Alpha King's Substitue Luna

Chapter 1: The Substitute Luna to the King in Coma (Grace's POV) I sat stiffly in the Hunter Pack’s grand meeting hall, my fingers digging into the leather strap of my healer’s kit. The low hum of the chandelier in the extravagant hall filled the suffocating silence. Across from me was Zara Hunter, the woman who birthed me but abandoned me. While I was raised up by grandmother alone in a small village, she remarried to the Alpha of the Hunter Pack. Her robes, shimmering with ceremonial gold, suited her role as the Luna. “Grace, you must understand. This marriage is the only option left for both the Hunter Pack and the StormHeart Pack.” Her tone was careful but firm, as if she was readying herself for my resistance. I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. My heart, which had dared to hope, now crumbled. Did I expect an apology? Did I expect love? Instead, this was the reality I faced. Zara’s sharp gaze bore into me, but not with affection—just urgency, desperation even. “You’ll be mated to Lucian Storm,” she pressed on. “The future Alpha King. The strongest wolf of his generation.” She hesitated, smoothing down the fabric of her robes. “Well… he was. That unfortunate incident... the assassination attempt… He fell into a coma now, but..." Of course, if Lucian hadn't fallen into a coma, I wouldn't have been able to marry him anyway. “What makes you think I’ll agree?” I finally asked, my voice low but firm, though I couldn’t stop the edge of hurt from leaking through. Zara pressed her hands together, almost pleading. “This is for the pack, Grace. It’s… complicated.” Her words faltered, and she pressed her lips thin. “Blake Storm—the one vying for Lucian’s position—is dangerous. Lucian needs a mate to support him politically. But Scarlett—” She broke off, glancing toward the grand staircase of the mansion. I stiffened. The name Scarlett alone told me everything I needed to know. She wouldn’t risk her husband’s precious pack heir, Scarlett Hunter, being tied to a “broken” would-be king. But I was expendable. Tension thickened in the air as Zara spoke again, her voice softer, laced with guilt. “As for me… everything has been hard since I left you.” She smoothed her dress unnecessarily, more for distraction than comfort. “Being Sebastian’s moon isn’t easy. He already had Scarlett, and I—” “Stop,” I cut her off coldly, chest tightening at her words. I didn’t want to hear how difficult her life had been. She had chosen it. She had chosen her second marriage, her luxury. She had chosen her peace of mind while I grew up without her. “This marriage isn’t about me, is it?” I asked bluntly, holding her gaze. “It’s about Scarlett. Or, should I say, it’s about her not being sacrificed?” My voice trembled slightly, but I controlled myself. Zara flinched at my words. For a moment, I thought she’d deny it. But she looked down, confirming my suspicions with her silence. I tightened my grip on my kit, feeling the worn leather dig into my palm. “You don’t care about what happens to me, do you?” I said bitterly. “You’re just here because it’s convenient. Because I’m finally useful now.” She opened her mouth to say something, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop. The dam had burst. “You left me behind without looking back. You abandoned me.” My voice cracked. “You didn’t reach out once. Did you even wonder how I grew up? Did you ever ask yourself if I was safe? Or happy?!” “Enough!” Zara’s voice rose, an edge of anger leaking through. But I caught the guilt in her eyes, too. “Grace, I…” Her hands trembled slightly as they clutched her skirt. “I did what I had to do. For myself. For Scarlett. For the pack.” My chest heaved, the flood of emotions practically drowning me. I closed my eyes, willing myself to rein it in. She wasn’t worth my tears. She exhaled shakily and stood. “The truth is, Grace,” she said stiffly, “your position in the AmberHeart Pack doesn’t matter… but this marriage does. Both packs need it. Blake Storm’s faction is ruthless. If we don’t align with Lucian’s side strategically, everyone loses.” I clenched my jaw as her words sank in. Her reasoning was sound—on the surface. I had heard rumors about pack politics before, about Blake’s onslaught to take the Alpha throne. But none of it justified her looking at me now, not as her daughter, but as a tool, a bridge, a political move. “Fine,” I finally said, my voice ice cold. “For the AmberHeart Pack. For Grandmother Gina. Not