Chapter 10 Morning After the Celebration

SERENA POV

Why was everywhere so silent?

As I descended the stairs from the top floor of the pack house, the quiet pressed against my ears until it felt unnatural. 

A pack house was never meant to be this still or quiet. It was supposed to be loud, busy, alive, filled with laughter, chatter, footsteps, and the hum of wolves moving through their daily routines.

That was how it had always been in my father’s pack. Even early mornings were full of noise. 

Here, it felt like a grave.

I reached the dining hall and found only the omegas present, moving efficiently as they cleared and rearranged the long table. Plates were stacked. Cutlery clinked softly. No one spoke.

I stood there for a moment, watching them.

The moment they noticed me, their movements faltered. One by one, they bowed their heads, but it wasn’t the respectful bow of loyalty. It was stiff. Forced. 

I caught the fleeting glances they exchanged, the faint disdain, the mockery they didn’t bother to hide quickly enough.

“Good morning, que—” one of them started, then stopped abruptly.

The word queen died on her tongue.

So that's it. Jayden had instructed them. My jaw tightened, but I kept my expression neutral.

“Good morning,” I said calmly. “How was your night?”

“Fine, Luna,” they replied in unison, the word sharp and deliberate.

Luna.

Not A Queen.

Not Luna Queen.

Just Luna.

And with that, they hurried into the kitchen as though my presence burned their skin.

I stood there for a second longer, absorbing it. 

“They didn’t just ignore me. They judged me, tested me silently, as though I had already failed before showing my strength.”

So this was how it would be. I walked toward the dining table and took a seat, folding my hands neatly in front of me. I refused to let my posture betray the tightening in my chest.

“Omegas,” I said evenly, my voice carrying through the room.

 “One of you should bring my food. I’m starving.”

If they were determined to treat me like an inconvenience, then I would stop pretending we were equals. I had spent too many years being obedient, first to my parents, then to the pack, then to duty.

Not anymore.

I took the moment to truly look around the dining hall. The space was impressive, grand even. Polished wood, high ceilings, carefully placed decorations that spoke of wealth and power. 

Everything was meticulously arranged, controlled. Beautiful. Cold.

Soon, one of the omegas returned, placing my meal in front of me with rigid precision. She turned to leave immediately.

“Wait,” I said. She froze.

“Did I tell you to go?” I asked, my tone cool, deliberate.

She swallowed hard and turned back. “No, ma… I’m sorry.”

 Good. “What’s your name?” I asked.

“Lily, ma,” she replied quietly, her eyes fixed on the floor.

I studied her for a moment. Fear, resentment, discomfort, all tangled together.

“Alright, Lily,” I said at last. “Tell me where everyone is. Where has the entire pack gone?”

She hesitated, clearly weighing her answer, before finally speaking.

“Everyone is at the training grounds,” she replied softly, eyes flicking nervously toward the door.

“What about King Keal?” I asked, my pulse tightening at the mention of his name.

“The King is also there,” she said, her voice dropping slightly, almost a whisper. Fear laced her words, and I caught it immediately. Interesting.

“Why aren’t you guys there?” I pressed.

“We only train after everyone is done,” she replied, hesitating, as if carefully weighing every word.

I frowned. “Why is that? Is it because you’re Omegas and they think you’re weak or is it something else?” 

I hated it when weaker werewolves were maltreated or treated differently. I could never ignore injustice.

“No, it’s not that,” she said quickly. 

“Their training, it’s too intense for us. We can’t keep up. So we’re trained separately. They made a schedule that fits our physique.”

A small relief stirred inside me. Good. At least they treat the Omegas fairly. “So tell me about the kingdom, everyone, and the king,” I asked gently.

Her eyes darted away, and I noticed the hesitation, the unspoken tension. She didn’t want to reply, but dared not refuse either.

I studied her face carefully. The way her hands twitched nervously. The quick glances to the door. Something was being hidden, but I wouldn’t push it now.

“Alright,” I said finally, my voice calm but firm. “You can leave.”

She turned instantly, bowing her head before scurrying toward the door. Her movements were hurried, stiff, almost fearful, but obedient.

I watched her go, feeling the familiar sting of isolation. They don’t want to talk to me. They don’t want to be near me. Fine. I won’t beg for their attention. I will earn it or I will stand alone.

The quiet lingered in the dining hall after she left. I took a slow breath and ate slowly, letting the silence wrap around me. My pulse steadied, my mind clearing.

The kingdom was alive with activity elsewhere, I knew. The pack was out in the training grounds, honing skills, building strength. And Jayden, my mate, the king, was there too. Somewhere, commanding attention, radiating dominance, as if the world itself bent to his will.

I should have realized earlier that they were training, we also trained in my pack but not this early. Our training begins at 8 o'clock. But here I think it started at 6: 30 or 7 o'clock. 

I suddenly stopped eating and stood up from my chair, rising with purpose. Breakfast could wait. This was no longer about food, it was about reclaiming my presence, staking my place in the pack, and reminding myself that I belonged here, whether anyone wanted to acknowledge it or not.

With a steadying breath, I left the dining hall. Each step toward my room was deliberate. Each movement reminded me that I was no longer the girl who waited passively for approval. I had endured enough, now is the time to make my presence known.

Inside my room, I changed swiftly into my training outfit. The soft fabric clung to my form, offering freedom of movement, strength, and readiness. 

The mirror caught my reflection for a fleeting second: a woman poised, determined, and focused. Not the naive girl who had always obeyed her parents but a girl that's here to conquer and earn the respect she deserves.

I stepped out into the cool morning air and made my way to the training grounds, which I already asked for directions from one of the Omega. 

The sound of heavy breathing and shouted commands reached me before I saw the field.

My chest tightened with anticipation, and a surge of adrenaline. 

“I can't wait for us to start training and run in the woods,” Artemis said. 

“I also can't but let's first see what the training here has for us.” I said.

 “Alright am ready, for whatever it is” Artemis said and I smiled.

At the far end, the first thing I saw was him. Jayden. Shirtless, every movement precise, controlled, his physique powerful and honed as he stood in front of a group of men trained fiercely, muscles rippling, sweat gleaming in the morning light. He is the one overseeing their training.

In another area, women practiced under the supervision of a stern-looking lady, with their focus absolute. I think she might be the woman warrior leader.

Teenagers honed their skills under a man, who also radiated power who barked corrections, shaping them with patience and authority.

I paused at the edge of the field, observing silently, taking in every detail. Artemis stirred within me, tense, alert, reminding me: this is our world too.

I straightened my spine and began walking forward. Each step was composed, confident, a statement first to myself, then to everyone around here: that I was present. I belonged here.

I was Serena. Luna Queen. Not invisible. Not irrelevant.

And then I saw him. Jayden. His eyes locked onto mine across the field. Sharp. Cold. Possessive. Every movement he made radiated authority, strength, and challenge.

My chest tightened. A pulse of heat, of warning, raced through me. The entire training ground seemed to shrink, the sound and shouting of commands fading into the rhythm of his gaze.

Artemis growled softly inside me, claws scraping at my mind. He knows we’re here. He’s waiting.

And in that instant, I realized, the real test wasn’t just the training. It was surviving the storm that was Jayden.

The show was about to begin. And I was ready.