The Rejected Luna’s Revenge

THE EMPTY SIDE OF THE BED

Seraphina had slept beside Kael for twenty years.

That was why she knew, before opening her eyes, that he had never come to bed.

The space beside her was cold.

Untouched.

Empty.

She stared at the ceiling of the guest chamber and wondered when an empty bed had become something capable of hurting her.

Her wolf stirred weakly.

He's awake.

"I know."

He's looking for us.

"Good."

Her wolf went quiet.

Seraphina turned onto her side and buried her face briefly against the pillow.

It smelled unfamiliar.

Lavender and old linen.

Nothing like Kael.

That should have made sleeping easier.

Instead, she had spent most of the night listening to the distant sounds of Blackridge Hall and pretending she wasn't waiting for footsteps outside the door.

They never came.

Seraphina sat upright.

The room was washed in pale morning light. Beyond the windows, the mountains surrounding Blackridge stood dark against a silver sky.

A knock sounded.

She didn't answer immediately.

Another knock.

"My Luna?"

Rowan.

Seraphina exhaled.

"Come in."

The Elder entered carrying a tray.

Tea.

Bread.

Fruit.

Seraphina stared at it.

Rowan followed her gaze.

"You need to eat."

"Do I?"

"Yes."

She looked back at him.

He remained completely serious.

Despite everything, a reluctant smile touched her mouth.

"Your bedside manner is truly exceptional."

"I've been told."

"By people who survived it?"

"Mostly."

The smile disappeared as quickly as it came.

But Rowan noticed.

His expression softened.

He placed the tray on the small table near the window.

Then he turned toward her.

"You frightened the servants."

Seraphina blinked.

"What?"

"The sound of something breaking traveled farther than you might imagine."

She looked toward the door.

"I'll replace the vase."

"It belonged to Kael's grandmother."

Seraphina stared at him.

Rowan's face remained neutral.

Her eyes narrowed.

"You're enjoying this."

"Immensely."

A laugh escaped her before she could stop it.

Real this time.

Brief.

But real.

Rowan's mouth twitched.

"There she is."

The warmth vanished from her chest.

Seraphina looked away.

"Don't."

"My Luna—"

"Don't look at me like I'm dying."

Rowan was silent.

Then he walked to the window.

Below them, wolves moved through the grounds. Guards changed positions near the eastern gate. Servants crossed the courtyard carrying baskets and supplies.

Normal life.

The pack continued breathing.

That felt offensive somehow.

"I remember when Kael brought you here,"

Rowan said.

Seraphina stiffened.

"That was a long time ago."

"You were terrified."

"I was seventeen."

"You threatened to stab him."

Her lips pressed together.

"He was arrogant."

"He still is."

Seraphina glanced at him.

Rowan shrugged.

"Second mates do not cure personality defects."

She laughed again.

Then the laugh broke in the middle.

Her hand rose quickly to cover her mouth.

Rowan didn't turn.

For that kindness, Seraphina loved him.

She took a breath.

Then another.

"Where is she?"

Rowan knew immediately who she meant.

"Lyra?"

Seraphina hated the sound of the woman's name.

"Yes."

"She is staying in the eastern guest wing."

Seraphina nodded.

Of course.

The eastern guest wing.

The most luxurious section of Blackridge Hall outside the Alpha's private quarters.

A cold smile touched her lips.

"How accommodating."

Rowan turned.

"Kael didn't order that."

She looked at him.

"No?"

"Lyra was assigned there before Kael could make any arrangements."

"Who assigned her?"

Rowan hesitated.

Seraphina's eyes sharpened.

"Rowan."

"Elder Miriam."

Seraphina stared at him.

"Of course she did."

Elder Miriam had spent most of Seraphina's marriage telling her that the Moon Goddess had blessed Blackridge with a stable Alpha-Luna union.

Apparently, stability was only sacred until something more interesting arrived.

Seraphina swung her legs from the bed.

Rowan watched her carefully.

"What are you doing?"

"Getting dressed."

"You should rest."

She stood.

"No."

"My Luna—"

"I said no."

Her voice was calm.

That frightened Rowan more than anger would have.

She could see it.

Seraphina crossed to the wardrobe.

The guest chamber contained several gowns,

placed there for visiting females of rank.

She ignored them.

Too soft.

Too decorative.

Too much like something Kael would expect her to wear.

Instead, she pulled out a fitted black riding dress with silver fastenings.

Rowan watched.

"Where are you going?"

She began fastening the cuffs.

"Breakfast."

His brows pulled together.

"Seraphina."

"What?"

"You don't have to prove anything."

She looked up.

The words struck harder than they should have.

"I know."

"Then why are you dressing like you're preparing for war?"

She glanced down at herself.

"Because I'm considering it."

"Against whom?"

Seraphina reached for a silver pin.

"That's the interesting part."

The Great Hall fell silent when she entered.

Seraphina almost turned around.

Almost.

Then she remembered every time she had entered this room beside Kael.

Every dinner.

Every council gathering.

Every celebration.

This was her home.

She would not allow one pale-haired stranger and a confused husband to make her feel like a guest inside it.

So Seraphina lifted her chin and walked in.

Every eye followed her.

Good.

Let them watch.

The long table was already occupied.

Kael sat near the head.

Lyra sat three seats away from him.

Seraphina noticed the distance first.

Then hated herself for noticing.

Kael saw her.

His entire body went still.

His gaze traveled over her black dress, her pinned hair, the absence of her usual Luna jewelry.

His eyes narrowed.

Seraphina walked toward the table.

Kael rose.

"Seraphina."

She stopped.

"Alpha."

His expression changed.

Only slightly.

But everyone saw it.

She had not called him Alpha in private since before they were married.

