Prologue | Coronation Day

~Nyla~

The Grand Hall throbbed with anticipation. My heart fluttered with joy as I walked slowly, flanked by my best friend, Maya, and my lovely sister-in-law, Rachel.

"My Luna Queen, you look beautiful." My good old friend Olivia greeted me at the door.

The feeling of being loved by everyone filled me with pure contentment. The most awaited moment of the year had finally arrived. And there he was!

Alpha King Kian stood on the dais, sporting an extra dazzling smile today. He was dressed in a well-fitted charcoal gray tuxedo and a striped purple bowtie, which he was forced to wear at my insistence. I wanted something on him to match my flowing purple dress. 

His deep green eyes gazed at me with such adoration as I climbed the dais and stood beside him. I fought the urge to claim his lips and act out of character in front of so many people and packs.

Everyone had been waiting for us, but I lost track of time and stayed too long in my dead husband's bedroom. Wyatt's memories always did this to me, pulling me into a time vortex and leaving me an emotional mess.

I had come a long way from holding grudges and seeking revenge for his death. But there were a few things about him that were hard to forget and move past. I would never want to move on, even if given a choice.

"You look stunning!" Kian stroked my tiny baby bump and gently kissed my forehead before turning to the pack elders and the mage who were about to begin the ceremony.

His body suddenly stiffened, his smile vanishing and replaced with a mask of fury. A mind link tore through the room, sending shivers down my spine. 

"Are we under attack? What's happening?" I gasped, gripping Kian's arm tightly. Cupping my face, he offered a small, reassuring smile.

"It might be a false alarm. Don't worry. I'll be back soon."

"No, no, no! This can't be happening." I clung tightly to his arm as tears welled up in my eyes.

"I'll be back, I promise." 

He glanced at Rachel and Maya, who stepped forward and wrapped their arms around me while he hurriedly took off his tux. His touch lingered briefly before he disappeared, leaving a sense of emptiness behind. 

We had members from over five hundred packs come together for the ceremony. The celebratory chatter turned into panicked whispers. My breath hitch. This – this eerie echo of the past, couldn't be happening again. I was about to lose my second chance mate in the same way, once more on the day of the coronation.

"History is repeating, Maya," I whispered, my voice thick with dread. "Where's Ari?"

"Right here. Let's get you to your room while the guests disperse. It's too chaotic here." Rachel passed my baby to me, and I engulfed her in a protective hug. 

Chaos erupted. Several packs scrambled for cover, while the others rushed to bolster Kian's defenses at the borders. Maya and Rachel's faces twisted in worry, their reassurances becoming frantic. 

"I can't sit here like last time and let my mate die again. I need to go to Kian."

"Nyla!" Both Maya and Rachel shot disapproving looks at me as I clutched Kian's tuxedo close to my chest.

"You are responsible for both Ari and the baby you're carrying. Two lives depend on you. The Alpha will protect himself," Maya said sternly.

Our ears perked up at the deafening crash resonating from below. The carefully planned ceremony unraveled into utter pandemonium.

"Let me go check," Maya said as she got up, leaving me with Rachel.

Loud claps of thunder suddenly boomed through the sky, followed by a heavy rain. "Wow! Talk about the dry and sunny weather forecast." Rachel shook her head and moved to the nearest window to look outside. "Maya needs backup. I'll be right back. Lock your door and stay inside, okay?"

Rachel left before I could process what was happening. Maya needed backup? She wasn't easy to defeat unless she was overwhelmed by too many. Did the intruder reach the palace already? Where was everybody?

"Nyla...!" I heard Maya shout a sharp cry and ignored any hesitation.

Holding my two-year-old close, I pressed my ear to the door, wondering what was going on outside. An eerie silence settled over everything after Maya's cry.

Did she truly need help? Or was it just a trap? Was she no longer alive?

Several dreadful thoughts crowded my mind, and I opened the door even though I knew it was a bad idea. The guard wolves at the door tried to reason with me, but a loud crash drew all our attention. My blood ran cold. This wasn't just a random attack. It was a meticulously crafted trap, and I was the bait. Fear gnawed at me, but a primal instinct roared louder. I wouldn't be a helpless victim again.

