into us from every direction. I could practically taste the curiosity dripping from their stares.
• I opened my mouth, but Esmond grabbed my hand first. "We're working on it, okay?"
• His voice went two octaves higher than necessary. He was trying to project confidence and control in front of everyone.
• "The kid thing is already in the plans." His shaky delivery completely ruined the "confident future Alpha" act.
• My fingers twitched to pull away, but his grip turned vise-tight.
• Fine. If he wanted to play dirty...
• I tilted my head just enough to expose the faded bite mark.
• "We're not true mates," my calm voice cut through the tension. "Never completed the bond. And lately? Our connection's been... glitchy."
• The crowd erupted like someone dropped a grenade in the punch bowl.