THERE'S A NEED FOR A BETTER LUNA.

✓ Riya

My gaze swept over the overly sized room which I presently lived in, and I just couldn't believe that I had become one who now lived in luxury. All I could think of was the situation that led me to where I was now.

It's been a couple of months and I haven't wrapped my head around the new happenings in my life.

While I was lost in my thoughts, a knock landed on my door, jolting me to my feet. Even after staying here for months, I was still scared of every little thing.

What if they found out that I wasn't what Nathaniel had portrayed me to be?

The sound of the knock on my door again finally took me out of my trance, and I dragged myself to the door, opening it to reveal the face of my maid, Lily, who I had come to really like a lot. However, she looked so scared at the moment.

"What is wrong, Lily? You look like you've just encountered a ghost." I chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh, your highness. It is not my wish to look this way too."

"So, who has forced the strong Lily into looking like a scaredy cat?" My eyes danced with amusement as I spoke.

"Nobody, your highness!" She quickly bowed her head as low as possible. Okay, she was really scared, and I wondered why.

"What is it that you want to tell me? Spill it already! You're making me scared now."

"Your presence, your highness, is urgently needed in the council chamber."

Now, it was my turn to be scared. Why on earth was I needed in the Pack house's council chamber?!

"What do you mean?! Why am I needed there?! Is there something bad going on?!"

"I'm sorry, this humble servant cannot disclose any information to you, my Lady." Her voice was shaky even as she spoke and my whole torso became alerted. Something was definitely wrong.

"You need to hurry, my Lady. Don't let me lose my job, please!"

Although, all I wanted to do was stay back and pretend as though I didn't get the message, I knew it would be at the detriment of the poor girl and I could relate to her situation.

"Alright, Lily. Let me grab a thing or two!" I started to turn, but Lily grabbed my wrist, holding it really tightly so much so that it hurt.

"No, my Lady! Save me! We need to leave now! We've wasted lots of time already!"

My eyebrows furrowed uncontrollably at the sudden outburst, and then I became rather frightened, "Alright, let's go!"

"Thank you, my Lady! I owe you my life!"

I followed the fidgety girl down different hallways, my own very heart pounding against my chest heavily, and my breathing quickening. I also found it hard to swallow, and I wondered who was truly the fidgety one here.

Every step that I took seemed like I was inching closer to hell. Even though I had no idea what was awaiting me, my whole body had already become tense.

If it has anything at all to do with the Pack elders, I could vouch that it was going to be trouble. They sure, and have made it well obvious that they do not like me- not that I shared an otherwise feeling too.

I halted my steps suddenly as soon as my ears caught on the noises coming from the chamber, breaking me out of the cage of my thoughts which I had clouded my mind with to put a restraint on my distorting emotions.

"We want another Luna!"

"Give us another Luna!"

“She doesn't fit the criteria!“

While I stayed to listen to all of these, Lily was looking back at me, her teary eyes pleading softly, and I had no choice but to continue moving.

"She's here, your Majesty, Alpha Nathaniel!" The guard at the entrance called and I heard a response from Nathaniel to let me in.

My heart broke into millions of unmatching pieces as I looked at the scene playing in front of me. The elders were all on the floor performing a kowtow, and chanting the same words from earlier, over and over again, almost as if they wanted to make sure to believe it.

My gaze found its way to Nathaniel, and our eyes locked. I curved a small smile at him, seeing how he looked quite furious, and almost helpless at the same time. I couldn't imagine the thoughts twirling around in his mind.

All that was left for me to do at that moment, which I believed was the best, was to be courageous, even though I knew how hard that could be.

I took in a deep shaky breath and squeezed my eyes shut, only to open them back, and even I could tell there was something different about them.

“What do you all mean about wanting a new Luna?!“ I roared.

And, silence swept over the room- over the Pack elders and their next words got stuck in their craws.

“I am your Luna now, and there's nothing you can do about it!“ I started walking down the aisle separating the elders into two queues, and up to the throne where Nathaniel was seated. “Only the Alpha gets to dictate what should be and what not! Who are you all lowly elders to advocate for a lost cause?!“

“We hold this Pack together and we have the right to choose who we want to be our leader!“ The man who I had come to know as the Head Pack elder, Howard Moonriver, abruptly shouted and stood up. “We want another Luna!“

“We want another Luna!“ And like they were already waiting for him to say the words, the Pack elders who were still bowing, chorused after him.

“How dare you question her!“

“How dare you talk back to me!“

Both Nathaniel and I barked at the same time, but even that didn't give the man the chills.

“Until she proves herself worthy enough, we're not going to accept her as our Luna! Never!“

The courage I had managed to mutter was proving to not be enough as it began to deteriorate, but I wasn't one to give up easily, “I have no obligations to prove myself to you, Howard!“

Then, I did what hadn't even crossed my mind a second earlier, “Guards!“

The guards as though they were already waiting to be called in, trooped in, and bowed waiting for a command.

“Imprison this offender! He has violated the law!“