All Chapters of Crown of the Luna; my mate wants me dead: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Theron had been watching Leora closely. Too closely, perhaps. Every move she made, every expression that flickered across her face—he had memorized them all. He knew the rhythm of her steps when she was in a hurry, and the subtle tilt of her chin when she was irritated but trying to hide it. He had even come to recognize the sparkle in her eyes whenever she laughed with her friends.She was a good girl—friendly, kind, and warm in ways that had no business surviving in a world like theirs…not in a place like Crestwood. And maybe that was why he couldn’t look away.But there was something that gnawed at him, something he couldn’t reconcile.The pendant.Theron’s jaw tightened as he recalled the moment. She had handed it to Nyra without hesitation, without even a flicker of doubt. That pendant was not a trinket. It was her anchor, her birthright, her protection. Yet she had passed it over as though it were nothing more than jewelry.It made no sense. Leora wasn’t foolish—he had watched h

The palace dining hall was quiet that evening, the only sounds the soft clinking of cutlery and the faint crackle of fire from the hearth.The long dining hall flickered with golden light from chandeliers, the clinking of silverware echoing faintly against stone walls. Leora sat opposite Aunt Zaria, idly pushing food around her plate. The day had been exhausting — the stares, the whispers, the endless letters and gifts left on her desk.The silence stretched until Aunt Zaria’s lips curved into a knowing smirk. She tilted her head, her fork stabbing into a piece of roasted meat before she spoke casually, “So… I saw you earlier, Leora. Returning with a box of chocolates and flowers in your hands.” Her tone was teasing, but her eyes gleamed with curiosity. “Care to explain?I know you didn’t buy them yourself.”Leora froze mid-bite, her spoon hovering close to her mouth. Heat crept into her cheeks. She swallowed hard and straightened in her seat, set the spoon down with a soft clink and lo

Her breath caught. Slowly, she lifted her head, meeting his piercing gaze. His tone wasn’t cruel, but it was sharp—each word a blade that sliced through the softness of her hope.“As a leader,” Theron continued, his jaw tight, “the kingdom comes first. Always. Before your wants, before your comfort. Your choices aren’t just yours anymore, Leora. They affect everyone. Every wolf in Crestwood looks to you to protect them, to guide them. And sometimes that means sacrificing what you want… for what they need.”His words pressed on her chest like a weight, making it harder to breathe. Leora’s throat tightened, her heart hammering painfully. She hated the truth in his voice, hated the reality that no one had spelled out so bluntly until now.“So… what I want doesn’t matter at all?” she whispered, bitterness seeping into her voice. “I can’t have dreams, I can’t hope for something that’s mine? Everything I am, everything I feel—it all belongs to them?”Theron’s eyes softened for a fraction of

The hum of the car filled the silence.Leora sat in the back seat, her forehead leaning against the cool glass as the world blurred past in streaks of silver and green. The elders’ words replayed in her mind like a curse that wouldn’t fade.“If you cannot find a mate before the moon cycle ends, the council will choose for you.”A month. That was all they had given her — a single moon cycle to find the person she would spend her life with. How could she possibly choose a mate like one chose a dress for a festival?Her stomach twisted. The thought of being bound to someone she didn’t love made her feel sick.Up front, Theron drove in silence, one hand loose on the steering wheel. Every few seconds, his gaze flicked toward her through the rearview mirror.“You’re quiet today Luna,” he said finally, his tone light, but his eyes too knowing. “The elders really got to you, didn’t they?”Leora’s eyes stayed on the passing streets. “You heard?”“Everyone heard.” His mouth curved faintly, not

The library had always been Leora’s escape.After the chaos of training, endless lessons, and the weight of expectations pressing down on her shoulders, she only wanted silence — the kind that didn’t demand answers.The vast shelves welcomed her like old friends. The scent of aged parchment and ink filled the air as sunlight filtered through tall, arched windows, casting soft gold patterns across the floor. She trailed her fingers along the spines of thick books, reading the fading titles — Ancient Bloodlines, The Rise of the Luna Courts, The War of Silver Moons.She finally gathered a few volumes in her arms and turned to head for a reading desk.But she didn’t make it far.Her shoulder brushed against someone, and in a split second, the books slipped from her grip and scattered onto the floor.“Oh, I’m so sorry—” she began, crouching quickly.“So am I,” came a calm, low voice.Leora looked up — and froze.He was crouched opposite her, reaching for the same book. His fingers brushed