The Luna's Hidden Moon King

Chapter 14: The Pack Divides

The whispers had grown louder, no longer confined to corners or hushed voices. They clung to the air like fog, drifting through hallways, training grounds, and the dining hall. Brittany felt them everywhere she walked, brushing against her skin like invisible fingers. “She’s different.” “Did you feel it? That aura…” “No wolf has ever manifested like that before.”

Some spoke with awe. Others with fear. A few even lowered their eyes when she passed, instinct demanding respect. Brittany was no longer hidden; she was a mystery, a threat, a possibility.

She carried laundry through the main hall, her steps quiet, her gaze lowered. But even with her head down, she felt the weight of every stare. Conversations paused when she entered. Wolves straightened, unsure whether to acknowledge her or pretend they hadn’t noticed. Her heart thudded painfully. She didn’t want this attention. She didn’t want their fear. She didn’t want their awe. She wanted to return to the shadows, but the shadows no longer welcomed her.

Bianca’s laughter rang louder than ever, brittle and forced. She clung to Drew’s arm as if her grip alone could keep him from drifting away. She snapped at anyone who dared mention Brittany. “She’s a threat,” Bianca insisted. “She’s unstable and a freak.” But her words no longer carried weight. The pack had seen Brittany’s eyes blazing silver. They had felt the aura pressing against their skin. Bianca’s denial sounded hollow, desperate, like someone trying to hold back a tide with bare hands.

Her friends exchanged uneasy glances. Even they seemed unsure whether to agree. Brittany noticed the tremble in Bianca’s voice, the tightness in her posture, the panic flickering behind her eyes.

Bianca was unraveling. Drew’s silence was worse than Bianca’s noise. He watched Brittany often now, his gaze steady, unreadable. Once, Brittany caught his eye while he was across the training grounds. He didn’t look away. His expression held confusion, curiosity, and something deeper she couldn’t name. Edward and Henry were quieter too, their usual confidence shaken. They had mocked her for years, but now they exchanged uneasy glances whenever she appeared, unsure whether to laugh or fear her. Brittany felt their hesitation like a cold draft.

Inside, Bellatrix’s voice grew stronger, impatient. 'They see and feel you now. Do not hide… nor bow.' Brittany pressed her hands to her chest, whispering, “I don’t want to hurt anyone.” Her voice trembled, vulnerable, conflicted. ‘You were not born to hurt,’ Bellatrix answered. ‘You were born to lead.’ The words echoed inside her, terrifying and thrilling all at once. She had never imagined herself as anything more than the basement rat. But now, the pack was starting to divide. Bianca was unraveling. And Drew just watched. The pack’s mask was shattering, and every wolf was choosing a side.

And soon, nothing would hold Bellatrix back.

Later that morning, Brittany carried a basket of folded towels toward the training grounds. The sun hung low, casting long shadows across the field. Trainees sparred in pairs, instructors barked commands, and pack members lingered along the edges, watching the drills. But today, the atmosphere felt different.

Conversations halted when Brittany approached. Wolves straightened, their eyes following her with a mixture of caution and curiosity. A few stepped aside to give her space, though she hadn’t asked for it. She felt the shift like a pulse beneath her feet.

A young trainee, the same boy she had protected days earlier, approached her timidly. His shield hung awkwardly at his side, and his expression held a mixture of nervousness and admiration.

“Brittany,” he said softly. “Are you… alright?”

She 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 back to his group, 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. 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.

Across the field, Bianca stood with her friends, her posture rigid. She tried to laugh when someone spoke to her, but the sound cracked halfway through. Her gaze flicked toward Brittany with sharpness that betrayed her panic.

“She shouldn’t be here,” Bianca whispered loudly. “She’s just the basement rat.” Her group exchanged uneasy glances. Even they seemed unsure whether to agree.

Brittany didn’t linger. She moved past them, her breath tight, her chest warm with Bellatrix’s presence.

Drew stood near the sparring ring, watching her with an expression she couldn’t decipher. His gaze held questions she wasn’t ready to answer. He didn’t speak, nor did he look away.

