After He Stripped Me of Luna Duties, I Took His Power

The pack house trembled under the weight of his presence. I felt it before I saw him—a suffocating pressure that made my wolf whimper inside me. The Lycan King had arrived.

I stood in the entrance hall with the other pack members, my head bowed respectfully as Grandfather Ford strode through the massive oak doors. His silver hair gleamed in the dim light, his eyes piercing through the shadows like ancient stars. He moved with the fluid grace of a predator, every step deliberate and powerful.

"Where is my son?" he demanded, his voice carrying the weight of centuries.

Lorenzo stepped forward from the crowd, his usual arrogance noticeably dimmed. "Grandfather. I've prepared the east wing for your stay."

The Lycan King's gaze swept over Lorenzo, then settled on me. Something flickered in those ancient eyes—recognition, perhaps, or understanding.

"And you must be Valentina," he said, extending his hand.

I placed my fingers in his palm, feeling a jolt of ancient power at the contact. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Come," he said simply, turning away from Lorenzo. "Walk with me."

We left the others behind, walking in silence through the gardens where Diana had once tended roses. The Lycan King's aura was overwhelming—not just powerful, but alive with wisdom and sorrow.

"Do you know why I've come?" he asked finally.

"For Diana's funeral," I replied softly.

He stopped, turning to face me fully. "Look at me, child."

I raised my eyes to meet his, feeling stripped bare by his gaze.

"There is darkness here," he said. "In this pack. In my grandson." His eyes narrowed. "And in your bond."

I couldn't speak, couldn't breathe under the weight of his perception.

"Lorenzo tells me it was a rogue attack," he continued, his voice dangerously soft. "That my daughter-in-law died by random violence."

"Yes," I whispered, the lie burning my throat.

The Lycan King studied me for a long moment. "And you believe this?"

I couldn't answer. Wouldn't answer.

---

The night before the funeral, I escaped to the gardens, seeking solace among Diana's roses. Their sweet scent reminded me of her kindness—the only warmth I'd found in this cold pack.

The tears came suddenly, silently. I pressed my fingers to my lips to stifle the sobs that threatened to escape.

"Valentina?"

I whirled around to find Lorenzo standing a few feet away, his face half-hidden in shadow. Something in his expression was different—uncertain, almost vulnerable.

"Go away," I hissed.

He took a step closer, his eyes fixed on mine. "I... I felt you."

The mate bond. Even now, even after everything, it pulled at him.

"Don't," I warned, backing away. "Don't pretend you care."

"I don't know what I feel anymore," he admitted, his voice rough. "But I know I should feel something. For my mother. For you."

I laughed bitterly. "For me? You've never felt anything for me."

He reached for me, his fingers brushing my cheek. I recoiled as if burned.

"Don't touch me," I spat, hatred blazing through my grief. "You chose her. You chose the monster who killed your mother."

Lorenzo flinched as if I'd struck him. "Valentina—"

"Leave me alone!" I screamed, my voice breaking. "Go back to your precious Lexi!"

He stared at me for a long moment, something like regret flickering in his eyes before it hardened into defensiveness. Without another word, he turned and walked away.

---

From the window of the Alpha suite, Lexi watched Lorenzo return from the garden, his shoulders tense with frustration.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice honey-sweet as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Nothing," he muttered. "Valentina's upset. She has every right to be."

Lexi's fingers traced patterns on his chest. "Poor Lorenzo. So torn between duty and... other obligations."

He pulled away slightly, looking down at her. "What do you mean?"

"Your mate bond," she said, her smile never wavering. "I can sense it too, you know. Like a tether pulling you back to her."

Lorenzo's jaw tightened. "It doesn't matter."

"Oh, but it does." Lexi's eyes glittered with malice. "As long as that bond exists, you'll never be truly mine."

She turned away, staring out the window at the gardens below. "Killing Diana wasn't enough," she murmured, more to herself than to him. "I need to destroy something more fundamental."

---

The sacred Moon Stone clearing was bathed in the golden light of dawn as pack members gathered for Diana's funeral. The pyre stood in the center, Diana's body wrapped in ceremonial white cloth, surrounded by offerings to the Moon Goddess.

I stood at the front, the Memory Stone heavy in my pocket. My fingers brushed against it nervously as I watched Lorenzo take his place beside Lexi.

The atmosphere was thick with grief and tension. Pack members whispered among themselves, their eyes darting between me, Lorenzo, and Lexi.

"Today we honor Diana Ford," the pack elder began, his voice carrying across the clearing. "Beloved mother, former Luna, servant of the Moon Goddess."

As he spoke the ritual words, I felt the weight of my decision pressing down on me. The Memory Stone could reveal the truth—but at what cost? My father's life hung in the balance.

Lorenzo's eyes met mine across the clearing, a flash of doubt crossing his face before Lexi whispered something in his ear. Whatever she said made his expression harden again.

The elder handed me the sacred torch. "Luna Valentina will light the pyre."

My hands trembled as I took it. This was my moment—perhaps my only chance to expose Lexi's lies and Lorenzo's betrayal.

But as I approached the pyre, Lorenzo's voice cut through the silence.

"Wait."