The Last Luna

In the Hall of the Moon Goddess, every wolf waited for the remembrance ceremony to begin.

Elara stood at Cassian's side.

She was the Luna of Mooncrown, and the woman who had been with Cassian for ten years.

Three years ago, he became Alpha and she put on the moon crown.

Cassian took her cool fingers and squeezed them gently.

It was a habit ten years old.

"Cold?"

She shook her head.

Elder Nyx announced the start of the ceremony.

The instant the Moon Goddess tablet lit up, the silver mark on Elara's wrist burned.

She covered her wrist without thinking.

Nothing like this had happened in three years.

Cassian looked at her at once.

"What is it?"

She shook her head.

"Nothing."

She started to lower her hand, but Cassian's fingers tightened.

This time it was his fingertips that had gone cold.

He stared at her wrist as if he were trying to confirm something.

"Really nothing?"

"It just hurts a little."

He did not ask again.

But he did not let go of her hand either.

Elara did not notice that Cassian's face had already changed.

The next second, the silver light on the tablet flared.

And then a jagged, hideous crack came snaking down through the middle of Elara's name.

The name on the tablet changed, and every eye in the hall turned toward Seraphina.

The same people who had bowed to her a moment ago were already looking for a new Luna.

Elara realized that in Mooncrown, what people revered had never been her. It was the crown on her head.

She froze where she stood.

"Let me explain."

Cassian's voice came from beside her.

She turned to look at her Alpha, and it was hard to do.

"You knew?"

Cassian said nothing.

That one second was all Elara needed.

"Cassian."

She said his name again.

But he offered no explanation.

"Did you know all along?"

He did not answer.

Elara suddenly laughed.

"So it's true."

The doors of the hall opened again.

A woman walked in wearing the robe that belonged to the Luna.

Seraphina.

She did not look at Elara.

Her eyes stayed on Cassian from the first step to the last.

But Seraphina was in no hurry to come closer.

She climbed the altar slowly, surrounded by attendants, in a gown identical to the one Elara had worn at her coronation three years ago.

Three years ago, Cassian had draped that gown over Elara's shoulders himself.

Yet now, another woman wore it.

Elara looked at Seraphina.

She had not come for the dress.

What she was here to replace was Elara herself.

The bond Elara had believed would last forever was about to be taken over by someone else.

Cassian did not ask why. He only turned to Elder Nyx.

"When does the new Luna take the title?"

Elara's heart dropped.

"In five days."

Five days.

Elara went still.

She stood in the place that had been hers, listening to her own countdown.

But what really took her breath away was not the five days.

It was how calm Cassian looked.

He had known all along.

For the first time, Elara looked at her Alpha with confusion and anger.

But the next second, Cassian reached out and took Seraphina's hand.