The Ruthless Alpha's Substitute Luna

Challenged his Authority

Xavier Delanor,

“The Alpha, the southern territory has been attacked by the Rogues. They damaged one part of the fortress!” Beta Ronan placed the files on the desk and looked at me.

I leaned back into the chair. Just an hour ago I had returned home after finishing three meetings with the council delegates regarding border taxation, trade permissions between the allied packs, and the ongoing dispute over territorial reinforcement funding. The discussions had already drained my patience, especially with the council still restricting direct retaliation against the Rogue Land despite repeated violations.

And now this?

My jaw clenched as I looked up, “Again?”

He flinched visibly. “Yes, Alpha.”

I stared at him. He lowered his gaze, avoiding mine.

I scoffed, dark and cold, “So, as soon as I had to close a deal with that bastard reluctantly, they decided to break the deal between us?”

The “deal” had been nothing more than another forced compromise imposed by the council. Temporary peace agreements that meant nothing when Rogues kept testing the borders while hiding behind political protection.

He nodded, “Apparently, ten rogues had attacked the front wall.”

I shifted, leaning against the desk, my fingers interlocked. The fortress had already been reinforced twice this month, yet the southern wall remained a weak point due to delayed supply approvals from the council’s logistics committee.

“Send a formal email to the Rogue King,” I said slowly, my voice steady but carrying weight, “tell him that if he doesn’t execute those five bastards within twenty four hours, the land will be taken away from them. And this time, their existence will only appear on history.”

I had no intention of negotiating again. The council’s interference had already cost too many lives on our border.

“Are you sure?” He hesitated.

I didn’t reply. My eyes darkened and it was enough for him to get the answer.

“Okay, Alpha!”

The Land of Rogue had been a sore point that I wanted to get rid of for years. However, because of the council’s intervention and their so-called “balance doctrine,” I couldn’t move openly against them without triggering political backlash from allied packs.

But recently they had been attacking our borders and fortress constantly. Since I couldn’t do anything because of that council’s damn intervention, they had been testing my limits more boldly each time.

I grabbed an unsigned file from last night to review, a report detailing resource allocation delays and internal surveillance updates on rogue movements, when the frantic sound of a servant reached me.

The servant didn’t even ask for permission when she entered the room and looked at me with visible panic.

“What do you think you are doing?” I asked, my voice icy.

She immediately dropped to her knees, shaking. “My apologies, Alpha. Lady Seraphina is in the healer’s office. Lady…” She paused, a flash of horror flickered behind her eyes, “No, Luna Marianna hit her and now she is bleeding!”

My hand paused on the file. For a moment, the political reports, the rogue threats, the council restrictions, everything faded behind that single statement.

Did I hear it right? That woman hit Seraphina?

“She acted differently too.” Xyder, my Wolf, hissed.

I looked at the servant, my expression hard. “Why are you telling me that?”

Her eyes widened. “What? Alpha… she… she is injured and—”

“If she can’t handle a mere person, then it’s her incapability. Do I have to protect her from a woman now? Useless!”

The servant’s face ashened. “But…”

“Leave!” I didn’t spare her another glance. “And tell Seraphina, whatever she wants, she can do with that woman. As long as she doesn’t make trouble for me.”

She looked stunned with my cold response. After all, I spoiled Seraphina since we were young. She was the daughter of the former Beta and my childhood sweetheart, and politically, her family still held influence within the inner council advisory circle. Whatever she wanted, I had given her, not only out of attachment, but also because her presence stabilized certain alliances within the pack structure.

But I hated weak, pathetic people. If you couldn’t win against someone, then it was your failure. I wouldn’t cater to your needs.

The servant looked horrified and ran out of my chamber.

“She hit Seraphina?” I muttered, the pen twirling around my finger. “Seraphina has been bullying her since she entered this pack. Has she finally decided to retaliate?”

A sharp mocking scoff echoed inside my mind.

She even dared to throw my father’s past on my face.

Walking with the mistress? She wasn’t the woman I had been searching for from the beginning with. How dare she mention that bastard?

My grip tightened slightly.

“But, Xavier!” Xyder’s spirit separated from my body and jumped onto the chair across the desk. “Why would she own that pendant if it doesn’t react to her? Or perhaps the rumors are true. Silverflame has another daughter who is being groomed to become the next Alpha?”

Ah. There was a rumor about this circulating among lower council branches and merchant routes. But outside, the entire werewolf world knew that Silverflame had only one acknowledged heir. Marianna Silverflame, the spoiled, weak princess who never held a sword.

Now she beat Seraphina? Who had been training to become my Luna since she was seven, under direct warrior supervision and elite combat instructors?

“You seem to be interested. It’s the first time I’ve seen you thinking about another woman.”

I looked at Xyder. My eyes narrowed. “But someone’s tail is wiggling.”

Xyder paused, then jumped off the chair. “I am hungry. Let’s go eat. I want two turkey legs and five eggs tonight.” He rubbed his neck against my leg.

“Do you think I have a drum in my stomach?” I rose to my feet. His giant body shimmered under the warm light.

When I opened the door, Barbara was already in the hallway, pacing back and forth. Her expression was unusual, tighter than her usual composed demeanor, as if she had just come from a confrontation she was still processing.

When she saw me, she hurriedly walked toward me with a gentle smile. “Alpha. I heard you were busy. So I didn’t want to disturb you.”

“What’s wrong?” I asked.

“Well, it’s about Lady Seraphina. She—”

“I have already told her servant, Aunt. It’s up to her how she will handle the people in this household. I gave her the responsibility. So anything related to—”

“That woman threw out everything that belonged to Lady Seraphina and claimed the Luna’s chamber!”

Her words immediately made me stop.

Not because of Seraphina.

Because of the Luna chamber.

The chamber wasn’t just a room. It symbolized authority, recognition, and future leadership within the pack hierarchy. Even temporary occupation of it was a direct challenge to established order, something that could be interpreted as political defiance depending on council interpretation.

My eyes darkened. “She claimed the Luna’s chamber? The audacity.”

“She is in the dinner room right now, Alpha. If you let it slide, next time she might bully everyone. Not to mention, she slapped my face!”

My expression shifted.

“She did what?”

Barbara lowered her gaze, her face turning red with humiliation. “I didn’t tell you before because I didn’t want to disturb you. But…”

I didn’t let her finish. The moment I heard it, something inside me tightened sharply.

I heard straight to downstairs.

In this world, I couldn’t tolerate two things: people who questioned my authority, and people who dared to humiliate those under my direct protection inside my household structure.

And right now, both lines had been crossed.