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All Chapters of The Last Luna: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

12 Chapters

Chapter 1

In the Hall of the Moon Goddess, every wolf waited for the remembrance ceremony to begin.Elara stood at Cassian's side.She was the Luna of Mooncrown, and the woman who had been with Cassian for ten years.Three years ago, he became Alpha and she put on the moon crown.Cassian took her cool fingers and squeezed them gently.It was a habit ten years old."Cold?"She shook her head.Elder Nyx announced the start of the ceremony.The instant the Moon Goddess tablet lit up, the silver mark on Elara's wrist burned.She covered her wrist without thinking.Nothing like this had happened in three years.Cassian looked at her at once."What is it?"She shook her head."Nothing."She started to lower her hand, but Cassian's fingers tightened.This time it was his fingertips that had gone cold.He stared at her wrist as if he were trying to confirm something."Really nothing?""It just hurts a little."He did not ask again.But he did not let go of her hand either.Elara did not notice that Cass

Chapter 2

Elara shook off the hand Cassian tried to catch her with.Only when the council chamber doors closed behind them did she turn around."You knew she was coming."It was not a question anymore.Cassian did not deny it, just as he had not on the altar.He walked to the table but did not sit, only looked at her in silence.Elara stared at him."How long?"..."Cassian, I asked you. How long?""...Three years."Elara went quiet.Three years.From the day he became Alpha to the day she became Luna.So for those three years, while she thought she was walking toward a future with him, he had already known that road had an end."So for three years, you knew I was going to die?""Yes." Cassian finally spoke. "But I've been looking for a way out...""Why didn't you tell me?" Elara cut him off."Because I knew what you would choose."Cassian's voice dropped low. "If you'd known how little time you had, you would have refused to become Luna three years ago."You would have left Mooncrown. You would

Chapter 3

Elara pushed open the door of the Moon Tower.Seraphina already knew she would come, and showed no surprise at all.She did not even turn around, only stood in front of the mirror studying the Luna robe she wore.Elara looked at the gown Cassian had once draped over her own shoulders, now on another woman.It fit so well, as if the Luna's place had been waiting all along for her to arrive.And she herself had been nothing but an accident."You took longer to get here than I expected."Elara stopped walking."You knew I'd come?""Of course."Seraphina watched her in the mirror, her eyes settling on the Luna mark at her wrist."You only just found out that I'll replace you in five days."Elara let the taunt pass.She stepped closer, taking in this woman who was about to become the new Luna."Are you happy?"Seraphina frowned and looked down to smooth her skirt."Becoming Luna, wearing the moon crown, standing second only to the Alpha. Shouldn't I be happy?""That isn't what I asked."Ela

Chapter 4

That night, Elara went into the underground temple alone.It had been sealed by the Alpha's order for years.But she was still the Luna.Even a Luna about to be replaced was not dead yet.The gatekeeper saw the silver mark on her wrist and did not stop her.The heavy stone door closed behind her.She looked back once.Every sound from outside was shut out.No Cassian. No Seraphina.Only her.She raised her hand and pressed the face of the ring on her middle finger against the tall shelf.The mechanism opened.Hundreds of records slid out of the hidden compartments and drifted toward her, covering the whole stone table.She did not read them one by one.She went straight to the records of the Lunas.Every page ended with the same two words in bold.Duty fulfilled.Elara's hand stopped.No death records. No records of anyone stepping down.They had simply vanished, one after another.She yanked out the file at the very bottom.The cover held a single word.Contract.Elara opened to the f

Chapter 5

"You signed it."Cassian had not gone to bed.When Elara pushed the door open, he was standing at the window.He saw the paper in her hand, and the color went out of his face."You went to the underground temple.""Why did you sign?"Elara gave him no room to explain.She threw the contract down on the table."Cassian, I'm asking you why you signed."He was silent for a long time."Because I know what a Luna is."Elara let out a short laugh.She had never noticed before how good this man was at answering everything except the question.She pointed at that date."Three years ago. The day before I became Luna, you signed this contract."Cassian closed his eyes."Yes."One word.Something slammed into Elara's chest.She had thought she was ready for this.But hearing him admit it out loud still hurt."So for three years, every time you held me, you knew I was going to die."Cassian did not deny it."Every time you said you loved me, you knew too?""Yes.""Then what gave you the right to d

