Chapter 3

The whispers started as soon as I left Archer's office, my blood still dripping onto the polished floors. I felt them before I heard them—the subtle shift in the pack's energy as Sariyah's voice slithered through the mind-link network.

"*Did you see how weak she is?*" Her voice, normally honeyed, had taken on a venomous edge that carried through the collective consciousness of the pack. "*I heard she couldn't even handle being Luna abroad. Had to run back to daddy because she's too unstable to function.*"

I pressed my hand harder against my wounded shoulder, feeling the blood seep between my fingers as I made my way through the corridors. The pain was nothing compared to the humiliation burning through me.

"*They say she doesn't even have a wolf,*" Sariyah continued, her thoughts projecting to every pack member within range. "*Just an empty shell pretending to be worthy of our Alpha.*"

Selene growled inside me, her rage matching my own. "*She lies!*" my wolf snarled. "*We are stronger than she will ever know.*"

But I couldn't reveal that now. Not yet.

I turned a corner and nearly collided with a young Delta who couldn't meet my eyes. "Luna Bellamy," she murmured, the title sounding hollow on her lips.

"What's your name?" I asked gently.

"Elise," she whispered, still avoiding my gaze.

"You don't need to be afraid of me, Elise."

She finally looked up, her eyes wide with something between pity and fear. "They're saying... they're saying you abandoned us because you couldn't handle your duties. That you're unstable."

The words hit like physical blows. In five years of managing pack alliances abroad, I'd never once failed in my responsibilities. I'd negotiated treaties, mediated disputes, strengthened bonds that had kept our territory safe.

"Is that what Sariyah told you?" I asked quietly.

Elise nodded, then hurried away, unable to bear the weight of my gaze.

I made my way to my old quarters, desperate to tend to my wounds and gather my thoughts. The door was ajar—unusual for a Luna's private chambers.

Pushing it open, I froze at the threshold.

My room was gone.

The soft blues and silvers I'd carefully chosen years ago had been replaced with bold reds and blacks. My books were nowhere to be seen. My clothes had vanished from the closet. Even the scent had changed—vanilla and spice replacing my preferred lavender.

On the bed—*my bed*—lay a single envelope with my name written in elegant script.

With trembling fingers, I opened it.

"*Dear Bellamy,*

I hope you don't mind the redecorating. I thought this space needed a real Luna's touch. Your things have been moved to the guest quarters in the east wing. After all, we can't have you staying in the Alpha's quarters when you're not his mate, can we?*

*—Sariyah*"

The note slipped from my fingers as Selene howled with rage inside me.

"*She has taken everything,*" my wolf snarled. "*Our place. Our mate. Our dignity.*"

"Not everything," I whispered, touching the royal bloodline mark hidden beneath my hairline—a mark only my father and I knew about. "Not yet."

Hours later, I stood at the edge of the great hall, my wounds bandaged but still throbbing beneath fresh clothes. The entire pack had gathered for dinner, their eyes following me as I entered.

Archer sat at the head table, Sariyah beside him in what should have been my place. Her hand rested possessively on his arm as she leaned close, whispering something that made him smile.

"Ah, Bellamy," Archer called out, his voice carrying across the suddenly silent hall. "Come join us."

I approached slowly, aware of every eye tracking my movement.

"Sit here," he said, gesturing not to a chair but to a spot behind them—where servants stood to attend the Alpha.

The insult was deliberate and public. My cheeks burned as I remained standing.

"Archer," I said quietly, "I am still Luna of this pack."

His smile hardened. "No, you're not. Sariyah is my chosen mate."

"And I am your fated mate," I countered, feeling Selene's strength surge through me.

The pack watched in stunned silence as Archer stood, his Alpha aura flaring with dominance.

"Then prove your submission," he growled. "Serve us tonight. Show the pack that you accept my decision."

Sariyah's smile was vicious as she held out her empty wine glass. "I could use a refill," she purred.

The hall fell silent, every pack member holding their breath as they watched their former Luna face the ultimate humiliation.

I took the glass, my fingers steady despite the storm raging inside me.

"As you wish," I said softly, my eyes never leaving Archer's as I turned toward the wine table.

Behind me, I heard Sariyah's triumphant whisper: "The pack will never follow a Luna who can't even hold her head high."

Little did she know that royal blood doesn't bow—it conquers.