Grayson POV
Grayson couldn't hear a single word.
The older Dark Moon warrior was talking about borders and hunting rights. The Silverwood Alpha was responding carefully. The Beta was taking notes.
None of it existed.
His world had collapsed into one person sitting directly across the table.
He stared at her like she was the only thing alive in this room. She was. Everything else was background noise.
The mating pull didn't arrive gently. It crashed through him like an electrical storm, anchoring itself in his chest. This was real. This was what the old wolves talked about in stories.
He was wrong.
His instincts screamed at him to claim her. Mark her. Drag her away from this table and make her understand they belonged together. That every moment before this second had been him waiting to find her. That she was his and he would burn down anything that stood between them.
Grayson forced his body to stay still.
Every muscle locked down tight. His hands gripped the table edge hard enough that his knuckles went white. His entire frame was rigid because if he moved one inch, if he allowed himself one second of relaxation, he wouldn't be able to stop. He'd be across the table and pulling her into his arms and damn the consequences.
But his eyes wouldn't obey.
They tracked every movement she made. The way she held her pen. The way her fingers gripped it like she was holding onto the last piece of control in her world. The way her jaw went tight when she looked at him for just a second and then looked away like the sight of him burned.
She felt it. He knew because her pulse jumped. Because color rose in her cheeks. Because her breathing changed and got faster and shallower.
She was fighting it just as hard as he was.
They were both sitting in this room surrounded by witnesses and pretending the world hadn't just shifted. Pretending the bond wasn't screaming to be acknowledged. Pretending they weren't mates. Pretending that something fundamental hadn't just broken open inside both of them.
It was destroying him.
Grayson had heard about mating bonds his whole life. Every wolf knew the legends. The moment you saw your true mate, you knew. Instant. Undeniable. But he'd dismissed those stories as myth. As something that didn't happen in real life.
He'd been completely wrong.
Luna was speaking now. Something about water rights and territorial agreements. Her voice was calm and controlled and gave nothing away. But he could see her hands shaking underneath the table. Could see her fingers trembling even though she was clearly trying to hide it. Could see the control cracking around the edges.
She was scared. Of him. Of this. Of what was happening between them.
Grayson understood that fear because he was terrified too. But not of her. He was terrified of what he was about to do. Terrified of the consequences. Terrified of everything that would come after this moment. Terrified that Kade would find out and pull him apart. Terrified that she would reject him. Terrified that he'd lose her before he even had her.
But not of her.
Never of her.
His instincts were prowling inside his skin, restless and hungry and absolutely certain that this female belonged to him.
One of the Dark Moon warriors shifted closer to him and Grayson realized he was leaning forward. Trying to get closer to her. He forced himself back. Forced his body to relax even though his instincts were fighting it.
The negotiations dragged on.
Someone was talking about livestock disputes. Someone else was discussing hunting routes and territory agreements. It was all noise. White noise. Static. The only thing that mattered was watching the rise and fall of her breathing. The way her eyes kept cutting toward him and then away like she couldn't help it but also couldn't allow it. The way she was trying to pretend he didn't exist when her body clearly knew he did.
She was beautiful in a way that had nothing to do with soft things.
Her beauty was sharp and dangerous. It was in those ice gray eyes that saw everything. It was in the way she held her body like she was made of steel. It was in the confidence that radiated off her.
She was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen and she was trying so hard to pretend he didn't exist.
Hours passed or maybe it was only minutes. Time had stopped working right. All Grayson knew was that he had to do something. Had to make her acknowledge that this was real.
When Marcus called for a break, something inside Grayson snapped.
This was his moment. This was when he could find her. This was when he could make her admit what was happening between them. This was when he could stop pretending and start fighting for what was his.
Grayson stood up with the other Dark Moon warriors. He stretched like he was just working out the stiffness from sitting. Like he wasn't burning from the inside out. Like he wasn't about to do something that might start a war between the packs. Like he wasn't willing to burn down the world if it meant having her.
The other warriors headed toward the refreshment table. The older delegation leader was talking to Marcus about something. Something about border agreements and water rights. Details. Politics. Things that didn't matter compared to what Grayson was about to do.
Nobody was watching Grayson.
He turned and walked toward the hallway without asking permission. Without explaining. Without any courtesy that mating bonds apparently didn't care about. He moved like he had every right to be walking through Silverwood territory. Like he was already part of this pack.
His instincts knew exactly where she would be.
They could track her scent like it was the only thing worth following. Could sense her like she was calling to him even though she wasn't. Could feel her fear and her denial and the way she was fighting as hard as he was to pretend this wasn't real.
Grayson moved through the Silverwood corridors like he'd been living here his whole life. Like he didn't care that he was trespassing. Like he'd already decided that being close to her was worth whatever came next. Worth the war. Worth the consequences. Worth everything.
He found her in a side hallway near the gardens.
She was standing with her back to him, her shoulders rigid, her breathing sharp and controlled. She knew he was coming. Her body had sensed him the same way his had sensed hers. The mating bond was pulling them together whether they wanted it or not.
Grayson stopped walking but didn't move away. He stood there and let her feel the weight of his presence. Let her understand that he wasn't leaving. That this wasn't something she could pretend away. That the bond between them was as real as the stone walls around them.
"Luna," he said.
She went completely still.
"Don't," she said without turning around. But her voice was shaking.
"Don't what," Grayson asked.
She finally turned to face him and her eyes were filled with something that looked like pain.
"Don't make this real," she whispered.
Grayson stepped closer and watched her struggle not to step back.
"It's already real," he said. "I can feel it in your pulse. I can smell it on your skin."
"It doesn't matter what's real," Luna said. Her jaw clenched. "Some things are impossible."
Grayson reached out and touched her cheek with one hand. Just barely. Just enough that she could feel him without him completely breaking protocol.
"Nothing is impossible," he said quietly. "You're my mate. And I'm not letting you go."