The masked Luna

Selene's POV

I occupied the center of the council room, fingers woven, looking at the faces of the old men who appointed themselves elders. It smelled of smoke and loss. They were all present pretending to miss my brother, Iya—the next alpha of our pack. My brother, who they could not protect.

One of them finally had the nerve to speak, his voice whispered. "We can't simply do nothing. Our rivals killed our Alpha heir. We must strike back at their pack!"

The second elder was shaking his head. "No, no. Vengeance with blood will cause more spill of blood. What the pack requires is an Alpha. The pack lacks leadership."

I clenched my teeth. "And you're sitting here like my brother's killing was all about business?"

The room was silent. They had not expected a woman to react so—least of all, me. One of them smiled in a superior fashion. "Selene, child, this isn't your place to speak. The pack needs a new Alpha. Let this be left to the men."

I laughed, bitter and sour. "The men? You mean the very same men who couldn't defend their alpha ?"

He wincingly but tried to keep calm. "We were overpowered—"

"Then you shouldn't be in charge," I snapped out.

Gasps in the room. My mother's hand trembled in her chair next to my father, her eyes begging me to remain quiet. My father's voice strained but steady. "Selene… please."

I turned away from him. "If someone's going to take my brothers place, it'll be me."

The elders glared at each other. And then one of them burst out laughing. "You? Alpha? Preposterous. You're female."

I smiled. "So?"

"You can't lead warriors."

"Watch me."

Another old man strained his neck, his scowling face contorted in a grimace. "You'd be better advised to think of becoming Luna. That would be more for you. A nice face, not a commander."

I sprang to her feet so quickly the chair creaked. "Repeat it."

He messed a hand through his hair. "You'd never make it through a day at the Alpha Academy, even if they ever accepted girls—in which they don't."

"Maybe they ought to," I said, meeting his gaze.

The room hummed now. My father's voice boomed, distant but authoritative. "That's enough! The meeting is over."

The elders rose, heads bowed. I overheard one of them grumbling, "This girl will cause trouble." Another one chuckled, "our late Alpha must be turning over in his grave."

I so wanted to ruin them. I just stood there, catching their scent, struggling not to lose my temper. When they left, my mother placed an arm around me and spoke softly wearily. "Selene, you need to stop provoking them."

I glared. "You want me to sit around and do nothing and let them steal Father's place from us?"

My dad coughed, his face drawn. He was iller than ever before. "It isn't that easy, my daughter."

"It is easy. They're attempting to make another Alpha out of another pack our pack leader. Not if I'm dead."

"Selene," my mother sneered, "consider this very carefully. You could be Luna instead. It would be safer for you."

"I don't want to be Luna," I told him. "I am not going to sit next to another man while he occupies my father's chair."

"Being Alpha has nothing to do with strength," my father told me. "It has everything to do with politics, duty, command—

"And courage," I interrupted. "Something in which those old men are short."

He drew a deep breath, his trembling hand extending for water. I could see how white he was and felt a surge of pity for him. "Father, I'm sorry. I wasn't supposed to be shouting."

He smiled weakly at me. "You're stubborn, like your brother."

"I'll accept it as a compliment," I whispered.

My mother placed a gentle hand on my hand. "You need to let this go, Selene. Please. For your father's sake."

I shrugged reluctantly. "Fine. I'll just go upstairs to my room."

They both breathed a relieved sigh. My mother hugged my hand. "Good girl."

But the minute I was in that space, I knew I was nowhere near done. Not even close.

I threw myself straight into my room and slammed the door and kicked off my shoes onto the floor. I was on adrenaline. I could hear the words echoing in my head—"You can't lead. You're a woman. You won't last a day."

I paced back and forth in the room, furious. "Watch me not last a day," I growled. "I'll show them."

I grabbed my tablet and flopped onto the bed, trying to deflect. And then I saw it—a flashing message alert on the screen.

"From: Alpha Academy Admissions."

I stopped dead in my tracks.

No chance.

I opened it up with a burst of panic, my heart pounding.

"congratulations Liam damfort. You've been accepted into the Alpha Academy's special evaluation program."