Alpha King and His Heir Share One Luna

Chapter 2: The Former Luna's Recognition

Chapter 2: The Former Luna's Recognition

(Elara's POV)

The grand hall of Thorne Manor fell silent as we stood in a row of six potential mates. My heart hammered against my ribs, yet I forced my expression to remain calm. The distinguished former Luna, Seraphina Thorne, moved with measured steps before us, her elegant navy blue dress sweeping the polished floor.

Silver bowls of burning ceremonial herbs released aromatic smoke that curled through the air, creating an almost mystical atmosphere. The scent of sage and rosemary tickled my nose as I waited for my turn to be examined.

Seraphina looked weary after hours of candidate inspections, yet her gaze remained sharp and assessing. She moved methodically down our line, asking each girl her name and pack affiliation before making notes on a small tablet a pack official held for her.

I studied her discreetly as she approached. Despite her age, she carried herself with undeniable grace. Her silver hair was swept into an elegant updo, and her features, though lined with wisdom, still held traces of the beauty that had once captivated the previous Alpha King.

As she finished with the girl beside me, I squared my shoulders and prepared for the brief interaction that would likely end my journey here. After all, girls from small packs like Silverwood rarely progressed beyond the preliminary round.

But when Seraphina's eyes fell on me, something unexpected happened. She paused, her gaze intensifying as she studied my face. The late afternoon sun streamed through the tall windows, casting a golden glow over my features, illuminating my emerald eyes and raven hair.

The silence stretched uncomfortably long. I fought the urge to fidget under her scrutiny.

Then, with a graceful gesture of her hand, she commanded, "Let that one come forward."

My heart skipped a beat. Had I done something wrong?

A pack official promptly stepped toward me. "Miss Rivers, the Former Luna requests your presence," he said formally.

With legs that suddenly felt like jelly, I stepped forward from the line. The weight of dozens of stares pressed against my back as I moved to stand before Seraphina Thorne.

She circled me slowly, her eyes taking in every detail of my appearance. I could feel Emma stirring anxiously within me.

Stay calm, I told my wolf. Just breathe.

"Your name?" Seraphina finally asked.

"Elara Rivers, from the Silverwood Pack," I replied, keeping my voice steady despite my nerves.

"Age?"

"Eighteen, Madam."

"Your father is Gareth Rivers?" she asked, surprising me with her knowledge.

"Yes, Madam."

She continued her examination, occasionally tilting her head as though seeing something others couldn't. After what felt like an eternity, she smiled—a warm, genuine expression that transformed her face.

"What a nice lady," she declared, then turned to the official. "Record her name."

The official's eyebrows rose slightly in surprise, but he quickly composed himself. "Elara Rivers, daughter of beta Gareth Rivers, from the Silverwood Pack, age 18, passed the preliminary selection," he announced in a clear voice.

The words echoed through the hall, and I stood frozen in disbelief. Had I heard correctly? I had passed?

"Thank you, Madam," I managed to respond, my voice barely above a whisper.

Seraphina nodded, apparently satisfied, and gestured for me to return to my place. As I walked back to the line on unsteady legs, I noticed the shocked expressions of the other candidates. Some looked envious, others confused, but all were clearly wondering the same thing: why had the former Luna selected a girl from Silverwood?

Did that really just happen? I asked Emma in disbelief.

It did! my wolf replied excitedly. Our future will be bright and better.

As we were dismissed from the hall, I walked in a dreamy, distracted state. Though I still couldn't believe I would become the future Luna through the final selection, this preliminary recognition from Seraphina herself could improve my status and influence in the Pack. It was far more than I'd dared hope for when I arrived this morning.

The courtyard outside was bathed in late afternoon sunlight as I made my way toward the entrance. My mind raced with thoughts of what this might mean for my family, for our pack. Would Father's position improve? Would this bring more respect to Silverwood?

I was so lost in these thoughts that I almost missed seeing Kaia waiting near the entrance. My faithful attendant rushed forward when she spotted me, her expression concerned.