Chapter 6

"I'm not."Elara went still.Seraphina looked at her and repeated, "I'm not going to die for you.""Then why did you agree to become Luna?""Because I have to become Luna."Elara's brow drew tight.But Seraphina did not look away."My mother was the last Luna."Elara's pupils shrank.That was an answer she had never imagined.No one had ever mentioned that the last Luna left a child behind."She hid me before she died."Seraphina's voice was very calm. "She knew she wouldn't live, and she knew that the moment I was found, I'd be next.""So you've been hiding here all these years?""No."Seraphina shook her head."I've been looking for an answer.""What answer?"She looked at Elara."Whether a man who truly loves his Luna would be willing to betray this system for her."Elara went still.She finally understood why Seraphina had appeared at Cassian's side.Why she had worked her way toward becoming the new Luna, why she had not refused even knowing it meant being an offering."So you got

Chapter 7

"Look, there's the Luna who got thrown away."Elara's step faltered.People used to bow to her because she was the Luna.Today she had lost that title.Only then, for the first time, did she learn how people treated her when she was just Elara.Warmth settled over her shoulders. Seraphina had taken off her cloak and draped it around her."Ignore them."But Elara shook her head. "I'm fine."The muttering around them slowly died down, and those spiteful stares finally moved off her.She was seeing this city clearly at last.They went out to the exile camp beyond the walls.It was more crowded than she had imagined.Dozens of broken-down wooden huts pressed together, the young and the old and the children all mixed in among them.Someone recognized Seraphina, but no one bowed to her.As they walked deeper into the camp, a young wolf was suddenly shoved out in front of them.There was blood at the corner of his mouth and fresh lash marks on his wrists.Seraphina's face darkened."Rylan?"H

Chapter 8

"Alpha, there's fighting in the lower district."Nobles and exiled wolves have come to blows.""Has it been put down?""The guard went out, but they aren't following orders."Cassian shot to his feet.Half an hour later, the second report came.The eastern district merchants' guild refused to hand over grain.The third report came right behind it.A crowd of ordinary wolves had gathered at the city gates, demanding a review of the wages the nobles owed.By the time Kane, the captain of the guard, arrived, his face could not have looked worse."Alpha, the guard refuses to return to the city."Those few words dropped the room into total silence."Call every one of them back."Kane did not move."Something else?""They... may not come back."Cassian finally understood that this had gotten away from him.Never before had his orders failed to make everyone obey.Worse, the mate bond between him and Elara was weakening."Where is she?"Kane blinked and asked, "Who?"Cassian did not answer.H

Chapter 9

"The Alpha is here."Elara looked up.Cassian stood at the entrance to the camp.No guards around him, no Elders at his side.He had come alone.It was the first time Elara had seen him stand in a crowd with no one bowing to him.Cassian walked toward her."Come back with me."Elara did not move. She only looked at him."Back where?""The Moon Palace.""As what?"Cassian said nothing.She had already answered for him."I'm not the Luna anymore.""I can postpone the succession ceremony.""And then?""Until I find a way."Elara looked at him with something close to a smile."You knew three years ago that no such way exists."Cassian's face changed. His voice dropped. "This time is different. Mooncrown is falling apart."Elara did not speak.Cassian stared at her. "I need you."It was the first time he had ever said that to her."Do you need me, or do you need the Luna?""You.""And if I have none of the Luna's power?""I still need you.""And if I don't come back?"Cassian's throat worke

Chapter 10

The council was already in session.Elara pushed open the doors of the council chamber, and every voice stopped at once.She was not wearing the moon crown, and she was not wearing the Luna robe.Only a plain white dress.Seraphina followed behind her, and several wolves from the exile camp came in last, carrying wooden boxes and old ledgers.Someone sneered. "The mate bond is about to break and she still has the nerve to come here and embarrass herself."Elara did not argue.She walked straight to the center of the chamber and set the first contract on the table."I came to tell you why I refuse to go on being Luna."An Elder frowned."There is nothing left to discuss."Elara opened the contract."Then you should let everyone see it."She pointed at the top line."The Luna is the offering to the Moon Goddess."The council erupted."Absurd!""What happens to Mooncrown without a Luna?""They enjoyed the Luna's power, so they should carry the responsibility!""The Luna has always been th

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