Brittany’s pulse quickened. She hurried toward the laundry station, trying to steady her breathing. She didn’t know what Drew saw in her now. She didn’t know what the pack believed. She didn’t know what Bianca would do next. But one thing she did know was the pack was changing.

By midday, the tension had grown thick enough to taste. Wolves gathered in small clusters, whispering urgently. Brittany passed one group near the water station and caught fragments of their conversation. “She didn’t just glow,” one said. “It felt like pressure. Like the air changed.” “I heard Alpha Rowan is looking into it,” another replied. “He felt it too.” “Bianca’s furious. She thinks Brittany is trying to steal her place.” “Steal? She didn’t do anything.” “That’s the problem. She didn’t have to.”

Brittany’s breath caught. She stepped back into the shadows, her heart pounding. She didn’t want Alpha Rowan involved or his attention. She didn’t want anyone to look at her the way they had yesterday.

Bellatrix’s presence rose again, calm and unwavering. 'You cannot hide from truth. The moon has marked you. They will see it, whether you wish it or not.' Brittany swallowed hard and forced herself to keep moving. She needed to work. She needed to keep her head down. She needed to pretend everything was normal, even if her world had cracked open.

But normal was gone. Everywhere she walked, wolves stepped aside. Some lowered their eyes. Some stared openly. Some whispered her name like a warning. Others whispered it like a prayer.

The pack was dividing, and Brittany stood at the epicenter of the fracture.

A sharp clang echoed across the training grounds as two wolves collided in a sparring match, but even that sound couldn’t drown out the whispers. Brittany moved toward the supply shed, hoping to slip out of sight, but a pair of warriors stepped aside the moment they noticed her approaching. Their eyes followed her with a mixture of caution and something else, something like reverence.

She hated it. She wasn’t used to being seen. Not like this. Not with fear threaded through every glance.

As she rounded the corner, she caught sight of two older pack members speaking in low voices. They didn’t notice her at first.

“It wasn’t just power,” one murmured. “It felt… ancient.” “Alpha Rowan’s going to have to address it,” the other replied. “The pack’s already splitting.” “Bianca won’t survive this,” the first said. “She’s losing control.”

Brittany’s stomach twisted. She stepped back before they could see her, pressing a hand to the wall to steady herself. She didn’t want to be the reason the pack fractured. She didn’t want to be the center of anything.

Bellatrix rose within her, steady and unyielding. 'You cannot stop what has already begun.' Brittany closed her eyes; her breath faltered. The pack was separating, and she was the spark.

That evening, as the sun dipped behind the trees, Brittany carried blankets toward the storage room. The hallway was quiet, the air cool. She reached the doorway when she heard footsteps behind her. She gasped and looked over her shoulder. And there stood Drew, his expression unreadable. For a moment, neither of them spoke. The silence stretched between them, thick and heavy. Brittany felt her pulse quicken, her breath catching in her throat.

Drew stepped closer, his voice low. “Brittany… something is happening to you.” She swallowed hard. “I don’t know what it is.”

His gaze softened, just slightly. “But you’re not alone.”

Her breath quivered. She didn’t know what he meant, nor what he wanted. She didn’t know what she wanted.

Bellatrix whispered, 'The pack is shifting. He feels it too.' Brittany looked away, unable to hold his gaze. “I don’t want to hurt anyone.” “You didn’t,” Drew said quietly. “You protected yourself.” She didn’t answer. She couldn’t.

Drew hesitated before stepping back. “Be careful,” he murmured. “Things are changing.”

He walked away, leaving Brittany standing alone in the hallway, her heart pounding.

Bellatrix’s voice curled through her thoughts. 'The pack divides. The truth rises. And now, they look without illusion.'

Brittany pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the warmth pulse beneath her ribs. No masks...no pretending.

Every stare she met carried meaning now... sharp... assessing... unfiltered.

They saw her not the basement rat, nor the forgotten omega. They saw the wolf in her eyes.

And Brittany wasn’t sure whether that terrified her… or steadied her.