LUNA BY MISTAKE

CHAPTER 2: MARRIAGE

AMIRATA

I stood outside the entrance of the main hall, my hands clenched tightly into fists at my sides as waves of adrenaline rushed through my body.

How could they not?

This was my first time attending the mating ceremony. For years, I had only heard about it from a distance, listening to the music and laughter echoing through the palace while I remained hidden in the basement like someone who did not belong to this pack.

The last time I tried to attend, I was fourteen years old. Tamara had insisted that I come with her, dragging me excitedly all the way to the palace hall.

But the moment we reached the entrance, exactly where I was standing right now, Luna Meredith had appeared, and without hesitation, she had me thrown out of the hall.

Everyone in the pack was allowed to attend the ceremony, even the lowest servants could come and watch the moment wolves discovered their destined mates. Everyone except me.

My experience has always been different.

To them, I was no longer the Alpha King's granddaughter. I was the daughter of shame.

My mother was the only daughter of the late Alpha King of the Crimson Pack. A proud woman born into power, respected by the pack, loved by many.

She had two brothers, both strong Alphas who stood tall in the hierarchy of the pack.

But love… love destroyed everything.

She fell in love with a man she was never meant to look at—My father.

He wasn’t a noble Alpha, he wasn’t even a Beta. He was a refugee wolf guard who had come to Crimson Pack seeking shelter after his own pack was destroyed. A warrior with nothing but scars and loyalty to offer.

To my grandfather, that was unforgivable.

When news reached him that his precious daughter had fallen in love with a mere guard, and worse… was already carrying his child, his rage shook the entire pack.

He demanded my father's head.

In his eyes, the daughter of the Alpha King could never bind herself to a refugee, a common guard who had arrived with nothing but desperation.

But fate moved faster than his anger.

My mother died the day I was born. She left this world before she could face the punishment of her choice… leaving me behind to bear the consequences of a love story I never asked to be part of.

Strangely, the man who had once demanded my father’s death became the only person who ever showed me kindness—my grandfather.

Perhaps guilt haunted him. Perhaps I reminded him too much of his daughter. Whatever the reason was, he never treated me like a mistake. But after he died.

The room I once slept in was taken away from me. The food I once ate at the Alpha’s table was no longer meant for someone like me. Instead, I was forced to eat with the omegas… the lowest rank in the pack.

I was pushed into the dark lower basement of the mansion, a place meant for servants and slaves.

But if my uncle was cruel… his wife was far worse. The moment she became Luna, she made sure the entire pack understood one thing clearly.

“No one is to show her any respect,” she had declared in front of everyone.

Her cold voice still echoes in my head even until now.

“Her mother disgraced the bloodline by sleeping with a refugee guard. Her father was no better than an omega. Which means she is one of them.”

From that day forward, the pack treated me exactly as she commanded, like I was nothing. But the cruelest thing she ever did… was try to turn her own daughter against me.

Tamara, My cousin.

She constantly told Tamara that we were not family. That my blood was dirty and unworthy of standing beside hers. But Tamara was never the type to blindly follow cruelty.

She had my grandfather’s heart. Kind, gentle and fair. No matter how many lies her mother fed her, Tamara never stopped treating me like a sister.

Sometimes she would sneak food into the basement for me. Sometimes she would sit beside me and talk about silly things just to make me laugh. In a mansion filled with hatred… Tamara was the only light I had.

But even lights cannot stop time.

Because tonight… Tonight is the night everything changes—The Coming of Age Mating Ceremony.

Most girls dream of finding a powerful Alpha, while others pray for a strong Beta.

But me? I don't care. He could be a farmer, a warrior, or even a simple wolf guard.

Lost in those unpleasant memories, I didn’t even notice the moment the massive iron doors suddenly burst open. The loud creaking sound pulled me back to the present.

Tamara rushed out of the hall with a bright smile on her face, her eyes shining with excitement. She wore the exact same outfit as me, but hers was blue, while mine was black, but they were the same designs. She ran straight toward me.

“My mom is inside the inner chamber with Dad,” she said quickly as she grabbed my wrist. “Nobody will stop you now.”

Before I could even respond, she pulled me along with her and dragged me through the grand entrance.

Boom!

The moment we stepped inside, music exploded through the hall. The atmosphere was alive.

Drums echoed loudly, laughter filled the air, and people were already dancing in excitement as if the celebration had begun long before the ceremony itself.

The energy inside the hall was overwhelming, and for a moment, I simply stood there, stunned.

The place looked breathtaking. Wolves from every part of the pack moved around the hall laughing, talking, and celebrating.

