Chapter 4

By the time Lily got home, I'd already put away the tools for brewing the magic powder.

Over the next few days, I kept making excuses to send Lily out so I could secretly simmer those shimmering silver powders on the small brazier in my room.

I was supposed to take one sachet of magic powder each day for seven days. Tonight, the seventh night, was also the night of the full moon.

I had just finished drinking the last sachet when the door suddenly swung open.

"Luna, something terrible's happened! You need to come—"

Lily's voice cut off the next second. She saw the steaming bowl in front of me, and her face went pale.

"Luna, what are you doing?" Her voice held a note of alarm. "What are you drinking? You're not doing something stupid behind my back again, are you?"

I set the bowl down calmly. "Relax, it's just herbs to ward off the cold. The temperature dropped last night, and my throat's been scratchy."

She still looked doubtful, so I quickly shifted the subject. "You barged in here in a panic. What's going on?"

Lily smacked her forehead, suddenly reminded of whatever had sent her rushing over. She launched into a frantic explanation. Apparently, Ryan had taken Eleanor to the Royal Theater today to see a play.

The story followed a werewolf princess forced into a political marriage with another pack, enduring hardship for the sake of her pack. It became a tragic legend in werewolf history.

Ryan and Eleanor had been engrossed in the play when hushed whispers came from the seats beside them.

"Watching this makes me think of Princess Eleanor. Wasn't she the only one who survived after being sent to the Frostfang pack in a marriage alliance?"

"Wasn't that the whole reason the Lycan King adopted Eleanor in the first place? Without the Frostfang pack's support, he'd just be another alpha, never the Lycan King. However, I heard the Frostfang pack has this tradition where the Luna can be 'inherited.'

"When the father dies, the son claims her, and if the son dies, the grandson takes her. Who knows? Maybe Eleanor's already 'served' all three generations. That's absolutely vile."

Eleanor's face turned deathly pale, her body trembling faintly.

Ryan's expression darkened in an instant. In one swift motion, he grabbed the guest beside him by the throat.

"Shut your damn mouths, you spineless cowards! Drunk on liquor and your own petty grievances. If it weren't for her marriage alliance with the Frostfang pack, boosting trade and reviving our economy, you'd still be starving in some ditch! What right do you have to even speak her name?"

"Stop…" Eleanor stepped forward, her eyes brimming with tears as she reached for him. "They're right. I'm just a discarded woman. No decent man should want me now."

"Bullshit!" Ryan pulled her hard against him, his glare sweeping the crowd. "Listen up. Princess Eleanor is mine. Anyone who insults her answers to me—Ryan Darcy!"

The room buzzed with whispers.

Then, someone muttered defiantly, "Big talk for the Alpha of the Bloodmoon pack. But you're step-siblings, and you already have a Luna. You wouldn't dare say that where everyone could hear."

Ryan was about to snap back, but Eleanor gripped his arm tightly. "Ryan, that's enough. I already appreciate you standing up for me in front of everyone."

A voice from the crowd scoffed. "Even she knows you're just humoring her."

Ryan's fury hit its peak. His eyes raked over the room like he was ready to rip into someone.

Then, he stormed onto the stage, his voice loud and razor-sharp. "Let me make this clear again. Eleanor is mine! I swear on the Moon Goddess—insult her again, and you're answering to me!"

…

Lily grew more frantic as she told the story, her eyes reddened with anger.

"And to make things worse, Ryan—just to pay them back for Eleanor—hung those two gossips from the roof. Now, the whole pack's gathered to watch the spectacle."

What Ryan did was undeniably bold, oozing that dominant Alpha energy of his. Too bad he didn't leave even a shred of dignity for me, his Luna.

I let out a quiet sigh, my emotions tangled. Why did he have to give me such a "gift" right as I was about to leave this world?

Without another word, I walked with Lily toward the estate gates.

Ryan stood there, his face twisted with fury. Behind him, his warriors waited in grim silence, while the crowd muttered around them. The two dangling men whimpered and pleaded, utterly disgraced.

As I got closer, Ryan faltered, a flicker of guilt crossing his face. But just as quickly, his usual arrogance snuffed out that moment of weakness.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

I was about to answer when Eleanor jumped in.

Ever poised, she said in that soft voice of hers. "Luna, I hope you don't take this the wrong way. Ryan only said those things to get me out of an awkward spot. He didn't really mean to reject you."

Her words were smooth, her excuses dressed in politeness.

In the past, I would've just swallowed it quietly. I had always felt so out of place in this unfamiliar world. But this time, I had nothing to lose since I was leaving anyway.

I raised my head and met her gaze calmly, speaking slowly. "So, can I reject Ryan then?"

My voice wasn't loud, but it carried, and everyone heard me clearly.

Ryan was the first to snap. "Say that shit again, I dare you!"

"I'm not talking shit—"

I wanted to tell him how deeply he'd disappointed me, that I never wanted to see him again. But before the words could leave my mouth, a sudden heat rose in my throat, and I coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Everything happened too fast. My chest heaved violently, like something deep inside me was being ripped apart. The world spun around me, my vision blurring.

Then, I suddenly remembered tonight was the full moon.

Was this it? Was I finally leaving?

Just before the darkness took me, I saw Ryan's face twist in panic as he rushed forward.