Chapter two:The new luna

The pack house felt different that day, louder than usual and filled with excitement that Aria didn’t share. 

She stood at the top of the stairs, her fingers resting lightly on the railing as wolves moved past her in a hurry, their voices overlapping as they spoke.

“They’re here.”

“I heard she’s stunning.”

“A perfect Luna for Alpha Magnus.”

Aria remained where she was, silent, watching them pass. No one spoke to her, and she didn’t expect them to.

“She’s coming.”

The words spread quickly, and the energy in the room shifted with it.

Aria straightened slightly when she felt someone stop behind her. She didn’t need to turn to know who it was.

“You will stand with the pack.” Her father’s voice carried the same cold authority it always did.

Aria turned slowly. “Where…?”

“At the back.” The answer came without hesitation. Not beside him. Not anywhere close.

At the back, where she wouldn’t be seen.

“…Yes, Alpha.”

The courtyard was already filled when Aria stepped outside. 

Wolves stood in orderly rows, their posture straight and confident, as if they were part of something she could never reach.

She moved quietly to the space left at the very back and stayed there, keeping her presence small.

When the gates opened, the crowd fell silent.

A woman stepped in first, her movements calm and graceful, her presence alone enough to draw every eye toward her. It was obvious who she was.

The new Luna.

She smiled as she looked at the pack, acknowledging them with ease, as though she had always belonged there.

Beside her walked a girl about Aria’s age. She carried herself with the same confidence, her gaze moving across the courtyard as she took everything in.

Her eyes stopped when they found Aria.

The pause was brief, but noticeable. Then she smiled.

There was something about it that made Aria look away immediately.

“She’s the daughter,” someone whispered behind her.

“Selene.”

“I heard she shifted at thirteen.”

“Of course she did.” A few quiet laughs followed. Aria swallowed, keeping her gaze lowered. “Pack,” Alpha Magnus called, his voice strong and steady.

“Today, we welcome our Luna, Lydia, and her daughter, Selene.”

“And in one week’s time, the welcoming ceremony will be held,” Beta Morris added.

Applause spread through the courtyard, and the tension broke as people began to move forward. 

Some approached the new Luna, while others gathered around Selene, eager to speak with her.

Aria stepped back to avoid the crowd. Then she took another step. And another. Until she turned and walked away without drawing attention.

She had almost reached the doorway when a voice stopped her.

“Running away already?” Aria paused before turning. Selene stood a few steps away, watching her with quiet interest.

“I’m not running,” Aria said.

Selene tilted her head slightly as she stepped closer.  “It looks like you are.” Aria didn’t respond.

Selene’s gaze moved over her, slow and deliberate.  “You’re smaller than I expected.”

“I didn’t expect anything,” Aria replied.

Selene smiled faintly. “No wolf, right?”

The question wasn’t loud, but it carried enough weight to make Aria’s chest tighten. She didn’t answer. Selene stepped closer, closing the distance between them.

 “I’ve never seen someone without one before.”

Aria forced herself to speak. “I’m not….”

Selene’s hand moved suddenly, grabbing her wrist. Aria flinched.

“Not what?” Selene asked, her voice soft but firm. 

“Not weak? Not unwanted?”

Her grip tightened just enough to hurt. “I didn’t mean….” Aria started.

“Good,” Selene interrupted. She leaned in slightly, her expression shifting.

“Because you don’t get to mean anything here.”

Aria felt the words settle heavily as a few people passed by, slowing just enough to watch before continuing on.

Selene released her wrist and straightened, her expression smoothing into something more pleasant.

“Don’t worry,” she said lightly. “I’ll be around you can ask me anything.” Aria pulled her hand back, rubbing her wrist.

Selene’s lips curved again. “I think I’m going to enjoy this.”

Aria frowned. “Enjoy what?”

Selene paused before answering, “Living here.” Then she added quietly, “Above you.”

She walked away after that, leaving Aria standing alone by the doorway.

By the time Aria returned inside, the noise had followed. The halls were filled with voices and laughter, but none of it felt meant for her. She kept her head down as she walked.

“Move,” someone muttered as they passed her, brushing her shoulder.

Another voice followed with a quiet laugh. “She’s always in the way.”

Aria didn’t react. She kept walking as though she hadn’t heard anything. Her room felt smaller that night, and colder than usual.

Aria sat on the edge of her bed, her gaze fixed on her wrist. The marks had already begun to fade, but she could still feel where Selene had held her.

In just a few minutes, Aria had already learned enough.

Selene wasn’t someone she could avoid. Everything about her felt deliberate. A soft knock sounded at the door. Aria stiffened immediately.

No one ever knocks.Just Lina. “…Come in.” The door opened slowly, and Selene stepped inside.

“I forgot something,” she said, closing the door behind her. Aria didn’t move.

Selene walked further into the room, glancing around as if she were inspecting it.

“This is where you stay?” she asked. “It’s small.”

“It’s enough,” Aria replied quietly. Selene looked back at her with a faint smile..

“Of course it is.” She stepped closer. “You should learn something quickly, Aria.”

Aria’s heart began to race. “What?” Selene stopped in front of her, and this time there was no smile.

“Your place.” Aria felt her breath catch.

Selene reached for her wrist again, her fingers brushing over the same spot as before. Aria flinched instinctively. Selene noticed.

“If you don’t,” she said softly, “I’ll teach you.”

Aria didn’t respond. She couldn’t. For the first time, it wasn’t the entire pack she feared.

It was just one person. And that person is standing right in front of her. Selene turned and walked toward the door. She paused briefly before leaving.

“Tomorrow will be fun.” The door closed behind her.

 Aria stared at the closed door, her heart still pounding against her ribs like a trapped animal. The silence that followed Selene’s departure seemed to have weight, pressing down on her shoulders and making it difficult to breathe.

A cool draft slipped beneath the window frame, raising goosebumps along her arms. She hugged herself tightly, fingers digging into the thin fabric of her sweater.

The pack house had never felt like home, but now it felt like something worse, a cage with a predator inside.

She rose from the bed, wincing as the floorboard creaked beneath her feet. Moving to the small mirror mounted on the wall, she examined her reflection in the dim light.

 The girl who stared back looked pale, fragile, exactly how she felt. Her wrist still bore the faint redness where Selene’s fingers had gripped, the mark already fading but the ache lingering.

“Would things get any better?” Aria muttered under her breath, feeling frustrated about the whole situation.