RISE OF THE HEALER LUNA

3

SERENA

The gasps tasted so sweet.

I stood at the doorway for a few seconds longer than necessary, not because I was nervous, but because I wanted to see everything clearly. I wanted to watch their faces, and I wanted to feel the weight of their shock.

The pack hall that once felt like home now felt like a stage, and for the first time in my life, I was not the one being judged.

I lifted my chin slightly and scanned the hall. Some people looked pale. Some looked scared. Some looked confused. Others looked like they had seen a ghost.

Then my eyes landed on Cassandra.

She sat beside Liam, dressed like a walking makeup commercial. Her lashes were thick, her lips glossy, her cheeks glowing like she had applied half of her cosmetic empire on her face.

For a moment, her mouth dropped open. Then she forced it shut, her fingers tightening around her purse. Her expression shifted quickly—from shock to irritation, then to something twisted and ugly.

I almost laughed.

Then my eyes moved, and they stopped on Liam.

To everyone else, he looked fine because of how confidently he stood, but I had known him too long not to tell he was in shock.

Good.

I stepped forward slowly. The hall was so quiet that every step sounded loud. People turned in their seats, conversations died, and music faded into awkward silence.

When I reached the center of the hall, I smiled gently.

“Good evening,” I said lightly. “I’m sorry to interrupt your gathering. Please, don’t mind me. Carry on.”

My voice sounded calm—polite for someone who had once been humiliated here.

I walked further in, ignoring the stares, and found an empty seat near the front. I sat down gracefully, crossing my legs and folding my hands on my lap like I belonged there.

Because I did.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Liam shift in his seat. He stood up slowly, cleared his throat, and tried to speak.

“My people…” he began.

His voice sounded steady at first, but his eyes kept drifting back to me. Other people stared, and it was almost funny how hard they tried not to.

Liam swallowed and tried again.

“Tonight, as we celebrate the Christmas Full Moon Assembly, we must remember our strength as a pack,” he continued, upholding the stance of the brave Alpha. “Silverclaw Pack has always—”

He paused, then glanced at me again.

His gaze lingered too long, and for a heartbeat, the air felt different. The way his eyes slid from mine was intertwined with guilt and a hunger that hadn’t been satisfied in years.

“…endured, and together, we remind our people that tonight is meant to be a night of unity, hope, and renewal. Despite the challenges we face, we are still standing. Let us not forget that.”

He spoke beautifully—naturally and without stuttering. The pack listened, and when he finished, he smiled gently.

“Now,” he said, clapping his hands once, “let the celebration continue.”

Music resumed slowly, and conversation returned, but nothing felt normal anymore.

Everyone kept glancing in my direction. Some whispered, some stared openly, and some pretended not to look—and failed terribly.

Some even made horrible comments that almost made me feel like the old, weak Luna they used to know.

I brushed them off, sitting there calmly, enjoying every second.

Then I felt it—a presence approaching. I didn’t need to look to know who it was.

“Serena.”

His voice was low and careful, stirring up a feeling I refused to acknowledge.

I turned my head slowly, and Liam stood beside me.

Up close, he looked older and stronger than I remembered—not just physically, but emotionally. His face held new scars, probably from battle, and his eyes held questions he didn’t know how to ask.

“Walk with me, will you?” he asked in his usual commanding tone.

I blinked at him, then smiled politely.

“Of course, Alpha,” I said. “Lead the way.”

He stiffened slightly at the title.

We walked side by side toward the exit. Cold air hit us the moment we stepped outside. Snow fell gently, coating the ground in silver, and for a while, neither of us spoke.

Finally, Liam broke the silence.

“Where have you been?” he asked. “We searched for you.”

I laughed softly.

It wasn’t happy laughter. It wasn’t angry laughter either.

Just tired.

“Did you?” I asked, tilting my head slightly.

He frowned.

“Of course we did.”

I looked at him calmly.

“You didn’t look that hard,” I said lightly. “I guess I was just a weak link in your chain after all. Easy to replace… easy to forget.”

His jaw tightened.

“That’s not true,” he said.

I shrugged.

“If you say so.”

He stared at me for a moment, then his gaze softened slightly.

“You look… different,” he said quietly.

I raised an eyebrow.

“Different how?”

He hesitated.

“Stronger,” he admitted.

I smiled faintly.

“Well,” I said, spreading my hands slightly, “I did upgrade.”

For a moment, he almost smiled.

Almost.

Then his expression changed. His brows furrowed, his nose flared slightly, and he stepped closer. His breath brushed my skin, close enough to make my pulse tremble.

I watched his reaction with quiet amusement.

“No…” he whispered.

I tilted my head, pretending innocence as he stared at me like he had just been stabbed.

“You’re marked.”

His voice cracked in disbelief. It was tangled with jealousy, and in his eyes, I could see the anger.

I didn’t answer.

I didn’t need to.

Because at that exact moment, I smelled my mate.

A hand slipped warmly around my waist from behind.

My heart settled, and I leaned slightly into the touch.

I turned my head slowly, and Adrian stood beside me—tall, calm, and unbothered.

His aura was quiet but dangerous, like a storm that didn’t need to scream to be feared.

His arm stayed around my waist like it had always been there, and I smiled wider.

“Liam,” I said sweetly, turning back to him, “meet Adrian Blackwood, Alpha of Stoneclaw Pack… and my mate.”

The word tasted delicious as Liam’s face drained of color. His throat bobbed as his eyes remained fixed on my neck.

For a second, he looked like someone who had lost the ground beneath his feet.

Adrian’s grip on my waist tightened slightly.

“Alpha Moonsault,” Adrian said calmly as he reached out his hand. His voice was deep and controlled.

Liam straightened slowly.

“Alpha Blackwood,” he replied, forcing composure. “It’s unusual for an Alpha to attend another pack’s assembly without an escort or security detail.”

Adrian’s lips curved faintly.

“Only weaklings walk around with security,” he said casually. “Stoneclaw wolves know how to watch their own backs.”

The words were simple but sharp.

Liam adjusted his stance to appear taller and composed. His jaw tightened, and his eyes darkened for a brief second.

I turned slightly toward Adrian and smiled gently.

“Adrian,” I said softly, “give us a moment, okay?”

He looked at me for a second, then nodded.

“Don’t take too long,” he said quietly.

I watched him walk away slowly. His presence was still felt even after he left.

When I turned back, Liam was staring at me like he didn’t recognize me anymore.

No matter how much he tried to appear tough, I knew him thoroughly. This was just an act—because he was Alpha, and he couldn’t let his guard down.

Not now that I was no longer his.

“What are you doing?” he asked, his brows furrowed.

I blinked.

“Doing?”

“Why are you here?” he demanded.

I folded my arms lightly.

“Relax,” I said calmly. “I just came back to my old home. I wanted to reconnect with my roots.”

He let out a sharp breath.

“This is not your home anymore,” he said coldly.

I tilted my head.

“Really?” I asked softly.

He closed the space between us, bringing his lips to my ear.

“Leave,” he whispered, his voice raspy and broken.

For a moment, the old Serena might have flinched.

But that girl was dead.

So I just smiled.

“Leave?” I repeated gently.

He pulled away, trying to maintain a hard expression, ready to walk back inside.

“Yeah,” he said. “Get lost.”

I knew him too well to tell he was hurting, but I shouldn’t care about that now. He discarded me and expected me to remain untouched? Unbelievable.

I watched his back for a second.

Then I spoke slowly and clearly.

“And how do you think your pack will react,” I asked, “when they find out you chased away the only person capable of curing the silver poison?”

He stopped abruptly, his body going completely still.