Riannon tried to stay calm.

It wasn’t easy in the Lycan king’s presence, but shedid try her best.

It did not help that he was incredibly good looking.

Neither did ithelp that she remembered very well how he brushed her off and humiliated herover the phone.

The memory was still fresh in her mind, and it bugged her.

Hebugged her.

He made emotions raise inside of her and she did not like it.

Shewas trained well enough to conceive them at all times.

Although werewolveswere beasts and had animalistic instincts, it was considered bad manners for aLuna to show them.

A perfect Luna couldn’t growl, couldn’t get angry, couldn’tdisplay what she felt for everyone to see.

A perfect Luna had to be...

well,perfect.

At all times.And Ria was always considered one of the best in that regard.Yet with the Lycan king, she wanted nothing more than to come up and slap hisincredibly handsome face.

Hard.She did not even want to do that to Brayden.

Although the rational part of herknew that he deserved it more.But that man in front of her, who did not take his eyes off her...irked her.

To thepoint that she wanted to do something about it.

And his scent of coffee andsandalwood, which was the mixture of the two things she loved the most,bothered her too.Ria wished Onyx was there with her.

Her wolf had better instincts and could helpher to figure out what to do.

She had her all her life and now it was hard to be onher own.Yet she had no choice.

“What exactly do you want to know, Your Majesty?” shetried not to show her irritation, but a little smirk still touched his lips.“Everything, Riannon,” he addressed her by her name only, which was way toointimate for their first meeting face to face.

But he was a lycan.

And they were

arrogant and considered themselves the higher class of wolf species.

Everyoneelse was below them.

So, Ria had to swallow that.“Should I start with my childhood then?” she couldn’t help making the snarkyremark and bit her lip as soon as she said that, making an internal growl leavehis body immediately.Okay, no more jokes then.“You asked for my help,” he reminded her.

“And you refused to help me, YourMajesty,” she pointed out in turn.

“Gideon,” he practically gritted through histeeth.

“Excuse me?” she darted him a surprised gaze.

was gaping, trying tofigure out if he was joking.“I can’t...” she tried to protest but noticed how his eyes got darker at once.“It’s an order,” he said coldly, making her gulp.She wasn’t his biggest fan at the moment but she definitely did not want to makehim her enemy.“Very well,” she clenched her fingers together on her knees, holding her backstraight,“ Gideon.”He relaxed in front of her, hearing his name coming out from her lips.

It soundednice.

He wanted her to repeat it over and over, but, of course, couldn’t tell herthat.

At least not now.

Something was very wrong and she did not feel thathe was her mate.

Although, the longer they were this close to each other, themore he knew that she was the one for him.

This was frustrating and agonising.All he wanted was to grab her and take her back to his lands, to make her feelwhat he felt, to love her and make her forget all the other men in her life.His eyes darted to the mark that was visible on her neck.

Was that it? Was thisthe reason why she couldn’t feel their connection? He wanted to sink his caninesinto her and try to erase that, try to fix that...

But of course, he couldn’t.

Not

without freaking her out and causing a political scandal, which he couldn’t affordnow.“So, you are divorcing your husband,” he said, trying to focus on the positivehere.

Soon she would be free and he could make his claim then.“Uhm, yes,” she replied after a little pause and he did not like it.

Was shehesitating now?Her husband was literally with another woman in front of everyone at this verymoment.“Is it decided?” he sounded more menacing than he hoped and she shuddered abit.“It is,” Riannon replied calmly and he let out the breath he did not know he washolding,” But he is not aware of it yet.”“Oh?” the Lycan king arched his brow, watching the woman in front of him inamusement.

What kind of game was she playing? “How so?”“For now he thinks that he could have it all,” her lips curled into a smirk and thebeast inside of him was howling at her sassiness, “His wife, his mate and hispack.”“But you have other plans in mind?” he asked, trying not to sound too hopefuland noticing how Reid who was still also in the room gave him a puzzled look.“You know that very well, Your...

Gideon,” she corrected herself and he smiled.She was other promises to stay loyal, I took that seriously.

If I met my mate, Iwould reject him on the same day.”He swallowed at the thought.“And what if he was way better than your husband?” the words left his mouthbefore he could control himself, “What if he really loved you and was, say...

a

noble Lycan?”“It did not matter back then,” she snorted, “He could be the only son of the MoonGoddess! I...

I used to love Brayden.

I would have kept my promise to him andhonoured our marks.

But since he didn’t do the same for me...”“Wasn’t it just a few days?” Reid interjected, “He could still reject his mate for youanytime.”“But he wouldn’t,” the girl replied way too coldly, “And it doesn’t matteranymore.

You can only break someone’s trust once.”“Very well!” Gideon decided to agree fast until his i***t of a Beta offered her asolution on how to fix the relationship with her husband, “Divorce it is then.”They both looked at him in shock and he cleared his throat.

“But what was itabout the pack?” he decided to change the subject quickly.Riannon explained to him very patiently how they merged the two packs whenthey were getting married and why she wants to take it back.

She had goodreasoning when she spoke and he found himself agreeing to everything way toofast.

Was this the power of their mate bond? She also mentioned a few timeshow much she and her husband used to be in love in and he found himselffrowning at that every time.“So,” she asked him, arching her brow and he realised that he had been quietway too long, staring at her and thinking of something else.This was the time for him to answer and he could tell that she did not expectmuch.

If anything, she seemed eager to return back to the party, where all thosealphas were all over them and he was sure at least half of them was going tooffer her their support in hopes of getting her for themselves.

He knew how theylooked at her.

As if they all were hungry for her.He also came to the conclusion that he made the worst first impression on hismate if she couldn’t wait to leave him.

And he needed to fix that fast.

“I will support you,” he said and her lips parted.

He could tell that she did notexpect that.He had a lot of work before him.“Yes,” a vague smile appeared on his face, “There will be some conditions, ofcourse.”“Like what?” the Luna crossed her hands on her chest in a defence motion.

Shewas expecting the worse from him and he only had himself to blame.“Cooperation,” he said the first thing that came to his mind.

The only conditionthat he really wanted to name was for her to become his but he could sense thatit wouldn’t work well.

Not now.

She didn’t feel the bond and he did not know why.He needed time.

Desperately.

And he needed to find a way to be close to herstill.“What kind?” she asked.“The usual,” he cleared his throat, “If I am on your side, you are on mine.

I alsoneed you not to marry or date anyone until I give you permission.”“Why?” she mumbled, slightly shocked by the bizarre conversation that they werehaving.“I have my reasons.

Take it or leave it.” It was a gamble and Gideon knew it.

Butsomething told him that she was going to take it.

His wolf calmed down too now.He clearly enjoyed her company.“Unless,” she looked him in the eye with some kind of determination and he gotscared that she would decline his offer, “Unless I find my mate.”He tried to hold back the huge grin that was about to spread over his face butwas failing miserable, noticing how Reid was watching the pair with his browsknitted.magic

“I can accept that,” he smirked, “If you find your mate, you are free to embraceyour bond.“Then it’s a deal,” Riannon stood up and stretched her hand to him for ahandshake, which he used to pull her closer, startling her.“Good,” he wrapped his hand around his waist to the shock of his Beta and ledher to the exit, “Shall we go then?”“Where?” the Luna looked at him with her rosy lips parted.“We have a show to give...”