All Chapters of The Luna's Deception : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The wolf inside me woke at exactly midnight.I had been scrubbing the grand hall floors when it happened—a sudden explosion of awareness that brought me to my knees. Every nerve in my body caught fire. My bones felt like they were reshaping themselves. The world tilted and suddenly I could hear everything, smell everything, feel everything with an intensity that made me want to scream."What is happening to me?" I gasped, clutching the wet floor.Then it hit me. The scent. Cedar and rain and something dark and intoxicating that made my wolf howl with recognition.Mate.No. No, no, no. This could not be happening."Sera?"I looked up and found Kieran standing at the top of the stairs, frozen. His eyes had shifted to that molten gold that meant his wolf was at the surface. He was staring at me like he had seen a ghost."Kieran?" My voice came out broken and small.He descended the stairs slowly, his movements predatory. "You are eighteen today."It was not a question. He knew. Everyone

I ran until my legs gave out.Three days. That was how long I survived in the wilderness between territories. Three days without food, without shelter, without the pack bond that helped wolves navigate and hunt. I was alone in a way I had never experienced, and it was killing me.The rejection wound festered like poison in my veins. Every hour it got worse—fever, chills, hallucinations. I saw Kieran's face everywhere, and heard his voice in the wind. My wolf was completely silent now, and I wondered if she had abandoned me entirely.Maybe I was better off dead.The thought came easily as I collapsed against a tree on the fourth night. My clothes were torn, my feet bloody. I had not eaten since leaving Shadowpine. I could not even shift to my wolf form—the rejection had damaged something fundamental inside me."Just let go," I whispered to myself. "It will be easier."I closed my eyes.That was when I heard them. Voices. Footsteps crunching through the underbrush."Check the perimeter

"Absolutely not." I stared at the dress hanging in front of me. "I cannot wear that.""You can and you will." The woman who had introduced herself as Bella, my new lady-in-waiting, smiled encouragingly. "You are going to be presented as Luna Queen tonight. You need to look the part."The dress was stunning—deep midnight blue that seemed to shimmer silver in the light, with a neckline that plunged far lower than anything I had ever worn. It probably cost more than the entire Shadowpine pack house."I will look ridiculous," I protested. "I am not—I cannot—""You can." Bella's voice was firm but kind. She was pretty, with honey-brown hair and warm hazel eyes that actually seemed genuine. "Trust me, Sera. By the time we are done, you won't even recognize yourself."She was right.Three hours later, I stood in front of a full-length mirror and stared at a stranger.The dress fit perfectly, hugging curves I did not know I had. My silver-blonde hair had been styled in elegant waves that casc

"I need a drink."Alexei handed me a glass of whiskey the moment we entered his private study. The ceremony had dissolved into chaos after Morvanna's revelation, and he had quickly dismissed everyone—including Kieran and his warriors, who were escorted firmly to the border.I downed the whiskey in one gulp, welcoming the burn."So." Alexei poured himself a glass and sat across from me. "Your grandmother is a psychotic witch who murdered your parents and has been manipulating your entire life. How are you feeling?""How do you think I am feeling?" I slammed the glass down. "Everything I believed was a lie. My parents, my pack placement, even Kieran's rejection—all orchestrated by her.""And the power she mentioned?" His ice-blue eyes studied me carefully. "The Lunar Wolf thing. Is that real?""I do not know." I looked at my hands, remembering the silver light, the ancient symbols. "I do not know what I am anymore.""You are my Luna," Alexei said firmly. "That much is real. Everything e

"Where?" Alexei's Alpha command hit Bella like a physical force. "Where is she hiding?""The old chapel." Bella could barely speak through her sobs. "The abandoned one on the western edge of the territory. She has been using it as a base, preparing the ritual circle. I helped her—God forgive me, I helped her set it up.""How many are with her?" Marcus was already moving, gesturing for warriors to mobilize."At least twenty witches from her coven. And—" Bella's voice dropped to a whisper. "She has hostages. Pack members who went missing over the past month. She is using them as sacrifices to amplify the ritual."Horror churned in my stomach. "How many hostages?""Six. All young wolves with strong bloodlines." Bella looked at me with desperate eyes. "She was going to use their life force to weaken you before the power transfer. Sera, I am so sorry. I tried to warn them, tried to—""Save your apologies." I cut her off, my voice hard. "Right now, you are going to take us there. And you ar