Luna Helena

3

Helena did not allow herself to cry.

It wasn’t proper for an Alpha—even if, more than once, she had had reason enough to do so. Like the day she had to leave her home in the Moon’s Watch pack to go live in a strange place, among strangers, as the wife of a man who, though undeniably handsome, felt even more foreign to her than the house and pack she was entering.

She might have cried that night—especially when he, drunk and completely lacking in tenderness, had consummated the marriage with more violence than passion. But she hadn’t.

Helena had promised herself, from the moment she saw the contract with which her father was giving her away, that she would not only be stronger than she already was—but that she would rise to the circumstances, always.

She would prove to her husband, and to the pack that received her as an outsider, that she was capable, intelligent, resilient. She would be the best Luna a pack could ask for, so that her husband would learn to appreciate her, to value her, and above all, to respect her.

That’s why, even when she had to watch him in the arms of other women, even when she endured his rough thrusts—what he called “making love”—and put up with his public comments about “everything she owed him,” she had not cried.

She never had.

And tonight would be no exception.

But still—she could not sleep. Her mind remained alert, going over every possible option. There had to be something she could do. But the pack system was rigid and closed, built to serve strength and power over any other consideration that might lift or protect the weak. From the harsh hierarchical structure to the laws that made a Luna subordinate to her husband, everything in the law of the packs worked against her.

She would find no solution there.

That meant she would have to appeal to strength—to power—to the very attributes the system worshipped.

But how?

Without even holding the official title of her own pack’s leader, she had no ground to stand on.

She got so lost in her thoughts that she hadn’t even realized when sleep overtook her.

She awoke to the urgent shaking of her Beta and closest friend.

“Hel, Hel, wake up. It’s urgent.”

Still groggy from the lack of sleep, Helena emerged from the realm of dreams.

“What is it?” she asked. Even with the curtains closed, sunlight was streaming in strongly. It must be a beautiful day outside.

“It’s the Beta of a lycan prince. He’s on the phone.”

“What?” Helena struggled to process what Claire was saying. “What are you talking about?”

“The Beta of Prince Leofrik called, asking for the Alpha. But he… well, he’s not here. He left very early.”

That, Helena understood perfectly well.

Her husband had gone to visit one of his w****s.

“So? Will the Beta call back later?”

Claire shook her head.

“No. I told him you were here, and then he asked to speak with you. He wants to talk to you.”

A call from the Beta of a lycan prince was no small matter. If Mason wasn’t there to answer, it was her duty as Luna to take the call.

“Very well. Give me the phone,” Helena said, forcing her voice to sound alert, as if she had been awake for hours.

What would the prince’s Beta think of the Moon’s Claw pack if, after failing to reach the Alpha, he suspected the Luna had just gotten out of bed?

“What’s his name?” Helena whispered before taking the phone.

“Darius,” Claire whispered back.

“Beta Darius,” Helena greeted, as though she had been up since dawn. “This is Luna Helena of the Moon’s Claw pack. To what do I owe the honor of your call?”

A few seconds passed before a voice—deep and rough—answered on the other end. No doubt, the Beta had been about to hang up after waiting nearly a minute without a response. That’s how the lycans were—proud and haughty when dealing with their lesser cousins, the common wolves.

“I asked to speak with the Alpha,” said the Beta, without even greeting her.

“He is not available at the moment, Beta Darius,” Helena replied courteously, ignoring the lycan’s rudeness. “The Alpha has gone out… hunting. But I can take the message. I am the Luna of—”

“Yes, yes, I heard. Whatever. I’m calling on behalf of my Alpha, Prince Leofrik, first in line to the throne. The Prince is touring the packs and will be visiting yours first thing tomorrow morning.”

Helena swallowed hard.

A royal visit?

Had she heard that right?

And tomorrow, first thing in the morning?

She had to pretend like the news hadn’t knocked the air out of her lungs.

“Oh, of course, Beta. We are honored. We await His Highness with great anticipation. Please inform the prince that—”

“Very well,” the Beta interrupted her shower of formalities. “That’s all. We expect His Highness to be received appropriately. He doesn’t care for unpleasant surprises.”

“Understood, Beta. We won’t disappoint—”

“That’s all. Goodbye.”

With her cheeks burning, Helena was about to hang up the phone, still in shock, when a bold idea crossed her mind.

“Beta!” she exclaimed, praying to the Goddess that the line was still active.

She was lucky.

“What is it? Haven’t I been clear, woman?”

Helena quickly composed herself, swallowing the insult.

“Could I, please…” she hesitated. What she was about to request was too much. Even as Luna, she had no right to ask it—but she had already begun. There was no turning back.

“Could I speak with Prince Leofrik?”

“What?”

“With the prince, Beta. Please. I’d like him to hear me—just for a minute.”

Helena heard a quiet chuckle on the other end.

“You want to speak with the prince?”

“If it’s not too much trouble, yes. It will only take a minute.”

Another half-suppressed laugh—but Helena could hear someone else with the Beta. A murmur, like someone had become interested in whatever had amused the lycan.

“One moment,” said the Beta, sounding a bit resigned.

Helena’s heart sped up.

She had done it.

The prince would speak with her.

Was this the miracle she had prayed for?

She was about to find out.

Although she considered that the phone, being monitored, might betray her intentions to her husband, she reasoned that Mason’s spies wouldn’t dare listen in on a call from lycan territory. After all, it hadn’t been initiated from their side.

“What is it?” asked a man’s voice on the other end. It was deep, firm, and unmistakably lycan—one who held great power. It also carried a subtle, sensual undertone that made Helena’s skin prickle.

“Prince? Forgive me—Your Highness?”

“Yes. Speak. My Beta tells me you wanted to talk to me, and you’re in luck—I was just passing by. What is it about?”

Helena cleared her throat. It didn’t feel like a joke. Impersonating a lycan prince to make a mockery of a Luna was a serious crime, punishable by exile at the very least.

“I’m Luna Helena of the Moon’s Claw pack. I wanted to inform you of my current situation, so you would be aware before your visit, and the news wouldn’t take you by surprise,” Helena said, improvising. She hadn’t had time to prepare the words she would need to explain herself to a prince. “I plan to separate from my husband, Alpha Mason, Your Highness.”

There. She had said it.

Bluntly, without evasion.

The prince was now the second person—after Claire—who knew what Helena was planning.

Not even Mason knew.

“And what does that have to do with me?”

Helena hadn’t expected that response. She had imagined, perhaps naïvely, that the prince would be intrigued—curious to know what could cause a Luna to seek divorce, something unheard of in their species’ long history.

“I… I just wanted you to know, Your Highness, because I will be presenting my case to the Alpha Tribunal. But before that, I was hoping that, during your visit, you might grant me a few minutes to explain the reasons behind my decision.”

Her heart was pounding so hard, she could hear it in her ears.

Was she going too far? Too fast?

She bit her lip, waiting for his reply.

“I’m afraid that won’t be possible, Luna. I have to go.”

Helena felt like the ground had opened beneath her.

She had taken a risk—gone too far—

And gained nothing.

“Of course, Your Highness. Have a good day.”

The prince hung up first.

What had she done? Helena asked herself.

She had been too bold. And now the prince knew her plans—plans he would likely share with Mason during the official visit.

Claire, who had been by her side the entire time, had her hands over her mouth.

“What did he say?” she asked, though the pale look on Helena’s face was answer enough.

“I made a terrible mistake, C.,” was all Helena said.