Chapter 4
1802 Words
Vicky~
"According to the sacred laws of the Moon Festival, a Moon Maiden must remain unattached throughout her service."
My voice cut through the hall, cutting through the excited chatter as I continued while Selena's smile faltered.
Only then did I take another step forward as I looked around.
"Yet moments ago, before the entire pack, you openly admitted to having a mate candidate."
"I can smell him on you," I said. "That's a temporary claim-mark. The kind that only comes from where a man puts his hands when he thinks no one's watching."
A murmur swept the crowd, uglier this time. Every wolf in that room could smell it too, now that I'd said it out loud.
The Moon Maiden represented the blessing of the Moon Goddess herself. She was expected to remain free from romantic ties during her term to ensure neutrality among the packs.
I watched the shift happen in real time — the same faces that had been charmed by her an hour ago rearranging themselves into something colder.
This wasn't a careless girl who'd made one mistake anymore. This was a she-wolf who had stood before the whole pack, sworn an oath to the Goddess, and broken it deliberately, while smiling at everyone who trusted her.
"Are you admitting," I continued coldly, "that you lied during your oath ceremony?"
Selena's face drained of color. Beside me, Mara stepped forward with the Council decree already open.
"As stated by the Elder Council decree," she announced clearly, "any Moon Maiden found violating her oath shall immediately forfeit her title and surrender all festival privileges."
The hall erupted as Selena's eyes widened in panic.
"No… please don't do this”
"You will also stand before the next full gathering of Silver Ridge and publicly confess your deception."
The wolves exchanged shocked looks as they kept murmuring. Of course they knew what public confession meant.
In pack society, there was no punishment more humiliating than that.
A werewolf warrior would survive defeat and disgrace. However, public humiliation before an entire pack followed a wolf for years.
I watched as her hands trembled as she shook her head in despair.
"You can't do this."
"Oh. may I remind you that I can?”
I replied as my smile remained calm. Then, I continued,
"As Luna, I oversee all festival affairs."
I tilted my head with a smirk. "Or did you forget that?"
A few wolves chuckled as the sound only deepened the panic in her eyes.
Only then did I turn away.
"Perhaps next time you'll think twice before challenging someone whose authority you don't understand."
Before she could say anything else, a powerful scent swept through the hall while I turned around. By this moment, the room instinctively quieted.
The Alpha's scent hit the room before I saw him, and every wolf in it straightened without meaning to.
Selena immediately looked toward the entrance and almost immediately, a flash of hope lit on her face while I scoffed in annoyance.
Even now, she expected him to save her?
I wondered as I watched Rowan approach while Selena leaned closer and whispered.
"Do you really think he'll choose you?"
She said, her voice dripping with poison as if she has just won a lottery.
"He always comes back to me. You may have won in the presence of the crowd but to Rowan, I am his priority!” She said the moment she leaned in to stay.
For a second, my chest tightened before the feeling disappeared before I realized that I was simply too tired to care anymore.
In the past, I'd have been too wounded but now, I wanted to leave.
Suddenly, tears filled Selena's eyes as she grabbed my wrist.
"Luna Vicky… please don't do this…. Forgive me this once.”
She said, her voice cracking while several nearby wolves immediately softened.
"My mother is ill. "If I lose this title, my family will be ruined.”
A tear rolled down her face as she kept talking. At some point, it felt as though she wanted to choke because her performance was flawless and at some point, I almost admired her effort.
“What's going on here?”
Rowan's deep voice sounded behind us and before I could answer, Selena looked up at him as her eyes glistened.
"This is my fault, Alpha." She replied and hurriedly lowered her head as she continued, “I upset Luna Vicky."
Instead, I scoffed waiting for what Rowan would do wondering if he would choose his mistress over his Luna in the presence of the wolves.
However, Rowan's expression darkened.
"Selena Ashford."
He called out coldly. Somehow, the authority in his voice sent chills through the hall.
"You knowingly violated the laws governing the Moon Festival and you also disrespected your Luna."
He continued while Selena froze. For a moment, it didn't seem as if she was expecting that statement.
"So tell me, where is your apology?"
Rowan asked and for a brief second, my heart betrayed me the moment I remembered the young Alpha who used to stand between me and every danger and swore nobody would ever make me cry.
Selena looked genuinely stunned as her eyes widened in shock.
"I… I'm sorry, Luna."
Then his hand settled gently on my shoulder as his voice softened.
"She apologized… Can we let this end here?”
