The Luna's Hidden Moon King

Chapter12: Bianca's Scheme

The whispers had unsettled Bianca more than she cared to admit. Every time she caught someone glancing at Brittany, her stomach twisted with envy and fear. She had spent years crafting her image with careful precision, shaping every smile, every gesture, every rumor.

Drew’s future Luna. The perfect daughter. The golden heir.

She had built her identity like a throne, piece by piece, and now Brittany’s sudden strength threatened to c***k the foundation beneath it.

Bianca paced her room that morning, her movements sharp and restless. Her friends sat on the edge of her bed, exchanging uneasy glances as she ranted.

“She thinks she’s special now,” Bianca snapped. “One moment of strength and everyone forgets who she really is.”

Her voice trembled with frustration. She hated that tremble. It made her feel exposed.

“We need to remind everyone who she is,” Bianca continued. “Before she gets ideas.”

Her friends nodded, though their eyes held uncertainty. Even they had seen Brittany’s display on the training grounds. Even they had felt the shift in the air.

Bianca ignored their hesitation. She needed control. She needed the pack to look at her the way they always had. She needed Drew’s attention fixed on her, not drifting toward the girl who had lived in the basement her entire life.

Her plan was simple: humiliate Brittany in front of the pack, crush the whispers of strength, and restore her own dominance.

By afternoon, Bianca had chosen her moment.

The training grounds buzzed with activity. Trainees sparred, instructors shouted commands, and pack members lingered along the edges, watching the drills. Brittany approached with a basket of towels, her steps quiet and steady.

Bianca stepped into her path. “Brittany,” she called, her voice loud enough to draw attention. “Come here.”

Brittany paused, her chest tightening. She could feel Bellatrix stirring, restless and alert. She walked forward slowly, aware of the eyes turning toward them.

Drew, Edward, and Henry lingered nearby, drawn by the tension. A crowd gathered quickly, sensing drama. Bianca thrived on moments like this. Brittany felt her pulse quicken.

Bianca crossed her arms, her expression sharp. “Tell me, basement rat,” she said, her voice dripping with contempt. “Do you think you’re strong now? Do you think you matter?”

Brittany’s breath caught. Heat surged inside her, rising from her chest to her throat. Bellatrix pressed against her ribs, impatient and fierce.

“I don’t want trouble, Bianca,” Brittany said quietly.

Bianca laughed, sharp and cruel. “Trouble? You’re nothing but trouble. You’re a stain on this pack. And I’ll make sure everyone remembers it.”

She shoved Brittany hard, expecting her to stumble, expecting her to fall, expecting the crowd to laugh.

But Brittany didn’t move. Her feet held firm. Her body stayed steady. The force of Bianca’s shove barely shifted her weight. Gasps rippled through the crowd, spreading like a shockwave.

Drew’s eyes narrowed. Edward shifted uneasily. Henry’s jaw tightened.

Bianca froze, her hand still outstretched. Her confidence faltered. She had expected Brittany to collapse, to give her the reaction she wanted.

Instead, Brittany stood tall, her expression calm, her breath steady. Inside, Bellatrix’s voice rang clear. ‘Do not bow. Do not break. You are mine.’ Brittany’s hands trembled, her breath ragged. She wanted to stay silent, to keep her secret hidden, but the wolf inside her was rising, clawing at the edges of her control. The warmth in her chest pulsed, spreading through her limbs.

Bianca stepped back, her eyes widening. “What… what was that?” she whispered, her voice cracking.

The crowd murmured. Brittany felt their attention like a weight pressing against her skin. She didn’t want this. She didn’t want their fear. She didn’t want their awe. She wanted to disappear, but Bellatrix refused to let her shrink.

‘Stand your ground.’ Bellatrix urged. ‘Strength is not shame.’

Bianca’s friends exchanged nervous glances. One of them tugged at Bianca’s sleeve, whispering something frantic. Bianca ignored her, though her face had gone pale.

“You think this changes anything?” Bianca snapped, her voice trembling. “You think one moment makes you important?”

Brittany didn’t answer. She held Bianca’s gaze, steady and unflinching. Something in her eyes made Bianca falter again.

Drew stepped closer, his expression unreadable. “Bianca,” he said quietly, “that’s enough.”

Bianca whipped toward him, her voice rising. “You’re taking her side?”

“I’m saying you should stop,” Drew replied, his tone calm but firm.

Bianca’s breath hitched. She looked between Drew and Brittany, her panic rising. The crowd watched her unravel, their expressions shifting from curiosity to discomfort.

Brittany felt the tension thicken. She wanted to walk away, but her legs refused to move. The warmth inside her pulsed again, stronger this time, almost humming beneath her skin.

