Chapter Two: The Luna He Cast Aside

The whispers started the moment Seraphina stepped into the banquet hall.

"Is that the Blackthorn Luna?"

"I heard he hasn't touched her in months."

"Three years married and no heir. Poor thing."

She heard every word. She kept walking across the marble floor, chin up, her silver gown catching the light from the chandeliers. Nobody would have guessed she'd been shaking in her bedroom an hour ago.

"One more comment from these people," Vivienne muttered beside her, "and I'll give them something real to talk about."

"Behave."

"You're asking the wrong woman."

Seraphina almost smiled. The video was safe on Vivienne's phone, and they'd sent copies to two other places before leaving the room, just in case.

She slipped behind a marble pillar for a moment and pressed her cold hands together. For three years she had walked into rooms like this one, hoping someone would finally see her. Tonight she was hoping for the opposite, just a few more minutes of being underestimated. If this went wrong, there would be nowhere left to hide, and no one in this hall would help her pick up the pieces.

She took a breath, and stepped back into the light.

"Well. You actually came."

Cassandra, her cousin, stood with a cluster of women, diamonds at her throat. She looked Seraphina up and down. "I assumed you'd be too embarrassed."

"And miss watching you try to be funny? Never."

One of the women snorted into her glass. Cassandra's face went tight. "Someone's feeling brave tonight."

"Maybe I've stopped losing sleep over what people like you think."

She walked away before Cassandra could answer. Vivienne coughed into her hand, very badly hiding a laugh.

Seraphina couldn't explain it. A day ago she would have gone red and stared at her shoes. But the warmth in her chest hadn't left since the mirror, and the whispers slid past her like rain on glass.

Across the room, an old elder with a white beard was watching her. When she looked over, he glanced away too quickly, like a man caught at something.

Then the doors opened, and the hall went quiet.

Damien came down the grand staircase like someone who had never been told no. Black suit, perfectly cut. Every head turned. His eyes swept the crowd and stopped on her.

She wasn't looking at him. That was the first thing he noticed. No nervous glance, no checking whether he'd seen her. It annoyed him more than it should have.

He crossed the room. "You're late."

Seraphina glanced at the clock above the entrance. "The banquet hasn't started."

"Don't argue with me tonight."

"Then don't give me a reason."

"Have you forgotten who you're talking to?"

"You're my husband, aren't you?"

It sounded polite. It wasn't.

"Damien, darling."

Isolde had appeared at his side in a red gown, curls loose over her shoulders. Seraphina's stomach turned. Isolde had never called him that where anyone could hear.

"Seraphina! I wasn't sure you'd come." Isolde tilted her head. "Everyone knows how things are between you two. I thought it might be uncomfortable."

"Funny," Vivienne said. "I thought sisters were supposed to look out for each other."

Isolde's smile slipped. "Careful."

"Enough." Damien's voice rolled out with the full weight of his Alpha command. Guests nearby ducked their heads on instinct.

Seraphina felt it press on her shoulders like a hand. She stayed standing.

Damien's eyes narrowed. "Come with me. We need to talk."

"About what?"

"Privately."

"If it's about our marriage, I don't see why it should be private."

He grabbed her wrist. "Don't make a scene."

"Let go."

His grip tightened. "Don't test me."

His fingers dug in hard enough to bruise. Around them, conversations stopped, and a few guests became suddenly very interested in their drinks.

Seraphina met his eyes. Her pulse was loud in her ears, but when her voice came, it was calm. "I'd say the same to you."

Something pushed back against his wolf. It was faint, but he felt it clearly, like a door shutting from the other side. He let go before he understood why.

Seraphina rubbed her wrist. "Thank you."

He watched her walk away, and a question he didn't like formed in his head. What was that?

The master of ceremonies stepped onto the platform. "Honoured guests, distinguished Alphas, respected elders. Tonight we celebrate the unity of our kingdom. First, Alpha Damien Blackthorn has asked to make an announcement."

Seraphina's heart sank. She knew exactly what was coming.

Damien climbed the steps and faced the hall. "For three years I have honoured a marriage that has not fulfilled its purpose. My duty is to protect my people and secure my bloodline. My marriage has become an obstacle to that." He turned to look at her. "Tonight I will ask the elders to end my marriage to Seraphina Vale."

The hall erupted. Someone gasped. Someone else was already whispering to their neighbour. Somewhere behind her, a glass shattered.

A woman by the pillar murmured, "In front of everyone?"

An older Alpha shook his head slowly, like a man who'd seen this coming. Across the room, Cassandra wasn't even trying to hide her grin.

Seraphina felt every eye in the hall land on her, hungry for tears.

Seraphina stood still. She had known this was coming, and still a stupid part of her had hoped he might hesitate. He hadn't even blinked.

"The Blackthorn Pack deserves a Luna who can do her duty," Damien went on, and his gaze slid toward Isolde. "One who can give it a future."

Isolde lowered her eyes as if the moment overwhelmed her. But Seraphina caught the smile she was trying to hide.

He was replacing her with her own sister. In front of everyone.

Isolde stepped forward and took his outstretched hand.

Seraphina's eyes burned. She would not cry. Not here, and not for him.

Vivienne pressed something into her palm. Her phone. "Say the word and we walk out," she whispered.

Seraphina closed her fingers around it. Across the room, the old elder had stopped pretending not to look. He was watching her now, very still, as though he were waiting to see what she'd do.

"No," she said quietly. "We're staying."

She walked toward the platform.

Damien frowned. "What are you doing? Sit down."

"No, thank you." She stopped at the foot of the steps. The whole hall had turned to look. "You've told everyone what you think of me. Before this marriage ends, I think everyone deserves to hear the truth about the man who leads them."

"What truth?"

"The truth about you and my sister."

Isolde's head snapped up. The colour drained from her face.

Seraphina pressed play.

For one second there was only static. Then a woman's voice rang through the hall, unmistakable.

"What if she finds out?"

Two hundred heads turned toward Isolde.

"Finds out what?" Damien's laugh came next, easy and cruel, rolling through the speakers. "She can't do anything. She's wolfless."

Damien's mouth opened. Nothing came out.

"Turn that off!" he finally roared, but it was too late. Every guest in the hall had heard it, and Seraphina stood with the phone raised, steady as stone, while the recording played on.

At the front table, the old elder slowly rose to his feet.