The Moon's Chosen King

y never

rom the top floor of Blackwood Tower, Damien Blackwood stood straight, his tall frame casted by a ful

ights, billboards. But to Damien, they weren't beautiful. They were distractions. Every sparkl

He rarely did wh

nsion like live wire. Even when still, Damien Blackwood was always in control. His au

mpanion. He wore it

ed them from above. They did not know the empire they served, not really. They saw his na

one k

t was b

nce, but the kind born of precision. Every piece of furniture was angular, da

ad no room

blazer brushing against his well ironed white shirt. The quiet sound of

calm. Damien

whiskey. He poured a glass with one smooth motion, no ice. He

eti

just as a familiar memory s

n

ection feels colde

oice, quiet jus

ever be eno

htened aroun

s

But sometimes-on nights like this, when the

ther, the one who'd walked away

l had been

rage and not enough armor. He remembered the way her back had looked as she t

ot just l

the man he

it, then placed it down gently but it still made a little

anymore. The one wh

bowed. Or

ock broke

harp

Timed.

t look up

thered by the weight of the room. Damien's second-in-command. His beta. Th

led dirty blond hair, casual dark clothes, sharp hazel eyes that

n said, looking at the un

la

tell wi

said

leaning against the edge of the desk.

t th

key in hand. A city trembling beneath your fe

look. "You are irritating

ating when

at of sile

inally. His voice dropped

once. "Somethi

dan

Not

it's

es

ound the room like he was expecting something to appear from

less it is a threat, I a

brought out out a slim black folde

e anyway, flipping it open with one h

na V

al business and behavioral psychology. Fluent i

somethi

stared b

lly beautiful, but striking. Memorable. Like someone wh

miliar stir in his chest.

gnit

e... re

said, arms crossed. "Uncovered two internal c

ly been h

hou

aised an

r Westbrook that she d

ired as an

as a weapon," Ethan said.

de Dami

and set it aside, b

na V

t just in her résumé or photo-but in the air. The shift

cide

t believe

depart

tegy. Assigned

snapped u

oversight board. They're testing a new placement

n fro

people forced

. Who was allowed into t

about her made it d

time?" he asked

not answer

h conviction: "Mor

k to the window, but this

green

ng shifting

k to the window, but this

green

ng shifting

d this

in his chest. That whisper in h

ready disrupted his energy. And Damien Blackwood wasn't a m

in fate. Not anym

harp to be accidental. The scent of change.

long second. The woman's gaze-frozen in a corporate headshot-somehow managed to fe

ne stared

," Ethan said behind

gainst the page. "Good. I'm

're also tired of p

ru

. There was something more beneath the surface of her file, something he coul

uman,

fu

ng ago not to jump to conclusions. But that

w," he said, dropping the folder after unlockin

ed a brow.

ed toward him. "You don

toward the door. "I just hope you

hut softly

n was alo

feel like sil

ng. Not loud. Not ag

mbeat building som

reflected his figure, sharp and motionles

les-about the second mate. The one fate delivered

never got a

er wan

care what men like Da

ever

ow of the city no longer bored him. It bur

neath it... she