KELLY THOMPSON'S POV

The silence that followed my proposal was a living entity, thick and suffocating. Across the table, Mr. Grayson's eyes narrowed, his lips pressed into a thin line as if he were attempting to decipher an ancient and cryptic script within my words.

"Your Luna Queen," he began, his voice as taut as a bowstring, "while your intentions seem noble, how can we place our trust in creatures whose very nature is ruled by the moon's cycle? Werewolves are... unpredictable. The ...