1. The Luna's Seat.

The heavy oak doors of the Frostclaw grand hall swung open with a deafening thud, spilling cold mountain air into the room. Laughter and the clinking of heavy metal goblets died down to a sudden, tense silence. Every senior pack member, high-ranking warrior, and gray-haired elder turned toward the entrance.

I kept my eyes lowered, my fingers tight around the silver serving pitcher. I could feel the sharp stares of the crowd drilling into my back, waiting for me to break. They wanted a show. For two years, this pack had treated me like a broken doll, a weak female with a dormant wolf who held the Luna title in name only. They expected tears. They expected a desperate, screaming plea for mercy.

They had no idea that my royal Moonborn wolf had awakened three nights ago. Her power vibrated beneath my skin like liquid fire, quiet and patient, waiting for my signal to tear this entire hall apart.

Kael walked into the hall with his chin held high, wearing his dark leather Alpha chest plate. He looked grand and imposing, standard for the man who ruled the strongest territory in the northern mountains. But he was not walking alone.

Clutched tightly in his right hand was Serena. She glided beside him, dressed in a sweeping dress of pure crimson silk. My blood ran cold the moment I recognized the fabric. It was my mother’s favorite gown, a rare piece brought from the old capital that I had kept locked inside my private trunk. Serena wore it like a trophy, her lips painted a deep, mocking red as she scanned the silent crowd.

I did not move. I did not drop the pitcher. I squeezed the metal handle until my knuckles turned white, forcing my breathing to stay slow and steady.

"Walk toward the high table," Kael commanded, his voice carrying the deep, heavy weight of Alpha command that usually forced weak pack members to their knees.

He guided Serena straight past the lower benches where the warriors sat, leading her up the stone steps to the main platform. The elders sat on either side of the high table, their old eyes wide with shock as Kael pulled out the heavy carved chair at the head of the table.

It was the Luna seat. My seat.

Serena offered a small, delicate smile to the silent room before sitting down, smoothing the crimson silk over her knees with practiced grace. She leaned her chin on her hand and looked down at me, her dark eyes glittering with cruel amusement.

The hall remained completely frozen. Old Elder Vance cleared his throat, his thick gray brows knitting together in concern. "Alpha Kael," he began, his voice raspy with age. "The feast of the winter hunt has strict laws. The Luna seat is reserved for the married mate of the pack leader. Lady Elara is standing right there."

"She is standing where she belongs," Kael cut in sharply, his dark eyes snapping toward me. "Serving the table."

Whispers broke out like a sudden rustle of dry leaves across the lower tables. I could hear the cruel giggles from the young female warriors who had always despised me for taking the title they believed I never deserved.

"Look at her," a female warrior whispered from the second table. "She does not even have the courage to say a single word. She just stands there like a servant."

"She never belonged in the Alpha bed anyway," another answered with a muted laugh. "She has no wolf. She is just a useless piece of dead weight."

I swallowed the bitter taste rising in my throat. Every word burned, but I locked the anger deep down in my chest, letting it feed the sleeping fire of my true nature. I needed them to believe I was weak for just a few more minutes. I needed to walk out of this packhouse quietly, without initiating a bloody battle before I reached the northern border.

I stepped forward, my shoes clicking softly against the cold stone floor. I walked to the high table, reaching out to fill Kael’s silver goblet with dark red wine. The liquid poured smoothly, reflecting the flickering torches overhead.

Kael watched me closely, his jaw tight, searching my face for any sign of a crack. He expected a temper tantrum. He wanted me to make a scene so he could use my disrespect as an official reason to punish me before the elders.

"You have nothing to say, Elara?" Kael asked, his voice low and dangerous as he leaned over the table. "Your husband brings another woman to the feast, places her in your chair, and dresses her in your clothes, and you just pour wine?"

I set the silver pitcher down on the dark wood with a quiet, solid tap. I lifted my head, meeting his harsh glare directly. I forced a calm, pleasant smile onto my lips, keeping my eyes completely clear of tears.

"The feast is about celebrating the victory of the pack, Alpha," I said softly, keeping my tone perfectly smooth and submissive. "It is not my place to ruin your evening."

Serena let out a soft, mocking sigh, resting her forearm on the polished table. "That is very sensible of you, Elara. Know your place, and perhaps Kael will allow you to stay in the servant quarters instead of throwing you out into the snow."

As Serena reached out to pick up her own goblet, her wide silk sleeve slid back toward her elbow. The warm torchlight caught the reflection of something bright on her index finger.

My breath hitched in my chest.

It was a thick band of silver, holding a massive crescent moon cut from deep blue star-sapphire. The crest of the Moonborn royal lineage was deeply engraved into the surface of the stone.

It was my mother’s signet ring. The ring that had been stolen from her lifeless body twelve years ago on the night my family’s estate was burned to the ground.

My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird. The calm mask I had maintained for two years threatened to shatter right there. The woman sitting in my chair, wearing my mother’s clothes, was wearing the stolen crest of my slaughtered bloodline.

"Where did you get that ring?" I asked, my voice dropping its soft tone, turning cold and sharp enough to cut through glass.

Serena pulled her hand back slightly, a tiny smirk touching the corner of her lips. "This? It is a gift from Kael. He gave it to me this morning to celebrate our bond."

I turned my head slowly to look at Kael. He did not look guilty. He sat back in his large chair, resting his arms on the wooden armrests, looking down at me as if I were nothing more than dirt beneath his boots.

"You do not need to worry about rings or silk dresses anymore, Elara," Kael said, his loud voice booming through the silent, massive hall.

He stood up from his chair, his tall frame blocking out the torchlight behind him. He slammed his heavy, leather-gloved hand down on the center of the oak table with a sound like a thunderclap. Every elder flinched. The entire room held its breath.

"Serena is my true mate," Kael announced, his dark eyes locked onto mine with total indifference. "The Moon Goddess has spoken. You are weak, wolfless, and useless to the future of the Frostclaw pack. Elara, you are stepping down as Luna tonight."