THE ALPHA LUNA

Chapter 01: The Return

Celene's POV.

The glass felt cool and solid in my hand, a stark contrast to the whirlwind of emotions inside me. I stared at the locket dangling from my fingers, the chain twisting slowly as if mocking my hesitation and pain. Inside was the last tangible piece of a life I’d left behind five years ago...an old family photo I hadn’t had the courage to destroy when I regained my sanity. My gaze lingered on the image of my sister, her smile as bright as the sun, and for a moment, I felt the same ache I had the day I left.

Why had I run?

Why did I run and leave everything I hold dear to my soul?

Five years, and I still didn’t have an answer. Five years, and the guilt still crushes me, making me feel like the worst being to ever exist.

With a sharp inhale, I snapped the locket shut and shoved it back under my jacket, letting it rest against my heart like the burden it had become.

“Refill,” I said, my voice hoarse. I pushed my empty glass toward the bartender without looking up.

He paused before grabbing the bottle. “You sure, miss? That’s your fifth”

I glanced at him then, letting the faintest hint of a smirk tug at my lips. “Trust me, I’ve had worse nights.”

He didn’t press further, only nodded and poured. I took the glass and leaned back, letting the burn of the liquor ground me as the noise of the bar swirled around me. It had been years since I’d set foot in this part of the realm, and everything felt different... colder, darker. Or maybe that was just me, it was just me trying to create an unwelcoming image in my mind because I know no one would accept me back.

The different voices in the background was highly disturbing and I couldn't do anything about it, it was the cheapest inn I could find and no one gives a f**k about anyone here. Most of the talks were meaningless chatter, but then...statements that penetrated deep into me.

“The Alpha and Luna’s anniversary is happening today but as usual, the Luna doesn't want the celebration.”

"I wouldn't celebrate too if I'm her. What's there to celebrate in five years of marriage without anything to show for it? It's sad." Another chipped in.

“Five years married and still barren, she's such a nice Luna, I wish things will be different for her.”

The breath caught in my throat. My hand tightened around the glass, the sharp edge of guilt cutting deeper. They were talking about her...about my sister. My beautiful, strong, loyal sister, who had stood by me even when I didn’t deserve it, she'd been with me, playing the role of both a mother and a father after our parents died.

I'm the worst!

"She has such a faithful man, I'm glad our alpha understands her, any other man would have chosen a breeder to carry his child but he's patient with her."

The statement brought a smile to my sad face... I'm glad Alpha Kyle is such a nice man.

"He'd have been ours, he was meant to be ours!" My wolf growled, her anger boiling my inside but I ignored her. Arguing with her would just be a disadvantage to me, she might lose her cool and end up taking over me, I can't control the beast in me, she's too strong and my mind and body was too weak to harbor such power but we don't have any choice so we're both stuck with each other.

"Curse you, Celene." She huffed and went quiet and I just found myself smiling in pain. One silly mistake of mine had cost me so much, it cost me my throne, my wolf, my supposed mate and my family... It ruined me.

Goddess, I wish you'll just kill me instead.

I empty my drink and pushed it towards the bartender, "More and make it stronger, add pills to it."

The bartender's eyes widened as he leaned forward, lowering his voice. “Pills? Are you trying to knock yourself out completely?”

I shrugged, avoiding his gaze. “Isn’t that the point?” My voice sounded hollow, even to me. The room was spinning, but it wasn’t from the alcohol...it was the weight of my past pressing down on me like an anchor.

He hesitated, his hands lingering on the counter. “Look, lady, I don’t know what you’re running from, but you might want to slow down before you do something you regret.”

“Regret?” I laughed bitterly, the sound sharp and jagged. “Regret and I are old friends. Just pour.”

He studied me for a long moment before letting out a sigh and pouring the drink. He slid the glass toward me, his expression unreadable. “You don’t look like someone who should be here.”

“I don’t belong anywhere,” I muttered, taking the glass and downing it in one go. The fiery burn spread through my chest, but it didn’t drown the pain.. it never did.

“Another,” I slurred, pushing the empty glass toward the bartender. He hesitated, his gaze flickering over me with something that looked like pity. I hated it.

