CHAPTER TEN

~Aiden~

“Darkmoon will reign for generations,” one Alpha toasted. “No rival shall rise against you, Darius.”

Father raised his glass, smug as ever. “To conquest,” he said, “and to the new Luna, whose grace makes even victory sweeter.”

The hall erupted in applause.

My father, Darius, stood at the center of the ceremony. “Our mines yield more ore than any pack in a century,” he boasted to the circle of Alphas. “With Nightfang’s lands under our control, Darkmoon is untouchable, the richest pack in the world.”

Their laughter grated against my skull, but I nodded along, playing the dutiful heir.

But my eyes were on her, Riya.

She wasn’t touching her food. She only stared at her mother with a broken expression. When the guards approached to escort her back to the dungeons, she rose slowly. Her mother stood too, and they held each other for a long moment, whispering words I couldn’t hear.

“Bro,” Jayden's voice broke my trance as he leaned across the table, stealing my untouched wine. “Come on, bro.” He dragged my hands.

His polo shirt and earrings screamed defiance of Father’s formality. “I need you to model for this artwork I’m cooking up. Gotta capture that brooding hero vibe you’re giving off.”

I snorted, shaking my head. “No way.”

He leaned closer. “Don’t be a killjoy, Aiden. You’re the future of Darkmoon, right? Let me immortalize you before Father burns it all down.”

I glanced at the empty doorway where Riya had vanished.

The Alphas’ voices were a dull roar, and I needed out. “Fine,” I growled, tossing back the last of my wine. “But you owe me.”

Jayden’s studio was a fever dream of color and chaos. Canvases lined the walls, splashed with bold reds and deep blues, half-finished sculptures glowing under the sun's light.

He pointed to a stool in the center. “Shirt off, bro. Let’s show off those abs.”

I rolled my eyes but tugged the tunic over my head, tossing it aside. “Don’t get any ideas,” I muttered, settling onto the stool as he grabbed his sketchpad.

“Too late,” he teased. For a moment, it was just us, the way it used to be before Father’s wars tore everything apart.

“You miss her, don’t you?” I asked him, closing my eyes and trying to recall Mother’s beautiful face.

Jayden’s pencil stopped, and his grin faded. “Every fucking day,” he said. “The pack was… whole when she was here. Peaceful. Like we weren’t monsters.”

I nodded. “I dreamed of her last night. She was sitting pretty in her chamber. I cried to her, and she was bleeding. She even said… only I could save the pack.”

Jayden’s eyes met mine. “You are destined, Aiden. To save this pack from Father’s madness. From the turmoil he’s drowning us in. Just look at how he married her.”

I didn’t want to hear it, so I changed the topic. “Saw you talking to Riya earlier. What was that?”

He chuckled, resuming his sketch. “Bumped into her. Literally. Took the chance to tell her I’m not one of Father’s dogs. That I didn’t burn Nightfang.” He raised his brush. “She’s… something, isn’t she?”

I laughed, mocking him. “You’re dreaming if you think she’ll buy that. After what Father did? She’ll never trust you.”

“Maybe. But my conscience is clear. Can you say the same, brother?”

Before I could snap back, a sound cut through the air, a low and mournful moan. “Is that… coming from Father’s chambers?” I asked Jayden.

Jayden’s eyes lit up. “Of course. The man’s been on a fucking spree since yesterday.” He laughed, but there was an edge to it. “Bet it’s the new Luna. Wanna go see?”

I stared at him. “That’s insane, Jayden. The chambers are locked. If we get caught…”

He was already moving, grabbing my arm. “Come on, Aiden. Don’t you want to know what game Siarah’s playing? Why she’s so cozy with the man who burned her pack? And possibly killed her Alpha?”

I should’ve refused. I should’ve walked away. But the thought of Luna Siarah with Father pulled me like a leash. “Fine,” I growled, shoving past him. “But you’re explaining this to Father if we’re caught.”

We slipped through the shadowed corridors. Jayden led the way, and I followed sharply behind.

We reached the oak doors of Father’s chambers. The guards were gone, likely dismissed for privacy. Jayden pressed his ear to the wood, then pushed the door open just enough for us to slip inside.

We went directly to his personal study to peek through the transparent door. Through the door came the unmistakable sound of intimacy.

Father stood over Siarah, her silver gown a crumpled heap on the floor, her body bare and arched beneath him on the massive bed. His hands gripped her hips, his strokes deep and relentless, each thrust pulling a moan from her lips.

“She’s suspicious as hell,” Jayden whispered, his voice low but laced with amusement. “No one’s that relaxed with Father’s proposal. Did she even object?”

I nodded, my jaw tight. “Why would she agree to this? After Nightfang’s…” My mind flashed to Riya, locked in her cell. Did she know her mother was here, giving herself to the enemy? Like she was in love with him?

Before I could continue, Jayden turned his eyes to me and shushed me as he focused on the scene.

We watched, unable to tear our eyes away, as Father’s pace quickened, his growls mixing with Siarah’s cries. Her body arched higher, her lips parting in a gasp as he drove into her, his release shuddering through him.

I glanced at Jayden, ready to bolt, and froze. His trousers were tight, the bulge unmistakable. I smirked, despite the tension. “Really, Jayden?”

He grinned, shameless. “What? It’s a hell of a show.” He nudged me, his voice a low tease. “Don’t act like you’re not hard as steel, brother.”

“Fuck off,” I hissed, shoving him toward the door. My own body betrayed me, a pulse of heat I couldn’t ignore, but I pushed it down.

We slipped out, careful enough not to be heard, although our hearts were throbbing, not just from the risk but from the image of Siarah’s calculated passion and the thought of Riya, alone, her fire caged.

As we reached the corridor, the weight of it all crashed over me. My father had married the Luna of hi

s enemy. From Luna Siarah of Nightfang to Luna Siarah of Darkmoon, my now stepmother.