All Chapters of ONCE A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE LUNA NOW THE DEMON ALPHA'S BRIDE: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

"SOMETIMES THE HARDEST BARGAINS AREN'T MADE FOR YOURSELF... BUT FOR THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE."STELLAThe Great Hall was so quiet I could hear my own heartbeat. Every pair of eyes remained fixed on me, and no one spoke, no one even seemed to breathe. Queen Eleanor blinked once, as though she wasn't entirely certain she'd heard me correctly."...You?" Her voice carried equal parts surprise and disbelief.I lowered my head respectfully. "Yes, Your Majesty."For a long moment she simply stared at me, studying my face like she expected me to take the words back at any second. Then, slowly, she gestured with one graceful hand."Step forward."I obeyed immediately. Each step echoed through the hall, making me painfully aware of the dozens of servants watching me. I could feel their stares — confused, pitying, some clearly convinced I'd lost my mind entirely. One glance toward Mira was enough to confirm she certainly did. She looked horrified, like she wanted to run over and drag me back into lin

"THE STRONGEST CAGES ARE THE ONES BUILT FROM FEAR... UNTIL YOU REALIZE THE DOOR WAS NEVER LOCKED."STELLAI knew that voice. Before I even turned around, my stomach tightened into a knot. Slowly, I looked over my shoulder.Lady Valentina.Her perfectly manicured fingers dug painfully into my wrist, her grip so tight I was certain bruises would bloom there by morning. She wasn't smiling anymore. Gone was the graceful future Luna everyone admired at a distance. What stood before me now was pure fury, stripped of every polished layer she usually wore."So," she said coldly, "I guess you have grown some wings haven't you?"I remained silent. Inside me something stirred — a familiar heat, starting deep in my chest before spreading through my veins. No. Not now. Please. I tried thinking of anything else, happy memories, anything at all, but the anger refused to disappear. It only grew stronger.Valentina stepped closer. "Have you completely lost your mind?"Still I said nothing."We had a d

"EVERY MONSTER REMEMBERS THE BLOOD... BUT NOT THE NAMES OF THE DEAD."DAMIENPain. It was always the first thing I felt. Not the pleasant ache of sore muscles after battle, not the sting of a fresh wound. No. This was different. This was the kind of pain that settled deep inside the bones, reminding me that I had survived another night. Another full moon. Another battle I never remembered fighting.Slowly I opened my eyes. The familiar stone ceiling greeted me — cold, dark, unforgiving, exactly as it always was. I let out a tired breath before lowering my gaze.Silver. Dozens of silver-forged chains wrapped tightly around my wrists, ankles, chest, and neck, each link forged with tiny silver blades protruding inward, digging into my skin every time I moved even slightly. Blood stained the metal. Mine. The scent of wolfsbane immediately invaded my nose, along with mistletoe, thick and bitter in the back of my throat.I looked down. The thick protective circle surrounding me was still in

"SOME MEN LOOK LIKE WAR EVEN WHEN THEY'RE STANDING PERFECTLY STILL."STELLAMy eyes snapped to the staircase. Every muscle in my body tensed at once. Elder Rowan had gone strangely quiet beside me, which somehow made the moment even worse than if he'd kept talking. The fire crackled softly behind us, the rain hammered against the tall windows, and for a heartbeat the entire mansion seemed to hold its breath along with me.Then I saw him.Alpha Damien stepped onto the upper landing, and the first thing that hit me wasn't his appearance. It was his scent. It crashed into me so suddenly that my mind went completely blank. Cedar. Smoke. Rain-soaked earth. And beneath it all, something darker, something wild that made the air itself feel charged with static.My pulse stumbled.Why was it affecting me like this? I had stood beside powerful Alphas before. I had served nobles, warriors, and men who carried enough dominance to make other wolves lower their heads without a word. None of them ha

"SOME TRUTHS DON'T DESTROY YOU THE MOMENT YOU HEAR THEM... THEY DESTROY YOU WHEN YOU REALIZE WHAT THEY MEAN."STELLAI stood there for several seconds after Alpha Damien disappeared upstairs. Only when I heard the door to his room close did I finally release the breath I'd been holding."I can breathe again."A chuckle sounded behind me. "You'll get used to him."I turned to find Elder Rowan walking back into the room, carrying the two untouched cups of tea he'd abandoned earlier. His smile was just as gentle as before."You did well."I blinked. "...I did?"He nodded. "You accomplished something most people never could." He handed me one of the warm cups. "You convinced my king to change his mind."I wrapped both hands around the cup, grateful for the warmth seeping into my palms. "It didn't feel like convincing.""It rarely does with him." The old shaman motioned for me to sit across from him at the small table near the fire. "Now, since you've managed to earn yourself a few days he