CHAPTER EIGHT: THE LUNA ASCENDANCY

Freya’s POV

I didn’t sleep.

Not even for a moment.

Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the same things

Dante’s cold expression.

The mark on my neck.

And the word Luna repeating in my head like a punishment.

And finally…

The Luna Ascendancy.

How will I face them?

I had asked my maid, Lily, to make inquiries about the Luna Ascendancy.

What she told me only made everything worse.

According to what she heard, they were terrifying women—strict, powerful, and feared throughout the pack. Most of them were elderly, but that didn’t make them weak. If anything, it made them more dangerous. They were women of high rank, respected… and avoided.

“They don’t train,” Lily had said quietly. “They make people suffer.”

Her words stayed with me.

Many women had gone through their training.

Some gave up.

Some ran away.

Some even lost their minds.

“They give impossible tasks,” she continued. “They ask questions no one can answer. They make you handle situations even high-ranking wolves struggle with.”

Some people called them the Fire Council.

Others simply called them

Wicked.

A shiver ran down my spine.

If that was how they treated people they didn’t hate…

Then what about me?

Someone they already despised.

Someone accused of killing their precious Luna.

Someone they believed was a curse.

I let out a shaky breath.

My suffering…

Only God knew what it would be.

And the worst part?

I could already feel it before it even started.

I gripped my clothes tightly, my hands trembling slightly.

Then I reached for the silver pendant hanging around my neck the one my mother gave me.

I held it tightly in my palm.

“Mom…” I whispered.

My voice was barely audible.

“Please help me. Protect me.”

My throat tightened.

“You always said you would…”

Tears burned behind my eyes, but I forced them back.

“So please… help me.”

By the time morning came, I was already awake, sitting at the edge of the bed.

Waiting.

Just waiting.

For whatever would come next.

A knock sounded on the door.

Sharp. Controlled.

“They are here.”

My chest tightened instantly.

“Come in,” I said quietly.

The door opened, and the guards stepped inside.

“Ma’am, it is time.”

Time.

Such a simple word.

But it felt like a sentence.

It echoed in my head over and over again.

Time.

Time.

Time.

I slowly stood up.

My eyes met Lily’s.

She gave me a small smile.

I returned it, even though mine felt weak.

Even without Aunt Elsa here…

Lily had become my confidant.

My only comfort.

I followed the guards.

The walk through the Alpha House was silent.

No one spoke.

No one greeted me.

No one even looked at me directly.

But I could feel it.

Eyes.

Whispers.

Judgment.

“That’s her…”

“The cursed one…”

“She’s already here…”

Their voices were low, but I heard them.

Every single one.

I tried to compose myself.

Tried not to care.

Tried not to break.

Even when it felt like their eyes were pushing me down.

We stepped outside.

The morning air hit my skin cold and sharp.

Ahead stood a separate building.

It didn’t look welcoming.

It looked… strict.

Cold.

Unforgiving.

“This is the Luna Ascendancy,” one of the guards said.

My stomach twisted.

I glanced around.

It was quiet.

Too quiet.

“I don’t see anyone,” I murmured.

“No one comes near this place,” the guard replied. “They avoid it.”

That alone said enough.

“They are inside,” he added. “Waiting for you.”

Waiting… for me?

“Go in.”

I didn’t argue.

I just walked.

The moment I stepped inside, the air felt different.

Heavy.

Still.

It was like something was pressing down on me.

For a second, my body resisted.

Part of me wanted to turn back.

To run.

But I forced myself forward.

The hall was large and circular, with tall pillars surrounding it.

At the center was an open space.

And around it

Women.

Six of them.

Seated.

Watching.

Waiting.

Their eyes all turned to me at once.

Sharp.

Cold.

Evaluating.

At that moment, I wished I could disappear.

No…

I wished I had power.

Because the way they looked at me…

It felt like I was already beneath them.

I froze, not knowing what to do.

