The Alpha Luna’s True Mate

Brothers or Rivals

Elira

The noise of the crowd was deafening, but it felt miles away from me. We arrived at the central plaza for the commissioning of the new royal building, and the atmosphere was thick with tension.

Leon climbed out of the car first, ignoring my hand. He turned right back around to offer his arm to Nyra, who stepped out looking radiant in a shimmering pale blue gown.

I had to pull myself out of the vehicle alone, smoothing down my white silk dress. The whispers started the moment my feet hit the paved ground.

"Look at her," a woman in the front row murmured, her voice carrying easily through the crowd. "That is the queen. The poor thing."

"Did you hear?" another werewolf whispered back. "The king found his true fated mate. The omega queen is already being replaced."

I kept my chin up, but those pitying glances felt like needles piercing through my skin. It was almost worse than open hatred.

The werewolves packed into the plaza were completely charmed by Nyra within minutes. She waved to the kids, flashed her perfect white teeth, and did everything well.

A building hopelessness started consuming me, dragging me down into a dark place inside my own head. I was the Astral Luna, the one chosen by the Moon Goddess, but right now I felt like a ghost haunting my own life.

We walked up to the stage for the official ribbon cutting ceremony, and I automatically took my place right beside Leon. It was where I belonged as queen.

Leon glanced down at me, his eyes narrowing into a harsh, displeased glare.

"Move," Leon muttered under his breath, his voice cutting like a knife. "Nyra needs to stand beside me for the photos."

I froze, my heart stopping in my chest. "Leon, this is a state event. I am your wife."

"I do not care," Leon snapped, his tone cold and unyielding. "Get back, Elira. Now."

He grabbed Nyra's hand and pulled her into my spot, leaving me standing completely stranded in front of the entire kingdom.

I felt the burning heat of embarrassment rush into my cheeks as I walked over to the side. I had to stand awkwardly beside Lord Marcus, one of the council members who openly despised me.

"Oh, Leon, you really did not need to do that," Nyra whispered loudly, looking back at me with wide, apologetic eyes. "Elira, I am so sorry. I told him he to let you stay."

She played the victim so perfectly, making herself look like an innocent angel who just couldn't help being loved.

"Do not apologize to her, Nyra," Leon said, his voice loud enough for the nearby nobles to hear. "You are my mate. You belong at my side."

Lord Marcus let out a quiet scoff next to me, and I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. I forced myself to stare straight ahead, counting the seconds until this public humiliation was over.

During the indoor reception, things got even more complicated. The seating chart was fixed by royal protocol, so I was placed directly beside Leon at the main table.

It was a small victory, but it didn't change a single thing. Nyra didn't care about the seating chart at all.

She hung around Leon's chair the entire time, leaning over his shoulder to whisper things in his ear. She laughed at his jokes, her hand resting heavily on his shoulder while her cup of red wine dangled dangerously low in her grasp.

I kept my focus on my plate, cutting a piece of chicken into tiny, perfect squares.

"You look so beautiful tonight, Elira," Nyra said suddenly, leaning over the table toward me. "That white gown is just stunning."

"Thank you," I said, keeping my voice short and tight.

"Oops!" Nyra shrieked.

Before I could move, her wrist tilted, and the entire contents of her wine glass poured directly onto my white gown. The dark red liquid soaked straight through the silk, spreading across my lap like a bloody stain.

"Oh my goddess! I am so sorry!" Nyra cried, dropping the empty glass as she reached for some napkins. "My foot just slipped on the rug!"

She looked horrified, but I caught the look that flashed through her eyes just before she masked it. It was a brief, sharp gleam of pure satisfaction.

"It’s fine," I said, my voice shaking with a mixture of rage and humiliation. "Excuse me. I need to wash this out."

I pushed my chair back, standing up with the wet fabric clinging to my skin. Leon didn't even look up from his conversation with a duke.

I walked out of the banquet hall, heading toward the grand stone staircase to find a private restroom. I washed the stain as best as I could, but the dress was already ruined.

I took a deep breath, looking at my reflection in the mirror as I decided right then that I wasn't going to let Nyra win this twisted game.