"Miss Elara! How did it go?" she asked anxiously.

Still dazed by my unexpected success, I couldn't find the words to explain. Kaia studied my distracted expression and immediately reached her own conclusion.

"Miss, don't be disheartened about being passed over," she consoled, patting my arm gently. "I heard Cordelia was recorded—perhaps when she becomes future Luna, she will help us improve our pack's position."

I opened my mouth to correct her misunderstanding when a sardonic laugh interrupted us. The sound was cold and cutting, sending an immediate chill down my spine.

"How touching," came a familiar male voice.

I turned to see Lucian Vance approaching, his tall frame clothed in an expensive designer suit that screamed old money and privilege. His dark hair was perfectly styled, and his stormy gray eyes were fixed on me with unmistakable disdain.

My stomach tightened at the sight of him. Our last encounter two months ago had been mortifyingly embarrassing. I had accidentally bumped into him at a pack gathering and fallen straight into his arms. The brief contact had been innocent—a simple mishap—but Lucian had been cold and accusatory afterward, clearly believing I had deliberately tried to seduce him.

"Lucian," I acknowledged, forcing my voice to remain steady.

His lips curled into a sneer. "Elara Rivers," he said, my name sounding like an insult from his lips. He glanced dismissively at Kaia before returning his attention to me.

"With your background and small pack status, being passed over was inevitable," he continued coldly. "Besides, whether Cordelia is selected or not has nothing to do with your Silverwood Pack, you despicable gold digger."

His cutting words pierced through the joy I had been feeling, leaving my cheeks flushed and my hands trembling with indignation. Emma growled within me, urging me to stand up to him.

But what could I say? That I had passed? That Seraphina herself had selected me? He would never believe it—or worse, he would accuse me of lying.

I stood there silently, caught between the honor bestowed by Former Luna Seraphina and the ruthless disdain of Lucian Vance, torn between hope and humiliation.

(Third person's POV)

Behind Lucian's razor-sharp tone lay a turbulent mix of forbidden attraction and pride. At nineteen years old, Lucian had not yet found his own mate. The pain he had witnessed in his mother's eyes over the years had shaped his views on relationships profoundly.

Because he was disgusted by his father's behavior with his concubine Emily and the sadness it caused his mother, Lucian was determined to be faithful only to his fated mate in this life. He had sworn never to divide his heart or cause such suffering.

However, when Elara had collided into his arms two months ago, everything changed. Although he knew immediately she was not his fated mate—there had been no mystical bond, no instant connection of souls—Elara's exquisite appearance nevertheless had a fatal physical attraction for him.

Her emerald eyes had looked up at him in shock, her full lips parted in surprise, and her body had fit against his with alarming perfection. That brief contact had awakened something primal in him—something he had been fighting ever since.

Afterward, he began to have frequent erotic dreams, with Elara as the object with whom he made love crazily. Night after night, he would wake sweat-soaked and aroused, disgusted with himself for desiring someone who wasn't his true mate.

On one hand, he was extremely disgusted by what he perceived as Elara's deliberate seduction of nobility with her beautiful face and perfect voluptuous figure. He told himself she was just another ambitious wolf from a lower pack, using her beauty to climb the ranks.

On the other hand, he could not resist the attraction his own body felt toward her. The way her raven hair caught the sunlight, the grace in her movements, the flash of defiance in those emerald eyes when challenged—all of it haunted him.

But as the future alpha of the Vance pack, how could he possibly take her as his wife? She brought no political advantages, no powerful alliances. His father would never approve such a match, especially not with the niece of his mistress.

So he channeled his confused feelings into contempt, convincing himself that his attraction was merely physical and therefore beneath him. He would crush these unwanted feelings with cruelty if necessary.

As he watched her now, standing proud despite his harsh words, something twisted painfully in his chest. But he pushed the feeling aside. He was a Vance, the future alpha of one of the most powerful packs under Royal Redwood rule. He would not be weakened by desire for a girl from Silverwood.