Chapter One: The Selection

"Stand straight. If I catch anyone slouching again, she'll be escorted out of this hall before the selection even begins.

"The sharp warning immediately straightened the young woman standing in front of Seraphina. Her shoulders snapped back, her cheeks flushed crimson, and she quickly lowered her head, hoping the royal attendant hadn't noticed her trembling.

"I'm... I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" someone scoffed from behind. "Do you honestly think an apology is going to make the Alpha King choose you?"

A ripple of quiet laughter spread through the line.

"He probably won't even spare her a glance."

"He won't look at any of us." That single sentence stole the laughter almost instantly.

Several girls turned at once.

"What do you mean?" A tall blonde noblewoman folded her arms confidently, clearly enjoying the attention.

"My cousin serves inside the Moon Palace. She's been here long enough to witness every selection."

"So?" Five ladies asked in unison.

"So every time the Queen Mother gathers candidates, the Alpha King walks into this very hall, looks at every woman standing before him."

She paused deliberately, letting the silence build.

"...and leaves without choosing anyone."

Nobody argued. The excitement that had filled the room moments earlier slowly gave way to uncertainty.

"As if any of us will actually be chosen," another girl muttered with a bitter smile. 

No one laughed this time. Every woman present had secretly wondered the same thing before stepping through the palace gates.

If Alpha King Ryker Ashthorn had rejected princesses, Alpha daughters, noble ladies and women from the most powerful bloodlines on the continent...

Why would an ordinary day suddenly become extraordinary?

"I heard he has never allowed a woman inside his private residence." A pretty light skinned lady added.

"My father says he avoids every mating ceremony." Another said.

"They say the Queen Mother practically forced him to hold another selection."

"So why does he suddenly need a surrogate?"

"No one knows." Someone said bitterly."The palace refuses to explain anything."

"The only thing anyone knows is that the woman he chooses will never worry about money again."

That was enough to brighten several faces. One noble lady smoothed the silver embroidery on her gown before smiling confidently.

"If His Majesty truly intends to choose someone today, I doubt he'll waste his time looking at commoners."

Another girl followed her gaze toward the very end of the line.

"You mean... her?"

Almost every head turned.

Seraphina Ashvale stood quietly apart from the others, her faded blue dress looking painfully ordinary beside gowns stitched with silk, velvet and gemstones. Even the shoes peeking out beneath the hem had clearly been repaired more than once. She wore no jewelry except an old braided bracelet around her wrist, and unlike the women surrounding her, she made no attempt to draw attention to herself.

"I wonder who allowed someone like her inside." a candidate mocked.

"She looks more like a servant than a candidate."

"Maybe they needed someone to make the rest of us look prettier." Soft laughter followed.

Seraphina heard every word. She simply lowered her gaze. People judged what they could see.

A worn dress, simple shoes and no family crest.

Nobody ever cared about the story hidden behind them. Her fingers slowly curled around the faded bracelet resting against her wrist.

Noah had woven it years ago with clumsy little hands after insisting he wanted to make something his sister would never take off. The braid wasn't even. The knot loosened every few weeks. She could have replaced it countless times.

She never would. Her thumb brushed gently across the worn threads.

"Did you remember your medicine...?"

The question slipped into her mind so naturally that the palace around her slowly faded away.

She could almost picture Noah sitting outside their tiny cottage, swinging his legs from the old wooden chair while pretending the fever had completely disappeared.

"I'll be fine before you come home, Sister." His cheerful voice echoed inside her head exactly as she remembered it.

"Don't lose this chance because of me." A small smile almost reached her lips.

"You'd better be listening to Mrs. Elora..." The thought remained unfinished.

The towering silver doors at the front of the hall slowly opened. All conversations disappeared at once.

Royal attendants entered first, their spotless white uniforms bearing the crest of the Moon Kingdom. They moved into position with practiced precision before lowering their heads toward the entrance.

A heartbeat later, the Queen Mother walked in. Grace followed every step she took.

She neither hurried nor slowed, yet the atmosphere inside the hall changed the moment she appeared.

"My Queen." Every candidate bowed together. The Queen Mother acknowledged them with a slight nod before beginning her inspection.