Then I remembered what Lily told me.

Greet them first.

“Good morning, ma’am,” I said quickly.

“I greet you all. I am Freya… the chosen Luna.”

“We can see you.”

The response was cold.

Uninterested.

Unimpressed.

Silence followed.

Long.

Heavy.

Uncomfortable.

It felt like they were studying me.

Like I was something being inspected.

“So,” one of them finally spoke.

“This is the girl.”

I swallowed.

“She doesn’t look like much,” another added.

A quiet laugh followed.

“She looks fragile.”

“Like how a cursed one should look.”

The word hit me hard.

Cursed.

Always cursed.

“State your name,” the first woman ordered.

“Freya,” I said softly.

Her gaze sharpened.

“Full name.”

“Freya Grey.”

Silence fell again.

Then—

Recognition.

“So it’s you,” another woman said. “The one accused of killing the former Luna.”

“I didn’t—”

“Silence.”

My lips snapped shut immediately.

“You speak only when permitted.”

Humiliation burned through me.

“Step forward.”

I obeyed.

Because I had no choice.

They looked at me like I was nothing.

Like I didn’t belong here.

“You were marked,” one of them said.

“Yes,” another replied. “By the Alpha’s son.”

“How unfortunate.”

A soft chuckle followed.

My fingers curled into fists.

“Turn around.”

I hesitated.

“Now.”

Slowly, I turned.

“Lower your collar.”

My breath caught.

But I obeyed.

I pulled the fabric down, exposing the mark on my neck.

Silence filled the room.

“A true mark,” one murmured.

“It’s real.”

“Then we have no choice.”

I didn’t understand what that meant.

But I didn’t ask.

“You will be trained,” the leader said.

“You will learn how to walk, speak, and behave as a Luna.”

My chest tightened.

“You will learn discipline. Control. Obedience.”

Obedience.

The word didn’t sit well with me.

“And you will be tested.”

My heart began to race.

“If you fail…”

She paused.

“You will not stand beside the Alpha.”

Something about the way she said it made my skin crawl.

“Stand straight.”

I adjusted quickly.

“No,” she snapped.

“That is not how a Luna stands.”

She walked around me slowly.

“Shoulders back. Chin up. Eyes steady.”

I corrected myself.

“Better.”

“Now walk.”

I blinked.

“Walk?”

“From here to there.”

I took a step.

“Stop.”

Too stiff.

Again.

“Stop.”

Too slow.

Again.

“Stop.”

Too fast.

Everything I did was wrong.

“A Luna commands presence,” one said.

“She has none.”

Their words cut deep.

I tried again.

And again.

And again.

Until my legs ached.

Until my chest tightened.

Until my confidence shattered completely.

“Enough.”

I stopped immediately.

“Pathetic,” another muttered.

My throat burned.

But I refused to cry.

Not here.

Not in front of them.

“Show her,” the leader said.

One of the women stepped forward.

She walked.

Graceful. Controlled. Powerful.

Every step carried authority.

When she finished, all eyes turned to me.

“Do it.”

I inhaled slowly.

Then I walked.

This time—

I forced confidence into every step.

Even if I didn’t feel it.

“Good.”

The word surprised me.

It was small.

But it meant something.

Maybe… she didn’t completely hate me.

“Next,” the leader said.

“Speech.”

My heart dropped.

“You will address us as Luna.”

“I…”

“Speak.”

My mind went blank.

“I am…” I started, my voice shaking.

“Wrong.”

“A Luna does not sound uncertain.”

“Again.”

“I am Freya Grey,” I said, trying to sound stronger.

“Still weak.”

Laughter followed.

Again.

And again.

And again.

Each time

They corrected me.

Mocked me.

Tore me apart.

Until my voice felt small.

Until I felt small.

By the time it ended…

I understood something clearly.

They were not here to help me.

They were here to break me.

And I didn’t know…

If I was strong enough to survive it.