The Rival Alpha's Chosen Luna

The Truth He Will Never Tell

Ryder's hand trembled as he held out the silver bracelet.

The tiny crescent moon charm shimmered beneath the funeral candles.

Elara stared at it in silence.

"I searched everywhere for this," she whispered.

Ryder let out a bitter laugh.

"You were never supposed to."

"I kept it."

Her heart tightened.

"You said you lost it."

"I lied."

"Why?"

"Because every time I looked at it..."

His voice cracked.

"...I remembered the future we were supposed to have."

Tears burned behind Elara's eyes.

"Then why did you reject me?"

The question echoed through the empty prayer hall.

For the first time...

Ryder had no escape.

He closed his eyes.

"When I was sixteen..."

"My father took me to meet someone."

Elara frowned.

"Who?"

"I don't know his name."

"I never saw his face."

"He wore a black cloak."

A chill ran down her spine.

"The same night..."

Ryder continued,

"...he showed us a prophecy."

He looked directly into her eyes.

"It said the Moon Heir would bring ruin to every pack."

Elara's breath caught.

"The Moon... Heir?"

"My father didn't believe him."

"So he refused."

"What happened next?"

Ryder's jaw tightened.

"Three days later..."

"My mother died."

Silence.

Elara's face paled.

"You told everyone she died from a fever."

"She didn't."

Ryder's eyes filled with pain.

"She was murdered."

The words hit like thunder.

"My father spent years pretending it was an illness."

"Because he was afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

Ryder swallowed hard.

"The man came back."

"He said..."

Ryder struggled to force out the next words.

"'When the Moon Heir awakens... reject her.'"

"'Or everyone you love will die.'"

Elara felt the room spinning.

"No..."

"I didn't want to."

"I fought him."

"I refused."

His fists clenched so tightly that blood dripped from his palms.

"Then they killed my mother."

"And this week..."

"They killed my father."

Tears rolled freely down his face.

"I thought..."

"If I rejected you..."

"They would leave you alone."

Elara could barely breathe.

"So all this time..."

"You hated me."

"I hated myself."

The silence that followed was almost unbearable.

Then...

A slow clap echoed through the prayer hall.

Both of them froze.

A voice drifted from the shadows.

"Beautiful."

"Truly beautiful."

Lucien stepped into the room instantly, his Alpha aura exploding through the hall.

"Show yourself!"

A hooded figure emerged between the stone pillars.

His face remained hidden beneath a dark cloak.

"You finally told her."

He laughed softly.

"How disappointing."

Ryder immediately moved in front of Elara.

"Stay back."

The stranger tilted his head.

"You still think you can protect her?"

"You couldn't even protect your parents."

Ryder growled.

The man looked at Elara.

"Poor child."

"You still don't understand."

"The rejection..."

His smile widened beneath the hood.

"...was only the first sacrifice."

Without warning...

He snapped his fingers.

A deafening explosion tore through the front gates of Silver Fang.

Screams filled the village.

War horns echoed across the mountains.

A terrified guard burst into the prayer hall.

"Alpha!"

"The rogue army..."

"They've breached the walls!"

Lucien's golden eyes narrowed.

But the hooded man wasn't looking at him.

His gaze remained fixed on Elara.

"This time..."

"We're not leaving without you."