THE LUNA’s SILVER SHADOW

The Silver Dagger (Lily’s POV) The smell of jasmine and expensive wax usually made me feel at home. Today, the scent felt heavy and suffocating. I walked through the halls of the Sun Palace, my hand resting instinctively on my stomach. There was a tiny life growing there. It was a secret I had carried for weeks, waiting for the perfect moment to tell my husband and my mate. Killian was the Alpha of the Sun Pack, and I was his Luna. I thought we were the perfect match. I thought our love was written in the stars. As I approached his private study, I felt a flutter of excitement. I wanted to see his face when I told him he was going to be a father. I reached the heavy oak doors, but they were not fully closed. A soft laugh drifted out from the crack. It was a feminine laugh, high and musical. It was a sound I knew well. It belonged to my sister, Selene. I pushed the door open just an inch, my heart starting to thud against my ribs. Killian was sitting in his large velvet chair. Selene was draped across his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck. His hands, the same hands that held mine during our wedding ceremony, were pulling her closer. They were not talking about palace business. They were kissing each other. "How much longer do we have to pretend?" Selene pouted, her fingers tracing the line of Killian’s jaw. "I hate seeing you touch her. I hate that she wears the Luna crown that belongs to me." Killian chuckled, a sound that made my skin crawl. "Not much longer, my love. The Council already suspects she is weak. I have been slowly draining her influence for months. Once she is gone, you will take your rightful place by my side." I felt like the floor had vanished beneath my feet. I pushed the door open all the way, my breath hitching in my throat. "Killian?" They both froze. Killian did not look guilty. He did not jump up or try to explain. He slowly stood up, brushing Selene off his lap as if she were a piece of lint. His eyes, once warm and golden, were now as cold as winter ice. "Lily," he said, his voice flat. "You were always bad at staying in your place." "You are having an affair with my sister?" I whispered. My voice shook. "Killian, I am your mate. We are bound by the Moon Goddess." Selene stood up and smoothed her silk dress. She looked at me with pure hatred. "You really are stupid, Lily. Do you think a powerful Alpha like Killian would be mated to a pathetic healer like you? He used a scent-masking spell. He faked the bond. He needed your father’s army, and now that our father is dead, you are useless." I backed away, my hand pressing harder against my belly. "I am pregnant, Killian. I came here to tell you. We are having a child." For a split second, a flash of something crossed Killian’s face. But it wasn't joy. It was an annoyance. "That makes things more complicated," Killian said. He stepped toward me, and for the first time in my life, I felt true terror. I turned to run, but the door slammed shut on its own. Selene was a gifted sorceress, and she had locked us in. "A pup would only give you a claim to the throne that I don't want you to have," Killian said. He reached into his belt and pulled out a dagger. It was made of pure silver, etched with runes that glowed with a faint, sickly light. "Killian, please," I begged. Tears were streaming down my face. "Kill her if you want, but save the baby. Don't do this." He didn't hesitate. He was an Alpha, fast and strong. Before I could even scream for the guards, he was in front of me. He grabbed my hair, pulling my head back, and drove the silver blade deep into my chest. The pain was unlike anything I had ever felt. It wasn't just my flesh burning; it felt like my soul was being ripped apart. Silver is poison to our kind, and this blade was enchanted to kill slowly. I fell to my knees, coughing up blood. I looked up and saw Selene standing over me. She leaned down and whispered in my ear. "I always hated you, Lily. I will enjoy wearing your dresses and sleeping in your bed." Killian stood over me, watching the life drain from my eyes. He didn't look away. He watched me die as if I were a hunted animal he had finally trapped. As the darkness started to pull at me, I felt a coldness in my womb. My baby was gone. The grief was even sharper than the silver. With my last bit of strength, I looked up at the ceiling and prayed to the Moon Goddess. Please, I thought. Do not let it end like this. Give me a chance to make them pay. The world turned black. The pain vanished, replaced by a heavy, silent void. I felt myself floating in nothingness for what felt like years. Then, a voice echoed in the dark. It was a soft, ancient voice, like the rustle of leaves in the wind. "The cycle is broken. The balance must be restored." Suddenly, my lungs burned. I felt a massive jolt of electricity run through my body. My eyes snapped open, but I couldn't see anything clearly yet. My chest felt tight, and my throat was bone-dry. I felt silk beneath my fingernails instead of cold stone. I was frantically clawing at the air, trying to find the wound in my chest, but there was no blood, and there was no hole. I sat bolt upright, gasping for breath as I realized I was back in my childhood bedroom, seven years before the knife ever touched my skin.