Judy’s POV Selene corrected my shoulders for the fourth time. “Head up, but don’t be too proud,” she said, moving my chin with two fingers. “You must demand the space. You don’t ask for it. Your packmates cannot see you weak.” I did as she said, though I felt uncomfortable. Her practice felt outdated; I wasn’t sure how well the pack would handle me “demanding” space. But Selene seemed like she knew what she was talking about, which was strange to me because technically she wasn’t a Luna. Sure, her mate had Alpha and Lycan blood, but they turned their backs on the system years ago. They never wanted to be an Alpha and Luna, and they really didn’t want to be overseen by one. Then again, Zachary and Selene did oversee a small group who also turned their backs on the system and weren’t stupid enough to become full rogues.I tried to relax my jaw, but I failed. The parlors' polished floor reflected every awkward angle back at me. I’d been standing, sitting, walking, curtsying, and smiling for over an hour. Did anyone even curtsy anymore? I wanted to ask her, but Selene was intimidating, despite the familiar warmth I felt when I was around her. It was a strange feeling and something I’ve only ever felt when I’m around my family, but it was almost like my wolf trusted her and wanted to be around her even though she didn’t know her that well. My brain ached from the list of things that could apparently insult Alphas in three territories if I breathed wrong. “Again,” Selene said, crossing to the far side of the room. “Enter as if you’re walking into a council dinner.” I walked. Shoulders back. Chin neutral. Steps even. I hit the center of the carpet and stopped, just as she had taught me: one foot slightly open, hands light at my sides. I waited… counted to five in my head. I tried not to think about the woman back home who wanted to protest me, tried not to think about Irene’s silent battle with her mind and heart, and I tried not to focus too hard on the fact that my baby had been kicking nonstop since we arrived. I stumbled when my eyes spotted something on one of the tables, and I couldn’t seem to look away. It was a picture of a very tired-looking Selene, holding a small bundle wrapped in a pink blanket. I could only assume that bundle was Lila. I couldn’t see the baby’s face, but it was clear that she was bald. Something my mother had told me a long time ago rang in my ears. “When you came into our lives, you were a bald little thing. We had no idea what hair color you would have until you were at least a month old.” “Is something wrong?” Selene asked, bringing me back to the present moment. I blinked a few times and looked over at her, seeing her frowning at me. Her eyes shifted from me and then to the picture that had caught my attention, her expression softening for a moment. “That’s a picture of me and Lila, a couple of days after she was born.” “Were you still in the hospital?” I found myself asking; my mouth seemed to have a mind of its own because my brain was screaming at me not to ask questions like that, and it wasn’t any of my business. I didn’t know her like that and shouldn’t be asking about her daughter's birth… the daughter who clearly hated me for whatever reason. “Yes,” she said, almost thoughtfully. “There were some complications at birth that kept us in the hospital a little longer than planned.” “Complications?” I asked. “Were you okay?” “Oh, yes… it wasn’t me. It was Lila. It’s strange because when she was born, she was as healthy as a horse. But then a day later, she was having breathing trouble. Turns out it was a heart condition. She decelerated so quickly. It was the scariest moment of my life.” My heart stuttered for a moment at her words. I found myself pressing the palm of my hand to my chest. I couldn’t imagine what that must have been like.“I’m so sorry,” I breathed. “I’m glad she ended up being okay.” As much as I really hated Lila, I was honestly glad she didn’t die at birth. I liked Selene, and she didn’t deserve to lose her daughter like that. “It didn’t help that we weren’t in our normal hospital,” she said, shaking her head. “We were on our way home from a long trip that we had taken when my water broke. Zachary brought me to the closest hospital we could find, which ended up being in neutral territory, which was fine because Zachary had built his entire empire in neutral territory before we made it to the Blackwell Estates and named it our official property.” “Her heart condition…” I started slowly. “Did it have anything to do with her power?” Selene corked a brow at me, and for a moment, I feared I might have said too much. It wasn’t really much of a secret anymore about Lila’s birth, given gifts. Rumors were