3. SILK AND STEEL

Rhea’s POV

“Rhea!” 

I heard Brielle’s voice call out behind me.

I didn’t stop.

Instead, I quickened my pace as I stepped outside of the Packhouse.

Several heads turned to us immediately

The omegas who were tending the garden and the Pack members who were busy minding their business suddenly stopped when they saw us. 

“Rhea, please!” Brielle cried as she caught my arm.

Something inside me finally snapped.

“Don’t touch me!” I yanked my arm away sharply.

Brielle lost her balance and stumbled hard to the stone ground.

People gasped at my actions.

“Brielle!” Mother cried out in panic as she rushed towards her.

I looked up and saw the others had followed as well.

And around us, more and more pack members were beginning to gather.

Nothing captures a pack’s attention faster than public conflict, especially when it involved their Pack leaders.

Mother immediately tried helping Brielle up, but Brielle pushed her hands away weakly.

Instead, she pushed herself up with her knees on the ground.

Tears streamed endlessly down her face as she clasped her trembling hands together toward me.

“This is all my fault,” she cried brokenly. “Please don’t blame Artavius.”

The courtyard fell silent. I could fill their eyes silently watching with judgement.

“If I had known you two would become mates, I never would have allowed any of this to happen,” Brielle continued shakily. “I’m sorry, Rhea. I’m really sorry.”

My stomach twisted violently.

Sorry?

The damage had already been done.

Sorry changes nothing.

“Brielle, stand up,” Mother cried softly as she felt bad for Brielle. “Don’t do this to yourself. You don’t need to kneel in public and beg for forgiveness.”

Even the whole crowd also felt bad for her.

My next words made the entire courtyard fell silent.

“If you’re truly sorry,” I said coldly, “then let me be with my mate.”

Shock flashed across their faces.

I lifted my chin despite the pain crushing my chest.

“Let me stand beside Artavius as the Moon Goddess intended,” I continued, my voice trembling now. “Allow me to rule as Luna by his side.”

“Rhea!” Mother gasped softly.

Father looked at me in complete disbelief.

“Your own sister is kneeling in front of you, begging for her child,” he said heavily. “How can you be this cruel?”

Before I could answer, Alpha Elias’s cold voice cut through the courtyard.

“Is power all you care about?” he asked sharply. “Is being the Pack’s Vanguard and the only female warrior in Valcrest not enough for you?”

His eyes hardened as he looked at me.

“Or are you truly so greedy that you would still demand the Luna position despite this situation?”

I clenched my fists so tightly my nails bit into my palms.

Cruel?

Greedy?

For fighting for what was rightfully mine?

I almost laughed at the absurdity of it.

Meanwhile Brielle remained kneeling on the ground, looking heartbreakingly fragile as tears streamed endlessly down her face.

“Rhea… please,” she whispered weakly. “Anything but that.”

The words struck me harder than I expected.

Because despite all her apologies—

despite all her tears—

she still refused to let him go.

Brielle clutched her stomach protectively as she cried.

“I know I don’t deserve forgiveness,” she sobbed, “but please… for my child’s sake.”

Their child.

“My child is innocent,” she continued brokenly. “He’s also your nephew, Rhea. I just want him to grow up with a complete family.”

The surrounding crowd visibly softened even more.

“I don’t want people looking down on him for beig fatherless,” Brielle cried. “I don’t want him growing up incomplete his entire life.”

My ears caught the whispers spreading through the courtyard.

“The child shouldn’t suffer…”

“She’s thinking about the baby…”

“Commander Rhea is putting her personal feelings above the heir…”

Each word cut deeper than the last.

Because suddenly, I was no longer the rightful mate fighting for her place.

I was the selfish woman hurting her sister and threatening an innocent child’s future.

Luna Lynette finally stepped forward, sorrow filling her expression as she looked at me.

“If Brielle was in your position, she wouldn’t never have allowed things to reached this point. She would have willingly stepped aside from the mate bond for the greater good.

Her eyes shifted toward Brielle. 

“Look at her,” she continued. “She is not begging for herself. She is willing to lower herself for her child and our reputation.”

“That alone proves she possesses far more compassion, tolerance, and grace than you,” she finishes gently. “It is proof that she would make a better Luna.”

I stared at her numbly.

Brielle cried beautifully and suddenly she was compassionate.

She knelt publicly and suddenly she was noble. 

I fought for my mate and somehow became heartless.

Alpha Elias’s expression remained cold.

“The Luna spoke wisely,” he affirmed. “Brielle might not be Artavius’s mate, but she certainly is the true Luna of this Pack.”

Something inside me died.

Like the final flicker of a candle being extinguished.

I looked toward Artavius.

Toward the man I had loved for years.

The man who called me his mate.

My vision blurred.

Slowly, I lifted a trembling hand and wiped the tears from my face before anyone else could see them fall.

Then I looked directly at him.

“If this is truly what you want…” My voice cracked slightly before I steadied it. “Then I’ll step aside.”

The courtyard fell silent.

Brielle’s shoulders visibly relaxed.

Mother let out a relieved breath.

Even Father looked calmer.

But before I could continue—

Alpha Elias interrupted coldly.

“You will attend the mating ceremony in fourteen days.”

I froze.

His gaze sharpened on me.

“You publicly humiliated Brielle today and forced the future Luna to kneel before the entire pack,” he continued firmly. “You will correct that mistake.”

A cold dread settled inside my chest.

“You will attend the ceremony, publicly accept Artavius’s rejection, and personally give your blessing to Artavius and Brielle’s union before the pack.”

The entire courtyard went still.

Disbelief crashed through me.

“What?”

My voice came out hollow.

“No,” I whispered immediately. “No, I won’t do that.”

“Rhea, please,” Mother begged instantly. “Just do this peacefully.”

Father stepped forward heavily. “You already caused enough damage today.”

Damage.

As if I wasn’t hurting as well.

I just lost my mate and had to watch him with someone else.

What kind of parents are they? Ever since I was little, they had only always cared about Brielle. 

I looked desperately toward Artavius.

Surely even he wouldn’t allow this.

Humiliating me publicly was one thing.

But forcing me to stand there and bless their union—

That was cruelty.

“It’s best for the pack,” Artavius said quietly.

I stared at him in disbelief.

That was it.

No hesitation, just total surrender.

Something cold settled over my heart.

For the first time since this nightmare began, I stopped seeing the man I loved.

Alpha Elias’s voice turned colder.

“If you refuse,” he warned, “the pack will interpret your actions as hostility toward the future Luna and heir.”

His meaning was clear.

Refusal would make me an enemy to the pack itself.

Silence swallowed me whole, extinguishing the last of my anger and leaving only numbness behind.

A formal accusation will ruin everything I had built. None of it would matter anymore. People would only remember me as a traitor if I don’t do as Alpha Elias say.