I remembered this scene all too well. In my previous life, I had walked into this and had insisted that she leave or I do. Rowan told me plainly that she wasn’t going anywhere and in a fit, I stormed out of his office boiling with anger.
Meetings after meetings, afterwards, I would walk out because Amara was there. The fact that I had been so jealous of her without thinking that she and Rowan could have taken things a step further.
But this time around, I was not going to make things easy. The more I interfere with Amara… the less likely her chances are to woo Rowan.
Forcing a smile, I took my seat. “Of course not. We’re grateful for any assistance you can provide".
Marcus arrived moments later, his brow furrowing slightly at Amara’s presence. Good, I thought. At least he was as unsettled by the arrangement as I was. This had not happened in my previous life though.
As the meeting progressed, I found myself constantly on guard. Every time Amara spoke, offering suggestions on pack defence or resource allocation, I noticed how tender her voice would sound and how Rowan’s face would beam with pride.
“Perhaps,” Amara said at one point, her voice honey-sweet. “We should consider reaching out to the Shadow Claw pack of an alliance. I’ve heard whispers of unrest in the northern territories".
My eyes narrowed. How convenient that Amara would have such specific information. “The Golden Claws have been our rivals for generations,” I countered “We need to be careful not to seem weak to them".
“Rowan frowned. “Freya’s right. We can’t risk appearing vulnerable, especially now".
A flicker of annoyance crossed Amara’s face, quickly masked. But I caught it. It was a small victory but it meant a lot to me.
As the meeting ended, Rowan cleared his throat. “There’s one more matter to discuss. But I’d like to speak with Amara about it privately first. Marcus, wait outside. I’ll call you back in shortly".
My heart clenched. “And me?” I asked, fighting to keep my voice steady.
Rowan’s gaze slid past me, already focused on Amara. “That will be all for now, Luna. Thank you".
The dismissal stung like a physical blow. In my past life, I had fumed and stalked out of the office to lick my wounds in private. But not this time.