She moved through the line at an unhurried pace, stopping before each candidate just long enough to ask a few questions before continuing.

"Your name?"

"Lady Evelyn of the Silver Fang Pack, Your Majesty."

"And your father?"

"Alpha Dominic Silver."

A slight nod was all she received before the Queen Mother moved on. The inspection continued in much the same way.

Names, families, and titles. Every answer was acknowledged with the same calm expression, making it impossible to tell whether anyone had managed to impress her.

"I thought she would ask about our abilities," one girl whispered after the Queen Mother walked past.

"My mother said noble blood is all that matters." A pretty blonde hair girl replied.

"Then why invite commoners?"

"No idea." Another answered hurriedly.

The whispers faded as the Queen Mother reached the very end of the line.

She stopped. For the first time since entering the hall, she did not speak immediately.

Her eyes swept over Seraphina from head to toe, lingering on the faded blue dress and the worn shoes beneath it.

A faint crease appeared between her brows.

"Who approved this candidate?" The question caught everyone off guard.

The captain of the royal guards stepped forward at once.

"I did, Your Majesty."

 A courtier answered from the far end of the room.

"You?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"I specifically instructed that only suitable candidates be admitted." The captain lowered his head.

"She fulfilled every requirement."

The Queen Mother's gaze returned to Seraphina.

"Every requirement?" she asked, staring at Seraphina's worn out shoes.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Silence settled between them.

"I expected women capable of representing the dignity of the Moon Palace."

Her voice remained composed, but the disappointment behind it was impossible to miss.

"Instead," She looked Seraphina over once more.

"...I find a young woman dressed as though she came seeking work in the royal kitchens."

A few noble ladies smiled to themselves. One of them even let out a quiet laugh before quickly hiding it behind her hand.

The Queen Mother took a single step closer.

"What is your name?"

"Seraphina Ashvale, Your Majesty." she answered, looking downwards.

"You came here dressed like this?" The queen asked with a hint of irritation in her voice.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"And you believed it was appropriate?"

Seraphina met the older woman's eyes without defiance.

"It is the finest dress I own." The answer was so simple that it left no room for mockery.

Several of the girls exchanged surprised glances.

No excuses, pleading or even shame. But only the truth.

The Queen Mother regarded her for a long moment before speaking again. 

"Confidence is admirable." Her eyes drifted briefly over Seraphina's clothes.

"I only hope yours is not misplaced." she added sarcastically.

Without another word, she turned and continued down the line. The whispers resumed almost immediately.

"I told you she didn't belong here." the ladies from earlier whispered among themselves as they continued gossiping.

"She actually thought that dress would impress the royal family."

"The Alpha King won't even notice she's standing in this hall."

Seraphina let the voices fade into the background. Arguing with strangers had never changed anyone's opinion.

There was no reason to start today. She drew a slow breath, folded her hands before her, and fixed her attention on the towering doors at the front of the hall.

Soon, the selection would begin.

The whispers died away as though someone had stolen the air from the hall.

Every royal attendant straightened at once. The guards stationed beside the doors lowered their heads without waiting for a command.

Even the Queen Mother turned toward the entrance. Something was different.

The atmosphere inside the hall shifted so suddenly that the candidates instinctively sensed it.

"What..." One girl barely managed to whisper the word before the sound of footsteps echoed through the chamber.Slow, measured and unhurried. Each step struck the polished marble with quiet authority, the kind that belonged to someone who had never needed to announce his arrival. Power spoke for him long before his voice ever could.

Several candidates immediately lowered their heads. A few noble ladies subtly adjusted their posture, smoothing their gowns and lifting their chins with practiced elegance.

Only Seraphina remained where she was. Her thoughts had wandered back to the little cottage she had left behind that morning.

Mrs. Elora would probably be arguing with Noah by now. He hated medicine. If he had hidden it under his pillow again...

A faint smile almost touched her lips.

The footsteps drew closer and closer still. She remained completely unaware.

The girl standing beside her stole a glance toward the entrance, then nearly gasped.

"Bow," she whispered urgently, nudging Seraphina's arm.

