Rise Of The Fallen Luna

Chapter 3

••• Leicia’s POV •••

As Lydia had proudly announced, Alpha King Thyrius summoned them to his mansion and bestowed them medals of honor. Not only that—he declared that Matthew and Lydia were the ones who had ended the war, the heroes who secured the treaty.

Cameras flashed. Reporters swooned. Questions flooded in, asking them how they were able to achieve it when others couldn’t.

I watched it all on the flat screen in the sitting room, tea in hand. Lydia stood center stage, soaking up the praises. Matthew stood beside her like a pretty accessory, nodding when she gave him space to breathe.

Typical. He fought in the war. She won the credit. And somehow, the both of them came home draped in gold and delusion.

Sneering, I switched off the TV. I knew it would be Lydia. There was no way someone weak and who knew nothing about war tactics like Matthew would be able to achieve that. And to think he got attracted to her because of it.

They had no idea the real tacticians were dead. My father. My brothers. The minds behind every formation and counterstrike. And me? I'd been trained by them. My wolf, Belle, had strength that rivaled most Alphas. What would you expect when you were trained by the members of the best elite unit for the Alpha King?

But I had buried that side of myself years ago—under etiquette lessons and Luna duties and the quiet plea of my mother: Don’t fight. Don’t die like they did.

So I wore the role of obedient wife and daughter-in-law. I served tea to Hilda. I smiled through her cruelty. I played a perfect part while hiding the weapon I'd been trained to be.

But not anymore.

My past was soaked in blood and ashes. I still remembered the day I felt the links to my mom and all old pack members were severed. It didn’t take me long to return to the pack and find the Dawn Guardians Pack annihilated. The scent of death still clung to my memories. And my mother—

Her severed head still haunted my dreams.

Kyle had carried me from the m******e. Annisa held my hand until my screams subsided. The Luna Queen gave me sanctuary in the Alpha King's mansion, crying with me while I lay silent on silken sheets.

No one knew who wiped out my entire pack and why they murdered everyone, or even how no one realized it was happening. We had our suspicions, but we had no evidence, so no justice was done.

My mom, my cousins, my nephew, and my nieces were the most brutally murdered and all had their heads severed from their bodies.

That thought still made me tear up and caused me nightmares.

Annisa. Kyle and I were saved from annihilation because we had moved to Matthew’s pack, and Kyle was away at one of his clients' houses to check on their health.

It happened during the one year Matthew was away. Even though I was grieving, I still did my part as the Luna of the Whitemaw Tails Pack. Maybe I buried myself in work and took care of Lydia to distract myself so I wouldn’t break down from the memory.

And now Matthew had the audacity to parade his mistress and expect my gratitude.

I was still lost in the memory when they returned from the ceremony. They entered the house like royalty. Matthew was glowing. Lydia strutted like she already had the crown.

“Are you sure you still want to divorce me?” Matthew sneered. “I’m sure you watched our interview, and do you know how many packs want to have business cooperation with us now?”

I took a slow sip of tea. Annisa had made delicate lemon cakes. I let the sweetness melt on my tongue before I answered with… silence.

“Hey!” Lydia barked. “Are you deaf?”

Finally, I put my teacup down, stood up, took the envelope containing the divorce papers I had signed, and handed it to Matthew.

They didn’t know Kyle had helped me find a divorce lawyer that morning when they were away celebrating getting their medals of honor.

When Matthew saw the divorce papers, his smug expression shifted into a twisted, ugly one. “You still dare to go through with it?”

“Do you know what people will say about you divorcing the hero of the war?” Lydia hissed, fanning the flame.

“I have made up my mind, and nothing you can do or say will sway my decision.” I looked Matthew dead in the eyes and said calmly. “As for everyone else, let them talk.”

Seeing my resolution, his expression changed again, and I saw a myriad of emotions in his eyes, but I didn’t care about him anymore.

I married him out of duty. I gave him my name, my title, and my money. He left me a few hours after our wedding ceremony and returned with another woman. He would be a fool if he thought I’d back down now.

Suddenly, he grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the pack house toward his car.

“What the hell are you doing?” I yanked my arm back.

“Let’s go to the Alpha King’s mansion and see what he thinks of this!” He waved the divorce papers in front of my face.

Oh, that I could do. I was going there after he signed it anyway. This would make it easier for me to divorce him. I knew in his mind he was afraid to be mocked by the werewolf community. Coming back as a hero but divorced by the Luna. Gasp, gasp.

Of course, he wouldn’t allow it to happen. He was a hero now. He couldn’t let anyone tarnish his reputation.

I shrugged. “By all means, let the Alpha Queen and Luna Queen see your public downfall.”

Matthew snarled at me, but I just smiled sweetly at him, and went into the car with Lydia jumping into the back passenger seat. They didn’t realize her presence besides him was practically a scandal waiting to erupt.

We rode in silence.

I could feel Matthew’s growing tension with every mile. He expected to shame me into compliance while Lydia practically vibrated with anticipation. She was rehearsing lines in her head, no doubt. Playing the victim. Painting me as the bitter wife, the failed Luna who couldn’t hold her mate.

I smiled to myself. They didn’t know what they were getting into.

The royal guards blinked at the three of us, clearly puzzled. But they let us in quickly. One mindlinked the royal Beta before we even stepped into the foyer.

As we walked into the mansion and the throne room, I purposely stayed behind them and kept my head down, letting them believe they hold the power while secretly smirking, imagining both Matthew and Lydia’s faces when the Alpha King and Luna Queen welcomed me with open arms.

“Alpha Matthew. Warrior Lydia,” King Thyrius greeted. His voice was level, but I saw the flicker of curiosity in his eyes. The Luna Queen sat beside him, her expression unreadable, but her fingers drummed gently on her throne’s armrest.

Matthew bowed. “Alpha King, I have a matter to discuss.”

“Then speak,” King Thyrius spoke in a commanding tone.

“As you know, I have a wife and Luna,” Matthew started explaining to the King. “But I met Warrior Lydia at the battlefield and fell in love with her.”

Lydia stepped forward, her voice calm and falsely sweet. “Alpha King, Luna Queen, I never intended to take her place as the Luna of the Whitemaw Tails Pack. But Luna Leicia misunderstood, and now she wants to divorce Alpha Matthew.”

I rolled my eyes as she made it sound like I was being petty because I was threatened by her presence, which was very untrue.

King Thyrius and Queen Kathreena exchanged a look.

“Leicia,” Queen Kathreena spoke in her soft voice. “Is it true?”

Finally, I lifted my head and smirked at Matthew and Lydia's shocked expressions.

I stepped forward and spoke firmly, “I do want to divorce Alpha Matthew, but not for the reason Lydia stated.”

“Is it because of your mother?” Luna Queen asked softly,

I nodded. “He made a vow to her. No mistresses. No infidelity. He swore on his mother’s life. And he broke it.”

I let the silence stretch, thick and heavy.

“If my mother were alive, she would demand I leave him. So I will.”

King Thyrius’s jaw tightened. Queen Kathreena’s brows furrowed together.

“What brings you here, then?” King asked.

I met their eyes. “I’m asking the Alpha King and Luna Queen to bear witness to our divorce and rejection. That is all.”