The morning after the dinner with Alpha Kael was shrouded in a heavy, deliberate coldness. Sera awoke with the lingering, intoxicating memory of Alistair's proximity, a memory that made the stark reality of the penthouse feel even colder.
She found a formal, typed note on the kitchen counter, resting beneath a crystal glass—a clear signal that the Alpha had been there.
Luna,
The Packhouse requires a continuous physical presence from the Luna during the Foundation restructuring. You will relocate to the Packhouse's West Wing offices starting immediately. This is necessary for efficiency.
—Alistair Thorne, Alpha.
The message was purely transactional, yet Sera understood the hidden command: I cannot control myself around you here. Leave.
The rejection, disguised as professional efficiency, stung more than any insult from the Pack. Sera took a deep breath, fighting the primal hurt the Mate bond inflicted. I am here to work, not to be desired.
She called James, the butler, and ordered the swift packing of her work materials.
* * *
The Packhouse was intimidating, a cold monument of gothic stone and old wealth. The West Wing was a maze of dimly lit corridors leading to the Foundation offices.
As Sera began setting up her temporary office, Elara materialized in the doorway, a look of malicious satisfaction on her face.
"So, the Alpha has banished his human toy to the Packhouse," Elara drawled, leaning against the door frame. "I assume you failed to tame him, Seraphina. This is where he puts liabilities until they are discarded."
"I was not 'banished,' Beta," Sera countered calmly, without looking up from organizing her binders. "I was relocated to the center of operations. The Alpha values my efficiency over my visibility. I believe that is a promotion."
Elara laughed, a short, sharp bark. "It is a sign of his struggle, human. The Mate bond demands that he protect you, but your presence weakens him. He sent you here hoping the Pack will manage his mistake for him."
"If he wanted me to be 'managed,' he would have sent his mother," Sera retorted, finally meeting Elara's green eyes. "He sent me here to finish the audit. And I will. Now, Beta, I have found several discrepancies in the security budget your mate, Beta male Gareth, manages. Perhaps you should focus on your own affairs."
Elara's face went white. She opened her mouth to snarl, but a sudden, sharp scent cut her off: the scent of a different wolf.
A gentle voice broke the tension. "Elara, leave the Luna to her important work. The Alpha requires you in the courtyard."
It was Liam, one of the younger, kind-faced warriors, an Omega who had watched Sera during the Board Meeting with quiet respect. Elara shot Sera a final look of pure hatred and stalked away.
* * *
Liam approached Sera's desk cautiously. He didn't radiate the aggressive dominance of the others; his energy was grounded and sincere.
"Madam Luna," Liam said quietly, his head bowed slightly. "Please be careful here. Alpha Kael's visit was not just diplomatic. He was assessing our Pack's strength, and your humanity makes you a clear, vulnerable target."
"I am aware," Sera replied, lowering her voice. "But my husband provides absolute protection."
Liam hesitated, then looked directly into her icy blue eyes. "Protection is physical, Luna. Alpha Kael respects only one thing: the bond. The Pack sees that the Alpha has not marked you, has not claimed you fully. They see a contractual Luna, not a true Mate."
"And what are you suggesting, Liam?" Sera asked, her heart tightening.
Liam glanced nervously toward the door, then placed a heavy, leather-bound volume on her desk.
"This is the Book of Ancient Luna Rites," he whispered. "It contains the true protocols for a Luna, protocols that Lydia Thorne deliberately ignored. Protocols that affirm the Luna's role through wisdom and ritual, not just through the Alpha's decree."
"You are risking much to give me this," Sera noted, looking at the ancient, forbidden book.
"My allegiance is to the Alpha and the stability of the Pack," Liam stated. "The Pack needs you, Luna. But you must claim your authority through tradition, not just through spreadsheets. Your wisdom is your weapon. Use it to gain the respect the Alpha's contract cannot buy."
He retreated quickly, leaving Sera alone with the heavy silence of the Packhouse and the formidable weight of the ancient book.
Sera ran her fingers over the aged leather. She had conquered the corporate world; now she faced the ancient magic of the wolves. The Alpha had put distance between them to protect his control, but the Pack had given her a new mission: to stop being a "human toy" and truly become the Luna.
END OF CHAPTER TEN.