Confused, Seraphina looked up. Her heart lurched. Every person in the hall had lowered their head.

The attendants, guards and candidates. Even the Queen Mother.Only one person remained standing.

A tall man dressed in black walked through the center of the hall with effortless confidence. Silver embroidery shimmered across the sleeves of his formal coat, while the royal crest over his chest caught the light from the crystal chandeliers. His features were sharp enough to make him seem carved from stone, and the cold silver eyes sweeping across the room carried an authority that made the hall feel smaller with every step he took.

Alpha King Ryker Ashthorn. The ruler of the Moon Kingdom and the most feared Alpha on the continent.

Panic flashed across Seraphina's face. She immediately lowered her head.

"My apologies, Your Majesty."

Ryker said nothing. His footsteps slowed as he reached his mother.

"I wasn't expecting you," the Queen Mother said, genuine surprise flickering across her face.

"I was passing by." His voice was calm and deep.

"I thought I'd see how today's selection was progressing." A hopeful smile appeared on the Queen Mother's lips.

"Then perhaps you'll stay." she said happily.

"I've already taken enough of your time." He turned slightly, clearly intending to leave.

The smile on the Queen Mother's face faded. 

"Ryker." He stopped. 

"We've done this before." Silence settled over the hall.

"I gather young women from every corner of the kingdom." She looked toward the waiting candidates. 

"They arrive carrying hope." Her gaze returned to her son.

"And every single time..." she continued,"...you leave without choosing anyone." No one dared move.

"You rejected every candidate last year." She paused.

"You rejected every candidate the year before that." Another silence followed." 

Will today end the same way?" Ryker didn't answer immediately.

Instead, his eyes drifted toward the line of waiting women.

One step, then another. The first row straightened with renewed confidence.

He walked past them. The second row held their breath and he continued without stopping.

The third row, the fourth. One hopeful expression after another slowly crumbled into disappointment.

The Queen Mother frowned slightly. This had never happened before.

Usually, he left before showing the slightest interest.

Today, he was actually looking.

At the very end of the line, Seraphina lowered her eyes once again, silently wishing the selection would end soon so she could return home.

She never noticed the footsteps approaching. Not until they stopped directly in front of her.

Her fingers were still absentmindedly rubbing the old bracelet around her wrist as her thoughts drifted back to the tiny cottage she had left behind that morning. By now, Mrs. Elora had probably finished preparing Noah's medicine, and knowing her brother, he was most likely trying to convince the old woman that he was perfectly healthy. The image almost made her smile.

A shadow stretched across the polished marble beneath her feet. The laughter that had filled the hall only moments ago had disappeared.

So had the whispers. The silence felt wrong. Her brows knitted together slightly.

Had the Queen Mother's inspection returned?Slowly, she lifted her head.The moment their eyes met, every thought vanished from her mind.

The Alpha King. He was standing directly before her.

Those cold silver eyes rested quietly on her face, studying her with an unreadable expression that sent an unfamiliar chill through her chest.

Heat rushed to her cheeks. She immediately lowered her head."My... my apologies, Your Majesty." Embarrassment flooded through her.

She had been so distracted thinking about Noah that she hadn't even realized the ruler of the Moon Kingdom had crossed the entire hall and stopped before her.

Ryker didn't answer. He simply continued looking at her.

The silence stretched so long that several of the noble ladies began exchanging confused glances. Even the royal attendants looked uncertain. No one understood why the Alpha King remained standing before the plainly dressed girl at the end of the line.

The Queen Mother watched her son carefully. She knew every expression he wore and every habit he had.

But this, this was unfamiliar.

Never before had he stood before a candidate without immediately turning away, or had he given anyone this much attention.

For several long moments, nobody dared breathe. Then his deep voice finally broke the silence.

"I'll take this one." The words were spoken so calmly that for a heartbeat no one reacted.

The Queen Mother's eyes widened.

She looked instinctively behind Seraphina as though expecting another young woman to be standing there."...Her?" Disbelief escaped before she could hide it.

Ryker gave one small nod.

"Prepare the contract." There was no explanation, discussion or even hesitation.

He had made his decision.