Kael remained standing.

"You left your chambers."

Seraphina blinked.

"I hadn't realized I was imprisoned."

The nearest guard looked down very quickly.

Someone coughed.

Kael's jaw tightened.

"I didn't mean that."

"I know."

She moved toward her usual seat.

Then stopped.

The chair beside Kael.

Her chair.

Twenty years.

Seraphina looked at it for a moment.

Then walked past it.

She took an empty seat farther down the table.

Silence swallowed the room.

Kael slowly sat.

Lyra looked uncomfortable.

Seraphina poured herself tea.

Her hand was perfectly steady.

A servant approached with bread.

"Thank you."

The young woman practically bowed herself into the floor.

Seraphina took a piece.

Across the table, Kael was still staring.

She bit into the bread.

"What?"

Kael blinked..

"What?"

"You've been looking at me."

His eyes darkened.

"I wasn't."

"Of course."

Lyra shifted in her seat.

Seraphina noticed.

So did Kael.

His attention moved toward the younger woman instinctively.

Again.

That small movement.

That invisible pull.

Seraphina lowered her eyes to her tea.

Her appetite disappeared.

"Seraphina."

She didn't look up.

"What?"

"We need to talk."

"We did."

"Not properly."

She lifted her cup.

"Perhaps you should schedule an appointment."

A few wolves at the table suddenly found their plates fascinating.

Kael leaned back.

His expression became dangerous.

The Alpha.

The one everyone feared.

Seraphina had seen that face make rival pack leaders reconsider their life choices.

It had no effect on her.

"You are angry."

She took another sip.

"Excellent deduction."

"Stop making everything into a joke."

Her cup stopped halfway toward the table.

The room changed.

Kael seemed to realize what he'd said.

Too late.

Seraphina placed the cup down.

"You know what?"

His gaze remained fixed on her.

"For twenty years, I've stood beside you while men twice your size trembled because you looked at them like that."

She gestured toward his face.

"And now you sit there trying to intimidate me because I won't smile politely while your second mate eats breakfast in my home?"

Lyra's face drained.

Kael stood.

"Enough."

Seraphina stood too.

"No."

The word cracked through the hall.

Every wolf froze.

Kael's eyes flashed gold.

Her wolf rose beneath her skin.

For a heartbeat, the bond between them pulled painfully.

Seraphina almost staggered.

Kael noticed.

His expression changed.

But she recovered before he could reach her.

"I have spent twenty years saying enough for you."

Her voice lowered.

"I said enough when your temper got too close to your warriors. I said enough when you worked yourself into exhaustion. I said enough when you thought carrying the entire pack alone made you strong."

She took a step toward him.

"But no one has ever taught you to say enough to yourself."

Kael stared at her.

She could see the words landing.

Good.

"Sit down," he ordered quietly.

Seraphina smiled.

That was a mistake.

Because something in Kael's face hardened.

The room held its breath.

Seraphina leaned forward slightly.

"No."

Then she turned and walked toward the doors.

Kael followed.

"Seraphina."

She didn't stop.

"Seraphina."

His hand caught her elbow.

The moment his fingers touched her, the Great Hall disappeared.

Not literally.

But the bond surged.

Heat.

Pain.

Memory.

Her wolf crying.

Kael inhaling sharply.

Seraphina pulled away.

"Don't touch me."

His hand fell.

A voice spoke from behind them.

"Alpha?"

Lyra.

Again.

Seraphina closed her eyes.

She didn't turn around.

But Kael did.

She heard the movement.

Felt it.

And that was enough.

Seraphina walked out.

This time, Kael didn't follow immediately.

She heard him behind her only after she reached the corridor.

"Wait."

"No."

"Seraphina, stop."

She spun around.

"Why?"

Kael stopped.

His face was unreadable.

"Why should I?"

He opened his mouth.

Nothing came out.

She laughed softly.

"There it is."

"What?"

"The problem."

Kael's jaw tightened.

Seraphina stepped closer.

"You want me to stay."

His eyes held hers.

"You want me to keep being your wife."

Silence.

"You want me to remain your Luna."

Another step.

"But you have no idea what you're asking me to survive."

His face finally cracked.

Pain moved across it.

Real pain.

For a dangerous second, Seraphina wanted to comfort him.

The instinct disgusted her.

So she stepped back.

"Find out."

Kael frowned.

"What?"

"Find out what you want."

Her voice was quiet now.

Steady.

"Because I'm done standing still while you decide whether twenty years of loving me is enough."

She turned away.

"Seraphina."

This time, she stopped.

Not because she wanted to.

Because something in his voice had changed.

She looked over her shoulder.

Kael stood alone in the corridor.

His dark hair was disordered.

His expression was the expression of a man losing control over a situation for the first time.

"What?" she asked.

He looked at her for a long moment.

Then said the one thing she had not expected.

"Elder Miriam called a council meeting."

Seraphina's body went cold.

Kael's expression darkened.

"She wants to discuss what Lyra's arrival means for Blackridge."

The corridor seemed to narrow around her.

Seraphina knew exactly what that meant.

Not for the pack.

Not for Kael.

For her.

She slowly turned to face him.

"And what does it mean?"

Kael didn't answer.

Seraphina's heartbeat slowed.

That was worse than an answer.

Behind them, the distant doors of the Great Hall opened.

Wolves moved through the corridor.

Whispers followed.

Seraphina looked at her husband.

Then at the path leading toward the council chamber.

For the first time since Lyra had arrived, she understood the truth.

The question was no longer whether Kael would choose his second mate.

The question was whether Blackridge had already decided that Seraphina no longer had a place in it.

And judging by the silence on Kael's face—

Her husband might not be ready to fight for her.