Two Mates, One Heart

The wolf throne and the heart of the exile

-third person:

The crowd stood and applauded with enthusiasm. Some stepped aside in respect, others bowed, and cheers filled the hall: "Long live Luna! Long live the tribe!"

And among the crowd... there stood Gloria.

In a distant corner, dressed in a dark blue gown that revealed one shoulder, simple yet elegant, her eyes carried a storm. She hadn’t wanted to attend, but she was forced to bear witness to the burial of her heart.

She saw Arnold smiling as he placed his hand on Helen’s belly, and her heart shrank. She saw the people celebrating, joy on every face, except hers. That moment felt like a public ritual of exile, as Helen was crowned queen over him... and the pain that had been living inside her since he betrayed her.

When Arnold and Helen stepped into the heart of the hall, a tense silence momentarily swept over the crowd. All eyes followed them, and every movement Arnold made was a demonstration of power—as if each person in the room was witnessing the beginning of a new chapter in history.

Helen, her smile laced with cruelty, basked in the glow of this false joy, moving gracefully among the smiling faces surrounding her. Yet she knew very well that the smile in her heart was born from a pain no one could see. Her hand rested gently on her stomach, as if seeking comfort in the lie she was telling—to herself, and to everyone else.

Arnold, as always, wore his cold expression. He maintained the same calculated distance with Helen, yet she remained under his wing. His eyes were harsh to the world, but only softened when they met hers. His hand on her stomach was a declaration—a silent but bold statement to the world that this was the future heir.

In those moments, while the applause and cheers echoed through the hall, Gloria, in her quiet agony, realized that all attention had shifted to Helen. The fascination was fixed on the body that carried the child—one Gloria would never be allowed to hold.

Gloria sat at a side table, surrounded by laughter, food, and celebration. But her eyes were fixed only on Arnold, who seemed to have stripped away her last hope of ever belonging in his world—a world where people lined up like pieces on a chessboard, and she, quite simply, was just another forgotten pawn left behind on the board.

Arnold noticed her in the corner, but he didn’t approach. Perhaps he knew that getting close to her in that moment, amidst this chorus of celebration, would be more than just an insult. Even his feelings for her had grown dull. He had to stay loyal to his decision—to his new identity—and remain unwavering in his role as a ruler divided in loyalty.

Heavy silence passed before one of the guests approached, holding a bottle of champagne, ready to toast to the bright future that was beginning to take shape for everyone but her.

As the party grew louder and conversations bloomed, Mary arrived—one of the guests who had been observing from a distance. She looked at Gloria, her eyes full of confusion and unspoken questions. “Are you okay?” Mary whispered gently, then added, “You know… maybe not everything is as it seems. Maybe it’s time you went somewhere you can truly be yourself.”

But Gloria didn’t answer. The voice in her throat was faint. Her gaze toward Mary was cold, but it carried something deeper—something bitter. “Am I okay?” Gloria whispered back. “No one in this place is okay.”

Then, all eyes suddenly turned to Helen, who stood beside Arnold on the side stage, where everyone waited for a short speech from her. She lifted her glass into the air, her tone light but proudly elevated:

“To the future, and to our new family! Thank you to everyone who supported us. Arnold and I are expecting this child who will bring us strength and new glory. We will protect this family, and we’ll remain stronger than ever!”

Applause echoed throughout the hall, and once again, eyes began to drift toward Gloria. That was the moment when everything inside her began to collapse. She realized that this future Helen spoke of would be one where their child held a place she could never have.

As voices overlapped and lights danced across the hall, Gloria’s heart fractured further. Silent waves of pain surged through her soul like a woman drowning in an ocean of heartbreak. Everything was crystal clear now—Arnold had made his choice.

He chose Helen.

He chose to place his heir within her body.

And so, the story ends… A story Gloria once entered full of hope, only to leave it with a broken dream.

Amidst the glowing lights and soft music filling the hall, Arnold and Helen stood at the center of the dance floor, their hands intertwined as if nothing else in the universe mattered. They moved in perfect harmony, their steps light, and their smiles radiating love, while the eyes of the attendees followed their every movement with admiration. Then, in the midst of this dreamy dance, Arnold drew closer, whispered something in her ear that made her smile even brighter, before gently holding her face and kissing her—a long, passionate kiss, as if they were alone in the world.

In a dim corner of the hall, Gloria watched the scene in silence. Her eyes welled up with tears she could no longer hold back. She felt as if her soul was being torn apart, her heart slowly ripped away with every moment of love shared between them. She couldn't bear it any longer.

She quietly left the party without anyone noticing. Her steps were heavy, but her destination was clear... the forest. The only place where she could hide her sorrow and scream in silence, away from the eyes of those who betrayed her. Among the trees, under the moonlight, Gloria began to collapse in silence, hoping that nature would embrace her wounds that no longer had a place among humans.

*****