The Alpha Surrogate Luna

The Shadow Of The Royal Pack

Gloria’s POV

I gathered my few belongings into a small cloth bundle, standing near the tall arched window as the first pale light of morning broke over the horizon. The quiet humming of William’s luxury car idle in the cobblestone driveway below signaled that it was time to leave my past behind completely. I took one last look around the quiet guest room, adjusted the collar of my coat, and turned toward the door with a steady heart.

I walked down the grand mahogany staircase of his private executive suite, where William stood waiting near the front doors, his tailored dark coat buttoned up high to his chin. He looked every bit the formidable Alpha, his golden eyes sweeping over me with a quiet, reassuring presence as he opened the heavy door for me.

"Are you ready, Gloria?" he asked, his deep voice cutting softly through the crisp morning air.

"I am ready," I replied, taking a firm, grounding breath and stepping past him toward the waiting vehicle.

The ride toward the pack lands was silent, but it was a comfortable silence. William kept his eyes on the winding road ahead, though his presence alone seemed to push away the lingering nightmares of the past three weeks. As the cityscape faded into dense, ancient pine forests, the sheer scale of his domain began to reveal itself.

The massive iron gates of the Menaka Royal Pack swung open with a heavy, metallic groan, and my stomach twisted into knots as William’s private car glided smoothly into the grand courtyard. I looked out the tinted window at the towering stone arches, the gleaming white marble pillars, and the vast courtyard filled with high-ranking pack members, heavily armed guards, and busy palace servants.

William parked the vehicle right in front of the palace's central entrance steps. He stepped out first, walking around to my side to open the heavy car door for me with effortless politeness.

When William stepped out and offered me his hand, escorting me personally past bowing guards and wide-eyed servants, shocked whispers spread like wildfire through the halls; without knowing about our secret surrogacy deal, the entire palace assumed I am the reclusive Supreme Alpha's newly chosen woman and future Luna.

"Is that not the Sorensen girl?" a highborn lady whispered loudly to her companion, her eyes wide with visible shock behind her ornate lace fan. "The one whose family was stripped of their titles and banished three weeks ago?"

"Why is Supreme Alpha William holding her hand in public?" another noble lord muttered, nervously adjusting his silk collar in sheer disbelief. "She was cast out of the capital in total disgrace! What is she doing beside him?"

I kept my head held high and walked directly by his side, drawing strength from his calm, steady presence while sensing the hidden danger watching us from every single corner of the courtyard. I tightened my grip slightly on his warm hand, stubbornly refusing to look down at the stone floor or give the staring court members any satisfaction.

"Ignore the noise, Gloria," William murmured quietly, his head turned slightly toward me as we ascended the grand marble staircase together. "They speak because they do not know their place, and they do not know the truth."

"I am used to their stares by now, William," I replied softly, keeping my posture straight, my shoulders squared, and my jaw set in cold defiance. "Their harsh words cannot hurt me anymore."

We passed through the massive double doors of the inner palace, entering the vast central corridor lined with polished suits of armor and velvet banners bearing the proud crest of the royal pack. Servants bowed low to the floor as William walked past, though their curious, wide eyes remained glued to my face as I walked beside their leader.

"Your quarters have been prepared in the private wing," William explained as we navigated the grand hallways, his voice remaining smooth and authoritative. "It is the most secure section of the palace. No one enters without my direct permission."

"I appreciate that," I said, looking at the intricate stone carvings along the walls. "I do not think the rest of your pack is going to welcome me with open arms."

"They do not need to welcome you," William said firmly, his eyes scanning the corridor ahead. "They only need to respect my authority. So long as you are by my side, no one in this territory will dare to touch a hair on your head."

We climbed the grand private staircase leading toward the highest tower of the estate, moving far away from the noisy main hall below. The upper corridor was lined with dark oak paneling and heavy iron sconces holding soft, flickering torches that cast long shadows against the wall.

We stopped right in front of his private suite, but before the doors could open, a loud, arrogant voice shouted down the hall: "Father?! What is this disgraced woman doing in your private wing?!"

My blood turned to ice as I turned around and locked eyes with Julian—my treacherous ex-boyfriend—and the horrifying truth hit me that the powerful Supreme Alpha carrying my trust... is Julian’s father, while right beside me, William quietly adjusted his collar to hide the dark, silver-tinted veins slowly creeping toward his heart.