Chapter 2: Everything they called mine

Chapter 2 – Everything They Called Mine

The morning after Selene returned, the Moonstone Pack no longer felt like home.

The servants who used to greet me with warm smiles lowered their heads whenever I walked past. Some hurried away as if they were afraid of being seen talking to me.

Others whispered behind my back.

"She looks so calm."

"I heard she threatened Lady Selene years ago."

"I never thought Luna Aria could be so cruel."

Every word pierced my heart.

I wanted to defend myself.

I wanted to scream that they were wrong.

But I knew it wouldn't matter.

Not anymore.

When I entered the dining hall, Kael, Ronan, and Ezra were already seated.

An empty chair waited for me.

The chair that had always been mine.

I walked toward it.

Just as I reached it, Selene appeared.

She wore a simple white dress and looked pale, almost fragile.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I didn't know this was your seat."

Kael immediately stood.

"You can sit here, Selene."

My feet froze.

That was my seat.

The seat beside my mates.

Without a second thought, Kael had given it to her.

Selene looked at me with fake hesitation.

"But what about Aria?"

Ronan answered before I could.

"She can sit over there for now."

He pointed to a chair farther down the table.

Far from them.

Far from where the Luna belonged.

My chest tightened.

Not one of them looked embarrassed.

Not one of them realized how much that small moment hurt.

Silently, I walked to the empty chair and sat down.

The breakfast tasted like ash.

Later that afternoon, the Pack Elders summoned everyone to the council hall.

The room was filled with tension.

Elder Magnus stood in the center.

"We have reached a decision."

I folded my hands tightly.

"What decision?"

"The investigation into Selene's claims has begun."

"I welcome that," I replied. "Because I have nothing to hide."

The elder nodded.

"Until it is complete, everything connected to Luna Aria will be placed under temporary protection."

I frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"It means," another elder answered, "your family's estate will be frozen."

My heart skipped.

"My parents left that to me."

"It is only temporary."

"My personal accounts?"

"Frozen."

"The Luna chambers?"

"They now belong to both ladies."

"My title?"

"Suspended."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

One by one...

Everything my parents had spent their lives building...

Everything I had earned...

Was being taken away.

Not because I was guilty.

But because someone accused me.

Then Elder Magnus looked at Kael.

"There is another matter."

"The White Moon Wolf."

My blood ran cold.

"No."

Not my wolf.

Anything but that.

The White Moon Wolf was a blessing from the Moon Goddess.

Only one wolf like her appeared every several hundred years.

She wasn't just my wolf.

She was part of my soul.

The elder continued.

"Since Selene claims this blessing was originally meant for her, we will perform a ritual."

I shot to my feet.

"That's impossible!"

"It isn't."

"You cannot separate me from my wolf!"

Kael finally spoke.

"If the blessing truly belongs to you..."

"You have nothing to fear."

I stared at him in disbelief.

"You actually believe that?"

He hesitated.

"I..."

"You believe she deserves a chance."

That answer was enough.

That evening I returned to my room.

No.

Not my room anymore.

Half of my dresses were gone.

My jewelry had disappeared.

The portraits of my parents had been taken down.

Instead...

A fresh bouquet of moon roses sat on the table.

Selene's favorite flower.

I laughed bitterly.

Even my room no longer remembered me.

A soft voice echoed inside my mind.

"They're replacing us."

It was my wolf.

Luna.

She sounded weaker than ever.

"I know," I whispered.

"Why are they doing this?"

"I don't know."

"Our mates promised to protect us."

A tear rolled down my cheek.

"They broke that promise."

For several minutes, neither of us spoke.

The silence was painful.

Just before sunset, there was a knock on the door.

Ezra entered alone.

He looked exhausted.

His eyes were filled with guilt.

"Can we talk?"

I nodded.

He walked slowly toward me.

"I know today was difficult."

"Difficult?"

I laughed.

"They stripped away everything my parents left me."

"They're questioning my wolf."

"They're questioning our bond."

"And you're calling it difficult?"

Ezra lowered his head.

"I wanted to stop them."

"But you didn't."

"I couldn't."

"You could have."

Silence.

"I still believe in you."

I looked into his eyes.

"Do you?"

He didn't answer.

That silence shattered the last piece of hope inside me.

"If you believed me," I whispered, "you would have stood beside me."

Ezra reached for my hand.

I stepped back.

"Don't."

He slowly lowered his arm.

"I'm sorry."

Again.

That useless word.

Sorry.

It couldn't return my parents.

It couldn't erase the humiliation.

It couldn't make my mates trust me again.

After Ezra left, I stood by the window and looked at the full moon.

Its silver light covered the entire pack.

Once, I had looked at this moon with happiness.

Tonight...

It felt cold.

Very cold.

I closed my eyes.

"If this is what love becomes..."

"Then maybe it's time to stop holding on."

For the first time since becoming Luna, a single thought settled firmly in my heart.

Maybe... I should leave.

She had taken my place.

They had given it to her willingly.

And deep inside, I knew this was only the beginning of the suffering they had planned for me.