Claiming Her Reign

chapter 9

Jerick pov

The five powerful wolves finally turned, their shadows long and imposing in the moonlight. One by one, they melted back into the dark tree line, leaving me alone once more. The chilling laughter of the Holy Wolf, Xiuan, seemed to echo in the emptiness, sealing my fate.

I lay there, still broken, still tasting the bitter ash of my ruined life. The humiliation was a physical weight, pressing me deeper into the cold stone. My world was gone. My pack was gone. My Alpha status was a joke.

Just as I thought the final, absolute silence would claim me, another shadow detached itself from the deeper darkness beyond the shattered gates. It was a single figure, moving with a grace that was almost too fluid, too perfect.

A female.

She stepped into the moonlight, and my breath hitched. She was beautiful, terrifyingly so. Her hair was like spun midnight, and her eyes, even from a distance, seemed to glow with an intelligent, hungry ambition. She carried herself with an unspoken power, a silent threat that made even my humbled wolf stir with a primal instinct to either submit or fight.

She walked towards me without fear, her gaze raking over my ruined state, not with pity, but with a strange, calculating interest. She stopped beside me, and a scent I didn't recognize, sharp and sweet like blooming nightshade, filled my senses.

She knelt, her movements precise. Her hand, soft yet firm, touched my arm, and a strange energy—cold, not warm like the mate bond I had felt for Xian'na, but a chilling kind of power—coursed through me. She helped me stand, and for the first time since Davon’s judgment, I felt a flicker of something other than despair.

"Such a waste," she murmured, her voice a low, seductive purr that was like velvet wrapped around a blade. Her eyes met mine, intense and knowing. "To have held such power in your grasp, only to cast it aside."

I stared at her, confused. "Who... who are you?"

A slow, predatory smile touched her lips. "My name is Seraphina. And I have been watching the Blue Moon Pack for a very long time." Her gaze drifted to the path where Xian'na and her brothers had vanished. "That Holy Blood should have been yours, Jerick. But you, in your... misjudgment... allowed it to slip away."

She stepped closer, her scent intoxicating and dangerous. Her fingers traced the line of my jaw, and despite everything, a spark of my old Alpha arrogance, desperate for validation, began to ignite.

"But not all is lost," Seraphina whispered, her eyes burning with an unholy fire. "You are still an Alpha, even if your pack is scattered. And you, Alpha Jerick, still have a future. With me."

She leaned in, her lips almost touching my ear. "Accept me as your mate, Jerick. And together, we will reclaim what you lost. And take even more."

The cold power radiating from her was not the warmth of love, but the promise of revenge. It was a dark mirror to the pure power I had rejected. And in my utter devastation, a desperate, dangerous hope began to rise.

Xian'na pov

I chose Davon.

It wasn't a hard choice. James, Samuel, and Isaac were all loud, demanding, and utterly chaotic in their protective rage. Davon, though furious on my behalf, was measured and calm. He was the one who saw that I needed stability, not more shouting. We left the others—who were now working with Davon’s Beta to secure the safest way for them to leave Blue Moon territory—and slipped away with Davon's personal escort.

We were currently on a private train built for speed and security. It was unlike anything I had ever seen. The interior was sleek black leather and deep red metal, elegant and silent. Davon sat across from me, his presence a constant, comforting shield, discussing strategies with his security team.

“Get ready, Xian’na,” he said, pulling me out of my thoughts. “We’re about to surface.”

I gripped the armrests. The train was traveling deep beneath the ocean, a strange, mesmerizing blue light filtering in from the thick viewing panels. Then, with a smooth, powerful ascent, the carriage broke free of the water. My ears popped, and suddenly we were gliding across rolling, forested hills.

The Red Moon Pack territory was breathtaking. It was a place of dramatic contrasts: towering black stone cliffs and valleys covered in deep crimson autumn foliage. The aesthetic was elegant and powerful, a perfect reflection of Davon himself.

The train slowed, passing through a powerful energy field, and finally stopped underground beneath the main keep. We took a sleek elevator that rose silently to the surface and opened directly into a vast courtyard.

The Red Moon Castle stood before us, a masterpiece of architecture built from obsidian-black stone, with accents of dark red copper and huge, gothic windows. It looked like the home of royalty, not just Alpha leaders.

As the guards opened the main gate with practiced reverence, a figure detached herself from the large gathering of wolves waiting to welcome Davon.

She was stunning. Her brown hair was cropped short and stylish, and she was wearing expensive black velvet trousers. Her presence was light, almost airy, a stark contrast to the heavy power of the four Alpha brothers.

She zipped past the guards and went straight for Davon, her eyes immediately scanning me with playful suspicion.

“Well, look who decided to finally come home,” she said, her voice dripping with annoyed affection. She paused, putting her hands on her hips as she looked me up and down. "Is this your little sister, Hubby? Or did you pick up another stray on the road to your coronation?”