Rowan asked as his thumb brushed lightly against my shoulder.
It didn't take a second before the illusion shattered. Only then did I realize that he only protected me enough for everyone to see but in actual fact, he was protecting Selena.
I immediately stepped away from his touch and looked at Selena sternly.
"If you're going to apologize, then do it properly."
I watched her expression stiffen, however, I cared less.
"Tomorrow, before moonrise, you'll correct every lie in front of the pack. Your title is suspended pending Elder review."
I said, reminding her. At that moment, the room grew more quiet. At least, I knew how to punish her because such an admission would destroy the innocent image she had worked so hard to build.
However, Selena lowered her head as she bit her lips.
"Yes, Luna. Oh, and one more thing. Your title as Moon Maiden is suspended pending Elder review."
“But…”
She wanted to protest as her face turned white. Still,l turned and walked away. I knew if she had her way, I'd have been six feet off the ground because I could feel her hatred behind me.
The celebration continued long into the night as music echoed beneath crystal chandeliers. I watched wolves danced, laughed and drank as if nothing else mattered while I exhaled out.
Nothing made sense because I wanted none of it and eventually, I slipped onto a quiet moonlit terrace overlooking the training grounds.
A few minutes later, Rowan joined me and without speaking, he placed a plate of sliced moonberries beside me while my chest tightened because they were my favourite even while I hated preparing them.
Yet, Rowan had taken it upon himself to prepare them for years even when his friends would mock him relentlessly claiming he would be the first Alpha to prepare snacks for his Luna.
"If making my mate smile hurts my pride," he used to say, “then my pride isn't worth much.”
My stomach tightened as the words echoed painfully in my head.
"My sweet luna."
He said gently as he handed me a moonberry.
"I know tonight was difficult. Trust me, I won't allow anyone to disrespect you”
Somehow, it felt as if the concern in his eyes felt too real and nothing about his affection ever felt fake which made his betrayal impossible to understand.
How could a wolf love two people at once? How could he hold another she-wolf while still looking at me like this?
Twenty-seven days, Lyra reminded me, quiet, like she knew I needed the number more than the berries.
Before I could answer, a warrior approached.
"Alpha, the Elders request your presence."
Only then did Rowan sigh as he pulled me into a brief embrace.
He kissed my forehead. "Wait for me."
I smiled until he turned the corner. Then I let it drop.
Nearly thirty minutes later, I left the terrace and as I passed through a quieter section of the packhouse, raised voices echoed ahead.
"You think you're worthy of becoming Luna? You don't even know your place, huh?”
"Stop chasing another wolf's mate," one of them spat. "It makes you a whore."
"You'll never replace luna."
A cold feeling settled in my stomach as I turned the corner wondering what was going on.
Then, I saw several young warriors surrounded Selena with a male wolf grabbing her waist while another blocked her path.
Yet, the helpless girl backed herself against the wall as tears streamed down her face.
"Please stop. I never wanted any trouble”
She replied in a cracked voice while one of the warriors laughed.
"Then stop chasing another wolf's mate. It only makes you a w***e!”
However, I flinched because even though I hated Selena, they had definitely gone too far.
Instead, I mind-linked the guards when a terrifying Alpha aura exploded through the corridor.
At once, everyone froze before Rowan finally appeared in anger and almost immediately, it felt as if time stopped as he glared at the warriors coldly while they stepped back in fear.
"Leave, Now!”
He yelled at them and within seconds, everyone scrambled for their lives and suddenly, the corridor fell silent.
Only then did I watch Rowan turn towards Selena while fury vanished from his face and concern replaced it.
Slowly, he crouched beside her.
"Are you hurt?" He asked her softly while Selena burst into tears as she threw herself into his arms.
A twist occurred in my chest as I watched his arms wrapped around her possessively while his hand began to strike her hair.
“Don’t worry, I'm here now. You're safe. No one would hurt you anymore”
Selena buried her face against his chest as she whimpered.
"I thought you hated me after tonight. I thought I lost you forever.”
However, Rowan chuckled.
“You silly girl… I would never hate you and you would never lose me…”
Slowly, his hands cupped her cheek and the tenderness in his eyes shattered something deep inside me.
"I only acted harshly because everyone was watching. Please, don't cry because it will keep hurting me. I hate to see you this way”
Just when it felt as if I had it all, I mistakenly hit a glass while the sound echoed through the corridor.
At once, Rowan and Selena froze as they turned around in shock.
- Writer
