Just a Substitute

(Aria's POV)

The afternoon sun streamed through the windows of the treatment center, throwing warm patches of light on the wooden floor. A dull hum of voices surrounded me as my colleagues chatted animatedly nearby.

I sat at my desk, trying to focus on the patient files in front of me. But the words on the page blurred, replaced with thoughts I didn’t want to confront.

Jack leaned forward eagerly, ready to add fuel to the fire. "I heard Natalie Windsor’s back."

I forced myself to stay focused on pretending to write. Each stroke of my pen trembled slightly, but I didn’t dare let anyone notice.

"Back?!" Vivian’s too-loud voice carried excitement. "*Natalie Windsor*? The princess? Are you serious?"

"Yup. Derek himself went to the pack border to pick her up yesterday. And get this," Jack dropped his voice, leaning closer as if he were sharing a forbidden secret, "he escorted her personally through the territory. They even visited some of the old childhood spots they used to hang out at together."

My heart slammed against my ribs. Air felt scarce, and my wolf stirred uneasily inside me.

"He *personally* went?" Vivian gasped, her tone dripping with excitement.

"Oh, come on," Jane sighed dramatically. "Of course he would! She’s his destined mate. Everyone knows they’ve been perfect for each other since they were kids. Four years of separation is nothing when you’re fated for one another."

I couldn’t stop my fingers from tightening on the patient file. The strain burned in my hand, but it was the only way to keep myself grounded, to keep myself from shattering in front of them.

"They weren’t engaged before, though, right?" a younger worker asked, curious but unsure.

"They almost were!" Jack chimed in. "Four years ago, Derek was *this close* to proposing to her, but then Natalie surprised everyone and decided to go to a human university. Everyone thought it was strange at the time. But now, it’s like she never left!"

"And look at the timing," Vivian said smugly, tilting her chin. Her voice took on a knowing edge as if she’d been privy to all the details. "She graduates early and immediately comes back. What does that tell you?"

"That she’s finally ready to step into her rightful place," Jane added with a self-satisfied hum. "Can you imagine? The future Luna of the Silver Stone Pack, returning to claim her crown. It’s perfect."

It felt like a stone-concrete weight pressed on my chest as I listened. Every word scraped against raw nerves. I kept my head down, biting the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood.

"Perfect," Vivian repeated, her tone full of awe. "Honestly, I don’t blame her. Who wouldn’t want to come back to Derek? He’s practically a god among wolves. And now that she’s back, there’s no stopping them."

Jane nodded forcefully. "They’ve always been meant for each other. A true princess for the Alpha heir. It’s the ultimate fairy tale."

The cold truth of those words sank deeper into my skin, suffocating me. Fairy tale. Princess. Alpha heir.

Where did that leave me?

I couldn’t bear sitting there anymore, couldn’t handle their oblivious chatter as they unknowingly poured salt on every wound I had. I jerked out of my seat, pretending to quickly gather the files.

But my shaking hands betrayed me.

The folder slipped from my grasp, patient records spilling across the counter and floor.

"Aria, hey. Are you okay?" Jack asked, leaning closer with a frown.

I forced a stiff smile and quickly bent down, collecting the papers with trembling fingers. "I'm fine, just clumsy today," I said, my voice coming out softer than I intended.

Jack looked like he might press further, his concern clear, but before he could say more, the treatment center door opened with a crisp *clang*.

I straightened abruptly, papers in hand. Turning to look, I froze on the spot.

She walked into the room like she owned it.

Her silver hair caught the light, gleaming as it spilled down her back like moonlight itself. Her perfect posture, her poise, her sharp silver-blue eyes—all of it exuded power, confidence, and that regal aura everyone had gossiped about so fiercely.

Natalie Windsor.

My throat tightened painfully, and my wolf whimpered within my chest.

Samuel entered a step behind her, his expression guarded and formal as always. His hands were clasped behind his back, but he stopped beside her and turned his head slightly, signaling his seriousness.

The colleagues who had been gossiping all straightened suddenly, their previously casual chatter replaced with awe and murmurs of respect. "It’s really her," Jane whispered, her voice a mix of excitement and reverence.

Natalie’s confident gaze swept across the room like she was a queen sizing up her attendants. When her eyes landed on me, I could have sworn they lingered for just a second too long.

"Miss Windsor," Samuel spoke, his voice cutting cleanly through the hushed atmosphere, "allow me to formally introduce some of the staff here. This is the treatment center of the Silver Stone Pack and Windsor Pack border territories. One of our most critical facilities."

Slowly, he turned his sharp gaze toward us and gestured with precision. "Everyone, this is Natalie Windsor. She will not only serve as the new director of this facility but also..." He paused, emphasizing the next words. "She is the future Luna of the Silver Stone Pack."

"The future Luna?" Jane breathed, her excitement undisguised.

Vivian looked ready to faint from delight, smiling so broadly that it almost seemed painful. "Amazing," she whispered under her breath.

I couldn’t hear anything else.

Samuel’s declaration repeated in my head. *Future Luna.*

The walls of the treatment center seemed to press closer, making it harder to breathe. My chest constricted painfully, my wolf whining louder now. My hands trembled as I clutched the folder tightly against my chest like it might somehow shield me from the storm inside.

From where I stood, Natalie’s silver hair shimmered like a mocking reflection of my own.

My mind raced, painfully threading together pieces of memories I now wished I could forget.

Derek’s hands in my silver-white hair, his voice deep and soft, calling me "*my silver light*" as we lay tangled in bed. The way he’d gently dry my hair with a towel after showers, smoothing his fingers over the strands with reverence.

Once, I dyed it brown.

He hated it. I hadn’t understood why at the time. He had been so furious, his lips pulling into a sharp line as he stared at me. "*Change it back.*" His voice had been dripping with venom. "*Don’t ever hide your silver.*"

I thought it had been special.

But now, standing here, staring at Natalie Windsor—the *real* princess—it all made sense. He wasn’t cherishing *me*.

He was remembering *her*.

Betrayal churned violently in my chest, every breath becoming harder to take.

He had ended things with me to make room for her. He had pushed me aside like I meant nothing. And truthfully, to him, I had never been more than a body to take up space until she returned.

My wolf howled painfully inside, trying to claw her way out. I could feel her rage, but it was smothered by overwhelming heartbreak.

"Thank you for the warm welcome," Natalie’s voice broke through my thoughts like shards of glass.

She spoke smoothly, her tone practiced yet commanding. "I look forward to working with you all and helping foster unity between our packs. This partnership is very dear to me."

Everyone nodded, murmuring in agreement.

Natalie’s gaze traveled to me again as her smile widened slightly. It wasn’t a taunting smile, but to my twisting mind, it might as well have been.

I held my ground, even as every instinct screamed for me to flee.

My legs trembled. My wolf let out one last whimper of defeat before curling into herself.

*This is the truth,* I reminded myself.

Natalie Windsor wasn’t just another woman. She was royalty in the pack world. A chosen princess.

And me?

I was nothing.

Just a substitute.