جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 40

Chapter 20SERENA POVIt had been one week since the conference. One week since the Elder Council placed their trust in me. One week since I was given a chance to prove that I was worthy of standing as Luna.One week of carrying responsibilities that were heavier than any crown. And one week of Jayden’s coldness. He didn’t argue with me. Didn’t challenge me. Didn’t interfere.He simply acted like I didn’t exist. At first, It hurt more than I thought it would. His silence would be unbearable, the rejection would gnaw at me until I broke. I know that he must be planning something.But, the silence indeed, gave me space. Space to breathe. Space to focus. Space to finally be who I was meant to be without constantly bracing myself against him.But I never stopped trying to understand Jayden. I never stopped searching the palace records, questioning elders, or asking warriors about his past. Every trail led to locked doors and sealed lips. Whatever secrets he carried, he guarded them fierc

JAYDEN POVThe palace was silent. Not the peaceful kind of silence, this one pressed against my skull, heavy, suffocating, as though the walls themselves were waiting for me to break apart. I remember the shocked look she gave, thinking I had betrayed the bond, when she saw me with Willow. I am not like that, even if I hated her. I won't repay her with such. There are plenty of ways to make her suffer. Willow is my baby sister who I love alot and could do anything for her. I won't tolerate or let any harm come to her. I could see how close they have become in such a few hours. If she was thinking of using her to gain my forgiveness she was totally wrong. I could not even bring myself to mention her name.I stood alone in my chambers, hands braced against the balcony railing, staring out at a kingdom that no longer felt entirely mine.They looked at her differently now. I had seen it. I felt it. The elders. The warriors. Even the omegas who lowered their heads when I passed, there wa

SERENA POVAs I woke up, I stretched lazily on the bed, the early morning light slipping through the curtains and warming my skin. My lips curved into a small smile as memories of yesterday flooded my mind—Willow’s arrival, her warmth, her gifts, and the promise we made to go around the pack today.It felt strange, a good strange. I wasn’t used to looking forward to things like this. I had spent most of my life carrying responsibilities heavier than joy. But now, for the first time in a long while, I felt light.I jumped out of bed immediately, excitement bubbling inside me. Today was special. It was my first time going out with girls I could truly call my friends. Not allies. Not people bound by duty. Friends. I hurried into the washroom and began to get ready for training. My movements were quick, almost impatient. I couldn’t wait for training to be over so we could finally spend the whole day together, exploring the pack, laughing, eating, and just being normal girls.By the time

SERENA POVThe great hall was silent, yet the silence itself was heavy, almost alive. Every pair of eyes fixed on me, Elders lined the front, their faces solemn, etched with years of wisdom and judgement. Warriors stood rigid at attention, muscles taut, ready to act at a moment’s notice. Even the common people, summoned by decree, shifted uneasily along the edges of the hall, their gazes darting between me and the scroll Jessica held in her hands.This was my first official Luna address, my moment to assert authority and command respect. I would not falter. I would not allow fear, doubt, or hesitation to seep into my voice. The weight of centuries pressed on me, the legacy of Alphas and Lunas before me, and I drew it into my chest, letting it settle like armor.I collected it from her and lifted the ancient scroll, edges worn and fragile from generations of careful preservation. My careful research guided every word, reminding me that these were not just laws, they were the backbone

SERENA POV“You can’t do that, Luna Serena. That punishment is too harsh.”The voice cut through the hall like a blade dragged against stone.I turned slowly, my gaze landing on the man who dared to speak. James’ father, Ronan Corvin, stepped forward from the noble section, his voice echoing through the hall. His chin was lifted, spine stiff with inherited arrogance, as though generations of wealth and influence stood behind him as armor.“We, the Covins family, disagree with your punishment,” he continued. “This decision disgraces our name.”A ripple of murmurs followed his words. Not outrage, calculation. The kind powerful families used when testing boundaries.I straightened in my seat.My gaze snapped to him and everyone.“And who,” I said slowly, rising from the throne, my voice blending with Artemis’ simmering rage as she pressed closer to the surface, “gave you the audacity to speak to me in that tone or to question my authority in my own court?” my eyes glowing straight at him