Chapter 3 · He Replaced Me. The Moon Goddess Didn't.

The blood still glistened at the center of the altar.

The temple was so quiet you could hear nothing but the soft rasp of breath.

Vivian pressed her hand to her forehead, her eyes already swimming.

"Rowan…" her voice quavered. "I was only trying it on… Why did this happen?"

No one answered.

All eyes were fixed on the Moon Crown.

It lay there, still and serene, its moonstones glowing with that same gentle silver light—as though nothing had happened at all.

A young priestess was the first to fall to her knees.

"The Moon Goddess has shown her wrath…"

Then a second.

Then a third.

One by one, the temple priests dropped to the ground. The air grew so thick it was hard to draw a single breath.

And then—

A low horn sounded from outside the temple.

Moooo…

Three long, mournful blasts.

Every elder in the room went pale.

Rowan's brow furrowed. "The Alliance Council?"

The temple doors swung open.

Seven elders in silver robes strode in. The old man at the front carried a wolf-headed scepter, his gaze sweeping across the hall—

And stopping on Vivian.

"Well, well," the old man said slowly. "It seems we arrived just in time."

……

Vivian ducked her head at once, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Elder… I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. My sister just cares so much about tomorrow's ceremony—that's all."

She never once mentioned Elena by name.

But every word sounded like she was making excuses for her.

The old man turned his gaze to me.

"Elena. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

I lifted my head and answered, quiet and clear.

"The Moon Crown does not harm a true Luna."

The words landed like stones in still water.

Vivian's body went rigid for a fraction of a second.

But Rowan spoke first.

"That's enough."

He stepped between us—and for the first time, he positioned himself squarely in front of Vivian, shielding her.

"We're done here. The wedding goes on as planned."

I looked at him, and for a moment, he felt like a stranger.

Eight years ago, he'd told me the Luna stood for the honor of the pack. That no one could defile that.

Today, he said the wedding would go on as planned—

Even after the Crown had rejected its chosen wearer.

Then the white-haired elder rapped his scepter once against the floor.

"I'm afraid," he said slowly, "the wedding… will have to be amended."

Every head turned.

The old man unrolled a silver scroll, its surface stamped with the emblems of all seven Alliance clans.

"By the joint ruling of the Supreme Council," he read aloud, "and in light of the impending birth of a pure-blood heir—and with the unanimous consent of all seven houses—"

He lifted his eyes to mine.

"Tomorrow's ceremony shall proceed with Vivian Frost as the bride."

The air stopped moving.

I didn't even hear what came after.

Only those words echoed in my ears.

The bride shall be replaced.

The old man continued:

"The betrothal between Elena Vale and Alpha Rowan is hereby dissolved."

Slowly, I turned my head toward Rowan.

"Is this true?"

Silence filled the temple.

Rowan didn't look at me. He only took Vivian's hand in his and held it gently.

That silence was answer enough.

I laughed.

I laughed, and then the laugh broke, and the tears came anyway.

So everyone had known.

Everyone.

And I was the very last to find out.

Chapter 3

The blood still glistened at the center of the altar.

The temple was so quiet you could hear nothing but the soft rasp of breath.

Vivian pressed her hand to her forehead, her eyes already swimming.

"Rowan…" her voice quavered. "I was only trying it on… Why did this happen?"

No one answered.

All eyes were fixed on the Moon Crown.

It lay there, still and serene, its moonstones glowing with that same gentle silver light—as though nothing had happened at all.

A young priestess was the first to fall to her knees.

"The Moon Goddess has shown her wrath…"

Then a second.

Then a third.

One by one, the temple priests dropped to the ground. The air grew so thick it was hard to draw a single breath.

And then—

A low horn sounded from outside the temple.

Moooo…

Three long, mournful blasts.

Every elder in the room went pale.

Rowan's brow furrowed. "The Alliance Council?"

The temple doors swung open.

Seven elders in silver robes strode in. The old man at the front carried a wolf-headed scepter, his gaze sweeping across the hall—

And stopping on Vivian.

"Well, well," the old man said slowly. "It seems we arrived just in time."

……

Vivian ducked her head at once, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"Elder… I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. My sister just cares so much about tomorrow's ceremony—that's all."

She never once mentioned Elena by name.

But every word sounded like she was making excuses for her.

The old man turned his gaze to me.

"Elena. Do you have anything to say for yourself?"

I lifted my head and answered, quiet and clear.

"The Moon Crown does not harm a true Luna."

The words landed like stones in still water.

Vivian's body went rigid for a fraction of a second.

But Rowan spoke first.

"That's enough."

He stepped between us—and for the first time, he positioned himself squarely in front of Vivian, shielding her.

"We're done here. The wedding goes on as planned."

I looked at him, and for a moment, he felt like a stranger.

Eight years ago, he'd told me the Luna stood for the honor of the pack. That no one could defile that.

Today, he said the wedding would go on as planned—

Even after the Crown had rejected its chosen wearer.

Then the white-haired elder rapped his scepter once against the floor.

"I'm afraid," he said slowly, "the wedding… will have to be amended."

Every head turned.

The old man unrolled a silver scroll, its surface stamped with the emblems of all seven Alliance clans.

"By the joint ruling of the Supreme Council," he read aloud, "and in light of the impending birth of a pure-blood heir—and with the unanimous consent of all seven houses—"

He lifted his eyes to mine.

"Tomorrow's ceremony shall proceed with Vivian Frost as the bride."

The air stopped moving.

I didn't even hear what came after.

Only those words echoed in my ears.

The bride shall be replaced.

The old man continued:

"The betrothal between Elena Vale and Alpha Rowan is hereby dissolved."

Slowly, I turned my head toward Rowan.

"Is this true?"

Silence filled the temple.

Rowan didn't look at me. He only took Vivian's hand in his and held it gently.

That silence was answer enough.

I laughed.

I laughed, and then the laugh broke, and the tears came anyway.

So everyone had known.

Everyone.

And I was the very last to find out.