Luna

Chapter 1: Luna

ARIEL'S POV

"I love you, Alpha," I said, even though I knew he wouldn't say it back.

Rhyder already had his back to me, slipping on his pants with that usual, effortless grace.

He glanced at me briefly and offered the barest hint of a smile. It was gone in a second, but it warmed me enough to blush.

Still, I would’ve been happier if, just once, he said it back.

I pushed down the small knot forming in my belly, telling myself I was being silly. He was going to make me Luna today. That had to mean something. If he didn’t say it, surely he felt it. Actions always spoke louder than words.

"You did great. Now get up and begin preparation so you don't keep everyone waiting," Rhyder said, zipping up. "Remember, a Luna should always be punctual."

Just like that, he crushed the tiny part of me still hoping to hear those words.

I sighed, but the sadness didn’t linger. I knew he loved me. He just didn't know how to say it.

A smile tugged at my lips as I watched him walk out, still captivating even in silence.

"Yes, Alpha," I murmured, though he was already gone.

I stepped out of bed and walked naked to the bathroom, where a scented bath had already been prepared for me by a staff.

I hated calling them Omegas. Every time Rhyder referred to me that way, something inside me twist. It clawed at my chest, made me feel small and Inferior. Maybe it was the way he said it, but I never wanted anyone else to feel like that.

Some of the staff came in to bathe me, but I gently dismissed them. I was used to doing things on my own, even after two years of being Rhyder's mate.

Why change now, just because I was about to become Luna? Besides, I needed a moment to myself. I needed to breathe, to process everything.

I was finally going to be crowned today. Of course I was happy—ecstatic, even.

I had worked hard to prove I was worthy of the role. Still, it felt like an honor that my mate was choosing to give it to me. Being an Omega meant being weak, ordinary, nothing like the strong, commanding presence an Alpha usually wanted at his side.

But two years ago, the goddess had changed my fate.

After an accident that left me without my memories for two months, our mate bond clicked.

It had felt like a dream.

“Miss Ariel, please, you have to come out soon or you’ll be late for the ceremony,” said the woman Rhyder had chosen to help me dress.

“Oh—okay. Just a minute, please,” I called back quickly, snapping out of my thoughts.

I hadn’t realized how much time had passed.

The last thing I wanted to do today was upset Rhyder. He hated lateness, no matter the excuse, or who you were.

°°°°°°°°°°°

A few moments later, two guards opened the double doors. My eyes met the grand ballroom, beautifully decorated for my Luna ceremony. I took a deep breath and lifted the hem of my green ball gown.

Rhyder had chosen it, but I loved it. It matched my eyes and complimented my golden-brown hair perfectly.

I let my gaze sweep across the expectant crowd before I began walking down the long corridor, my pulse pounding in my ears.

I wore a soft, composed smile, one that suited the Luna I was about to become.

I kept my eyes on my mate. Those icy-blue eyes, that unreadable face. How could anyone not be drawn to him?

I had waited two long years for this moment. Still, the thought of becoming Luna didn’t make my heart race nearly as much as looking at the man standing before me. He was not just my mate. He was the one who saved me and gave me a life I never imagined I could have.

"You look so beautiful," Anya whispered with a smile as I passed. She stood beside Beta Vayne, who looked equally pleased for me.

My smile widened, then dimmed slightly when I took a few more steps and saw Nerissa standing with her husband, the pack’s gamma. That scowl she always wore whenever she saw me hadn’t faded. If anything, it had deepened.

I had never pretended to like her either.

I quickly turned my focus back to Rhyder. My smile returned, warmer now. If that annoyed Nerissa, even better.

I finally reached the raised platform where the elderly shaman and my mate stood waiting. I gave a respectful bow before facing Rhyder. He looked striking and powerful in his dark ceremonial robe trimmed with silver.

"You may begin," he said to the shaman, his tone sharp with impatience. I didn’t like that, but I kept quiet. Perhaps he was just eager to see me take my rightful place. Maybe he was even planning to mark me tonight.

Butterflies stirred in my stomach, but I stood tall. A Luna must always maintain her composure.

The shaman cleared his throat, and the room fell into silence. He raised the silver crown adorned with crescent moons, a crown passed down from Luna to Luna.

It became so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Or the quick thud of my heartbeat.

"Under the watchful gaze of the Moon, ancient and eternal, we gather as one pack, one blood, one soul."

I met my mate’s eyes and smiled again, but his face remained stoic. He looked like a man forcing himself to stand still, like his mind was somewhere else entirely. A dull pang tugged at my chest, but I pushed the thought away. He probably had too much on his mind.

"Tonight, the stars bear witness as we crown our Luna. Not just the Alpha’s mate, but the heart of our people. The voice in silence. The strength in our storm. The light in our darkness."

The words reached deep into my soul. I understood the weight they carried. But I was not afraid. I had been serving our people long before this moment. It had never been easy, but I loved every moment.

The shaman raised the crown higher, and my heart skipped several beats. He took a step forward.

"With this crown, we do not simply honor your bond to our Alpha. We acknowledge your bond to us all. From this moment—"

A sudden commotion erupted from the back of the hall. The shaman stopped. Heads turned toward the source of the noise, including mine.

My brows furrowed as I spotted a woman being restrained by guards in the middle of the hallway. She struggled to free herself.

She looked weak and dirty, nothing like my carefully polished appearance. But despite that, a strange unease rose in the pit of my stomach the moment I saw the shock and undeniable recognition in Rhyder's eyes.

"Lysandra?" he said, his voice filled with disbelief.

The name hit me like a slap.

Before I could react, Rhyder was gone. He rushed forward just as the woman collapsed.