All Chapters of THE LUNA’S CROWN: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

The moment I stepped out of the forest, I knew something was wrong.The clearing was still crowded.Wolves had begun returning from the run, shifting back into their human forms as laughter filled the air.Some couples stood together, smiling and teasing one another about who had been caught first.Others were wrapped in blankets, their hair damp with snow.It should have been beautiful. Instead, I felt cold.Not because of the weather. Because I had spent the last hour waiting for my mate to come after me and he never had.My eyes searched the clearing. Then I found him.Kael.He was standing beside the fire, laughing with several warriors.Lily stood nearby with the child was in her arms.Kael looked completely at ease as though he hadn’t even noticed I was gone.My chest tightened.I walked toward him. He noticed me almost immediately and his smile faded.“Elara.”I stopped in front of him. “You didn’t come after me.”His brows drew together. “What?”“You didn’t chase me.” I grit

I didn’t know how long I had been walking.The forest had swallowed every trace of Moonridge behind me.The trees grew taller, the path became narrower, and eventually, even the faint glow of the packhouse disappeared completely.I kept walking anyway because stopping meant thinking and thinking meant remembering Kael, Lily, and the rejection.I remembered the look on Kael’s face when I walked away.My legs eventually began to ache.My throat felt dry, and my stomach twisted painfully. I hadn’t eaten since breakfast.I hadn’t thought about food while leaving. Now, every step felt heavier than the last.I finally found a large tree with thick roots stretching above the ground.I lowered myself beneath it. For a few minutes, I simply sat there with my back against the trunk.The forest was strangely quiet.I closed my eyes. Maybe I could rest for a moment before continuing.I didn’t know where I would go, I didn’t know what pack would accept me, and I didn’t even know whether leaving M

I spent far too long deciding what to wear.Not because I cared what anyone in Icefall thought of me. At least, that was what I kept telling myself.I simply wasn’t accustomed to waking up in a strange packhouse and being invited to breakfast with its Alpha.Eventually, Agatha helped me choose a simple dress. It was nothing extravagant as I didn’t want to look as though I was trying to impress anyone.When I stepped out of my room, Agatha was already waiting.“Ready?” She asked I nodded. She smiled and began leading me down the corridor.The packhouse was even more impressive than I’d realized.Tall windows allowed sunlight to spill across the polished floors. Purple banners decorated the walls, bearing Icefall’s emblem.Everything looked powerful, organized, and untouchable.It reminded me of what Kael had always said about Icefall.“They don’t need to boast about their strength. Everyone already knows it.”I wondered if I would ever understand why.We finally reached the dining ha

Dinner in Icefall was unlike anything I had experienced in Moonridge.There was laughter around the table and people spoke freely.Even the elders, despite their suspicious nature, seemed comfortable enough to argue with one another over the smallest things.I found myself smiling more than I had in days. Perhaps it was because nobody here knew the version of me that had spent years desperately trying to keep a marriage alive.Here, I wasn’t the abandoned Luna, I was simply Elara and strangely enough, I liked being her.After dinner, Agatha and I stepped into the courtyard.The evening air was cold against my skin, carrying the familiar scent of snow and pine.I wrapped my arms around myself.“You look happy,” Agatha said.I glanced at her. “Do I?”She nodded. “You do.”I smiled faintly. “I think I am.”The words surprised me. I hadn’t realized how long it had been since I could say them honestly.I looked toward the packhouse. Somewhere inside was Alpha Edwin.My wolf stirred im

By late afternoon, I had officially become bored.There was only so much staring out of a window a person could do before the walls of a beautiful packhouse started feeling like prison bars.Agatha had disappeared earlier to attend to my laundry, leaving me alone with absolutely nothing to do.When she finally returned, carrying a stack of freshly folded beddings, I let out a long dramatic sigh.She looked at me. “What?”“I’m bored.” I frowned.Her lips twitched. “I thought you liked quiet.”“I do.” I dropped onto the edge of the bed. “But this is too quiet.”Agatha laughed softly as she arranged the fresh beddings. “Then I know somewhere you might enjoy.”I looked up immediately. “Where?”“The pups’ school.”I frowned. “Pups’ school?”She nodded. “It’s my favorite place in the evenings.”“I’ve never heard of a pup school.” I laughed.“That’s because you’ve never really been to Icefall.” She smiled.“The pups are taught everything they need to know about the pack. History, com