The DNA test
Lucian POV
It was never an easy task. In the comfort room, I had to sneak away to meet Xavier. My heart was pounding as I entered. He stood beside the table with both hands resting on it, looking tense.
“I need the pack doctor's contact,” I said hurriedly. “I heard his return was delayed because Alpha Lucian went searching for Isabella. I need to speak with him before he arrives.”
Xavier stared at me for a moment.
“Are you trying to tell me that you've faked this pregnancy all along? It has all been a lie?”
“Please don't expose me,” I pleaded. “Just help me out. I promised you that I would hand the pack over to you one day. And I will always make myself available to you whenever you want.”
The moment I said those words, a smile appeared on his face. The shock in his eyes vanished and was replaced with satisfaction.
Without hesitation, he brought out his phone and gave me Doctor Diana's contact number.
I dialed immediately.
The call rang.
“Who am I speaking with?” Diana asked from the other end.
Xavier had already moved behind me. His hands slid around my waist possessively.
“This is Luna Sophia,” I said coldly.
The moment I mentioned the pregnancy, she became nervous.
“Listen to me carefully. Whatever you're doing, make sure that test result comes back positive. If it reads negative, I will kill you and every member of your family.”
I could practically feel her fear through the phone.
“My Luna, I'm sorry,” Diana replied nervously. “I have served this pack honestly for years. I can't lie to Alpha Lucian. Besides, the result clearly shows that you're not pregnant. I was about to send it to him.”
“You seem stubborn,” I replied. “I already forgave the way you treated me before I left, but this time if you dare expose me, I will do exactly as I promised.”
There was silence.
“Give me the phone,” Xavier demanded.
I handed it over.
“Listen here,” Xavier growled. “What the hell is wrong with you? Are you trying to disobey your Luna? Do exactly as she said and keep this a secret. If anyone finds out she's not pregnant, you'll answer me personally. And you know exactly how painful I can make your life.”
“X-Xavier...” Diana stammered.
“You have two minutes to rewrite that result and send it to Lucian,” Xavier ordered before ending the call.
“Deal done,” he said with satisfaction.
Just then, the sound of Alpha Lucian's vehicle echoed outside.
I quickly adjusted my clothes and composed myself as if nothing had happened.
A message suddenly appeared on my phone.
"I have done it."
It was from Doctor Diana.
Perfect.
I walked into the sitting room.
Lucian had already returned, and he looked furious.
“Go to Aiden's house and drag him here immediately,” Lucian ordered his Beta.
“Right away, Alpha,” Harrison replied before leaving with several guards.
I already knew what this was about.
The fake result had worked.
Lucian turned toward me.
“I am sorry for not trusting you, my Luna.”
He placed a hand gently on my shoulder.
From behind us, Xavier smirked.
“I knew Aiden was a liar from the very day I laid eyes on him,” Xavier added.
I acted as though I was still offended.
Then Lucian spoke again.
“Ask me for anything you want, and I will grant it to show how sorry I am.”
At first, I thought he was joking.
Then he repeated it.
“I am ready to do whatever you want.”
I slowly walked around the Alpha Chamber
before sitting confidently on the Luna's chair.
Lucian smiled.
“Is that what you want? To remain Luna? You have already sat on that chair. That makes you the rightful owner.”
I shook my head.
“Let's wait until Aiden arrives. Only then will I make my request.”
Everyone waited.
Not long afterward, Aiden was dragged into the chamber before the elders.
Lucian immediately stood and grabbed him by the throat.
“You old fraud! You lied to me. You claimed my Luna faked her pregnancy, yet the pack doctor has just confirmed that Sophia is truly carrying my child.”
“My Alpha,” Aiden struggled. “I am not lying. There must be a mistake somewhere.”
Xavier rose from his seat and forced the old seer onto his knees.
“I have despised you since the day I met you,” Xavier sneered.
“I swear upon my life that I have spoken nothing but the truth throughout my service to your father,” Aiden said. “Sophia has manipulated everyone.”
“You still refuse to admit your mistake?” I snapped as I approached him.
“Tell them the truth, Sophia,” Aiden said, pointing directly at me.
Before he could lower his hand, Lucian slapped him across the face.
“How dare you point at my mate like that? How dare you address her by name?”
Aiden slowly lifted his head.
