Forgotten

The council meeting lingered in my thoughts long after it ended.

No one had questioned my place as Luna.

Not openly.

Yet Elder Rowan’s words refused to leave my mind.

“The mother of the future Alpha will require guidance as well.”

It sounded harmless enough. Reasonable, even.

But beneath those carefully chosen words was a truth I couldn’t ignore.

Lily was no longer just the breeder. She was becoming part of the pack’s future.

And slowly…Without anyone realizing it…She was becoming part of its present.

Being Luna left little room for dwelling on my own troubles.

At sunrise, I accompanied the quartermaster to inspect the pack’s winter stores.

The harvest had been generous this year, but I still made notes of what needed replacing before the first snowfall.

Afterward, I visited the infirmary.

Old Martha, one of the herbalists, smiled the moment she saw me.

“My Luna.”

“How is Elder Finn?” I asked.

“He’ll recover. The medicine is working.” She replied.

Relief settled over me. I walked from bed to bed, speaking with every injured warrior.

Some had broken bones, while others carried scars from patrols near the northern border.

Each one thanked me simply for stopping by. It wasn’t much, but I remembered how lonely illness could feel.

If a few kind words eased their burden, then my morning had been well spent.

By midday, I found myself settling a dispute between two young wolves arguing over farmland boundaries.

Neither was willing to listen until I suggested dividing the unused stream between both families.

The argument ended almost as quickly as it had begun.

They both bowed.

“Thank you, Luna.”

As they walked away together, I couldn’t help smiling.

Moments like these reminded me why I loved serving this pack. Moonridge wasn’t simply where I lived, It was home.

By the time I returned to the packhouse, the kitchens buzzed with their usual energy.

The scent of fresh bread filled the air.

“Good afternoon, Luna,” the head cook greeted.

“I’ve come to see whether there’s anything you need,” I replied.

The older woman smiled warmly.

“Everything is under control.”

Before she could say another word, hurried footsteps echoed through the kitchen.

A young maid rushed inside carrying an empty basket.

“We’ve run out of fresh raspberries!”

The head cook frowned. “What happened to the ones gathered this morning?”

“Miss Lily asked for them.”

“Oh.” The older woman didn’t hesitate. “Take two more servants and gather another basket.”

The maid nodded enthusiastically before hurrying away.

No one complained, and no one questioned the extra work.

After all…The future Alpha’s mother had a craving.

The head cook suddenly looked embarrassed.

“I’m sorry, Luna.”

I blinked. “For what?”

“We were supposed to prepare your favorite honey cakes today.”

She wrung her hands together.

“But Miss Lily hasn’t been able to keep much food down, so we had to change the menu.”

For a moment, I simply stared at her.

Then I smiled. “It’s alright.”

And it truly was. Honey cakes could wait.

Yet as I turned to leave the kitchen, I couldn’t ignore the strange feeling growing inside me.

Not jealousy.

Just…Being forgotten.

***************

The gardens had always been my refuge.

Whenever the packhouse felt too crowded, I found myself wandering among the flowers.

The autumn breeze carried the scent of pine through the hedges as I knelt beside a bed of white moon lilies.

“They’re beautiful this time of year.”

I looked up, and Old Nora stood a few steps away, a basket of freshly picked herbs hanging from her arm.

She had served in the packhouse since before Kael was born. If anyone remembered the old days, it was her.

“They are,” I agreed.

She slowly joined me. For a while, neither of us spoke.

She simply helped me remove a few weeds from the flowerbed.

“My Luna.” Her voice was unusually gentle.

“Hm?” I replied absentmindedly.

“I hope you don’t mind an old wolf speaking freely.”

I smiled faintly. “You’ve earned that right.”

She sighed. “I’ve been watching this pack for over forty years.”

I listened quietly.

“I’ve seen Alphas rise and I’ve seen Lunas fall.”

Her words made my hands pause.

“And I’ve learned something.” She reached over and gently brushed a stray leaf from my sleeve.

“The wolves who carry the heaviest burdens are usually the ones who insist they’re perfectly happy.”

A lump formed in my throat.

“I’m managing.” I whispered.

“I know.” She smiled sadly. “That’s what worries me.”

The breeze rustled the branches overhead.

For a long moment, all I could hear were the birds singing somewhere beyond the gardens.

Then she said something that stole the breath from my lungs.

“They’re forgetting.”

I looked at her. “What do you mean?”

She glanced toward the packhouse.

“They’re so busy celebrating the future…that they’re forgetting who carried this pack before there ever was an heir.”

My vision blurred.

I quickly looked away. “I shouldn’t cry over something so foolish.”

“No.” Her voice was firm. “You should cry because you’ve been pretending not to.”

The first tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it.

Soon, I wasn’t crying because of Lily, or the child, or even Kael.

I was crying because I was tired. So impossibly tired.

Old Nora stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me.

For a moment…Just one moment…I allowed myself to lean into the embrace.

I couldn’t remember the last time someone had held me simply because they knew I was hurting.

No promises, no apologies, and no reassurances.

Just quiet understanding.

Sometimes…That was enough.

***********

As evening approached, I returned into the packhouse.

Laughter drifted down the corridor.

Curious, I followed the sound.

Several servants stood outside one of the sitting rooms.

Through the open doorway, I caught sight of Lily.

She was seated comfortably near the fire while one of the older maids showed her tiny pieces of embroidered fabric.

“What do you think of this pattern?” the maid asked excitedly.

“It would look lovely on the baby’s blankets.”

Lily smiled softly. “Oh, it’s beautiful.”

Another servant laughed. “I told you Miss Lily would know.”

“I don’t know nearly as much as Luna Elara,” Lily replied modestly. “She has much better taste than I do.”

The women giggled.

“So humble. You’re so sweet.”

I remained standing in the hallway.

No one noticed me. One by one, the servants began asking Lily’s opinion.

About the nursery, baby clothes, lullabies, simple and Ordinary things.

Things a mother would naturally know.

I watched them crowd around her with bright smiles.

Not because they loved her more, but because she represented something new and something hopeful.

Something I had never been able to give them.

I quietly turned away before anyone saw me.

As I climbed the staircase toward my room, one thought echoed relentlessly in my mind.

No one had taken my title, no one had challenged my authority, and no one had asked me to step aside.

And yet…For the first time since becoming Luna…

I felt invisible.