The Alpha King’s Rejected Luna

CHAPTER4

The sky had bled into a deep indigo by the time I stepped out of the cabin again. My body still ached from the morning’s brutal training, but I pushed through it. Weakness had no place here, not if I wanted to survive.

Lucian stood in the clearing, his arms crossed as he watched me approach. The firelight from nearby torches flickered against his sharp features, casting shadows over his golden eyes. He looked like a predator waiting for its prey to make the first mistake.

“Ready?” he asked, his voice calm yet firm.

I gave a sharp nod, gripping the wooden staff he had given me earlier. My fingers were raw, blisters forming along my palms, but pain was something I had started to ignore.

Lucian didn’t waste time. He lunged, his movements precise, calculated. I barely managed to deflect the first strike before he spun, sweeping my legs out from under me. The ground rushed up to meet me, knocking the breath from my lungs.

“Too slow,” he muttered, standing over me.

I clenched my jaw and pushed myself up, gripping the staff tighter.

“Again.”

He smirked, but there was no amusement in his eyes. He attacked again, and again, and again. Each time, I forced myself to move faster, to anticipate, to endure. The air was thick with the sound of our weapons clashing, the sharp echo of wood against wood. Sweat dripped down my face, soaking through my clothes, but I refused to fall again.

Lucian’s expression shifted, just slightly. I was improving.

A sudden growl interrupted the rhythm of our training. My body stiffened. It wasn’t Lucian. It was deeper, more guttural, coming from the tree line.

Lucian immediately turned toward the sound, his stance shifting, his senses sharpening.

“Stay behind me,” he ordered.

The command sent a chill down my spine. Lucian never sounded afraid, but his voice was laced with something dangerous. Something serious.

I stepped closer to him, my heart hammering against my ribs. The darkness of the forest seemed to shift, shadows moving unnaturally. Then, a pair of glowing red eyes appeared in the distance. And another. And another.

Rogues.

My breath hitched. These weren’t like me. These were wild, feral wolves that had lost themselves to madness and hunger. They weren’t here to negotiate.

Lucian’s entire demeanor changed. He let out a deep, guttural growl, one that rumbled through the air like a warning. He was an Alpha, and he would fight like one.

But there were too many.

“Run” Lucian said suddenly.

“What?” I turned to him, panic rising.

“I said run!” His voice was sharp, unwavering. “Get back to the cabin and don’t come out until I say so.”

Everything inside me screamed to fight. I didn’t want to run. I didn’t want to leave him alone. But I wasn’t strong enough—not yet. And if I stayed, I would only be a liability.

I took a step back, my legs trembling, my instincts at war with my fear. The rogues were closing in, their eyes locked onto us, their bodies tense, ready to strike.

Lucian lunged first, meeting them head-on. A blur of motion. A snarl. A flash of teeth.

I turned and ran.

The night swallowed me whole, the sounds of battle ringing in my ears. But as I neared the cabin, something made me stop cold.

A familiar member of the Rogue stands in front of me, grinning in a way that's almost seductive, like he's been longing for me. My eyes quickly fall on his knuckles, where a red cross tattoo is inked.

The Redclaw Pack.

Once strong and proud, was wiped out and ambushed by Callum's pack, the Silvercrest. Now, they’ve become rogues, scattered and without a home. They were outnumbered by us before, left with nothing but the harsh reality of being alone and homeless. The sight of that tattoo reminds me of the pain and loss they’ve endured, now forced to wander without a place to belong.

"Well, well, well, look who’s here," he said, his deep voice sending a shiver down my spine.

Does he recognize me?

"The Silvercrest Luna, isn’t she?" He asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

He did recognize me. Are they here for revenge? B-but I’m not Callum’s Luna anymore.

In that instant, a wave of relief washed over me. It shouldn’t be me they’re after, not anymore. I’m no longer the Luna, and that thought gave me a sense of somehow comfort, knowing I’m no longer tied to the role that once made me a target.

“I’m not…. Alpha Callum’s Luna anymore…” I tried to be calm as I could. This wolf can rip me into pieces without any sweat.