“Perhaps it would be better if you killed me, Alpha Lucian. Then I won't live long enough to witness the disaster that will befall this pack because of your decision to stand beside Sophia. She is a manipulator.”
“Harrison,” Lucian called.
“My Alpha.”
“This man needs to be punished.”
“Severely punished,” Xavier added.
“Take him outside,” Lucian commanded.
“Tie him to the punishment pole and give him fifty strokes of the cane.
Then assign him hard labor. Afterward, he will return here and beg Sophia for forgiveness.”
That wasn't enough for me.
“Alpha Lucian.”
Lucian turned toward me.
“Yes, my Luna?”
“I am ready to make my request.”
“And what is your request?”
I glanced at Xavier.
Then at Lucian.
Then at the elders.
Finally, I fixed my eyes on Aiden.
“I want his head.”
The chamber instantly fell silent.
Even the elders exchanged nervous glances.
Lucian slowly leaned back in his chair.
“Is there a problem?” I asked.
“He deserves to die!” Xavier shouted. “Cut off his head!”
Lucian remained silent for several moments.
Then he nodded.
“You have asked for something difficult. But because he lied against you, I will grant your wish. His head shall be brought to you on a silver plate. The punishment for such betrayal is death.”
Aiden laughed bitterly.
“You may kill me if you wish, Alpha Lucian. But mark my words. The day my head falls, you will begin to lose everything—including your throne.”
“Are you threatening me?” Lucian asked coldly.
“I am warning you.”
Lucian's eyes darkened.
“My Luna requested only your head. But now your blood will soak the earth, and your body will be fed to the wolves.”
“I do not fear death, Alpha Lucian,” Aiden replied.
“Take this fool away and execute him immediately!” Lucian roared.
“My Alpha...” one of the elders suddenly spoke.
“What is it?”
The elder trembled.
“Spilling the blood of an innocent seer could bring great wrath upon the pack.”
“Are you taking his side?” Lucian growled. “You would rather believe a liar than the evidence before your eyes?”
He slammed the falsified test result onto the table.
“Let no one speak for me,” Aiden said firmly. “Since your Luna wants my head, she shall have it. Along with my blood.”
He turned toward the elders.
“You cast away the woman who sacrificed everything for this pack and crowned a serpent in her place. When the truth finally comes to light, Alpha Lucian, you will pray for the day you ordered my death. By then, the throne you sit upon, the pack you rule, and the trust of your people will already be slipping through your fingers.”
The chamber fell silent.
“Drag him out!” Lucian ordered.
The guards immediately seized Aiden and dragged him toward his execution.
Before leaving, Aiden never once begged.
Never once cried.
He walked with the dignity of a man who knew the truth.
Lucian then turned toward the elders.
“Let this serve as a warning. Anyone who lies against my Luna, insults her, or causes her pain will share Aiden's fate.”
The elders lowered their heads.
Lucian raised his Alpha ring.
“From this day forward, there shall be no seer in this pack. Only the priestess shall hold spiritual authority.”
With those words, he sealed the command.
Chapter seven
The return of alpha Lucian to his pack
With the crown outside the pack, I felt this was the way I would finally claim the full rights of a she-wolf. I decided to involve Xavier.
"Your brother has gone to find the one he thinks he is in love with. The one he believes deep inside is his true mate. Now the pack is left to you and me, and I suggest we gradually start building something better for ourselves."
Xavier looked into my eyes. He touched my shoulder and spoke softly.
"Sophia, reject my brother and have me. I promise I will make you my Luna."
Xavier became the only man standing by my side at that moment.
"It would be foolish if I rejected him now and faced the consequences. Alpha Lucian isn't just any Alpha; he is one of the strongest in this pack. If I am to hurt him as you said, I will have to sacrifice what truly matters to me."
"And what could that be?" he asked, his eyes filled with curiosity.
"My wolf," I answered.
He burst into laughter.
"Why are you laughing? Is there something wrong with what I said?"
"You and I both know your wolf isn't strong enough to keep Alpha Lucian, neither can it withstand mine. You're only making excuses."
"And mind you, Sophia, you had me in your bed. We shared our bodies. Don't think you can simply go back to my brother. I am not an Alpha you can play with."
"Xavier, what happened between us was nothing but the sharing of our bodies. We never made love."
