When The Moon Hides Her Crown

SERAPHINA“A woman cannot lead a pack,” my father, Alpha Darious Nightbane, declared coldly, standing before the gathered Council and warriors at the final trial of the Heir Selection Ceremony.I stood, breathless and bloodied, having just defeated the last of the contenders in front of a crowd that expected a new leader to rise. I had won. Fairly. Decisively.But it didn’t matter. Not to him.In my wolf form, I had towered over the last fallen candidate, my claws pressed firmly to his throat, not enough to kill, but enough to make him submit. The crowd had fallen silent, every gaze locked onto me.I stood at the center of the grand arena, still in my wolf form, tall, lean, and blood-smeared, my white coat streaked with dust and crimson. My breathing was steady, controlled, the silence around me heavy with judgment. Across the room, my father’s cold, commanding black eyes found mine. But I didn’t blink.“Why?” My voice rang out, sharp and unwavering, “I defeated every candidate. I ear

SERAPHINA"Who are you?" demanded the last person I wanted to encounter at the Academy.His voice was deep and commanding, much like his strikingly handsome face. Yet, his intense violet eyes spelled my doom, causing my heartbeat to race uncontrollably. Had something in my disguise betrayed me? I was confident the scent-masking potion was effective; otherwise, chaos would have already erupted. If everything was in place, why had he stopped me? It wasn't possible that he had ever met Seth Darven in person, right? I was a wolf among wolves. If he suspected anything or if I were exposed, I wouldn't just face expulsion—I would be hunted.I couldn't let that happen. Retreating or walking away might arouse suspicion, so I responded in the deep, masculine voice I had practiced on my journey here, "Seth Darven."His expression shifted slightly. Not wanting to engage with him further, I attempted to walk past, but he blocked my path again. "You don't smell like the rest of them," he murmured,

SERAPHINAMy first night at the Lupine Academy was anything but peaceful. I spent the entire night lying stiffly on the edge of my bed. Never in my life had I shared a room with anyone, let alone slept surrounded by people. Not just any just any group of people, Alpha males. My wolf’s ears perked up at the slightest sound: the shift of weight on mattresses, the scrape of fingernails, or even a muffled cough. Every little movement made my muscles tense, especially knowing Alpha Ronan was one of them.He had returned to the room after lights out when I was already in bed. I pretended to be asleep, my back turned in his direction, but for some reason, I felt his gaze lingering on me in the darkness. I clenched my blanket tighter. Was I imagining it because he’d spent the entire day staring at me? I didn’t dare turn to confirm it. Better to leave it unanswered, knowing for sure would have robbed me of what little sleep I managed to snatch.Morning came with the unmistakable sound of Reed

RONANReaper.That’s what they called me.A name I earned at fifteen, the night I took my first life. Not in a sanctioned duel, but during a hunt. A traitor, disguised as a childhood friend. The betrayer. The liar I hated down to the marrow of my bones.I didn’t hesitate. Didn’t flinch. I buried him myself, while I walked away with blood on my hands towards my father’s throne that awaited me. But I wanted to build my own. And the place to do that was Lupine Academy.Lupine Academy, where power meant everything and weakness was a death sentence, I’d built a reputation no one dared challenge. The dominance, ambition and bloodlust was second nature but none of them dared to cross me.Not the sons of regional Alphas, not the heirs of centuries old bloodlines. I wasn’t just an Alpha. I was the Alpha. The reaper. The one they whispered about when they thought I wasn’t listening.I ruled this Academy long before I was officially crowned its top rank inhabitant. I was staying only to win batt

The course stretched before us like a battlefield out of some brutal nightmare. Towering walls, jagged pits, spiked swinging logs, and mud thick as blood. It didn’t look like a test, it looked like a death sentence. The air stank of sweat, earth, and fear. Alphas lined up, some wearing smug grins, others radiating coiled readiness.I adjusted the straps on my loose uniform, took a steadying breath, and fixed my eyes on the obstacle ahead.Alpha Gideon’s voice cracked across the field like a whip.“Begin!”We surged forward. The uneven ground was slick with mud, threatening to pull every step from beneath us. The first wall loomed ahead, but while most tried to haul themselves over with brute force, I went for speed. I sprinted toward it, using the jagged edges like a ladder, scaling it with quick, ruthless efficiency. Mud clung to my hands and face, but I made it over with a breathless grunt.Ahead, a gauntlet of low-hanging nets and swinging spiked logs waited. Alphas were already dr