“Woah” he laughed, the sound mocking.

"Come on, you were so loud and proud when your people attacked us, claiming the smallest territory we had. And now you’re denying it?" He kept laughing, as if he found it the funniest thing he’d ever heard.

“We didn’t attack you! Your wolves stole from us first!” I tried to defend myself, my voice sharp with frustration.

His eyes sharpened, a flash of anger crossing his face. The amusement in his expression vanished, replaced by a deadly intensity. His posture stiffened, his fists tightening at his sides, as if he were preparing to strike at any moment.

The air between us thickened, charged with tension, and I could feel the dangerous energy radiating off him, ready to explode. It was clear now—he wasn’t just angry; he was ready to attack.

Did I just triggered him?

Without warning, his body tensed, and in a split second, he lunged at me. The air crackled with tension, and before I could fully react, he emerged from the shadows, a sharp, jagged blade aimed at my side.

I managed to twist just enough for the blade to skim past my skin, leaving a shallow cut across my arm. The sting was sharp, but it was minor, a mere scrape compared to the danger they posed. I winced but didn’t let it slow me down. Panic surged, but I fought to stay focused.

In a blink of an eye, his members closed in quickly, surrounding me with menacing grins, their eyes hungry for a fight.

"Look who we have here……." The other one who had taunted me sneered, his voice dripping with malice.

"This is your reckoning. You are alone now, luna” He said.

I stumbled backward, trying to create distance, but there was no getting away. The only thing I could do now was fight back, even if I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold my ground.

Just as the Rogue lunged again, a voice cut through the tension like a blade.

"She's not alone."

A wave of relief surged through me as Lucian appeared, his figure a solid presence in the chaos. His tone was commanding, confident, and unmistakably fierce. He moved with a purpose, his eyes locking onto the Rogues with a dangerous calm.

The moment he stepped forward, the atmosphere shifted, and the Rogues hesitated, clearly recognizing the power behind his words.

Lucian’s eyes scanned the circle, assessing the situation in an instant. Without waiting for their response, he swiftly advanced, his movements precise and lethal. A Rogue who had been about to charge at me was knocked to the ground with a single, well-placed strike. The others recoiled, their arrogance faltering as Lucian made it clear that they were no longer the dominant force.

"Back off," Lucian growled, his voice low and menacing. "This isn't your fight anymore."

The Rogues exchanged glances, clearly weighing their options. Lucian was a force to be reckoned with, and they knew it. But they weren't giving up just yet. One of them, the one who had taunted me earlier, sneered and lunged at Lucian, thinking he could take him down.

But Lucian was faster.

In a blur of motion, Lucian ducked under the Rogue’s attack, spinning behind him and locking his arm around the Rogue's neck in a swift, fluid motion. With a sharp twist, the Rogue’s body went limp, crumpling to the ground in an instant.

The remaining Rogues hesitated, clearly outmatched. Lucian stood tall, unscathed and unwavering, as he turned to face me, his eyes softening for just a moment.

“Run.”

There was no hesitation in his tone, no time for questions. His words pulled me into action, and without a second thought, I turned and sprinted. My heart pounded in my chest, adrenaline coursing through me as I ran, desperate to escape the danger still lingering in the air. Even with the sting of blood seeping from the shallow cut on my arm, I pushed myself forward, my legs moving faster than I thought possible. The pain in my side was sharp, but I ignored it—my only focus was getting away.

But then I heard it, footsteps behind me, steady and strong. Lucian was right there, matching my pace. I could feel his presence, unwavering and protective, pushing me forward. His proximity was a lifeline, and I leaned into it, using it to fuel my run.

With every step, I could feel his determination, his strength beside me. No wonder he’s an Alpha. There was something about him, an undeniable presence that commanded respect. Even without saying a word, he had a way of making them fear him.

I glanced back, and there he was—Lucian, his eyes locked on me, the intensity in them not just from the fight but from something deeper, something undeniable.

Even with the blood staining my skin and the ache in my body, I realized then—I wasn’t alone.

And this time, I wasn’t running alone.