I was going to make sure she didn't think she could just push me away from my position without a fight. I was the queen, and I needed to start acting like it.

I left the restroom and walked back toward the grand staircase, intending to rejoin the others in the reception below.

The hallway was quiet, the muffled sound of music drifting up from the lower floor. I reached the top step and started to wall down.

Suddenly, a hard, violent force slammed directly into my shoulder blades. Somebody shoved me from behind.

My foot missed the step completely, and my body fell forward into the empty air. I didn't even have time to scream as the stairs rushed up to meet me.

Before I could hit the hard stone floor, a pair of strong, muscular arms wrapped around my waist, catching me mid air.

The impact knocked the wind out of me, but I was safe. I was held tightly against a broad, solid chest that smelled of ash and dark cedar. A chest that I wanted to snuggle into and never come out of. A chest that made my wolf purr in my head with satisfaction.

I looked up, my heart racing wildly as I met a pair of intense golden eyes. It was Ares.

He had come along to the event as the king and queen's personal shield, watching the perimeter from the shadows.

"Are you alright?" Ares asked, his voice low and raspy as he held me flat against his chest. "Did you break anything?"

"I... I’m okay," I stammered, my hands automatically gripping his leather jacket. "Someone pushed me."

A sharp scream echoed from the top of the stairs, breaking the heavy silence between us.

Nyra was standing there, her hands shaking violently as she pressed them against her mouth.

"Oh my goddess, Elira!" Nyra sobbed, tears instantly streaming down her face. "I slipped on the marble! I didn't mean to bump into you!"

The noise brought Leon rushing out of the banquet hall, his guards following closely behind him.

"What happened here?" Leon demanded, his eyes scanning the scene.

"Leon!" Nyra cried, running down the first few steps and throwing herself straight into his arms. "I tripped! I think I twisted my ankle, and I accidentally bumped into Elira!"

Leon immediately wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off her feet as he inspected her ankle. He abandoned me, not casting a single glance in my direction to see if I was injured even though he clearly heard that I was just pushed off a flight of stairs.

"Take it easy, Nyra," Leon murmured, his voice full of deep concern. "I have you. You are safe."

Ares slowly set me down on my feet, but his hand stayed firmly on the small of my back, supporting my weight. His body was tense, radiating a dangerous, quiet anger.

The event was cut short after that, and the ride back to the palace was silent.

As soon as we returned, Leon called an emergency meeting in the throne room with the high ranking warriors. These were the men tasked with investigating the previous assassination attempt on my life.

"Give us the report," Leon said, sitting back on his throne while Nyra sat on a small velvet stool beside him.

The head warrior bowed his head, looking nervously between Leon and Ares, who stood near the doors.

"Your Majesty, we conducted a thorough sweep of the perimeter," the warrior explained. "There is no proof that anybody broke into the palace the night the queen was attacked."

"What do you mean no proof?" I asked, stepping forward. "I was cornered by three armed men. They had silver daggers."

"The security cameras showed nothing but static during those minutes, Your Majesty," the warrior replied, keeping his eyes on the floor. "We found no blood, no foreign scents, and no signs of forced entry. It is possible the queen was just stressed and imagined the severity of the situation."

"Imagined it?" My voice shook with pure disbelief. "I almost died!"

"Well, that settles it then," Leon said, waving his hand dismissively as if the whole thing were a minor inconvenience. "If there is no proof, it was likely a security glitch. We will brush it under the carpet. We cannot have the public panicking over nothing."

"Are you out of your mind?" Ares growled, stepping out of the shadows.

The entire room went dead silent as Ares walked toward the center of the floor, his heavy boots echoing against the stone.

"Ares," Leon said, his eyes darkening with jealousy as he looked at his half brother. "The guard found nothing. The matter is closed."

"The matter isn't closed until I say it is," Ares snapped back, his voice dangerously low. "I was the one who killed those men. I saw their bodies before your clean up crew moved them."

"Ares, do not push your luck," Leon warned, tightening his grip on the armrest of his throne.

"I am not pushing anything," Ares said, tilting his head as he stared down the king. "If your royal guard is too incompetent to find the truth, I will do the investigation myself."

He turned around and walked out of the room, slamming the heavy double doors behind him.