Betrayed By My Mate, Crowned By An Alpha.

A Luna on trial

(Aria)

The monthly pack dinner was always held in the main dining hall on the first Friday of every month. Long wooden tables filled the space, and the whole pack would gather to eat together and discuss pack business. It was supposed to be a time of unity and fellowship.

Today, it felt more like walking into a trap.

I sat at the head table beside Kael, wearing a simple blue dress that I hoped struck the right balance between formal and approachable. I had just gotten back from my walk, when Kael reminded me of the dinner. The conversations around us were quieter than usual, more guarded. I could feel eyes on me from every corner of the room.

"Relax," Kael said quietly, his hand covering mine on the table. "You belong here."

I nodded, but my muscles stayed tense. The rumors Ashley had been spreading were working. I could see it in the sideways glances, the whispered conversations that stopped when I looked in their direction.

Daniel sat three tables away with his supporters. He had been watching me since I walked in, his expression unreadable. Ashley sat beside him, looking innocent in a yellow dress, her hair falling in soft waves around her shoulders.

Beta Rowan stood up to address the room. "Welcome, everyone, to our monthly gathering. Before we eat, Alpha Kael would like to say a few words."

Kael rose from his chair, his presence commanding immediate attention. "Pack family," he began, his voice carrying easily across the room. "We have faced challenges this month, but we remain strong. Our borders are secure, our members are healthy, and our future is bright."

A few pack members nodded approvingly. Others looked skeptical.

"Some of you have concerns about recent changes in our leadership structure," Kael continued. "I want to be clear that your Luna has my complete confidence and support. She has already proven herself worthy of the position through her strength, intelligence, and dedication to this pack."

The words should have made me feel better, but I could see the doubt in many faces. They were listening to their Alpha, but they were not convinced.

"Now," Kael said, settling back into his chair, "let us enjoy our meal together."

The servers began bringing out platters of food. Roasted meat, fresh bread, vegetables from the pack gardens. The smell was delicious, but my appetite was gone.

I was cutting into my chicken when Daniel stood up at his table. The movement was sudden enough to draw attention from across the room.

"Father," he called out, loud enough for everyone to hear. "I have a question for our new Luna."

The dining hall went silent. Every conversation stopped mid-sentence. All eyes turned toward Daniel, then to me.

Kael's hand tightened on his fork. "Daniel, this is not the time."

"Actually, I think this is the perfect time," Daniel said, stepping away from his table. "The whole pack is here. We should all get to know our Luna better."

I could feel the trap closing around me, but there was no way to avoid it without looking weak. "What is your question, Daniel?"

He smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "I was wondering if you could tell us about your qualifications for being Luna. Your training, your experience, your preparation for the role."

The question was designed to embarrass me, and we both knew it. I had years of warrior training but no formal Luna preparation. No experience managing pack affairs beyond what I had learned in the past few weeks.

"I have been a warrior in this pack for ten years," I said clearly. "I have trained in combat, strategy, and pack defense since I was sixteen. As for Luna duties, I am learning every day with help from the council."

"Ah yes, warrior training," Daniel said with a dismissive wave. "But being Luna is about more than fighting. It is about leadership, diplomacy, managing resources. So you admit you were not prepared for this position when you took it."

"I admit I am growing into the administrative aspects of the role, yes. But I was prepared to protect this pack with my life, which I have been doing for a decade."

"Interesting." Daniel began walking closer to the head table, his voice carrying clearly through the silent room. "Most Lunas spend years preparing for their responsibilities. They study pack law, finance management, diplomatic relations. They learn from experienced mentors."

"Your point, son?" Kael's voice carried a warning.

"My point is that our pack deserves a Luna who understands all aspects of leadership, not someone who only knows how to fight."

Murmurs rippled through the room. Some pack members looked uncomfortable with Daniel's public challenge. Others seemed to agree with his concerns.

"Tell me, Aria," Daniel continued, now standing just a few feet from our table. "What do you know about our trade agreements with neighboring packs? Our defense contracts? Our emergency protocols?"

My face grew warm. I knew the defense and emergency protocols well from my warrior training, but the trade agreements were newer knowledge that I was still mastering.

"Our emergency evacuation plan sends children and elders to the safe rooms in the basement, then to the northern caves if necessary," I said confidently. "The caves can shelter two hundred people for two weeks. Defense protocols require perimeter sweeps every four hours, with patrol rotations changing weekly to prevent pattern recognition by enemies."