“You sure, lady? You’ve had enough for five strong men.”

“Just pour,” I snapped, my voice harsher than intended. My wolf growled low in approval, but I ignored her. I was too far gone to care. He sighed but obeyed, sliding another drink toward me. I grabbed it with unsteady fingers and downed it in one long gulp.

The warmth spread through me, numbing the edges of my pain, if only slightly. It wouldn’t last. It never did. But for now, it was enough to keep me upright. Tossing a few coins on the counter, I staggered to my feet, the world spinning around me.

The bartender’s voice followed me as I stumbled toward the hallway. “Don’t go dying on me now.”

I didn’t respond. My legs carried me forward, though I wasn’t entirely sure where I was going. The corridors of the inn were dimly lit, the flickering lights casting strange shadows on the walls. I squinted at the numbers on the doors, trying to remember which one was mine.

Room 7. Or was it 9?

I muttered under my breath, fumbling with the key as I pushed open the door. The room was darker than I remembered, the faint scent of alcohol hanging in the air. I froze, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.

Someone was here.

A man sat slumped in a chair by the window, a half-empty bottle dangling loosely from his fingers. He turned his head slowly, his eyes locking onto mine. They were sharp, piercing, even in the dim light.

“What the hell?” he growled, his voice rough and deep. “Who are you, and why are you in my room?”

“I…” My voice faltered as I stared at him, my heart pounding. He wasn’t just any man. His presence was overwhelming, suffocating. His scent hit me differently, it was strong and intoxicating. My wolf stirred, her growl rumbling softly in the back of my mind.

“Wrong room,” I muttered, trying to steady myself. But something held me in place, my body refusing to obey my mind. I squared my shoulders, forcing confidence into my voice. “You need to leave.”

He laughed, a bitter, humorless sound. “You’re drunk. This is my room.”

“And you’re not?” I shot back, gesturing to the bottle in his hand. “Maybe you should leave.”

He smirked, leaning back in the chair. “You’ve got some nerve, stumbling in here like this and making demands. Who the hell do you think you are?”

His words stung, but not as much as the raw energy radiating off him. It was like a magnet, pulling me closer despite the voice in my head screaming for me to run. My wolf stirred again,

“Fate has a cruel sense of humor,” she hissed. “You feel it, don’t you?”

I ignored her, focusing on the man in front of me. His eyes hadn’t left mine, and the intensity of his gaze made me all aware of him.

That's strange.

“Look,” I said, my voice softening. “I’ll just go. Forget this ever happened.”

But as I turned to leave, something stopped me...a pull I couldn’t explain. My heart raced, he stood then, towering over me, his movements slow and deliberate.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “Not until you tell me who you are.”

I swallowed hard, my mouth suddenly dry. “I don’t owe you anything.”

“Maybe not,” he said, stepping closer. His scent enveloped me, a mix of whiskey and something distinctly him. “But you barged into my space, and now you’re just going to walk away?”

The heat between us was high, an invisible thread pulling us closer with every breath. I should have left. I should have pushed past him, found my room, and locked the door behind me. But I didn’t. Instead, I looked up at him, my body trembling with something I couldn’t name.

“I…” My voice cracked, and for a moment, the walls I’d built around myself began to crumble. “I didn’t mean to...”

He cut me off with a drunken laugh. “Save it. You think I don’t see it? You're in pain and...”

“Shut up,” I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. But instead of backing off, he stepped closer, his eyes darkening.

“You think I don’t know what it’s like?” he murmured, his voice softer now, and almost broken. “To want to forget? To lose yourself, even for a moment?”

His words struck a chord, the rawness in his voice mirroring my own pain. I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came. The space between us disappeared, and suddenly, I wasn’t thinking anymore.

Maybe it was the alcohol. Maybe it was the weight of everything I’d been carrying or maybe it was the undeniable pull that made my wolf pace restlessly inside me. Whatever it was, I didn’t fight it.

I stepped closer, my fingers brushing against his chest and his breath hitched, his gaze burning into mine. For once, I let myself feel.

Just for one night, I let go.