The Luna Without A Wolf

The great hall of the Black Moon Palace had always felt cold whenever the Alpha and his Luna had clashes.

Luna Ross stood beneath the enormous silver chandelier, surrounded by hundreds of werewolves who had gathered for the monthly royal assembly.

Every eye was on her. Not because she was the King's wife but only because she had no wolf.

At twenty years old, Ross had spent two years carrying the shame of being different.

In the Black Moon Kingdom, every werewolf awakened their wolf on their eighteenth birthday. Some transformed within minutes of turning eighteen. Others waited a few days or weeks.

But nobody waited two years. Nobody except her. And the kingdom had decided what that meant. Defective. Weak. Worthless.

Ross kept her hands clasped gently in front of her as whispers moved through the crowd.

"Still no wolf."

"She's twenty now."

"How can the King's wife be wolf-less?"

"I heard she can't even sense the pack bond."

"Maybe she's not a werewolf at all."

Ross heard every word. She had become very good at pretending she didn't but she did heard them and their words stung her heart each time they whispered them.

At the front of the hall, Alpha Knox sat on the black throne. He looked exactly as intimidating as everyone said he was.

Tall, broad-shouldered and dressed entirely in black, Knox had an aura that made even experienced warriors lower their eyes. His dark hair fell slightly over his forehead, and his cold gray eyes swept across the room with the kind of authority that required no explanation. One look from him could silence an entire council.

Ross had once wondered what it would feel like to have those eyes look at her with affection. She no longer wondered.

Knox's gaze landed on her. There was no warmth there as usual. Just irritation. "Luna Ross." He called.

She stepped forward. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

"You were expected ten minutes ago."

Ross glanced at the clock. "I was speaking with the royal healers."

Knox's expression hardened. "About your wolf?" The hall became painfully quiet.

Ross swallowed. "No."

"Then what could possibly be more important?"

A few people chuckled as Ross felt heat rise to her cheeks. She lowered her voice. "It was a private matter."

Knox leaned back against his throne. "Of course." His tone made it sound like she had committed some terrible offense.

Then, a nobleman standing nearby suddenly laughed. "Perhaps Luna Ross was asking the healers to find her a wolf." Laughter erupted around the hall. Ross looked at the man. Lord Damon. One of Knox's most loyal warriors. He smiled cruelly.

"Two years, Luna. Perhaps you should accept that your wolf simply doesn't exist."

More laughter. Ross's fingers tightened. She looked toward Knox. He had heard. He had seen the insult. He did nothing. Not even a warning. Ross slowly looked away.

Lord Damon continued. "Perhaps the King should find himself a proper Luna."

The laughter died this time around. Ross looked at Knox again. Surely now. Surely he would defend her. Instead, Knox's expression remained unreadable. "Enough," he finally said. But his voice wasn't directed at Damon. It was directed at the room. Ross couldn't tell whether he was stopping the insults or simply ending the disturbance.

She bowed. "May I be excused?"

Knox nodded without looking at her. Ross turned and walked out. She tried not to run. She tried not to allow anyone to see the hurt she hid inside of her. She waited until she reached the private corridor before stopping. Her hand pressed against her chest.

Two years. Two years of being called defective. Two years of being reminded that she was different. Two years of sleeping beside a man who treated her like a political contract. And somehow, the worst part was that she had once loved him.

Ross closed her eyes. Never again. She wiped the moisture from the corner of her eye before it could become a tear realizing she had stayed in the corridor for long. Then she walked toward Knox's study. If he wouldn't defend her publicly, she would at least demand an explanation privately.

The guards opened the doors. Knox stood behind his desk, reading documents. He didn't look up. "What do you want?"

Ross closed the door behind her. "Why?"

His eyes lifted. "Why what?"

"Why do you allow them to disrespect me?"

Knox's expression remained cold. "They're expressing their opinions."

"They insulted me in front of the entire royal pack."

"And?"

Ross stared at him. "And you watched."

"I heard."

"You did nothing."

Knox placed the document down. "What exactly did you want me to do?"

"Defend me."

A humorless smile touched his lips. "From what? The truth?" Ross went still. Knox stood. "You have been without a wolf for two years, Ross."

"I know."

"Do you think I enjoy having the entire kingdom whisper about my wife?"

She arched her brows. "You think I enjoy it?"

"You've brought this embarrassment into my life."

Her heart clenched. "I didn't choose to be wolf-less."

"No. But you seem determined to make it everyone else's problem."

Ross stared at him. "You really believe I'm a burden."

"I believe that if your father wasn't politically useful to me, I would never have married you."

The room seemed to stop breathing. Ross had heard variations of those words before. But tonight, they felt different. Sharper. More final. "So that's all I am?"

"A political alliance."

She nodded slowly. "Nothing more?"

Knox's face remained emotionless. "You have brought nothing into my life except embarrassment."

Ross lowered her eyes and for several seconds, neither spoke. Then she asked quietly, "Do you hate me?"

Knox looked at her. His answer came without hesitation. "Hate would require caring enough to feel something."

Ross felt the words cut deeper than any insult she had received that evening.

But she didn't cry. She simply looked at him. And something inside her went quiet. "Thank you."

Knox frowned. "For what?"

"For finally telling me the truth." She turned toward the door.

"Ross."

She stopped. He seemed about to say something. But whatever it was, he swallowed it.

She left while Knox watched the door close behind her.

—-

That night, long after the palace had fallen silent, Ross slipped from her room. She moved through a hidden passage beneath the palace. Nobody knew she knew it existed. Nobody except her. She descended the ancient stone stairs until she reached a massive black door covered in silver markings.

For centuries, the door had remained sealed. No key could open it. No Alpha could break it. Ross stood before it. Her heart beat slowly. She raised her hand. Her palm touched the ancient symbol carved into the center. The markings began to glow. Silver light spread across the door.

Ross whispered, "It's time." The enormous door unlocked. It opened for her.