No More The Alpha's Backup Girl

Chapter 3

Someone scratched at my door. Damon. He leaned in the frame like he was doing me a favor. "Selene, Luna's Silvermoon Rite is a once-in-a-lifetime thing. It starts at dawn. The hall's going to be packed with press. She can't handle it alone."

I stared at him. "And?"

"Could we move the binding to the evening? Skip the caravan and the family toast—go straight to the reception."

I almost laughed. A binding happened once. He wanted to reschedule it like a business meeting.

A servant below muttered, "First bindings at night are bad luck. Feels like a runner-up ceremony."

My mother's voice snapped over hers. "That's ancient superstition. This is a modern age."

Damon stepped closer, his expression gentle, reasonable. "Selene. You get it. You've always been the reasonable one."

I looked at him and remembered another night. I'd taken second in a leather-craft competition. My parents went to Luna's music recital. Damon promised he'd come to my award ceremony. He went to Luna's performance instead. I stood on that stage alone. Clapped for by strangers. Thanked by people who didn't know my name.

"Fine. Move it to evening." It'd save me making up excuses later.

They relaxed on the spot. The celebration spilled back downstairs. Champagne corks popped. Laughter carried up through the floor.

Late that night, Damon had too much to drink. He slumped against the terrace railing, his ceremonial collar hanging loose. Lake wind cut between us.

"Damon," I asked, "are you actually looking forward to this binding?"

He didn't answer.

"Why'd you choose me?" I already knew. I just wanted to hear him say it. The last nail.

His voice slurred, careless and cruel. "I never planned to treat you bad. You're simple. You don't push me. Luna—Luna's complicated. She carries weight in both packs. If she goes down, everything goes down with her."

"So she'll always rank above me."

He stared out at the water. "I thought you understood. You've always had sense."

The wind stung my eyes. The truth was worse than I'd pictured. He loved me, maybe. He loved the version of me that waited in the shadows and never made him choose. But the second Luna reached for him, he'd drop me without blinking.