It truly looked… heavenly, yet a strange feeling tightened inside my chest. So this was the place I had been denied all those years.

Tamara tugged at my hand again, trying to pull me toward the dancing crowd. “Come on!” she laughed. “Dance with me!”

She began swaying her body with the music, trying to force me to join her. But no matter how hard I tried to relax, the uneasy feeling from earlier refused to leave my chest.

Something didn’t feel right. My eyes slowly moved across the hall as I scanned the crowd. People were laughing, talking, and celebrating.

But one thought kept repeating in my mind. “The Lycan King.” The greatest enemy of our pack was supposed to be under the same roof tonight.

Yet everyone looked so relaxed and peaceful.

Had he arrived already?

If he had, why was no one reacting? Would there be tension between the Lycans and the werewolves? Would a fight break out?

My thoughts spiraled with questions.

Tamara suddenly leaned closer to my ear and whispered excitedly, “The Lycan King is in the inner chamber with Father.” Her voice carried nothing but excitement.

I turned to look at her carefully, and there was no fear in her eyes. No concern. She looked completely happy, as if everything was perfectly normal.

As if there was nothing strange about hosting our greatest rival inside the palace. The peaceful atmosphere in the hall suddenly felt even more unsettling to me.

I glanced around the room again, my brows slowly furrowing. “Why does everything still look so peaceful?”

Immediately, the doors burst open, and the music stopped at once. Every head in the hall turned toward the entrance.

Uncle Nathan walked in first, his posture straight and proud like a ruler showing off his power. Standing beside him was Luna Meredith, her chin slightly lifted as she looked over the crowd with the same cold elegance she always carried.

But it was the man walking behind them that captured everyone’s attention. He was unfamiliar.

Yet the moment he stepped into the hall, he stood out among us all. His tall frame towered over almost everyone present, his broad shoulders making the surrounding warriors look smaller. The air around him felt heavy, powerful, almost suffocating.

And his aura… It was unlike anything I had ever sensed before. Strong, dominant, and wild. Even from a distance, I could smell the strength in his Lycan, something ancient and terrifying that made the hairs on the back of my neck rise.

The Lycan King.

Yet strangely, there were no whispers in the hall. No fearful glares. No tension.

Instead, people stepped aside respectfully, creating a path for them as they walked toward the front of the hall.

Uncle Nathan led him directly to the stage while the crowd suddenly burst into loud cheers, the sound echoing across the massive hall.

The celebration only grew louder. It was as if everyone had been waiting for this moment.

Uncle Nathan turned to face the crowd, standing beside the Lycan King like a proud ally.

My eyes slowly drifted toward the Lycan King again.

Gosh… How could the devil himself have such a beautiful face?

His jawline was sharp and perfectly sculpted, his expression calm and unreadable. But it was his eyes that held the most power; piercing blue and cold.

They moved slowly across the hall as if he was observing everything and everyone, yet his gaze carried a quiet dominance that made it feel like none of us truly mattered to him.

And his physique… Even through his dark clothes, it was obvious that his body was built like a warrior’s. Powerful. Intimidating. The kind of strength that could crush bones without effort.

“Everyone,” Uncle Nathan’s voice suddenly boomed across the hall, instantly silencing the cheering crowd. “An agreement has finally been reached.” He paused dramatically, allowing his words to settle.

“Werewolves and Lycans are now one.”

A shocked murmur spread across the hall.

My eyes widened in disbelief.

Grandfather had spent his entire life protecting the boundaries between the Lycans and the werewolves. Many years of rivalry, many years of hatred, and now Uncle Nathan was destroying all of it with a single announcement.

“There will be no fear between us anymore,” Uncle Nathan continued proudly, his voice echoing across the hall. “And to seal this peace between our people…” He slowly looked across the crowd. “We will unite our packs through marriage.”

Marriage?

My heart skipped. Why was he going this far? A cold uneasiness crept into my chest as my mind began racing with terrible possibilities.

Without even realizing it, I instinctively stepped backward and moved behind Tamara, using her body to hide myself from Uncle Nathan’s view.

My hands trembled slightly, as I prayed silently that Uncle Nathan would not suddenly remember me.

I prayed he would not decide to offer me to them in the name of peace.

Because in this pack… My life had never truly belonged to me.

Everyone around me began to point their fingers at me, whispering softly.

“The Alpha should give her up,” one of my rights said.

“She's of no use to the pack anyway. She's an orphan, so no one would notice her absence.” Another said by my left.

Holy goddess, I'm doomed!