As my guards were dropping one by one, I sprinted toward the secret tunnel Wyatt had once shown me. Kian had had it rebuilt with a much stronger door. Tying my baby to my back, I climbed the ladder to the trapdoor. It gave way easily, and I burst out into the rain, panting from the effort.

"Mamma..." Ari clung to me, seeking cover from the cold rain and gusty wind. Ominous dark clouds hung over us, rumbling and angry.

The intruder had blocked the way to the ocean. This person knew my identity. While only Wyatt knew about it when I was married to him, everyone in Kian's pack knew who I was.

My mind was racing as I tried to make sense of what was happening. While I sought cover, I had a gut feeling that this was exactly what someone wanted me to do, to lead me away from the palace and the guard wolves and warriors. Kian would be furious, but I didn't feel safe inside the palace.

I heard several snarls and growls saturating the air as the wolves were ripping each other to pieces. There was no sign of Maya or Rachel, even after I climbed a tall bluff and looked around.

A guttural growl sliced through the storm's fury. It wasn't the panicked snarls of overwhelmed guards. This was a predator's challenge, a chilling confirmation of my worst fears. I ran further up the bluff, aiming for the spot where I could jump into the ocean if necessary. Ari and I were nearly there when the sound of footsteps grew closer.

My baby was very light on any other day, but carrying her for so long while running was proving impossible. My lungs began to dry out, and my throat was on fire from the icy wind.

"Just half a mile to safety," I told Ari and picked up my pace.

As we approached a clearing in the woods and were very close to a steep cliff, a large brown wolf suddenly leaped into the air, blocking my path and showing its teeth at me. Ari let out loud cries, overwhelming my senses. 

A tall, slender figure emerged from the cloud of mist between the trees, her eyes blazing with a hatred hotter than the storm. Memories of a lost friendship flickered. It was a stark contrast to the vengeful woman standing before me. 

"Skylar?"

I believed Wyatt's sister was dead. 

"Skylar, y-you..." 

"Yes, I'm alive."

"It's y-your---" My voice was a strangled whisper.

A cruel smile twisted her lips. "Indeed, Luna Queen. I'm the mastermind behind this. Took me two years to get here."

"Sky, I---"

"Shush! You don't deserve to call me that. Look at you... carrying a murderer's baby in your womb. I hate you and your mate. Guess what happened to my baby?" Her eyes blazed with hatred and rage. "You were scheming against my brother all along, weren't you?"

"Sky, it might seem that way, but Kian is my mate. He’s been my second chance mate since Wyatt was killed."

"Killed? He was murdered by you and Kian! You both don't deserve to live. After what his pack did to me and my family, you're fucking him and carrying his baby with not an ounce of shame or guilt. Hail the fucking Luna Queen!" 

Skylar used to be one of my favorite people. She was the female version of Wyatt. Strong, determined, and beautiful. I hold many wonderful memories of her from the time we became friends and when we were both pregnant. Losing her baby must have broken her heart and left her vengeful. I couldn't blame her for that.

"What makes you think you deserve a happy ending?" She turned to one of the men standing behind her. "Seize the baby and kill her in front of this traitor."

"Traitor? Sky! I loved Wyatt more than---"

"Zip it!"

My nerves went overboard as a man lunged at Ari while the wolf prepared to tear her apart. I quickly turned around to get a good look at the jutting rocks and rugged terrain below. A shaky breath escaped my lips as I prepared to jump. Ari and I would probably get killed by hitting our heads against some rock instead of falling into the ocean.

Gathering as much momentum as I could before the man laid his hands on me, I flung my baby into the air. A heart-wrenching scream tore from my throat, a sound that mirrored the storm's fury. She made a trajectory far enough to survive before making her descent, straight into the water.

Little Ari's cries tore at my heart, but what choice did I have? I was sure she had a better chance of surviving the shark-infested waters than Skylar's wrath. I wish I could jump in with her.

My scalp burned in pain as the man clenched my hair and yanked me toward a furious Skylar.