Rejected, Broken, and Reborn: The Luna's Revenge

Chapter 3

Damien hesitated for a moment before finally speaking. “The mating ceremony is already planned. Since you’re still recovering, you might have to…”

“Find someone to stand in for me so the Silvercrest Pack doesn’t lose face,” I cut in, already knowing what he was getting at.

Rather than waiting for him to put me in a weaker position, I took control. At least this way, I could keep some dignity.

His golden eyes flickered with something unreadable before he masked it with a sigh. “You don’t have to say it like that, Selene. The pack needs a Luna, and with your condition…”

I let out a humorless chuckle. “My condition? You mean the injuries from the accident? Or the fact that I can’t shift anymore?”

He looked away, not answering. That was answer enough.

Then my phone buzzed.

Damien’s ears twitched as he caught the sound. His gaze flickered to the screen, and his brows furrowed. “Selene, what documents did you cancel?”

I quickly deleted the message and kept my voice steady. “Nothing important. Just some old pack records. I updated them online.”

He didn’t question it, just pulled me closer, his voice full of concern. “You’re still recovering. If you need anything, just tell me. I’ll handle it for you.”

I looked up at him and smiled. “Damien, I want to be discharged.”

His expression darkened instantly. “No. You’re not fully healed yet. I can’t agree to that.”

I tugged on his arm, forcing my voice to be light and playful. “Didn’t you say we should adopt a pup? There’s a caretaker at home, I’ll be fine. I just want to visit the orphaned pups at the sanctuary and look around, okay?”

In five years, this was the first time I had ever acted sweet with him.

Damien hesitated, then gave in. On the way, he reached into the backseat and pulled out a bag of wrapped treats, placing them in front of me one by one.

“I got these just for you,” he said, but then I noticed the packaging—soft biscuits and honeyed treats, things that young pups would love.

I closed the bag, tossed it aside, and leaned back. “My stomach feels off,” I muttered, shutting my eyes.

This five-year lie had gone on long enough. It was time to end it.

As soon as we stepped into the sanctuary, I sat in a wheelchair, playing the role of the fragile Luna-to-be. A little girl with silver-streaked hair came bounding over, her scent warm with familiarity. She threw her arms around Damien’s legs, clinging to him like she had known him forever.

“Dad!” she called out excitedly.

Damien stiffened. His expression changed for a split second before he quickly composed himself. Worried I might get suspicious, he rushed to explain. “Don’t get the wrong idea. I sponsor this sanctuary and have visited a few times. She’s just a pup who started calling me that.”

I inhaled sharply, taking in the girl’s scent again. There it was—his scent, mingled with hers in a way that only blood ties could explain.

She wasn’t just some orphaned pup.

She was his.

Three Years Later…

A week before our mating ceremony, I overheard Damien speaking with his Beta. "Alpha, there are other ways to claim control over the Silvercrest pack. Is marrying Selene really necessary? If she finds out the truth, it could be dangerous." Damien exhaled sharply. "This is the only way to make her lower her guard.

Florence deserves to rightfully inherit the Silvercrest name. If I have to involve myself, so be it. For her, I will do anything." My breath hitched.

The salvation I had clung to—the mate bond I had convinced myself was real—was nothing but a carefully laid trap.

I pressed myself against the wall, my wolf trembling in rage and betrayal. Damien’s voice was calm, almost affectionate. "Luna Eleanor won’t last much longer. Selene will insist on having her at the ceremony, but once she’s gone, the Silvercrest pack will be weak. She will have no choice but to rely on me. That’s when I will strike." The Beta hesitated.

"Are you sure about this, Alpha? Florence is just an omega-born bastard. Isn’t this too cruel to Selene? Over the past three years, she has fallen for you." Damien’s voice turned cold. "Do not call her a bastard again. Florence is the rightful second daughter of the Silvercrest family. And Selene…"

He let out a sigh, as if I were nothing more than a burden. "Marrying her is a form of compensation. Even when the Silvercrest pack falls, she will still have me. Her life won’t be difficult." The Beta still looked uneasy. "Your brother—" "

Arthur always loved competing with me. Now that Florence has chosen him, I will make sure their future is secure. As for me… I don’t matter." My claws dug into my palms.

The bond between us, the years we had spent together, had all been a lie. The lawyer sighed. "I’ll finalize the agreement. Just… make sure you won’t regret this." "Oh, and delete the video from the funeral three years ago," Damien added as an afterthought. "Selene can never find out it wasn’t Arthur who leaked it."

My heart turned to ice. The video that ruined my life—the betrayal I had blamed Arthur for—hadn’t been his doing.

It was Damien’s. The man who swore to protect me, to stand by my side, had orchestrated it all. He had never been my savior. He had been the executioner, waiting for the right moment to deliver the final blow.

The footsteps in the hall grew louder. I swallowed my panic and hurried back to my room. The hot tea I had been carrying spilled onto my hands, but I barely felt the burn. I had spent the last three years believing in a mate bond that never existed. I had trusted him with my pack, my mother’s dying wish, my heart. I had been a fool.

The sound of a door clicking shut signaled the lawyer’s departure. A moment later, Damien entered. His scent, laced with the faint bitterness of alcohol, filled the space. He found me standing by the door, his golden eyes softening. "Why are you just standing there?"

I forced a smile, masking the rage boiling beneath my skin. "I was bringing you tea, but I spilled it." He stepped forward, cupping my face with warm hands, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "You’re too good to me." I closed my eyes, suppressing the urge to rip him apart. Soon, Damien. Very soon, I would return the favor.