"Don't dare deceive me, Sophia. As long as I've been inside your heart and your life, it is either you choose me or you lose even the title of Luna."
"Xavier, I didn't come into this pack for you. I came to claim what belongs to me. If you choose to see things differently, then we have nothing more to settle between us. I think it's best you go help your brother search for the prey he believes he can still reach."
"I have no business with my brother or whatever he is doing with Isabella. Since she refused me, I am fully ready to make sure she pays for everything she has done."
He stepped closer.
"Please, Sophia, don't say no to me. Don't deny everything you promised while you were moaning."
"I only made those promises to save myself. I never meant any of those words."
"Never, Sophia. You can't say that. Do you know how foolish that makes me look? Have you considered my pain?"
It sounded as though his whole life revolved around becoming Alpha.
"You already have the Alpha position, Xavier. But rejecting your brother now is something I won't do. I still love him."
"Then be ready to be exposed," Xavier threatened.
I wanted to know how serious he was.
"Xavier, I am here for you. Leaving you would be the worst mistake of my life. I gave you my body without you demanding much. Whatever you think of me, the truth is I am already in love with you."
A smile slowly spread across his face.
"Alpha Lucian has crossed the line. He has done himself more harm than good, and to be honest, he will come looking for me."
I stepped closer and rested my hands on his shoulders. The happiness in his eyes was impossible to hide.
"He may be the strongest Alpha, but I will destroy everything he has built. The Alpha position remains mine, and I will claim it completely."
The two of us walked around the pack, watching the injured members suffer. Neither of us showed any mercy. If anything, I wanted their pain to increase.
"Alpha Xavier... please help us," one of the pack members cried.
Another almost grabbed my legs.
"Be the true Luna with a kind heart... Luna Sophia."
The moment he called me that, anger burned inside me.
"Did you just insult me?" I asked coldly.
Fear immediately filled his eyes.
"No... I only reminded you of your position as Luna. Please help the pack. We are all dying."
"Guard," I called.
Just as I was about to order the guards to beat the man, Alpha Lucian walked in.
"Stop it, Sophia."
Hearing his voice, I turned around.
"No, Alpha Lucian. You can't ask me to step aside. Are you aware of what they just said?"
"There is nothing to be aware of. You are crossing the line, Sophia. These are my pack members, and you will not hurt them again."
"Really?" I asked.
"Yes. The pack deserves to be treated properly."
"When did you suddenly start caring about your pack members, Alpha Lucian?" Xavier asked.
Lucian stepped toward Xavier, his anger matching his brother's.
"From the day I learned the consequences of losing my Luna. That day I understood this pack deserves better."
Xavier stared at him without fear.
"Don't fool yourself, Lucian. It is written all over you that you've never truly cared about this pack. All you've ever cared about is yourself."
"I beg your pardon, Xavier. You're part of this pack too. I expected you to help search for the one who holds the answer to our problem. Instead, you're standing here."
"Lucian, I didn't reject her. You did. You looked into her eyes and rejected her yourself. Why are you dragging me into your problems?"
The argument quickly grew heated.
"You could have helped calm the situation."
"Really? Is that what you think? I'm no longer your Luna, Lucian. Let me make this clear. I am only your brother. You are the leader. Our late father handed this pack to you, not me. If you have something to do to save this pack, then do it. Don't involve me."
"You must have lost your mind, brother."
"No. I think I finally understand. You already have a Luna who claims she belongs to you."
"What do you mean? Was she telling the truth all along?"
"That has nothing to do with me. Whether she was telling the truth or not depends on her."
"You're unbelievable. To be honest, you drove the true Luna out of this pack."
The blame was now being placed on Xavier.
"You can call her the true Luna because the true Luna stands right here carrying your child. You have to accept that fact."
Lucian's expression changed. I could see the pain in his eyes.
I walked up to him and looked directly into his face.
"Why are you hurting yourself when you know I have always been here for you? You shouldn't be doing this to yourself, Alpha Lucian. I told you we could work this out. We would find a solution together. Yet you chose your so-called destined she-wolf over me.
You think Sophia is better than me?"
My jealousy was obvious.
"It isn't what you think."
Lucian pulled away from me and hurried back to his room.
"He isn't looking for a solution anymore," I muttered. "He's already missing his Luna. He's started missing Sophia, and I won't allow that to happen."
My heart beat even faster.
.