Davon, who had been relaxed moments before, sighed deeply. I could practically feel the annoyance radiating off him. “Kylah, please. This is Xian’na. She’s had a terrible day. And yes, she is my sister. Now be polite.”

He gave me a look that silently screamed Help me, but before I could even manage a nervous smile, he acted.

Davon reached out, cupped Kylah’s sharp cheek with his hand, and pressed a short, firm, and thoroughly affectionate kiss to her lips.

The playful annoyance vanished instantly. Kylah went from an annoyed, suspicious Alpha female to melting butter in about one second flat. Her eyes fluttered, her hands dropped to her sides, and she leaned into him with a satisfied purr.

“Oh,” she sighed, her tone completely changed, laced with pure contentment. “You’re forgiven. Welcome to Red Moon, Xian’na! You must tell me everything. But first, let’s get you fed.” She took my arm with genuine warmth, all previous suspicion forgotten.

Watching Davon, the most serious and powerful Alpha I knew, manage his mate with such simple, effective affection made me gasp. This was the true face of family power—intense, protective, and wonderfully funny.

.

.

.

After the furious chaos of my reunion with Davon, the Red Moon Castle felt like a dream. Kylah insisted I wear one of her own dresses—a simple, elegant black silk that felt impossibly soft against my skin.

The dining hall was an architectural masterpiece. We ate at a long table of polished black mahogany, situated before a towering, floor-to-ceiling window that offered a majestic view of the illuminated forest outside. Every detail spoke of wealth and ancient, powerful lineage.

The meal began immediately. My old life had been scrubbing floors and preparing food for the elite; my current life was watching three silent, precise maids serve Davon and Kylah.

Old habits die hard. When one maid, struggling with the weight of a huge, ornate silver tureen of soup, nearly wobbled, I reacted without thinking. I shot up from my seat, moving around the table to steady her arm and the heavy dish.

A strong, warm hand immediately wrapped around my forearm.

“Xian’na,” Kylah’s voice was firm, yet gentle, laced with a familiar alpha warning. She pulled me back toward the table. “You sit down, right now. You are a guest of this pack, my sister, and the heir to a throne. Your hands do not serve; they command. Let them do their work.”

I flushed, realizing my mistake. The maid I had tried to help gave me a surprised but grateful nod and continued her duty. I slipped back onto the plush chair, feeling a deep, quiet shame. Even here, my maid’s instinct was stronger than my Holy Blood.

The food kept coming. There were thick cuts of roast venison, glazed vegetables, bowls of spiced rice, and elaborate, jeweled pastries. I looked at the incredible bounty spread before us, enough to feed the entire Blue Moon Pack for a week.

“Is there… is there a feast tonight?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Davon paused mid-chew and exchanged a look with Kylah, who muffled a laugh behind her hand. “No, little sister,” Davon said, a soft chuckle in his voice. “This is just our dinner. We have a saying here: Alphas eat well, always. This is a small meal, if anything.”

We finished the incredible dinner. Davon smiled and, without warning, Kylah stood up.

“Thank you for the delightful conversation, Hubby,” she purred, pulling him toward her by his collar. Her lips met his in a sharp, possessive, yet intensely affectionate kiss. Davon barely had time to react before she pulled him through a discreet side door, and they vanished, leaving me entirely alone at the massive table.

I took a deep breath. With the Alphas gone, I felt the immediate pull of responsibility. I slid off my seat and walked toward the far corner of the dining hall where the cleaning carts were parked.

The small group of clearing maids looked up, startled.

“Thank you all for the meal,” I said softly, picking up a large, heavy tray of used silverware. “Let me help you clear this.”

The head maid, a kind-faced woman named Elara, quickly took the tray from my hands. “Lady Xian’na, you really don’t have to. But… thank you. It’s been a long time since anyone on the Alpha floor has even noticed us.” Her gratitude was raw and genuine, a feeling I hadn't realized I missed.

I continued to help dry and put away glassware, enjoying the quiet camaraderie. It felt honest.

Suddenly, the great mahogany doors slammed open, making the crystal glassware rattle.

A striking female figure marched in, radiating arrogance and annoyance. She was tall, with sharp features and dressed in immaculate black. She was clearly no maid, and her scent was a powerful, bitter wave of entitlement.

She spotted me immediately, standing by the clearing station with a freshly dried glass in my hand. Her eyes narrowed, judging the soft silk dress I wore.

“You!” she snapped, marching toward me. “I don’t recognize you. You must be the new kitchen slave assigned to the Alpha wing. Why aren’t you cleaning the spilled wine in the receiving hall? That is a direct order from the Beta’s office. Get out there immediately, or I will personally ensure you are punished for dereliction.”

She reached out, her fingers extended, intending to grab my arm and drag me out. The audacity of her touch, the assumption of my servitude, was like a physical shock. My body, which had been so relaxed, suddenly stiffened.

And deep inside, the Holy Wolf, Xiuan, stirred with a low, dangerous growl. The maid’s life might be over, but the insult was a match waiting for a spark.