Estelle’s POV
Nigel’s ssage flashed across my screen.
[Estelle, the pack has lost partnerships with Firemoon, Riverside, and Oakwood Packs due to communication issues. Can you reach out to them?]
I stared at the ssage for a mont, then typed back: [I will not be handling this until Jessie and Ashley have apologized for wasting my ti.]
When I had refused to go over and help, they had resorted to spam calling with all sorts of questions about Ashley’s newborn babies. I still had not forgotten how they tried to get Asher to force to apologize to them.
This was to give them a taste of their own dicine.
I tucked my phone away and looked up to find Caleb watching with knowing eyes.
“Everything alright?” he asked. “You look like you got so bad news.”
“Just so spam ssages,” I replied with a shrug.
Caleb’s expression suggested he didn’t entirely believe , but he didn’t push, which I appreciated.
“So,” I said, changing the subject as we were seated at a corner table, “tell more about the coastal territories. I haven’t had much interaction with those packs yet.”
Caleb launched into an explanation of the various coastal pack dynamics, his enthusiasm infectious. The way his eyes lit up when he talked about different pack structures told why Killian had recomnded him so highly, and not just because he was Killian’s son. Caleb genuinely cared about the political landscape and understood the intricate relationships between territories.
I found myself relaxing for the first ti in days, enjoying normal conversation that didn’t involve family drama or pack betrayals.
That peaceful mont was shattered when soone roughly bumped into from behind, nearly knocking off balance. The impact was hard enough to seem intentional.
Caleb’s hand shot out, steadying as I turned to see who had collided with .
A woman stood behind us, her long black hair perfectly straight and her blue eyes cold as winter ice. She was stunningly beautiful, with sharp features and an expression that suggested she found the entire world beneath her notice. Her outfit scread expensive—designer dress, perfect makeup, jewelry that probably cost more than most people’s monthly salary.
“Lena!” Caleb’s voice carried surprise and sothing else—wariness, maybe?
The woman—Lena—looked between us with obvious disdain. Her gaze lingered on with particular distaste, like I was sothing unpleasant she’d stepped in.
“Is she why you broke up with , Caleb?” Her voice was accusatory.
Caleb imdiately shook his head. “No, Lena. That’s not—” He stood up quickly, putting himself slightly between us. “This is Estelle Harper, the new Luna of the Blackmoon Pack.”
Lena’s eyebrow arched, and I saw recognition flicker across her features. “Harper.” She said the na like she was tasting sothing bitter. “So you’re Alpha Jas’s long-lost daughter.”
“That’s right.” I kept my voice level, though I could feel my patience wearing thin. I didn’t particularly like being examined like a specin, and I definitely didn’t appreciate being knocked into.
Lena’s eyes swept over critically, taking in my simple but well-made clothing, my practical hairstyle, my lack of ostentatious jewelry. Whatever she saw clearly didn’t impress her.
“How... quaint,” she said finally. “I heard you were raised by so backwoods pack. Moonveil, wasn’t it?”
The insult was subtle but clear. I felt my jaw tighten. “Yes, I was. And you are?”
“Lena Hart.” She said it like the na should an sothing to . “Eldest daughter of Alpha Matthew Hart of the Scarletfang Pack.”
Now I understood. The Hart na was familiar. I’d t her half-sister Vivian when purchasing the villa. The mory of that encounter wasn’t pleasant either.
“Ah,” I said, keeping my tone neutral. “Vivian’s sister.”
Sothing flickered in Lena’s eyes at the ntion of Vivian. Annoyance, maybe. Or jealousy.
“Half-sister,” she corrected sharply. “We don’t have much in common.”
“Except your charming personalities,” I replied sweetly.
Lena’s eyes narrowed. She clearly wasn’t used to people matching her sarcasm. Most people probably cowered when faced with her cold deanor.
“Well,” she said, her voice dripping with false politeness, “how lovely to et the famous lost princess. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of each other soon.”
With that, she turned on her expensive heels and walked away, her posture rigid with offended dignity.
Caleb let out a long breath once she was gone, his shoulders relaxing visibly.
“Sorry about that,” he said, sitting back down. “Lena can be... intense.”
“That’s one way to put it.” I watched as Lena joined a table across the restaurant, where several well-dressed young won were sitting. They imdiately leaned in as she sat down, clearly eager to hear whatever gossip she was about to share. “She seems like a real ray of sunshine.”
Caleb rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. “She’s actually not usually that rude. She’s more... aloof than actively unpleasant.”
“You’re defending her.” It wasn’t a question.
“I guess.” He shifted in his seat, looking uncomfortable. “Lena’s complicated. She’s had a difficult life, being born to an oga mother and always having to compete with her half-sister for their father’s attention.”
I studied his face.
“You know her quite well,” I observed.
Caleb sighed. “She’s my ex-girlfriend. We just broke up recently.”
That explained the tension. And the way she’d imdiately assud I was the reason for their breakup. It also explained why Caleb seed so uncomfortable with the entire encounter.
“I had assud so.” I didn’t push for details. Breakups were ssy enough.
“It’s complicated,” he said again, then seed to realize he was repeating himself. “But that’s over now.”
I nodded, letting the subject drop. The last thing I wanted was to get caught in the middle of soone else’s relationship drama. I had enough of my own to deal with.
The ntion of relationships reminded of my own complicated situation. Caleb must have been thinking along the sa lines because he suddenly straightened up.
“Speaking of relationships,” he said, “you’re engaged to the Lycan King, right? Have you spoken to him since the announcent?”
I sat a little straighter. “Not really. Just a quick text to confirm the engagent.”
“That’s it?” Caleb looked surprised. “No phone calls? No visits?”
“No.” I picked at my napkin, feeling oddly embarrassed. “I suppose he’s busy with Lycan affairs.”
“Still, you’d think—”
My phone began ringing, cutting off whatever Caleb was about to say. I glanced at the screen and saw Nigel’s na again. This ti, it was a call.
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