Chapter 28: Why?

ALEXANDER

Christina’s words caught me off guard. I stared at her in surprise, and when she noticed she had my full attention, she continued excitedly.

“That was the reason Alpha Damon started visiting your home. I don’t know what went wrong for him to fall in love with Tracy instead of you.”

I pressed my lips together and tried to remember.

When I was five years old, whenever my stepmother, Jezebel, starved me, Alpha Damon would sneak into our house and bring me food. It went on like that for months.

But after he stopped my stepmother from selling me off, everything changed. He refused to speak to me. He no longer bothered with me, and even when I tried to talk to him, he ignored me.

But all of that was in the past.

Especially after I became fatter, he would look at me with so much disgust that I no longer dared to appear before him.

I looked at Christina and said, “There is nothing you can say that will change my mind. I have no feelings for Alpha Damon.”

Christina stared at me silently. I could see the disbelief in her eyes. She didn’t believe a single word I said, but I didn’t care. It was my wolf that wanted that damned beast, not me. I would never long for such a cruel man.

I turned away from her, my back facing her. She stood there for a moment before finally turning and walking out. After the door shut behind her, I sat up on my bed and began to wonder what I should do.

What if Tracy wasn’t dead?

What if she was?

What if Alpha Damon refused to let me go?

What if Chris couldn’t keep his promise to take me out of the pack?

Would I remain trapped here forever?

I shook my head and clenched my fists. I refused to let myself be cornered. Taking a deep breath, I began making plans for what to do next.

For days, I saw neither Chris nor Alpha Damon. Then, without warning, he suddenly appeared in my room.

“I have decided to crown you Luna of the pack. The ceremony will take place tomorrow.”

“I don’t want to be the Luna of the pack,” I said, lifting my eyes to Alpha Damon. “My only wish is for you to let me go. I don’t want to stay here anymore. Please… just allow me to leave.”

Alpha Damon stared at me, frustration flashing across his face. Then he snapped, “You are going to be the Luna of the pack. Nothing you say or do will change that. You should start preparing yourself, because that is what you will be—the woman who stands beside me. I’m not asking for your opinion. I’m simply informing you. You have no choice.”

He paused, then looked at me with a mocking smile.

“And if you’re hoping my uncle Chris will stop this,” he sneered, “then you’re naïve. He can’t stop you from becoming Luna. Your father’s greatest wish is for you to take that position, and he has the full support of the Elders’ Council. Chris alone cannot change anything.”

My head lowered, and for a moment, silence stretched between us. I heard his footsteps moving away, and panic rose in my chest. Before he could leave, I forced out the question that had haunted me for years.

“When we were children… did you ever have feelings for me?” My voice trembled. “Why did you suddenly choose Tracy? You used to be so good to me. What made you turn so cold? Was it because I started gaining weight?”

I looked at him, but he didn’t turn around. He only said, “Why bring up the past? That was a long time ago. We shouldn’t be talking about this.”

“I want to know,” I insisted.

He remained facing the door, but answered anyway.

“I found Tracy more attractive,” he said flatly. “The only reason I stayed close to you was to get her attention. You were simply more available, more proactive. I never had feelings for you.”

His words shattered the last fragile hope Christina had managed to give me. A bitter laugh escaped my lips as I realized how foolish I had been. It had always been Tracy. She had always been the one in his heart—even before she became his mate.

Without another word, he opened the door and left.

I stood there in stunned silence, but the truth he had left behind cut deeper than anything else. The pain stabbed into my chest and throbbed until it felt unbearable.

By dawn the next morning, the pack was already wide awake. Loud voices echoed outside long before sunrise. I hadn’t slept at all. Rising from my bed, I walked to the window and looked out as the dark clouds slowly cleared.

Below, children ran excitedly through the open spaces, laughing and chasing one another. Groups of adults had already gathered, some talking, others practicing for the ceremony. I hadn’t expected everyone to place so much importance on my crowning as Luna.

The door to my room opened, and Christina stepped inside. Seeing me by the window, she spoke gently.

“My Lady, since today is your special day, your breakfast is ready. I’ll bring it in myself.”

I didn’t turn around. Instead, I asked quietly, “Christina… tell me the truth. What do people really think about me becoming the Luna of the pack?”

Silence followed.

It lingered for several long moments before she finally answered, “No one dares to have an opinion. You are the mate of the two most powerful men in the pack. Who would dare speak against you? Your father is protecting you with all his strength. Even if some are unhappy, none of them would risk voicing a complaint. My Lady, you have no reason to worry. Whether they like it or not, they have no choice but to accept you as the Luna of the pack.”

I kept staring outside, but her words did little to ease the heaviness inside me. Everything around me felt wrong, no matter how perfect it appeared.

My eyelids lowered, and I whispered, “I don’t want to be the Luna of the pack.”

Christina’s voice came at once, sharp with panic.

“Why?”