The Rival Alpha's Chosen Luna

The Alpha Who Came Too Late

The scout's words echoed through the balcony.

"...Alpha Ryder has crossed into Blood Moon territory."

Elara's fingers tightened around the warm cup in her hands.

For a long moment, she couldn't speak.

Ryder...

He had come.

But why?

Lucien remained perfectly still, his expression unreadable.

"Where is he?"

"At the Eastern Gate, Alpha."

"And?"

"He refuses to leave."

The scout hesitated before adding,

"He says he'll wait... as long as it takes."

Lucien dismissed the scout with a nod.

The young warrior bowed and hurried away.

Silence settled between them.

Elara stared into the darkness beyond the castle walls.

"I don't understand."

Lucien looked at her.

"What don't you understand?"

"He rejected me."

Her voice trembled despite her efforts to stay calm.

"He looked me in the eyes and told everyone I wasn't worthy of being his Luna."

She swallowed hard.

"So... why is he here now?"

Lucien's gaze drifted toward the distant forest.

"Because men often realize the value of something only after they've lost it."

His words lingered in the night air.

Elara lowered her eyes.

"I don't want to see him."

Lucien nodded once.

"Then you won't."

At the Eastern Gate...

Ryder stood alone beneath the towering stone walls of Blood Moon Castle.

Rain soaked his dark cloak.

His warriors had begged him not to come.

His father had ordered him to stay.

He had ignored them all.

A pair of massive iron gates separated him from the woman who haunted every waking thought.

His wolf paced restlessly inside him.

Mate...

It had been repeating the same word for two days.

Louder.

More desperate.

Every hour the bond grew stronger.

Every hour the pain became worse.

A Blood Moon guard stepped onto the wall.

"Our Alpha has heard your request."

Ryder straightened.

"And?"

"The answer is no."

Ryder's jaw tightened.

"I only want five minutes."

"No."

"I need to speak to Elara."

"Our Alpha said no."

Ryder's Alpha aura flared.

"I wasn't asking."

The guard didn't even flinch.

"Neither was he."

The gates remained firmly shut.

Inside the castle...

Elara wandered through endless corridors lined with portraits of former Blood Moon Alphas.

Each painting carried the same proud silver wolf crest.

She stopped before one portrait.

A beautiful woman stood beside a towering Alpha.

Unlike the others, she wasn't smiling.

Instead...

She looked as though she were waiting for someone.

A quiet voice spoke behind her.

"That was Luna Selene."

Elara turned.

It was Mother Agnes.

"The greatest Luna Blood Moon ever had."

"She looks..."

"Lonely?"

Elara nodded.

Mother Agnes smiled sadly.

"She spent her whole life protecting others."

"What happened to her?"

"No one truly knows."

Before Elara could ask another question, Mother Agnes gently touched the moonstone pendant around Elara's neck.

Her smile faded.

"You have her eyes."

Elara frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Mother Agnes quickly withdrew her hand.

"Forgive an old woman."

"I've said too much."

She turned and walked away before Elara could stop her.

Far below the castle...

Hidden beneath the mountain...

Lucien descended a spiral staircase carrying an ancient iron key.

At the bottom stood a massive stone door covered in silver runes.

Only one sentence had been carved into the rock.

DO NOT BREAK THE FINAL SEAL.

Lucien rested his forehead against the cold stone.

"I found her."

Silence answered him.

His golden eyes slowly closed.

"I don't know how much longer I can keep the truth from her."

A low rumble echoed from the other side of the sealed door.

Then...

A deep, ancient voice whispered through the cracks.

"You have less time than you think..."

Lucien's eyes snapped open.

The voice continued.

"They know..."

"...the Moon Heir has awakened."