Queen Of Wolves

Alpha Thorne

Chapter Three

The great hall was covered in pink decorations by the time I arrived. Pink ribbons hung between the pillars, and matching flowers decorated the tables.

Kael knew I hated pink...I preferred black and white, but apparently, my opinion hadn’t been necessary when he planned my birthday.

But from the delighted look on Jasmine's face, pink was definitely her color.

I pushed the thought aside and greeted the pack members who approached me. Whatever I felt about the decorations, I still had a duty to perform.

Lauretta joined me at the front of the hall for the birthday blessing. She prayed for the Moon Goddess to bless me with good health, wisdom, and many more years of life. I bowed my head with everyone else, wondering how many more years I would have to spend living the way others expected me to.

When the prayer ended, Kael stepped onto the podium.

“Today marks the anniversary of my father’s death, and it is also our Luna’s birthday,” he announced. “But we have another reason to celebrate. I would like you all to welcome Jasmine Danor, who will be joining my household as my concubine.”

The hall went silent.

Every eye turned toward me, waiting to see how I would react. I could feel Lauretta watching me too.

“Smile,” she whispered through her teeth.

I obeyed.

The pack began clapping, and Jasmine walked up to join Kael. He kissed her forehead and pulled her into a hug. She smiled against his chest before looking over his shoulder at me.

Then she winked at him.

My fingers tightened around my dress, but I kept smiling. My wolf howled in my head, sharing the pain I couldn’t show anyone.

Conceal. Don’t feel. Don’t let it show. Don’t prove them right, Aurora. Smile. Hide. Pretend. Smile.

I excused myself and left the hall before my expression could betray me.

“Aurora, wait!”

Lauretta caught up with me in the corridor.

“You shouldn’t have left like that. The pack is wondering what happened.”

“What happened?” I turned to her. “Kael announced another woman as his concubine on my birthday, in front of everyone. A concubine who had already gotten pregnant, by the way. I smiled through it, I tried...and you’re still telling me what I should have done differently.”

“You handled yourself well, but you must remember your responsibilities. Kael is the Alpha. He is a hot-blooded werewolf, and he has the right to make decisions about his household.”

“And I have no right to be hurt?”

“Don’t be selfish, Aurora.”

I stared at her like she had three heads. “I have never been allowed to be selfish. Everything has always been about my duties, my position, and this prophecy nobody will explain to me.”

“You are a woman, Aurora, and a carrier of something far more important than your personal feelings.”

“Of what? A curse? A prophecy I know nothing about? Is that why I should accept being treated like this? Do I deserve this, Lauretta?”

She fell silent.

“Go and rest,” she said eventually. “We have the Alpha’s banquet in two days, and we need to plan it together.”

She left before I could ask anything else.

I returned to my room and fell onto the bed without changing. I was exhausted, and sleep took me almost immediately.

A huge white Moon appeared before me, glowing against the darkness.

“Moonblessed,” a woman’s voice called.

I turned, searching for the speaker.

“Who are you?”

“See, Moonblessed. See.”

The Moon became clear as a mirror, revealing a reflection of me. I lifted my hand, and the figure did the same. Everything about her looked familiar until I noticed her hair.

It was pitch black.

I woke up gasping, my heart racing. I rushed to the bathroom and dropped to my knees as I vomited.

When I finally looked into the mirror, my white hair fell around my face as it always had.

I touched a strand, remembering the voice.

Moonblessed.

What did it mean?

The following morning, I met Lauretta to plan the Alpha’s banquet. We went through the guest list and seating arrangements before I brought up something that had been bothering me.

“Why did Kael stop me from attending combat practice?”

Lauretta looked up from the papers. “Because you are the Luna.”

“I can fight. I’ve trained for years. Why can’t I continue?”

“What happens if you get injured or die on the battlefield?”

“I’m not asking to lead an army. I only want to keep training.”

“And what happens if you end up saving Kael and his warriors in front of the other Alphas? Do you think he would appreciate being humiliated by his own wife?”

I shook my head. “So this is about his pride?”

“This is about your position. Don’t build your pride on the possibility of making your husband look weak.”

She picked up the seating chart and left me with the flower arrangements.

I had hoped becoming Luna would give me a voice in the decisions that mattered, but most days, I was limited to choosing decorations and making sure the table settings matched. I finished the arrangements before helping Lauretta welcome the visiting Alphas and escort them to their quarters.

Later that afternoon, I was walking through the corridor overlooking the courtyard when a voice stopped me.

“Your hair…”

I startled and stumbled backward. A tattooed hand caught my arm before I fell, then released me once I regained my balance.

“I’m sorry,” the man said.

I looked up into a pair of piercing grey eyes. He was tall and muscular, and his attention remained fixed on my hair.

“You could have announced yourself instead of sneaking up on me.”

His mouth curved slightly. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Who are you?”

“Thorne.”

“I’ve never heard of an Alpha Thorne.”

“That’s because you’ve been sheltered.”

I frowned at his ridiculously handsome face.

“You don’t know anything about me.”

“Don’t I?” His gaze returned to my hair. “Aurora Martinns, Luna of the Night Light Pack. I’ve always wondered what happened to Alpha Martinns’s daughter. And yet, here you were all along, hiding in plain sight.”

I stiffened. “What do you know about my father?”

“You’re quite curious.”

“And you’re avoiding my question.”

He smiled as though my irritation amused him. “Feisty too. Wonderful.”

I folded my arms. “If you have something to say, say it. Stop speaking in riddles.”

“I believe I’ll be seeing you at the banquet tomorrow, Aurora Martinns.”

“I doubt that. I’ll be busy making sure everything runs smoothly.”

“Your eyes say otherwise.”

I said nothing, and he stepped back.

“If you want to know the truth about your prophecy and your hair, find a way to attend.”

My heart skipped.

“Wait. What do you know about my prophecy?”

Thorne walked away without answering.

I guess I now had a reason to attend the banquet for myself.