His Broken Luna

Chapter 10: The Gathering Storm

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Three days passed.

Three days of silence, of stolen glances, of tension so thick it felt like a living thing. Selene didn't confront me again. She didn't need to. Her presence alone was a threat, a constant reminder that I was walking on borrowed ground.

But I wasn't the same woman who had left this pack five years ago.

I watched her now. I studied her. I memorized the way she moved through the halls like a queen surveying her kingdom. I noticed the way she spoke to the pack members—sweet and soft when others were watching, cold and cutting when they weren't. I saw the cracks in her perfect mask.

And I waited.

Maeve visited me every evening. She brought news from the pack, whispered in quiet tones while Aria slept in the next room. She told me that Selene had grown more agitated, more paranoid. She was snapping at the servants, arguing with Kade behind closed doors, disappearing for hours without explanation.

"She knows something is shifting," Maeve said one night, her old eyes dark with worry. "And a cornered animal is the most dangerous kind."

I nodded, my hands wrapped around a cold cup of tea. "What about Kade? Has he noticed anything?"

"He's been... distant. Distracted. He watches the door every time it opens, like he's waiting for someone."

I didn't ask who.

I already knew.

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The first real sign of trouble came on the fourth day.

Aria and I were in the garden, sitting on the grass and making flower crowns. It was a simple thing, a small moment of peace in the middle of so much chaos. Aria giggled as I placed a crown of white flowers on her head.

"You look like a little princess," I said, smiling.

She beamed. "A wolf princess!"

I laughed softly. "Yes, baby. A wolf princess."

The moment was perfect.

And then it shattered.

I heard her before I saw her—the sharp click of heels on stone, the rustle of expensive fabric. Selene emerged from the shadows of the packhouse, her expression cold and calculating.

"How sweet," she said, her voice dripping with false warmth. "A little mother-daughter moment."

I stood slowly, positioning myself between her and Aria. "What do you want, Selene?"

She smiled. "I just came to deliver a message. From the pack elders."

My blood ran cold. "What message?"

She stepped closer, her dark eyes glittering. "The elders are concerned about the girl's presence here. A child of Alpha blood, raised outside the pack, with no formal training or proper introduction. They find it... disruptive."

I felt my wolf stir, a growl building in my chest. "She's five years old."

"Exactly," Selene said. "Too young to understand pack law. Too young to know her place. The elders think it would be best if she were... relocated. Just for a while. Until things settle down."

I stared at her, fury burning in my veins. "Relocated? You mean sent away."

"Think of it as a temporary arrangement. For her own safety."

I stepped forward, closing the distance between us. "Let me make something very clear, Selene. My daughter is not going anywhere. Not now, not ever. And if you or the elders try to take her from me, I will burn this pack to the ground before I let that happen."

Selene's smile didn't waver. "Such passion. It's almost admirable. But you're not a Luna anymore, Layla. You have no power here. No authority. You're just a guest—and guests can be asked to leave at any time."

"Then ask me," I challenged. "Ask me to leave and see what happens."

The air between us crackled with tension.

But before Selene could respond, a voice cut through the silence.

"That's enough."

Kade stood at the entrance to the garden, his expression hard as stone. His grey eyes flicked between us, and I saw something dangerous flash behind them.

Selene turned, her face instantly transforming into a mask of concern. "Alpha, I was just—"

"I heard what you were doing," he cut her off. "And I'll say this once. Aria is my daughter. My blood. She stays. Anyone who tries to challenge that will answer to me."

Selene's face went pale. "Kade, the elders—"

"The elders answer to me," he said, his voice low and cold. "Not the other way around. Now leave."

She stared at him for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then she lowered her head in a show of submission that didn't reach her eyes.

"Of course, Alpha," she murmured. "Forgive me."

She turned and walked away, but not before shooting me a look that promised retribution.

---

Kade waited until she was gone before turning to me.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice softer now.

I nodded, my heart still pounding. "She wants Aria gone."

"I know."

"Why is she so threatened by a five-year-old?"

Kade ran a hand through his hair, his expression troubled. "Because Aria is my heir. And Selene has no child of her own. Without an heir, her position is fragile. But if Aria is recognized as my legitimate daughter..."

"Then Selene's hold on the pack weakens," I finished.

He nodded. "She's desperate. And desperate people do terrible things."

I looked at him, searching his face. "What are you going to do?"

He met my gaze, and for the first time in a long time, I saw something like resolve. "Whatever it takes to protect her. And you."

The words should have comforted me.

But all I felt was fear.

Because I knew Selene wasn't finished.

This was just the beginning.

---

That night, I couldn't sleep.

I sat by the window, watching the trees sway in the wind. Aria was curled up in bed, her small chest rising and falling with each peaceful breath. She had no idea how much danger we were in. No idea that the world I had brought her back to was full of wolves who would tear her apart if given the chance.

A soft knock at the door made me tense.

I crossed the room quietly and peered through the small crack. Maeve stood outside, her face pale in the moonlight.

I opened the door.

"What is it?" I whispered.

She held up a small piece of paper. "I found this in Selene's chambers. I think you need to see it."

I took the paper and unfolded it carefully. The handwriting was elegant but sharp, the kind of writing that belonged to someone who was used to getting what they wanted.

*"The child is a problem. Deal with her before the next full moon. If you fail, I will."*

There was no signature.

But I didn't need one.

I knew exactly who had written it.

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### End of Chapter 10