Hybrid Luna to the Alpha

The Council II

“May I ask what’s happening here?” Kieran asked, a hint of what seemed like aggression in his tone. He glared at Kael’s hand placement prompting Kael to let go of me almost immediately.

“Nothing,” I said quickly, clearing my throat and stepping back. “I only tripped and Kael caught me.”

“What are you doing here Kael?” He asked, suddenly diverting his attention to his brother.

“The council asked to see you,” Kael replied coolly, giving me a quick glance whilst avoiding my eyes. “And your mate.”

“Did they specify a time?” He asked, stiffening at the word mate.

“Yes, this morning.”

“We’ll be there.” Kieran finalized and Kael gave me a fleeting, unreadable look—a tight-lipped smile that didn’t reach his eyes—then turned and walked away without another word leaving me at the receiving end of Kieran’s glare.

“I think it’s wise to tell you,” he said, voice clipped, “to be more careful of the... situations you find yourself in. This pack doesn’t tolerate questionable behavior. Misconduct of any kind—intentional or not—is watched closely.”

“What?” I stared at him, confused. “What are you even talking about?”

“Consider yourself warned,” he muttered, already turning to leave. “Get dressed. We have a meeting to attend.”

Then he was gone.

My mouth dropped open in disbelief. Warned? For what? I stood there for a moment, stunned, and then it hit me. He meant Kael. He thought—he actually thought—there was something inappropriate about what happened in the hallway.

“I told you I tripped!” I shouted after him, loud enough to echo down the corridor. The only response was the faint sound of his retreating footsteps. Frustrated, I yanked open my door and slammed it shut behind me hard enough to rattle the frame.

———

The ride to the town hall was painfully silent, Kieran had reverted back to his cold demeanor and I began to wonder if he was the same man who had kissed me last night. I stared at his face, noticing the day-old stubble forming on his chin and his soft looking lips that had pressed on mine the day before.

Last night, he’d held me like I was something fragile and precious. Today, he couldn’t even look at me.

When he finally noticed me staring, I jerked my gaze away and stared out the window, my reflection barely visible in the morning light. For a split second, I saw his eyes flick toward me in the glass—watching me quietly.

“I’m sorry,” he said after a moment, his voice low. “About earlier. I may have… overreacted.”

I turned to him slowly, unsure whether to be surprised by the apology or annoyed by the way he delivered it. It was almost mechanical, like it pained him to admit fault.

“It's fine,” I said with a dismissive wave, though my stomach still churned with frustration. “You don’t need to pretend.”

His brow twitched. “I’m not pretending.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” I muttered, loud enough for him to hear.

He didn't reply and the silence came back, consuming us.

The car rolled to a stop in front of the town hall, its stone façade looming against the pale morning sky.

Kieran stepped out first without waiting for me, he adjusted the lapels of his blazer and greeted the guards posted at the doors with a nod while I trailed after him, trying to collect myself.

My fingers toyed with the edge of my sleeve, nerves crawling under my skin. I had no idea what the council wanted, or why they wanted me too.

The silence that greeted us inside the town hall was tense— it was far worse than the car drive here.

Around a round table which was shaped like a full moon sat three elderly men and three elderly women.

“Alpha Kieran. Omega Ivy,” one of them greeted, though the word omega felt like it was spoken more out of disrespect than formality. “Thank you for coming.”

We took our seats. Kieran sat rigidly beside me and I could sense the irritation wafting off him.

“We’ll keep this brief,” began the white haired man at the center. His tone was impolite, and quite sharp. “Recent events have created... unease within the pack. The infiltration. The rogue activity. And most notably—your mate situation.”

“I don't recall having any issues with my mate,” Kieran echoed, and I could feel annoyance seething from him, “but I do recall asking you to rework your hierarchy of daunting issues faced by the pack.”

“Alpha Kieran, the issue of your mate is daunting.” Another elder leaned forward. “While we acknowledge your bond with Ivy, we do not note it as... conventional. She is not from this pack. She was not chosen by the council. Her abilities are not on par. And the process of formal recognition is still pending.”

“She is my mate,” Kieran said. “ I've made it clear that it’s enough.”

“In peacetime, perhaps,” The white haired elder replied calmly. “But we are not in peacetime. The Nightbane Pack is vulnerable. We cannot afford inconveniences. We require... a strong hold.”

“You’re hooking him up with that Blood Moon pack girl.” My voice quivered as I blinked back tears that were about to fall.

“Oh! I see you're familiar with Miss. Voss,” The second elder replied, his grey eyes staring at me soullessly from behind his spectacles, “it's sad that she would have to replace you for the time being, but if you show no further progress then she'd become the Luna indefinitely.”