for you.” Something flickered in Zara’s eyes. Relief, maybe? But she didn’t look at me like a mother. Whatever was left holding us together snapped in that moment. “We have no ties after this, Zara,” I bit out. I didn’t care to call her mother anymore. “Don’t come near me again. Not when this is done.” She didn’t argue. She only nodded, lips pressed into a thin line. When the conversation ended, I headed for the staircase, the eerie silence of the hall swallowing me whole. But I wasn’t alone for long. Scarlett’s scent was sharp and unmistakable—like a vine of roses covering hidden thorns. My feet faltered. “Look who we have here,” came her saccharine voice. Scarlett Hunter stood at the top of the grand staircase, her every move exuding arrogance. Dressed in the finest silk, her blood-red lips curled into a mocking smile. “The abandoned pup who crawled back.” I clenched my jaw but didn’t respond. My wolf stirred uneasily beneath my skin, but I held its instincts tightly in check. Scarlett’s dominance rippled out as she walked down the steps, each click of her heels echoing loudly. She tilted her head, her icy blue eyes raking over me as if I was something she had stepped on. “Desperate omega, aren’t you? You come running whenever Mama calls.” Something inside my chest twisted, but I stood my ground. Scarlett’s smirk deepened. “Poor thing,” she cooed mockingly. “I’m sure Lucian Storm will be… delighted.” Her laugh was low and sharp, cutting deeper than I wanted to admit. “Enough!” Zara’s voice cut through Scarlett’s taunts, though her tone lacked real anger. She hesitated for a moment, then reached for my healer’s kit. “Grace, leave that behind. The StormHeart Pack won’t appreciate seeing you carrying herbs around like… like…” “Like what?” I shot back. My rage flared hotter. “Like a healer? Like something that makes me who I am?” “It’s beneath them,” she whispered, placing her hands on it. “Over my dead body,” I snarled and yanked the bag out of her grasp. The force made Zara stumble, but I ignored her shock. “No one is taking this from me,” I said fiercely. Scarlett chuckled from the sidelines, clearly enjoying the scene. “They can dress you up,” she said sweetly, “but you’ll still be a wild thing, won’t you?” I turned on my heel and stormed out of the mansion, my wolf vibrating with anger, its claws itching to sink into something. The ride to the StormHeart Pack mansion passed in a blur. By the time I arrived, moonrise was near. My pulse quickened as I was led down the stone halls for the ancient mating ceremony. The air felt heavy with history as the pack elders applied silver moonstone dust across my face. It stuck to my skin like an unbreakable mask. The ceremonial bond-chain connecting me to Lucian Storm’s lifeless wrist felt cold and alien. He lay still in his chambers, medical equipment running at a steady hum. His wolf aura was so faint it was almost nonexistent. I was left alone with him under the dim moonlit glow from the tall windows. His appearance startled me. Even on the verge of death, he cut an imposing figure—dark hair, aristocratic features, and broad shoulders against the crisp bedding. But he seemed so weak. So empty. Nothing like the menacing Alpha King I’d overheard whispers about. Trying to distract myself, I busied my hands with the herbs from my kit. The scents of wolfsbane and lavender grounded me. But the bond-chain tugged unexpectedly as I leaned in, jerking me off balance. I stumbled forward, my heart practically stopping as I fell against him. My lips brushed his cheek in the chaos, and a sudden spark surged through me. A strange heat bloomed in my chest. Panicking, I reached out to steady myself, but my hair caught in his clothing. I teetered, grimacing as my limbs tangled awkwardly with his. The entire scene was humiliating, and I struggled to right myself. Finally, I ended up straddling him, my breath short as my wolf sense caught his scent—woodsmoke and rain, intoxicating and powerful. That’s when it happened. His eyes snapped open. I froze, my entire body tensing as the piercing green gaze locked onto mine. Where I expected a weak shell of a wolf, I felt a surge of raw Alpha power radiating off him. My breath caught in my throat. His mere presence was suffocating. Overwhelming. A low growl rumbled from his chest, the sound vibrating through my entire body. My omega wolf whimpered in submission, and my instincts screamed to bare my throat. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe.