Return Of The Rejected Luna: Am The Lycan Queen

Is having a child what defines a wife? Was that truly the measure of a woman's worth, whether her body could fulfill the one expectation everyone had placed upon it from the moment she wore a wedding ring? Elena had entered her marriage believing that love would be enough to carry two people through every disappointment life could place before them.Five years of marriage had stripped away every illusion she once held so tightly. Each passing month became another reminder that people were no longer interested in seeing Elena as a woman with dreams, kindness, intelligence, or a heart capable of unconditional love. None of those things mattered anymore. Every family gathering turned into another quiet interrogation hidden behind forced smiles. Every celebration became another opportunity for relatives to ask the same question while pretending they were simply concerned. Friends who once laughed beside her eventually began bringing their children around, unknowingly reminding her of eve

The whip came before Elena could even process the spit drying on her cheek.A man stepped out from behind Mrs. Baltimore, tall, broad with a scar across his lips, a coil of black leather already uncurling from his hand. The first crack landed across her back, a sharp wet snap that stole the air from her lungs before the pain even registered. The second came a heartbeat later, and this time Elena's scream tore out of her before she could stop it, her whole body curling forward against the stone.Mrs. Baltimore crouched down in front of her, gripping Elena's chin with ringed fingers hard enough to bruise, forcing her face up."There she is," Mrs. Baltimore cooed, mockingly. "The famous Luna. Screaming just like the rest of them." She spat again, this time square on Elena's split lip, and rose with a grunt, smoothing her golden silk.The door opened before Elena could gather herself off the floor.A worker hurried in, bowing so low his forehead nearly touched the ground. "Mrs. Baltimore

The room prepared for Elena overlooked the silver skyline of Lyral City, the heart of the Lycan Kingdom, where towering structures of stone and glass stood beneath the watch of the royal palace. It was one of the finest guest chambers within the eastern wing.None of it mattered.The moment Isaac left the room to give her space, Elena climbed off the bed without making a sound. She ignored the thick mattress, the clean blankets, and the pillows waiting for her. Instead, she crossed the room on unsteady feet until she reached the farthest corner. There, she slowly lowered herself onto the floor, drew her knees tightly against her chest, wrapped both arms around them, and bowed her head.That was where Isaac found her an hour later. He stood in the doorway for several long moments before quietly walking over and crouching several feet away, careful not to invade what little sense of safety she seemed to have found."Elena," he called softly.Her shoulders stiffened."You don't have to s