Chapter 6 6. A Dangerous Game

A house full of love can't mask the secrets it hides. And today, I'm walking the fine line between a dutiful Luna and the vengeful ghost of my past.

*********

"Put that down, Zane!" Grand Luna Eve's voice echoes through the hallway. "It's not a toy!"

"But it looks like one!" Zane defends himself, holding a decorative dagger he's somehow smuggled from the study.

"It's sharp!" Eve scolds, her silver brows furrowed in exasperation.

I'm perched on the edge of the kitchen counter, watching the scene unfold with a smirk. It's one of those rare mornings when everyone in the house seems caught in the whirlwind created by my mischievous triplets.

"Eli, what's that in your mouth?" Damon's deep, authoritative voice booms from the doorway.

"Nothing!" Eli replies, his cheeks bulging suspiciously.

"It better not be candy before breakfast," Damon warns, marching toward him.

As Eli darts away, giggling, Damon sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. "Nora, your children-"

"Our children," I correct, biting back a laugh.

Lily, meanwhile, has decided to take a bucket of water from the courtyard fountain to "clean" the floors. The trail of water winding through the hallway is evidence of her determination.

"Lily!" Eve's voice sharpens as she spots her. "What in the Moon Goddess's name-"

"I'm helping!" Lily chirps, her silver curls bouncing as she tips the bucket onto the pristine rug in the sitting room.

"Oh, for heaven's sake!"

I can't help it-I burst into laughter. Eve whirls on me, and even Damon looks less than amused.

"You find this funny?" Damon asks, raising an eyebrow.

I shrug, still laughing. "They're children. Mischief is their nature."

Jessica, the nanny, Goddess bless her, comes just in time, 'Children, let's go bake some cake.'

This makes the adorable children shout in glee and run into the kitchen while Eve sighs loudly in relief.

I look up just in time to see Jessica's eyes widen at the clattering noises coming from the kitchen.

She is probably regretting her decision now.

I stifle a laughter

*********

I go into the kitchen. The triplets are at it again.

They are a welcome distraction. My mind has been a whirlwind of emotions lately and I'm still thinking of the most hurtful way to play out my revenge.

Lily has somehow managed to dump flour all over the kitchen floor, while Zane and Eli have turned the dining chairs into a fortress of chaos. Jessica and cooks are in a frenzy, chasing after the little whirlwinds, their faces flushed with frustration.

"Lily! Put that down!" one of the cooks shrieks as Lily dangles a bowl of eggs precariously over the counter.

"But I'm making a cake!" Lily declares, her tiny voice full of authority.

Zane, the self-proclaimed general of their "fort," yells, "Defend the castle!" and hurls a potato at his sister.

The potato misses its mark but hits Damon squarely on the chest as he walks in.

There's a brief, stunned silence before Damon bursts into laughter.

"What is going on here?" he asks, his deep voice filled with amusement as he surveys the disaster.

"Daddy, we're baking!" Lily announces proudly, waving a whisk like it's a scepter.

"Baking, huh?" Damon raises an eyebrow, crossing his arms.

I step into the chaos, trying to suppress my own laughter. "More like destroying the kitchen."

"You're just mad because you're not allowed in our castle," Eli says, poking his head out from beneath an overturned chair.

"Oh, is that so?" Damon says, his lips curving into a mischievous grin. "Well, let's see how long your castle lasts."

Before the triplets can react, Damon swoops in, dismantling their makeshift fort with exaggerated moves and growls, sending the kids into peals of laughter.

It's moments like these that make me pause. Damon is so effortlessly good with them, his joy infectious. I can't help but wonder what kind of father he would have been to my child, the one I lost.

I push the thought away. This isn't the time for old wounds.

*********

Later, as the sun climbs higher, the royal house buzzes with preparations for the day's big event - the Beta's mating ceremony. His second mating ceremony. Cain and Claire's mating ceremony.

The irony isn't lost on me. The man who betrayed me is celebrating his union with the woman who helped destroy me.

Grand Luna Eve enters my room as I adjust the clasp on my gown. Her gaze is soft, but there's an edge of concern in her voice.

"You seem distracted, Nora."

I glance at her through the mirror, forcing a smile. "Just thinking about everything that needs to be done today."

She steps closer, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Don't let this day weigh on you. Remember, you're the Luna of this pack. Hold your head high."

Her words are meant to comfort, but they only fuel the fire inside me. I nod, keeping my thoughts... and plans to myself.

The ceremony is grand, as expected. Cain has spared no expense, transforming the Beta quarters into a spectacle of excess luxury. Flowers in shades of white and gold line the pathway, and soft music drifts through the air. He-wolves and she-wolves, in human and wolf form, dancing gently or talking.

Damon and I arrive together, our arms linked as we make our way to the front. To anyone watching, we are the perfect couple-strong, united, unshakable.

But I feel the tension in Damon's grip, the unspoken questions lingering between us.

We exchange pleasantries with the guests, smiling and laughing in all the right places. But my mind is elsewhere.

I glance at Cain and Claire, standing at the altar. Their happiness is a dagger in my chest, but I refuse to let it show.

"Are you all right?" Damon asks softly, his lips barely moving.

"I'm fine," I reply, my voice steady.

He doesn't seem convinced, but he lets it go.

As the ceremony concludes and the festivities begin, I slip away unnoticed. The house is massive, but I know its layout well like I know the back of my hand. That's what three years of lonely marriage can do to you. Cain's office is on the second floor, tucked away in a corner he thinks is secure.

The hallway is empty as I make my way there, my heart pounding in my chest.

When I reach the door, I pull a pin from my hair and work the lock. It clicks open easily, and I step inside, closing the door behind me.

Cain's office is exactly as I remember - meticulous, almost sterile. One thing I admire about him is how neat and accountable he is.

Damon, on the other hand...

I go straight to the desk, searching through the drawers. Papers, contracts, receipts - none of it is what I'm looking for.

Then I find it - a leather-bound ledger hidden beneath a stack of folders.

I open it, scanning the pages. It's all here-proof of Cain's dealings with the rogues, the bribes. Everything recorded neatly and easy to understand with dates and time.

Like I said, I admire how neat and accountable he is. My hands tremble as I turn the pages.

This is it. The leverage I need.

I slip the ledger into the folds of my gown, my mind racing with possibilities.

As I turn to leave, the door creaks open behind me.

I freeze, my heart stopping.

Then a voice cuts through the silence, low and shocked.

"Lira?"