First Morning in the Luna’s Chambers

Elsa’s pov

The first thing I noticed when I woke was silence.

Not the restless kind that lingered in the Crescent Moon Pack, where servants tiptoed past doors and Crystal’s shrill voice pierced every corner. No…this silence was different. It was soft, steady, almost protective.

For a moment, I forgot where I was. The mattress beneath me was far too plush, the sheets silky against my skin, and the faint scent of cedar and pine clung to the air. I turned my head slowly, my gaze catching on the carved headboard, the velvet drapes that framed the windows, and the pale light of dawn filtering through.

This wasn’t my pack.

I sat up sharply, heart pounding. The Luna’s chamber.

Amy, my wolf, stirred within me, her voice firm but still glowing with awe. We are home, Elsa. This is where we belong. With him.

I pressed a hand to my chest, my breath ragged. Home? The word felt too heavy. Too dangerous.

My eyes swept the room again. The walls were painted a soft ivory, trimmed with golden accents. A grand fireplace burned low, casting gentle warmth across the chamber. A vanity table stood near the far wall, its surface gleaming, laden with combs and perfumes.

On another table, a tray sat untouched fresh bread, fruits, and tea. Someone must have brought it while I slept.

It was beautiful. All of it. Too beautiful for someone like me.

I swung my legs off the bed, toes sinking into a rug so soft I almost flinched. I wasn’t used to softness. I wasn’t used to being treated like I mattered.

I was used to scrubbing floors until my knees bled. To swallowing Crystal’s insults. To Caleb’s cold stares that cut deeper than any blade.

And now, I was here. In a room reserved for a Luna.

A soft knock at the door jolted me.

“Come in,” I said hesitantly, my voice catching.

Two maids entered, their uniforms crisp and their heads bowed. One carried a folded dress draped carefully over her arms, while the other held a basin of steaming water.

“My lady,” the first greeted, her tone respectful but stiff. “Alpha Dylan ordered that you be dressed for breakfast with him.”

I froze. My lady. The words felt foreign on my skin.

Amy purred, satisfaction rolling off her in waves. Finally, they see us for what we are.

But I wasn’t sure who “we” were anymore.

The maids moved quickly, setting the basin near the vanity and placing the dress on the bed. They didn’t meet my eyes. In fact, they seemed almost careful to keep their gazes averted, as if afraid or resentful.

When the second maid poured fresh water into the basin, her hands trembled slightly. She muttered under her breath, too low for me to catch.

Still, I felt it. The chill. The judgment.

By the time they left, I was dressed in a gown softer than anything I had ever worn deep blue silk that flowed around me like water. My hair had been brushed until it gleamed, braided simply down my back.

I caught my reflection in the mirror and almost didn’t recognize myself.

“Luna,” I whispered, the word tasting strange. “Am I… really?”

Amy’s voice was steady. He marked us. That bond cannot be broken.

Yes, Dylan had claimed me before them all. His touch still burned on my skin, his mark throbbing faintly against my neck as though it pulsed with its own heartbeat. He had pulled me from the fire and branded me with his strength, and part of me… part of me hadn’t wanted to resist.

But could a mark erase everything I had endured? Could it erase Caleb’s betrayal, Crystal’s cruelty, years of being trampled and forgotten?

I was still lost in thought when the door cracked open again. A different maid slipped inside, this one older, with sharp eyes and a rigid posture. She didn’t bow.

“Eat,” she said curtly, nodding toward the tray of food.

I frowned. “Who are you?”

Her lips twitched, not quite a smile. “Someone who has served in this house long before you arrived.”

Something in her tone made my stomach knot.

She set her hands on her hips, looking me over like I was a stain on the rug. “Don’t mistake this room for acceptance. Not everyone will welcome you just because the Alpha put his mark on your neck.”

My throat tightened.

The woman leaned closer, her voice dropping low. “You’ll need more than silk dresses to survive here, girl. Watch your back.”

And with that, she left, the door clicking shut behind her.

I stood frozen, her words ringing louder than the storm outside.

Amy snarled in my mind. She underestimates us. But she is right we must be cautious. This is not safety. This is another battlefield.

When I finally sat down to eat, I forced myself to take only small bites. The bread was warm, the fruit sweet, yet my stomach twisted with unease. Every shadow in the room seemed heavier, every silence sharper.

Somewhere in this house, people were whispering. I could feel it in the walls, in the eyes of the servants who dared not meet mine.

They didn’t see me as Luna. They saw me as an intruder.

And they weren’t wrong.

I pressed my palm to the mark on my neck, closing my eyes. Dylan had brought me here, shielded me with his strength, but even he couldn’t force loyalty from hearts already sworn elsewhere.

Can I survive this? I thought. Or have I just traded one prison for another?

Amy answered with steady conviction. We survived worse. We will survive this too. But this time… we fight.