Luna?
1336 Words
Raya ushered me into a room down the hall, giving me a look of apology as she closed the door behind us.
“Look, I'm sorry. Ash is just extra blunt and sometimes she doesn't realise her words sorta tend to—hurt people.”
I gave her a nod of acknowledgement, while struggling to maintain eye contact with her. “Do you think they'll ever accept me?” I asked, my eyes fixated on an antique hand mirror laying on a stool nearby.
She placed her hand on my shoulder reassuringly, “They will,” she said. After a beat, she sighed, as if gathering her thoughts. “I hope.” She then gave a small, almost imperceptible shrug and began brushing invisible specks of dust from my shoulders. “Anyway, I’ll leave you to get settled.”
As she turned to leave I asked quietly. “Will he mark me tonight?”
Raya hesitated, her fingers tightening briefly on the door handle. For a moment, I thought she might not answer. Then, with a small exhale, she turned back to me.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “It’s... up to him.”
My fingers curled around the fabric of my sleeve as I forced myself to nod.
Raya watched me, her lips pressing into a thin line like she wanted to say more but couldn’t find the words.“Just—try to rest,” she said finally. “Overthinking won’t change anything.”
Easy for her to say.
She gave me one last glance before slipping out, the door clicking shut behind her.
I stood still for a while, letting the quietness of the room settle within me. Just as I was starting to catch my breath, a firm knock echoed against the door.
It creaked open before I could answer, and two women entered dressed in simple black uniforms with the Nightbane crest embroidered on their collars. Their smiles seemed polite—but cold. Nothing like Raya’s warm smile. One of them barely glanced at me before she spoke.
“Lady,” she said, her voice clipped. “We’ve been instructed to prepare you for breakfast with the Alpha and his family.”
“Breakfast?” I echoed, confused and already nervous.
The second woman raised a brow, then turned away without answering, sweeping the curtain aside to reveal a steaming bath waiting behind it. The scent of lavender hit my nose, it smelled very pleasant. I'd never taken scented baths as it was reserved for only the higher ranked wolves.
I followed them wordlessly into the bath chamber. Steam curled in the air from the tub, and the scent of lavender was nearly drowned out by the heavy perfume one of them wore.
“She's the Alpha’s mate? Certainly doesn’t look like it,” one of the women suddenly said—but her lips never moved.
My eyes widened as I heard the voice echoing in my mind, clearly and coldly.
My heart jumped. The mind-link?
I hadn’t heard it since the night of the claiming ceremony. But there it was again—sharp, uninvited, and more vivid than ever.
“Did you see her eyes? She looks like she hasn’t slept in days, she's even as skinny as bones.”
“She looks like she hasn’t bathed in days,” one of them thought with a mental scoff.
“I don’t get what the Moon Goddess was thinking. Maybe she tripped over her own stars with this one.”
The other snickered, lifting a clean towel as she continued the mental conversation. I stood frozen, my skin prickling. They didn’t know I could hear them.
“I bet he’ll reject her after breakfast. Or better—mate her and dump her in a guest wing like a kept pet.”
My fingers curled at my sides, and for a moment, shame burned in my chest so hot it almost brought tears. But under it—under all that humiliation—something else stirred.
Anger.
“Please, just—tell me what I need to do,” I managed to say aloud, keeping my voice steady despite how my insides twisted.
One of them gave a tight smile and gestured to the tub. “Take a bath. Dress up. No slouching. Speak only when spoken to. Don’t embarrass the Alpha.”
They didn’t wait to help. They simply handed me a towel and turned away to gossip among themselves—though I could still hear everything through the link.
They were just as segregatory as my Pack members.
I kept my chin lifted, refusing to give them the satisfaction of a reaction. If Kieran wanted to test me, if the Goddess had chosen me for something greater—then I would prove I was more than what they saw.
Even if my heart felt like glass in my chest.
—
By the time I was dressed in the gown laid out for me—a dark navy dress with sheer sleeves and silver embroidery—I followed the maids in silence down the halls.
The dining hall came into view, grand and filled with the clatter of silverware, no one uttered a word, however, their voices in the mindlink chattered in my head.
As soon as I stepped in, all sounds seemed to stop, as they stared curiously at me.
Kieran looked up from the head of the table. His eyes met mine instantly—it was expressionless and cold.
And he didn’t look away.
Not when I faltered. Not when I forced myself forward. Not even when I took the seat beside Raya, who offered me a warm smile I barely noticed.
Because Kieran was still staring.
Watching me and probably judging me.
“So… are you going to introduce her to us or what?” a voice broke through the tense silence.
I turned toward the source and saw a younger man seated a few spots down from Kieran. His dark hair was tousled like he’d just rolled out of bed, and though his features bore a striking resemblance to Kieran’s, he seemed more mischievous than serious. Probably Kieran’s polar opposite.
Kieran’s jaw tensed slightly, as though he hadn’t intended for this moment to happen just yet. He didn’t respond immediately, and the younger man tilted his head in anticipation.
“I mean, I figured we weren’t just going to ignore the literal mate of the Alpha sitting right there like she’s a ghost,” he added, raising an eyebrow.
Kieran finally exhaled through his nose and turned his gaze toward me. “This is Ivy,” he said flatly. “She’s… my mate.”
“Oh, wow. Ivy,” the younger one said, lips quirking. “I’m Kael. Kieran’s younger brother. Don’t worry, I bite way less than he does.”
“Kael,” Kieran warned under his breath, and Kael just gave him an innocent look.
“What? I’m being polite.”
Raya snorted beside me and leaned in. “Kael’s harmless. Mostly.”
I gave a stiff nod in Kael’s direction, trying not to let my discomfort show. But the voices buzzed around me.
She’s so small.
She doesn’t look like Luna material.
Why would the Moon Goddess pair her with him?
I thought she was supposed to be powerful… doesn’t look like much.
I dug my nails into the fabric of my dress beneath the table, trying to keep my breathing even.
“You don’t talk much, huh?” Kael asked, peering at me curiously.
“She’s just adjusting,” Raya cut in smoothly. “It’s her first real breakfast with strangers—don’t overwhelm her.”
Kael lifted his hands in mock surrender, but his eyes never left mine. “Alright, alright. Just trying to make the new Luna feel welcome.”
Luna.
The title felt too big. Too heavy. And judging by the way Kieran still hadn’t looked at me again, I wasn’t sure it would ever truly belong to me.
- Writer
