A Queen's Revenge

The Shadow Alpha's Invitation

The cathedral fell silent.

Not a single person dared breathe.

Every eye was fixed on Lucien Ravencrest.

The Shadow Alpha.

The most feared ruler in the Northern Territories.

And the man who had just publicly offered to escort Luna Nightshade home.

For several seconds, nobody moved.

Nobody spoke.

Nobody even blinked.

Then—

The whispers exploded.

"What did he just say?"

"Did Lucien Ravencrest really approach her?"

"This is madness!"

Even the nobles who had witnessed countless political scandals were stunned.

Because everyone knew one thing.

Lucien Ravencrest and Damien Blackwood hated each other.

Not openly.

Not publicly.

But beneath their polite smiles was a rivalry that had lasted for years.

And now Lucien had stepped forward at the exact moment Damien suffered the greatest humiliation of his life.

The timing couldn't be a coincidence.

Damien's expression darkened.

"Lucien."

His voice was cold.

Dangerously cold.

Lucien merely smiled.

"Damien."

The two powerful Alphas stared at each other.

The tension was so thick it felt impossible to breathe.

Several nobles instinctively backed away.

Nobody wanted to get caught between them.

Not if they valued their lives.

Meanwhile, Luna remained silent.

Her heart raced.

This wasn't how things had happened in her previous life.

Back then, Lucien had barely noticed her existence.

Their paths rarely crossed.

Yet now...

Everything was changing.

The future was already different.

Lucien looked at her again.

His gray eyes seemed capable of seeing straight through people.

"I asked a question, Lady Luna."

Luna lifted her chin.

"And what if I refuse?"

A few nobles gasped.

Today seemed to be the day Luna stopped fearing powerful men.

To everyone's surprise, Lucien laughed.

A genuine laugh.

"I'll survive."

Several guests nearly fainted.

The Shadow Alpha was smiling.

At Luna.

This had to be some kind of dream.

Seraphina watched from her seat.

Her fingers tightened around her fan.

She didn't like this.

Not one bit.

Lucien Ravencrest was dangerous.

Unpredictable.

Powerful.

If Luna gained his support, things could become difficult.

Very difficult.

A sense of unease settled in her stomach.

For the first time in years, Seraphina felt something she hated.

Fear.

Damien took a step forward.

"Luna is staying."

The command echoed through the cathedral.

A king giving an order.

Lucien raised an eyebrow.

"Is she?"

The question sounded innocent.

Yet everyone understood the challenge hidden beneath it.

Damien's jaw tightened.

"She's my fiancée."

"No."

Luna's voice cut through the tension.

Every head turned toward her.

She looked directly at Damien.

"I was your fiancée."

The words landed like thunder.

Damien froze.

A strange pain flashed across his face.

Gone almost instantly.

But Luna saw it.

And for the first time, she realized something surprising.

Damien wasn't just angry.

He was hurt.

Good.

Let him hurt.

It was nothing compared to what she had suffered.

Without warning, Lucien extended his hand.

The entire cathedral gasped.

A ruler offering his hand was a gesture of respect.

An invitation.

A declaration.

And right now, that invitation was directed at Luna.

The same woman who had rejected the future king only minutes ago.

Lucien's eyes met hers.

"Shall we?"

Luna stared at his hand.

Thoughts raced through her mind.

In her previous life, Lucien had become one of the strongest rulers in the continent.

He was feared by enemies.

Respected by allies.

Unlike Damien, he never betrayed his people.

Never broke his promises.

But trusting him?

That was another matter entirely.

She couldn't afford mistakes anymore.

Not in this life.

Not after everything she had endured.

Yet remaining here would only allow Damien to pressure her.

And Luna was done being cornered.

Slowly—

Very slowly—

She placed her hand in Lucien's.

The cathedral erupted.

Nobles shouted.

Women gasped.

Men exchanged stunned looks.

Someone even dropped a wine glass.

Damien's face turned pale.

Then furious.

Then pale again.

Because Luna had made her choice.

And it wasn't him.

As Lucien gently guided her toward the exit, Luna felt hundreds of eyes watching her.

But she didn't look back.

Not until they reached the cathedral doors.

Only then did she pause.

Only then did she glance over her shoulder.

Damien was still standing at the altar.

Alone.

Watching her leave.

For a brief moment, their eyes met.

A strange feeling twisted in Luna's chest.

Not love.

Not regret.

Just closure.

The ending of one life.

And the beginning of another.

She turned away.

And walked out.

Outside, black carriages lined the palace road.

The sky above was bright and clear.

A fresh beginning.

Lucien helped her into his carriage.

The door closed behind them.

For several moments, neither spoke.

The silence wasn't awkward.

It was cautious.

Measured.

Like two warriors studying one another before a battle.

Finally, Lucien broke the silence.

"You've changed."

Luna's heart skipped.

Those three words hit harder than he could possibly know.

She forced a calm expression.

"People change."

Lucien leaned back.

"Not overnight."

A chill ran down her spine.

His sharp eyes never left her.

Almost as though he suspected something impossible.

Something nobody should know.

The carriage rolled forward.

Leaving the palace behind.

Leaving her old life behind.

Then Lucien spoke again.

And this time, his words made Luna's blood run cold.

"Tell me, Lady Luna..."

"...what exactly happened to make you hate Damien Blackwood?"

To Be Continued...