The King's Humiliation
925 Words
The cathedral erupted into chaos.
Whispers exploded through the crowd like wildfire.
"Did she really reject him?"
"In front of everyone?"
"Has Lady Luna lost her mind?"
The nobles stared at Luna as if they had never seen her before.
Perhaps they hadn't.
Because the timid woman who once lived only for Damien Blackwood no longer existed.
Damien's face had turned dark.
Dangerously dark.
The atmosphere around him became suffocating.
The guests immediately fell silent.
Everyone knew what it meant when the future king was angry.
Yet Luna stood perfectly still.
Unafraid.
Unmoved.
Unbreakable.
This time, she would never bow to him again.
Damien stepped closer.
His golden eyes locked onto hers.
"Tell me this is a joke."
His voice was calm.
Too calm.
Luna knew that tone.
It was the tone he used when he was barely controlling his temper.
Unfortunately for him, she no longer cared.
"It isn't."
A vein appeared on Damien's forehead.
The crowd gasped.
Nobody had ever dared speak to him that way.
Not even Luna.
Especially not Luna.
"You embarrassed me before the entire kingdom."
His words came out through clenched teeth.
Luna smiled coldly.
"Good."
The single word struck Damien harder than a slap.
Shock flashed across his face.
Then anger.
Pure anger.
"You belong to me."
The moment the words left his mouth, Luna laughed.
Actually laughed.
The sound echoed through the silent cathedral.
Every noble looked horrified.
Damien looked stunned.
"Belong to you?" Luna repeated.
Her voice dripped with mockery.
"I don't remember signing a contract selling my soul."
A few younger nobles quickly lowered their heads to hide their smiles.
Damien's face darkened further.
"Enough."
"No," Luna replied calmly.
"For years I've listened to what you wanted."
She took a step closer.
"Today, you'll listen to me."
The entire cathedral held its breath.
Even the priest looked terrified.
Luna pointed at the royal altar.
"I refuse this marriage."
Then she pointed at Damien.
"And I refuse you."
Gasps filled the room.
Several elderly nobles nearly fainted.
Nobody in the kingdom had ever spoken to Damien this way.
Nobody.
Yet Luna continued.
"I deserve better than a man who thinks a wife is property."
Damien's eyes widened slightly.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
This wasn't the Luna he knew.
Where was the gentle woman who adored him?
Where was the bride who blushed whenever he smiled?
The woman standing before him now looked at him like an enemy.
And somehow...
That realization made his chest tighten.
Among the crowd, a silver-haired man watched silently.
Lucien Ravencrest.
The Shadow Alpha.
The most feared ruler in the northern territories.
Unlike everyone else, he wasn't shocked.
He was fascinated.
A small smile tugged at his lips.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
Everyone believed Luna was humiliating herself.
Lucien saw something different.
He saw courage.
He saw intelligence.
Most importantly—
He saw a woman who was no longer under Damien's control.
For the first time in years, Lucien found himself genuinely curious.
Meanwhile, Seraphina sat among the noble guests.
Her nails dug into her palms.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
Everything had been planned perfectly.
Luna was supposed to marry Damien.
Luna was supposed to become queen.
Only then could Seraphina slowly destroy her from within the palace.
Just like before.
But now the future had changed.
And Seraphina hated it.
Her eyes narrowed.
Something felt wrong.
Almost as if Luna already knew the future.
Impossible.
And yet...
The thought refused to leave her mind.
"Luna."
Damien's voice echoed once again.
This time there was desperation beneath the anger.
A feeling he couldn't explain.
"If you're upset, we can talk privately."
The crowd blinked.
Several nobles exchanged shocked glances.
The future king was compromising?
For a woman?
Unheard of.
Yet Luna only shook her head.
"No."
The word hit Damien like a blade.
His pride had never suffered such a wound.
Not on a battlefield.
Not in politics.
Not anywhere.
And certainly not from the woman he intended to marry.
For the first time in his life...
He didn't know what to do.
Luna glanced around the cathedral.
The faces before her looked familiar.
Many of these people had watched her downfall in her previous life.
Many had remained silent when she was imprisoned.
Many had chosen power over justice.
She would remember every one of them.
This time, she would not be their victim.
She would become their nightmare.
Without another word, Luna turned around.
The crowd immediately parted to make way for her.
Nobody dared stop her.
Nobody dared speak.
The former bride walked through the grand cathedral with her head held high.
Each step felt lighter than the last.
For the first time in years...
She felt free.
Just as she reached the doors—
A deep voice suddenly echoed behind her.
"Lady Luna."
She froze.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Because she recognized that voice.
Slowly, she turned.
The crowd also turned.
A tall man stepped forward from among the guests.
Silver hair.
Piercing gray eyes.
A powerful aura that silenced the entire cathedral.
The nobles gasped.
Even Damien frowned.
Because everyone knew who this man was.
Shadow Alpha Lucien Ravencrest.
The most dangerous ruler in the kingdom.
Lucien's gaze met Luna's.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
Then he said something that stunned the entire cathedral.
"Since you're no longer getting married..."
"...would you allow me to escort you home?"
The crowd froze.
Damien's face turned black with rage.
And Luna realized that changing the future had just become far more complicated.
To Be Continued...
- Writer