A few pack members looked impressed with my detailed knowledge.

"And our trade agreements?" Daniel pressed.

"I am still learning the specifics of our contracts," I admitted. "But I know we have agreements with Riverside Pack for grain, Mountain View Pack for medical supplies, and Forest Haven Pack for construction materials."

"But you do not know the terms, payment schedules, or default procedures," Daniel said triumphantly.

"Daniel, sit down," Kael commanded, his Alpha voice beginning to show.

"In a moment, father. I think the pack deserves to know what kind of leader they are following." Daniel turned back to me. "Can you tell us about our pack's financial reserves? How much we spend monthly on security versus medical care?"

I stared at him, my mind reaching for information I had only recently started learning. Elena had shown me budget reports, but I could not recall the exact figures.

"I would need to review the current reports," I said.

"You would need to review them," Daniel repeated for the room to hear. "Our Luna does not know our basic financial status."

The murmurs were getting louder now. I could see doubt spreading across faces that had been neutral before.

"What about pack law?" Daniel continued. "Can you tell us the punishment for challenging an Alpha? The procedures for exile? The requirements for accepting new pack members?"

Some of this I knew from watching pack meetings over the years, but not the formal legal details.

"Challenging an Alpha requires formal declaration and combat," I said. "Exile requires Alpha decision or council vote. New members need sponsorship from existing pack members and approval from leadership."

"Basic knowledge," Daniel said dismissively. "But what about the detailed procedures? The legal precedents? The appeal processes?"

I felt my confidence slipping. These were things I had never needed to know as a warrior, details that Lunas traditionally learned over years of preparation.

"I am still learning those specifics," I admitted.

Ashley spoke up from her table, her voice sweet and concerned. "Daniel is just worried about the pack, like we all are. We want to make sure we have strong leadership."

Several pack members nodded agreement with her words.

"Perhaps," said an older woman named Margaret from near the back, "our Luna could tell us about pack history. Surely she knows who founded Moonridge Pack."

This question hit me like a physical blow. Pack history had never been part of my warrior training. It was considered knowledge for future Lunas, and everyone had assumed that would be someone else.

"I do not know the founder's name," I said quietly.

The admission sent a wave of whispers through the room. Daniel smiled with satisfaction.

"Our Luna does not know who founded her own pack," he announced. "She does not know our history, our legal traditions, our founding principles."

"But I know how to defend this pack," I said, standing up. "I know every border, every vulnerable point, every escape route. I know which families have fighters and which need protection. I know how to lead warriors into battle and bring them home alive."

"Fighting is not everything," Daniel said. "A Luna needs to understand all aspects of pack life."

"You are right," I said, looking around the room. "I do not know everything about budgets and contracts and legal procedures. I have been learning for three weeks. But I do know that when rogues attacked our borders two days ago, I led the patrol that captured them. I know that when this pack is threatened, I will be on the front lines defending it."

"And when the pack needs diplomatic solutions instead of violence?" Daniel asked. "When we need careful financial planning instead of brave charges into battle?"

"Then I will learn those skills, the same way I learned to fight. The same way I learned to track enemies and protect our people."

"This is exactly why this happened," Daniel said, his voice rising. "You think being strong makes you qualified for leadership. But strength without wisdom is dangerous."

"Enough," Kael snapped, standing up from his chair. "You have made your point."

"Have I?" Daniel turned to face the room. "Because I think the point is that we have a Luna who was chosen for her fighting ability, not her leadership qualifications."

The implication stung because it held some truth. I had not been chosen through careful consideration of my administrative skills. The mating had been accidental, passionate, immediate.

"You go too far," Kael warned.

"Do I? Or am I just saying what everyone else is thinking?"

Before anyone could respond, I stood up and walked out of the dining hall. I could not sit there anymore, could not endure another minute of having my weaknesses displayed for everyone to judge.

Behind me, I heard Kael's voice rise in anger, heard the scraping of chairs as people stood up, heard the chatter of conversation as the pack discussed what they had just witnessed.

But I kept walking, out of the dining hall, up the stairs, and into the privacy of my room.

Daniel had gotten exactly what he wanted. He had shown the pack that while I might be a capable warrior, I was not prepared for the broader responsibilities of being Luna.

And the worst part was, he had not been entirely wrong.