Henry cleared his throat. “Maybe we should get back to training.”

Edward nodded. “Yeah. This isn’t… it’s not helping anything.”

Bianca’s face flushed with humiliation. She glared at Brittany, her voice shaking. “This isn’t over.”

She turned sharply and stormed away, her friends scrambling after her.

The crowd slowly dispersed, though many lingered long enough to steal one last glance at Brittany. Drew hesitated, his gaze lingering on her with a mixture of confusion and something deeper.

Brittany clutched the basket of towels, her hands trembling. She felt Bellatrix’s presence settle inside her, warm and steady.

‘The pack sees you now,’ Bellatrix whispered. ‘And they will not forget.’

Brittany swallowed hard, her pulse thundering in her ears. She didn’t know what tomorrow would bring, but she knew one thing with absolute certainty: that the wolf inside her was no longer silent. Brittany stood still long after the crowd dispersed, her breath uneven as she tried to steady the trembling in her hands. The training grounds felt different now. The air carried a strange tension, as if the earth itself had witnessed what happened and refused to let the moment fade. She clutched the basket tighter, grounding herself as Bellatrix’s presence settled inside her like a warm pulse. She turned to leave, but a few pack members lingered near the benches, whispering behind their hands. Their voices were low, yet every word reached her clearly. “She didn’t even move.” “Bianca shoved her hard.” “Did you see her eyes? They changed again.” “Something’s happening to her.”

Brittany lowered her head, her cheeks warming. She didn’t want their attention. She didn’t want their awe or their fear. She wanted to return to the basement, where the world felt quiet and predictable. But the pack wasn’t ready to let her fade back into the shadows.

As she walked toward the main building, a young trainee stepped into her path. He was the same boy she had protected days earlier. His shield hung awkwardly at his side, and his expression held a mixture of nervousness and admiration. “Are you alright?” he asked softly.

Brittany blinked, surprised by the question. No one had ever asked her that before. She nodded, unsure how to respond. The boy offered a small smile before hurrying away, leaving her standing in the middle of the path with a strange warmth blooming in her chest.

Bellatrix’s voice followed it. 'Strength draws eyes and kindness draws loyalty. Remember that.' Brittany swallowed hard and continued walking. She didn’t feel strong. She felt overwhelmed, confused, and terrified of what was happening inside her. Yet the warmth in her chest refused to fade.

Inside the pack house, the atmosphere was no calmer. Conversations halted when she entered. A few pack members straightened, pretending they hadn’t been staring. Others watched openly, curiosity bright in their eyes. Brittany kept her steps steady, though her pulse raced.

Near the dining hall, Bianca’s voice rose sharply. She stood with her friends, her posture rigid, her expression tight. She tried to laugh when Drew approached, but the sound cracked halfway through. Her eyes flicked toward Brittany with a sharpness that betrayed her panic.

“She’s trying to make me look weak,” Bianca said loudly, her voice trembling. “She’s manipulating everyone.”

Her friends exchanged uneasy glances. Even they seemed unsure whether to agree. Drew didn’t respond. His gaze drifted toward Brittany again, lingering with a mixture of confusion and something deeper.

Bianca noticed. Her face flushed with anger. She stepped closer to Drew, her voice rising. “Why are you looking at her? She’s nothing.”

Drew didn’t answer. He turned away, leaving Bianca standing alone with her frustration. Brittany felt a pang of sympathy, though she didn’t understand why. Bianca had tormented her for years, yet seeing her unravel felt unsettling.

Bellatrix’s voice whispered through her thoughts. 'Power reveals truth. Some rise. Some crumble.' Brittany carried the towels to the laundry room, her movements quiet and deliberate. She tried to focus on her tasks, but her mind kept drifting back to the confrontation. She replayed the moment Bianca shoved her, the shock in the crowd, the way her body had refused to fall. She didn’t understand how she had stayed upright. She didn’t understand the strength that surged through her.

She folded the towels slowly, her fingers brushing the fabric as she tried to calm her racing thoughts. The warmth inside her pulsed again, steady and insistent. It felt like moonlight woven into her bones, like something ancient stirring beneath her skin.

She whispered, “What’s happening to me?” Bellatrix answered with quiet certainty. 'Awakening. The moon does not choose lightly.'

Brittany closed her eyes, letting the words settle. She didn’t know what awakening meant. She didn’t know why the moon had chosen her. She didn’t know why her strength was rising now, after years of silence.

But she knew one thing. Bianca’s scheme had failed. The pack had seen her stand firm.

And the wolf inside her was no longer silent.

The shift had begun, and nothing would return to the way it was before.