Chapter 3
"Offer the Luna Scepter," Caleb ordered.
Every wolf in the hall stared at me.
Serena was dressed in the pale blue gown that was meant for me. The hem trailed down the steps, the tip of her shoe stopping in front of me.
She reached out, my silver ring glinting on her finger.
"Elara, don't embarrass Caleb. It's the pack's big day," she said.
I stood at the bottom of the steps, clutching the Luna Scepter in my hands.
It weighed a ton, and at the base, the names of all the Lunas throughout Bloodmoon Pack's history were etched deep into the wood.
Tradition said only the Alpha's mate could claim it.
Now, Caleb demanded I hand it over to Serena with my own hands.
James Blackwood, the Grand Elder, stood off to the side, his brows furrowed as he muttered, "Alpha, this goes against tradition."
Caleb didn't glance his way. "Rules exist for the pack's sake.
"Serena can handle the full moon frenzy. She's way more fit to be Luna than Elara."
The crowd murmured its approval.
"Serena did save our Alpha."
"A lowly Omega clinging to the title of Luna is nothing but an injustice to the Pack."
I looked at Caleb. "You really want your mate to step down from the Luna seat for another Omega?"
Caleb walked down the steps, the Wolf King's crest gleaming on his black suit.
Back when he first wore that crest, the very first thing he did was come find me.
He used to say a fated mate was an Alpha's root.
Now, he'd trampled that very root beneath his feet.
"If you hold even a shred of pack pride, you'd step aside for Serena," he said.
I placed the scepter in front of me. "I won't give it to her."
Serena pulled her hand back, her eyes filling with tears.
"Forget it, Caleb," she whispered. "I never should've hoped to be Luna anyway.
"I simply wanted to ease the pack's suffering during the full moon. If Elara doesn't want to help, I can understand."
She turned to leave, letting the strap of her gown slip down slightly on purpose, revealing the torn stitching I'd gotten the day before.
I'd spent three months sewing that dress, for my Mate Ceremony.
Caleb seized her wrist and yanked her back to his side.
"You don't need to step aside. Today, I'm giving you the Luna title you deserve," he said.
He turned to face the entire pack. "From this night forward, Serena will take her place as Luna in the Bloodmoon Pack's council."
The hall fell silent for a moment, then burst into applause.
Every clap felt like it was stomping all over my soul.
My grip tightened around the scepter, and blood from yesterday's wound trickled out.
"Caleb, the rejection isn't complete. You can't ignore the mate bond and make her Luna," I told him.
Caleb shot me an annoyed look. "How much longer are you going to keep me chained to this mate bond?"
Serena gently tugged at his sleeve. "Don't say that. Elara will be hurt.
"She's spent all these years thinking she was your savior. Even if there's no proof, it's honestly pretty pathetic."
"No proof?" I looked up. "You stole my calming extract, wore my dress, took my ring, and kicked me out of my room. Now you still dare to call me pathetic?"
Serena's face drained of color. "I didn't steal anything."
"So why do you always chicken out when Caleb's shifting on the full moon?" I shot back.
A stir rippled through the crowd.
Serena never once went near Caleb when he was really losing it.
She'd only smear my calming extract on her wrist before he woke up and then stand by his bedside to receive his gratitude.
Caleb's gaze fixed on her face.
Serena bit her lip and quickly burst into tears. "See? Elara's making things hard for me again.
"She knows my healing powers are barely there. I can't handle it when an Alpha loses control.
"She wants me dead."
Any hesitation on Caleb's face vanished.
His Alpha aura crashed down on me, so heavy I almost doubled over.
I gritted my teeth, refusing to give in. "I won't hand the Luna Scepter over to Serena."
"Give it to her," Caleb ordered, his Alpha aura bearing down on me.
My knees slammed into the stone steps.
The scepter slipped from my grasp, and Serena caught it effortlessly.
She leaned in, her lips forming the words slowly. "You lost."
I stared at her lips, staying silent.
A metallic taste of blood filled my throat, and I forced it down.
Caleb stood atop the dais, gripping Serena's hand as he lifted the scepter high for all to see.
He announced, "I, Caleb, hereby name Serena the Luna-to-be of the Bloodmoon Pack.
"As for Elara..."
He paused.
All the mocking laughter in the hall died instantly.
"Before the full moon," he continued, "I'll sever my mate bond with her."
The mate bond in my chest ripped apart, tearing a chunk out of me.
I doubled over in pain, my hands pressing hard against the ground.
Serena passed the scepter off to a maid and strolled up to me.
She bent down, tucking a stray lock of my hair behind my ear.
"Don't be scared," she said. "Once the bond's broken, you'll still be an Omega in the pack. As long as you stay in line, I'll let you keep a bed."
I swatted her hand away. "Don't touch me."
She immediately backed away, stumbling into Caleb's arms. "Caleb."
Caleb's patience finally snapped.
He strode up to me, looking down with cold disdain. "Since you can't follow the rules, let's start now."
I looked up, and all I could hear was the hushed breathing of everyone in the hall.
The mate bond strained inside me, my wolf spirit thrashing in protest.
But all at once, the urge to beg vanished.
Caleb raised his right hand, pressing his palm to his chest. "I, Caleb, reject you, Elara, as my mate."
From far off, the boundary alarm howled.
James's face drained of color. "Alpha, the blizzard at the border got worse."
Caleb never shifted his gaze from me.
I forced myself to stand, blood running down my legs from my busted knees.
"I accept," I said.