bChapter /b88

    ra’s POV

    I stared down at the grass ring in his palm, unable to form a single coherent thought. My mouth opened and rinsed, struggling to wrap around what had just happened. After what felt like an eternity of silence, I finally managed to whisper, “What?”

    “I know this is sudden. You’re probably scared…Raelen’s voice trailed off.

    “Scared?!” i blinked, waving my hands in front of me as though i could push this madness away. “No, not scared. Shocked, Ralent What were your thinking? This is our first date! Our second time seeing each other and you just proposed

    Ishook my head vigorously, my thoughts swirling Proposed? No way, if I’d known this was a proposal, I wouldn’t have agreed to this date. I liked Rawler, sure, but not like that. And we barely knew each other!

    Ralen scratched the back of his neck with a very smile, clearly embarrassed. “I guess I came on a bit too strong, huh?” He sighed, his shoulders stumping. “Yeah… probably should’ve done the speech first. That might have helpedb./b”

    Speech? No speech was going to make this look any better.

    “Just ted me what you were thinking” I demanded, trying to keep my voice calm, though I could feel the tension in my chest. “You’re not seriously in love with me, are you?

    “like you a lot.” His words were quick, like he’d been waiting to say them, but the hesitation in his eyes said more than he realized.

    I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. Like, sure, but not love. And I like you too, Ralen, but not enough to marry you. So, what’s the real reason you asked me to be your bLuna/bb?/bb” /b

    He sighed deeply, the frustration evident on his face. “Alright, you caught me. I’m not fooling you, am I?” he muttered under his breath

    “No, you’re not,” I said softly, shaking my head.

    bRalen /blet out a bitterugh, staring down at the grass ring he held between his fingers. His eyes were heavy with something darker now. “You were right. Asking you to be my Luna.it wasn’t exactly a fairytale proposal. Honestly, it was desperation.”

    My eyes softened at the rawness of his words. “Desperation?” I repeated quietly.

    “Yeah,” he nodded, rubbing his thumb over the ring “See, Bex–bho’s /bthe best help I’ve got in my packb, /bbut after what he did… Well, now I’m isted. bCompletely/b. The elders will use this against me. They find someone else, someone with Alpha blood, and be reced.”

    A shiver ran through me. “So you want my bhelp/b,” I said, the pieces falling into ce.

    Raelen gave me a dry smile, his gaze now intense. “Yeah. You’re the sister of Blood Moon’s bAlpha/b, a true princess. And you’re a Gamma, a brilliant warrior,

    you be my Luna, I’ll get less resistance from the elders. They’ll take me more seriously

    blinked, his words sinking in. This wasn’t about love. It never had been. It was about bpower/b, positionb… /bbsurvival/b.

    “You must hate me now,” he continued, his voice quieter. “Using you like this. Asking for your help…it’s pathetic?

    “No” I shook my head slowlyb, /bsurprised at how calm I felt. “Everyone needs help when they’re in trouble. I get that, I’ve been there,”

    my time with the Diaz family–how I’d bprayed /bfor someone to help meb, /bbto /bsave me from the bconstant /bnightmare. ollie. But there had been no /li/ol

    I thought back to my

    one. No one but max.

    “Honestly, Raelen,” I said, breaching /bfor his handb, /b“I get it. I understand how hard this must be for you. Being isted, with no one to turn to. It’s hell”

    Raelen squeezed my hand, his eyes softening just a fraction. “I didn’t want to make this into a bargain, but..” He let out a breath. “There’s more. This could benefit you too. If we marry, I’ll take full control of Fenreach Pack. We can create an alliance with your pack. One that’s strong. bLong /b/divsting

    Fenreach Pack band /bBlood Moon, united. Peace war–together”

    I stared at him, unsure how to feel. The idea wasn’tpletely crary. “What do you mean by “beneft mer

    “You’re a brilliant woman, ra. You don’t deserve to be stuck in a household, invisible, like you were with Thorne I’ll make sure you have powerb, /ba real role in court. You’ll get to use your rength and your wisdom the way you’ve always wanted.”

    For a long missent, I couldn’t find my voice. Everything he was saying was what I’d balways /bcraved, but something inside me hesitated. A deal. A marriage of convenience.

    “I can’t agree to this, Raelen, I finally said, my voice quiet but firm. “At least not now. I’m sorry”

    I couldn’t bmake /bmyself part of a deal. I wanted more than that. I wanted love, the real kind. I wanted the kind of connection where a bond formed naturally, not out of desperation.

    Ralen’s bface /bfell, disappointment clear in his eyes. “Well, I didn’t think you’d say yes right away, but…” Heughed, a bitter sound passi was proposing with a candy ting”

    Traised an eyebrow at the grass ring he’d been holding.

    “That was con

    was certainly….. a reckless move!

    His grin was genuine, despite beverything/b. “At least you’ll think about it?”

    Thesitated, staring at the grass ring in my hand. It felt babsurd/bb, /bbyet /bstrangely symbolic. Aber a long pause, I met his gare. “Yes I think about it,” I said, my voice steady.

    His face lit up, a sh of hope brightening his eyes. “And don’t bforget/b, I really do like you. bIt’s /bnot love yet, but I can see myself falling for byou /bbCrazy /bfor you, maybe.”

    I couldn’t help butugh, shaking my head. “Sure, Raelen. I’ll keep that in mind.”

    I slipped the grass ning on my finger, bwatching /bhim grin. “I promise the next time propose, it’ll be a real diamond,” he teased.

    We bothughed then, the tension finally breaking

    We finished our meal, and as the night deepened, wey on the nket together, staring up at the stars. The sky was clear and endless, like a promise of something greater. Rarlen pointed out the constetions, and listened as bhe /bspoke of his childhood, his survival in the harsh world of the Fenreach Pack

    elders.

    We were two people who had never known true family, but here, together, we shared something bdeeper/b. Understanding,

    By the time the first light of dawn began to strench across the sky, I felt at peace. A peace I hadn’t known in years.

    “Let me walk you back,” Raclen offered as we packed up.

    But as we stepped outside the tent, we were met with a surprise. Thome.

    He stood there, waiting, it was clear he’d been there a while, his disheveled appearance telling the bstory /bof ba /bbsleepless /bnight. His eyes, dark with

    exhaustion, licked from me to Raelen

    “You’ve been with him all night,” he growled, bhis /bbvoice /brough with something darker.

    I frozeb, /bunable to speak.

    “Thorne, bwhat /bare you started, but he silenced me with a cold look, his gaze turning to the grass ring on my bfinger/b.

    The silence was deafening.

    “What the hell is this?” Thorne hissed, his voice cutting through the tension. His fury bwas /bpalpa.

    I felt my pulse race. This wasn’t good.

    C