All Chapters of From Betrayed Luna to Crowned Princess: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Ravena's POVEvander didn’t move or blink. He just stood there, holding his cup in one hand like it weighed nothing.“Did Lucien ever treat you badly, Ravena?” he asked again.I swallowed hard, torn between wanting to laugh and wanting to scream. I felt too seen, like he had found out something I had worked so hard to bury.“Why… why are you staring at me like that?” I whispered.“You aren’t answering my question.”“I don’t have to answer you.”His eyes darkened. “You don’t. But you want to, don't you?”I hated that he was right. I hated that my chest ached just hearing Lucien’s name from his lips. I hated that part of me still wanted to explain myself, like some wounded girl begging to be understood.But most of all, I hated how easy it was for Evander to see right through me.“I thought he did,” I finally said, my voice cracking. “I thought he meant it when he said I was enough.”Evander looked away for a second, like he couldn’t bear to hear any more.I took a step back . “I don’t

Ravena's POVEvander didn’t let go. If anything, he suddenly grabbed my wrist, grounding me. “You were crying,” he said in a low voice. “Why?”“I wasn’t…”“Don’t lie to me.”I tried to pull away, but he held on tight. “Let me go, Evander.”“Not until you talk to me.”“You said I didn’t have to.”“I changed my mind,” he said. “Now I want to know.”He was impossible. Arrogant. Stubborn. And still… I couldn’t bring myself to push him away. Especially not when his eyes looked like that. Not when his touch made something bloom inside me I didn’t understand.“We haven’t known each other that long,” I spat. “Why do you care?”“Well, I don’t waste time on people I don’t care about,” he answered.That left me speechless and somehow, it scared me more than it should have.When he pulled slightly on my wrist, I didn’t resist. I just let him lead me through the trees, past the quiet fires, and into the darker part of the woods near the edge of camp.I should have asked him where we were going, bu

Evander's POVThe ground shook under my boots as I charged forward, my silver blade in one hand and claws extended on the other. My wolf pushed at the edge of my skin, teeth bared, and blood hungry. I didn’t hold him back. I never did when war called.I cut through the first rogue with ease, my blade piercing his chest. Another lunged from the side, but I caught him by the neck and drove my claws through his ribs.“Push forward!” I barked. “Break their line!”My warriors roared in answer, spreading out around me. We were unstoppable at that moment, and I made damn sure to keep it that way.A quick glance to my right caught movement, and I saw Ravena.She was moving like she belonged here. Her blade flashed as she cut down a rogue twice her size. She didn’t hesitate or panic. I watched her slide under a wolf’s claws and drive her sword straight through his gut before he even had the chance to turn.I felt the corner of my mouth twitch.Damn.In the middle of a war zone, she still made

Ravena's POVMy head spun for a moment, but then I forced a slow breath through my nose.This wasn’t about them. This wasn’t their mission. This was mine, and I wouldn't let the past ruin this moment for me.I straightened my shoulders back and raised my chin just as Evander’s voice cut through the air.“Useless warriors,” he growled.Although he didn’t shout, his voice held enough power to silence the room all over again.“They were supposed to be here four days ago,” he snapped. “Now they want a ceremony for showing up late?”His glare was fixed on the scroll, and no one dared to meet his eyes.Bastian looked like he wanted to sink into the floor. “The message says they were delayed due to a storm…”“I don’t care what it says,” Evander’s jaw clenched. “If they show up late, they had better have something to show for it. Or they can leave the same way they came.”I stood very still at that moment, pretending none of this touched me. Pretending that the mention of Lucien’s name hadn’t

Late at night, in his brightly lit office, King Alaric flipped through the reports with an energy that had not been seen in weeks. His sharp golden eyes sparkled with every page turned. The papers smelled of fresh ink and carried the words he had been waiting for. Victory.Beside him, Beta Caden stood tall, but he couldn't hide the grin that stretched across his face. “This is better than we dared to hope,” he remarked, his voice brimming with relief. “The rogues are scattered, and Stonevale has fallen into our hands. It is clear that the prince and Commander Ravena have done what many thought impossible.”The king struck the table with his palm, the sound echoing across the chamber. “At last! A clean victory in the north. And not just a victory, but proof of loyalty and skill. They will be rewarded beyond measure when they return.”Caden nodded quickly. His voice lowered in respect. “Ravena has shown a strength few believed she still carried. She is truly the blood of Kaelith. Her fa