Chapter 14 – The Weight of a Luna

Alaina

“Wait for me in your chambers,” Adrian said softly, his voice low and commanding. The Omegas clung to his every word like it was sacred. I stood there, folding my arms across my chest in a gesture of false nonchalance, even as unease crawled beneath my skin. I averted my gaze to the ceiling, pretending not to notice the way they kissed his cheek before walking away. But I felt their eyes, those piercing, judgmental stares that burned into my skin. I wasn’t welcome in their world, not when their affections were so firmly tied to him.

I turned toward him, unable to hide the bitterness in my voice. “Despite how easily some people switch loyalties, you still have a few admirers hanging on.”

He barely flinched. “Of course I do,” he said coolly. “They’re my whores.”

His words hit harder than I expected, slicing through the air with a kind of brutal finality. I let out a breath, slow and heavy, struggling to contain the dismay tightening around my chest.

“Do you ever think,” I began, locking eyes with him, “that you might actually be capable of real love?”

The question was gentle, but the meaning behind it carried weight. I hoped for something, anything that would suggest he had a heart buried beneath all that arrogance. But his expression didn’t shift. He stood there like a statue, unreadable and unmoved.

“As an Alpha, you should know that having a Luna isn't just about status,” I continued, trying to hold his gaze. “Your mate is supposed to be your partner, your anchor. Someone who balances you, who...”

He cut me off with a harsh laugh. “Mate?” He shook his head. “Love, mates, soul bonds, it's all a pretty illusion. A lie people tell themselves so they can sleep better at night.”

His derision stung more than I expected. “Having a mate doesn’t mean it’s all perfect,” I said quietly. “But it does mean you’re not alone in it. It means there’s someone who sees the real you and stays anyway.”

“Have you been hurt before?” I asked after a pause, softer now. “Is that why you don’t believe anymore?”

He didn’t answer. Just stood there, eyes dark and unreadable, as silence stretched between us.

I swallowed hard. “I know what it’s like to be betrayed,” I added. “To love someone and watch them rip your trust to shreds. But that pain doesn’t mean love is worthless. Maybe... maybe the goddess gives us second chances for a reason. Maybe your true mate could still be out there.”

Still nothing. The silence felt heavier now, like a storm brewing behind his still exterior. A wave of doubt washed over me, and suddenly, I felt so small. So foolish. Was I wrong to believe in love? Was I the only one still clinging to the goddess’s promise like it was a lifeline?

Andrew’s betrayal still haunted me. His lies had shattered something in me, and maybe I hadn’t fully healed. But even in that brokenness, I had never stopped hoping. Not completely.

“Adrian...”

“Are you being serious right now?” he snapped, suddenly closing the space between us. His voice was sharp and ice-cold, catching me off guard. “You actually think I need a Luna? That I’m missing something?”

I tried to speak, to explain, but he wasn’t finished.

“Let’s get one thing straight, Alaina.” His eyes glinted with something that sent chills through me. “I let you stay. I tolerate you. But don’t confuse that with trust. You haven’t earned that yet.”

He jabbed a finger toward my mouth, the gesture sharp, nearly cruel. “And don’t start thinking you can change my view on love. It’s weakness. And I don’t deal in weakness.”

I blinked, stunned.

“You do realize I can father heirs with any strong she-wolf I choose,” he added, his tone mocking. “I don’t need some fated fantasy to lead this pack. Your delusions might be pretty, but they’re still delusions.”

His words stung like acid, each syllable dismissing not just my beliefs, but the very hope I carried inside me.

“And while I’ll admit, there’s something... enticing about the way you speak your mind,” he added with a crooked smile, “you need to learn where the line is.”

He stepped away from me, leaving a cold emptiness in his place. I stood there, lips parted, heart thudding. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t find the words to express the storm swirling in my chest. I had told myself I could help him. That I could stay strong, stay composed, even when he was cruel. But this?

This was more than I had bargained for.

“Well then...”

He cut me off once again. “Your chambers will be handled by one of the Omegas. Her name is Grace. She’ll take care of anything you need. Don’t wander. Don’t push limits.”

And just like that, he turned his back on me.

“I’m sorry” I began, but my voice died in my throat.

Someone approached from behind. I turned, startled, and found myself face to face with a young woman with a bob haircut and cautious eyes.

“Luna?” she asked, her voice tentative.

I froze.

Luna?

The word echoed in my ears, sending a jolt through me. My mouth went dry, and my thoughts scattered like leaves in the wind.

Did she... know who I was?