Chapter 025

The rest of breakfast went smoothly without any interruptions or drama, Maris had been quiet through most of it, her gaze lingering on Selene’s empty seat more times than I could count. But when we finally slipped out of the hall, my patience ran thin.

“Who exactly is Amelia?” I asked, tugging her arm to stop her just before we reached the upper floor. “Because everyone in that room seems to hold their breath when she speaks. Even Selene.”

Maris sighed, her expression softening into something almost wary. “You’ve met her before, haven’t you? The night you arrived, she was the one who made sure you got a room.”

I nodded slowly. “Um not exactly how I met her……But that doesn’t explain why she carries herself like… that. Like she owns this place.”

“She almost does,” Maris said, glancing down the corridor before lowering her voice. “Amelia is the wife of Alpha Rodger, of Nighthunt Pack. He’s a distant cousin of the brothers.”

“Cousin?” I echoed.

“Yes,” she said. “Which means Rodger is a Lycan too, though not a pureblood like Draven, Daemon, or Darius. The blood thins as it spreads, and his line didn’t inherit the full power of the firstborn line.”

I frowned, trying to piece it together. “So she’s part of the family?”

“In more ways than one,” Maris murmured. “After their mother died, Amelia became the only Luna left standing in the royal line. She manages the household, oversees the packs tied to the Lycan territories, and hosts the ceremonies, like tonight’s ‘Dance of the Goddess.’”

My breath hitched slightly at the memory of Amelia’s commanding tone that morning, when she had arrived with her mate, the looks she was given me and how she spoke so causally at the table.

And also today the way her gold-threaded gown had caught the sunlight as she spoke of the dance. Every mated she-wolf and unmated one were required to attend—her words had rung like law.

“So she’s… the Luna Luna,” I said quietly.

Maris gave a small, wry smile. “Exactly. The Luna of Lunas. Until one of the brothers chooses a mate, she holds that title, and the power that comes with it.”

A chill crept up my spine. I didn’t need Maris to tell me what would happen if they ever claimed and marked me. I already knew. The bond would crown me as their Luna, the Luna of Lunas. The thought alone made my stomach twist. I wasn’t sure if I could bear the weight of such a title… or survive it. Not with all eyes already watching me, questioning why three Lycans seemed to circle around one trembling she-wolf who didn’t belong here.

Maris must have noticed the unease tightening my jaw, because she gave my arm a gentle squeeze. “Just be careful tonight,” she said softly. “The dance isn’t just a tradition. It’s a test. one Amelia uses to measure every woman who walks under her roof.”

“A test for what?” I asked.

Her lips curved faintly. “For strength. For grace. For obedience.” Her eyes flicked over me, sharp and assessing. “And for danger. The kind that comes from being wanted by the wrong Lycan. Or being on the wrong side of history”

Maris led me down another long corridor branching off the east wing, her voice light again as if the earlier tension had never existed. “Come on,” she said, glancing over her shoulder with a grin. “We’d better find something breathtaking to wear tonight. Amelia’s events are always… extravagant.”

We passed a few maids who bowed slightly as we walked by, their arms full of silk and folded garments that shimmered faintly in the afternoon light. The scent of lavender oil and starch hung in the air, soft and calming but my heart still hadn’t found its rhythm since that morning’s confrontation.

When we reached the dressing chamber, Maris pushed the tall double doors open to reveal rows of gowns in shades of silver, moonlight, and pale rose. “Courtesy of Lady Amelia herself,” she said, sweeping her arm grandly. “Each guest chooses one for the dance. The fabrics are enchanted stitched with lunar thread to reflect the goddess’s blessing.”

I ran my fingers over one of the dresses, the fabric cool and impossibly soft beneath my skin. It shimmered faintly, like water caught under the moon.

“It’s beautiful,” I murmured.

Maris hummed. “Pick one that feels like you. The dance isn’t only about appearances it’s how the goddess sees you through the cloth you wear.”

I gave a small laugh, uncertain. “Then I’ll probably end up looking like a shadow.”

She smiled faintly. “Shadows can be beautiful too.”

While she moved along the rack, chatting about fabrics and how Amelia’s seamstress once designed for royal courts, I couldn’t stop my mind from wandering. I hadn’t seen Draven, Daemon, or Darius since the morning before. Not a glimpse in the hallways, not even their scent lingering near the great staircase.

Either they were out, attending to whatever duties Lycans held during summits… or they were deliberately keeping their distance. My gut told me it was the latter. Perhaps Draven had ordered it after the scene in the training yard, after Daemon in my room.

The thought made something ache in me, confusion, shame, and something else I couldn’t name.

Maris held up a gown of deep blue silk threaded with silver embroidery. “This one suits your eyes,” she said. “Try it.”

I took it hesitantly, holding it against me in front of the mirror. The reflection didn’t look like me at all this girl had soft curls brushing her shoulders, eyes that flickered between fear and defiance, and a dress that clung to her waist as though sculpted for her.

“Maris,” I said quietly, “what happens during this dance? Really.”

She met my gaze in the mirror, the teasing light in her eyes fading. “It’s an old ritual,” she said softly. “Each she-wolf offers her steps to the goddess. It’s said that under the moonlight, the bond between mates burns brightest. Some… receive visions. Others are claimed.”

My breath caught.

Claimed.

The word pulsed like a heartbeat in my ears.

Maris smiled again, too easily, and turned back to the gowns. “Don’t worry,” she said. “It’s mostly just dancing. A show of grace and devotion.”

But as I looked down at the shimmering dress in my hands, I wasn’t sure if the goddess or the Lycan brothers would let me dance as just another guest tonight.