circulating throughout each territory about the Moon Gem and the powers it contained. I honestly didn’t think they were keeping it a secret. Then again, it did put a target on their back, so maybe I was wrong. Perhaps this was a secret that I had just spoken out loud. “And what do you know about Lila’s powers?” She asked; she didn’t sound upset, more curious than anything. “Pretty much what everyone else knows,” I admitted. “Since you came out of hiding, rumors have been flying around the different territories.” “I’m afraid I’m still kind of out of the loop when it comes to different territories and pack gossip,” she admitted, a bit sheepishly. “I’m also not on social media, so pardon me for not knowing what rumors you speak of.” I swallowed the lump in my throat; I wasn’t sure how the conversation turned into this, and I couldn’t help but wonder if this was dangerous territory we were treading into. “Well… uh…” I stammered, trying to gather my thoughts. “That she was born with so much power that her infant body couldn’t handle it. That a Seer or a witch took her powers and put them in the Moon Gem.”Selene nodded, and she looked thoughtful as she went to the couch to sit down. “A part of me blamed myself for her heart condition,” she admitted. “I thought that it stemmed from the fact that we took her powers. What would have happened if we had let her keep her powers? Would she have been okay? Or would the powers consume her little body? The witch told us that it was dire that we took away her powers, but we were never truly sure why.” “Who was this witch?” I found myself asking. “Zachary’s sister, Cora.” I blinked. “Zachary has a sister?” She nodded. “She lives amongst the humans in a neutral territory,” she admitted. “She was born without a wolf, though she has some wolf blood. She’s more witch than anything, just like her mother.”“And she was the one who took Lila’s power and put it in the Moon Gem?” Selene nodded. “Yes,” she replied. “She lives a couple of hours away from here, and we don’t see her often. In fact, she tries to stay away from us for reasons I’m not entirely sure. I know Zachary misses his sister, though. They were close growing up, and then one day she chose to cut contact with him. It hurt him deeply.” The sad look on Selene’s face tugged at my heart. “I’m so sorry,” I breathed. She lifted one shoulder. “It’s her choice; there’s not much we can do about it,” she said, sighing softly. Her face grew serious for a moment as she met my eyes. “Look, Judy. I know we did a lot of posture control and mannerisms during your etiquette lessons. But there’s much more to being a Luna than all of that. You have a big heart, full of love and life. You care about those around you, and to go through all of this… You clearly care about your pack. Not to mention your wit. As long as you have your mate, family, and friends by your side, you’re going to be okay, Judy.” She put a hand on my shoulder, and I felt the comfort she was trying to give me. It warmed my heart and made a smile tug at the corner of my lips. I went to respond to her, but the moment I parted my lips, my wolf’s attention jerked elsewhere, and I suddenly felt him behind me, standing in the entryway. “Judy,” Gavin said, his voice low and deep. “I think it’s time that we leave.” I turned to look at him; his eyes were dark, and he was staring directly at me, a clear sign that something was wrong. I could see the worry lines between his brows, and something told me he was holding himself back. I glanced at Selene, who was frowning worriedly. “Is everything okay?” She asked, standing to her feet. Gavin turned his attention to her, his expression never changing.“I think you should talk with your daughter. She’s up to something, and you should probably figure out what it is.” Selene’s brows dipped. “I don’t understand…” Selene said. I stood up as well, feeling my stomach clenching. “Gavin, what’s going on?” I asked. His eyes darted to me, and he held out his hand. “Come on,” he said, his tone calm, though there was underlying urgency in his voice. “We need to leave.” I took his hand with only a little hesitation, though I was reluctant to leave. I was finally getting some answers and talking to Selene; “What about my daughter??” Selene demanded to know. “I’m sorry, Selene. Just go speak with her and maybe monitor the company she keeps.”I blinked at his words, confused. Without another word, he pulled me out of the parlor, and we rushed towards the front door. “Gavin, what is going on?” I asked, my voice in panic. The moment we were outside, he said the words that struck me, making me doubt everything. “I think they are lying to us. The Moon Gem doesn’t belong to Lila Blackwell.”