Chapter 5

I paused in my tracks.

It was Jenny, the director of the stray pup shelter, who had just arrived with a cluster of young pups around her. I had previously visited her shelter to treat sick pups and helped raise supplies for them to get through the winter; I hadn't realized they were invited tonight.

Jenny walked up hurriedly, warmly clasping my hands in hers.

"Luna, where are you going? Aren't you staying to celebrate with us?"

The pups ran over one after another. "It's Ellie!"

"Ellie! We missed you so much!"

"Ellie! Last time you said that when I grew up, I could join the medical patrol to help others too. Do you still remember?"

The pups gathered around me, chattering with eyes full of joyful surprise.

The ambient conversations in the hall gradually quieted down.

A guest looked at me, then looked at Stella clinging to Finn's side, knitting his brows in confusion.

"Luna? Then who is that she-wolf next to Alpha Thornweald?"

Whispers quickly rippled through the crowd.

"Wait, isn't she the Luna who used to go on patrols with the Alpha and treat injured pack members? I heard she personally saved pups in the remote settlements."

"Then why is the she-wolf beside him wearing the Luna's Moon Crown? Has the Alpha taken a new mate? How come we've never heard about this?"

"Yeah, wearing a sacred token meant exclusively for the Luna... is she just a mistress?"

Suddenly, someone lowered their voice and chimed in.

"Haven't you guys seen those videos Stella posted? They've been spreading like wildfire!"

A guest pulled out a phone and passed it to the person next to him. A video was playing on the screen.

Several pups huddled around, their expressions turning to shock. One of them snatched the phone and brought it over to me, looking at me anxiously. "This isn't real, right? Ellie would never be like this!"

Jenny looked over as well, gasping as she covered her mouth. "Oh dear Moon Goddess..."

In the video, my eyes were bloodshot as I lost emotional control, screaming at Stella. I had shifted into my wolf form, storming into the room and grabbing Stella while screaming. I had lost composure at the pack banquet, walking out alone under everyone's mocking gazes.

Every single clip was meticulously edited to capture my most battered, humiliating moments.

They had actually recorded every single instance of my agony.

After watching the video, the way everyone looked at me shifted completely.

"I heard that because of Eloise's incompetence, Finn had to let Stella take over the Luna's duties. It's Eloise who refuses to let go, clinging to Finn relentlessly."

"She always brings up her past contributions, insisting everyone remember that she's the Alpha's mate. Like Stella said, she just can't bear to lose the position of Luna."

No one knew that after every single one of my breakdowns, Finn would chase after me to soothe me, claiming it was all just a game he arranged to test my love. And at the end of each game that pushed me to the brink of insanity, I had only one choice: to force a smile in front of the spectators and admit that I only lost my mind because I loved Finn too much. Because no one ever filmed those moments.

From beginning to end, I was never the instigator of this farce. And now, Stella and her circle were digging up these moments to prove to everyone that I was the one throwing unreasonable tantrums all along.

"Enough!" Jenny shouted, stepping in front of me to shield me while scanning the surrounding guests and their varied expressions.

"What right do you have to judge her based on a few edited videos? Without her, these homeless pups would have frozen or starved to death!" Jenny's voice trembled. "If she were truly as selfish and jealous as you claim, why would she do all of this? You can't fake this level of devotion just for fame!"

The pups piped up frantically as well.

"Yeah! Ellie always brings us medicine and plays with us! She has never lost her temper with us!"

"Last time I had a high fever, Ellie didn't sleep the entire night, staying right by my side! She's so wonderful!"

Those innocent words and Jenny's brave defense brought a sting to my nose. My numb heart felt close to shedding tears for the very first time.

Just then, Finn pushed through the crowd, shoving Jenny aside to step directly in front of me.