“We've been over this, I refuse your offer” he said, his voice reverberating through the chamber. “You don’t get to dictate who I mate.”

“It's not like you have a choice,” another elder said sharply. “You are Alpha first, male second. And your pack needs this.”

“I have a mate,” he growled, gesturing toward me. “And she’s sitting right here.”

“An unclaimed mate,” The white haired elder countered smoothly. “She's one that you have yet to mark. Your bond is not solidified, It’s not binding. Which means it can still be broken.”

A third member of the council spoke, folding his hands before him, “You keep yelling at the council about having a mate, but Riddle me this Alpha. If you want your mate to stay so badly, why is she unmarked?”

“I believe that doesn't concern you.”

The second elder glowered at Kieran and I could feel the animosity brewing inside him, “Alpha Kieran, while we appreciate your effort as pack leader, we would also appreciate that you showed the council a bit of respect as we are also tasked with making decisions for the pack.”

Kieran shook with anger, and just as he opened his mouth to counter them, I found mine moving first.

“There’s still the Luna Test.” My voice cut through the tension. Every head at the table turned to me as though I’d just spoken in a foreign tongue. Their surprise was almost insulting—like they hadn’t expected me to speak, much less think for myself.

“Tradition says I have to pass it to prove I’m worthy, right?” I added, lifting my chin despite the tremble in my chest.

“Yes, dear,” one of the female elders answered, her expression softening ever so slightly, though there was pity rather than encouragement behind her eyes. “That’s correct.”

“Then I'll do it. I'll take the test.” I said firmly, wondering where my courage had come from all of a sudden.

“It’s settled then,” the white-haired elder declared with finality, folding his hands neatly on the table. “You’ll undergo the test on the next full moon… which is in two days.”

“Good luck, Omega Ivy,” he added, the corners of his mouth twitching with condescension. “You’re going to need it.”

He wasn’t wrong. I’d need all the luck in the world. And even that might not be enough. Kieran didn't bother speaking to me all the way home, and when we got back to the pack house, he left in a hurry with his beta.

Was he the same man who had reassured me he wouldn’t let anything happen to me? I wondered because it seemed he was more eager to get away from me than protect me.

“Idiot.” I muttered under my breath, storming around the maze of hallways to find the one person who could help my predicament.

It took some time to track her but I eventually found her in the herb garden behind the east wing. The smell of Rosemary's hit my nose before I even saw her crouched low to the ground with dirt-stained fingers snipping plants and placing them into a wooden basket.

When she looked up and saw me, her entire face lit up. “Hi, Ivy! How’d the meeting go?”

She brushed her hands against her apron and gave me a careful, no-contact hug, sensing my tension.

“Terrible,” I groaned, lowering myself beside her and curling my arms around my knees. “Absolutely terrible.”

“They're still insisting on Selene being Luna?”

“Yeah…” I murmured, reaching out to brush my fingers over the velvety leaf of a peppermint plant. The texture grounded me just for a moment. “I offered to take the Luna test. I don’t know exactly what it entails, but… I guess I’ll try.”

“Kieran hasn’t explained it to you?” Raya asked, glancing up from her the plant she snipped. She plucked a stalk of lavender and placed it carefully beside the others.

“No…” I drawled, my voice dipping as I leaned closer to inspect a caterpillar curled around one of the leaves. “He just said it’s a series of cognitive and physical exams to prove I’m Luna material.”

Raya hummed under her breath, clearly unimpressed. “Well, that’s a very watered-down way of putting it.”

I looked up at her. “So what is it really?”

“For the physical part,” she said, standing to stretch her legs, “you’ll have to duel someone. And considering they’re trying to replace you with Selene, it’s almost certain it’ll be her.”

A shuddering weight settled in my stomach. Of course it would be Selene.

“And the cognitive part?” I asked, my voice growing quieter.

Raya knelt again, her expression softening. “It’s mostly your instincts. Your ability to sense danger, assess situations under pressure, and guide others. Your intuition, your decision-making, even your emotional resilience—everything a Luna needs to lead and protect.”

I let out a shaky breath, my fingers toying with the edge of my shirt. “That sounds… like a lot.”

“It is.” She smiled gently. “But I wouldn’t say it’s impossible.”

I gave her a skeptical look.

“There are a few books written over the years about the test. Ritual accounts, testimonials, things like that,” she added, dusting her hands off on her apron. “I can get them for you. They might help you understand what to expect.”

“Thanks, Raya,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. Then, after a pause, I added, “But the thing is… I can't read.”