After His Luna Murdered Our Daughter, I Escaped

The white dress felt soft against my skin as I twirled in front of the mirror. Today was supposed to be special—my mating ceremony with Lucien. I'd been waiting for this day since he promised to make me his Luna after I saved him from those bad wolves years ago.

"Perfect," I whispered to my reflection, touching the simple pearl necklace Lucien had given me last night. "Do you think he'll like it?"

My wolf, Silver, purred inside me. *He'll love it because it's you wearing it.*

The door opened with a soft click, and Lucien appeared in his formal Alpha attire. My heart skipped a beat at how handsome he looked—all tall and commanding with his dark hair perfectly styled and those green eyes that could see right through me.

"Ready, my little captain?" he asked, extending his hand.

I nodded eagerly, taking his warm fingers in mine. "Ready!"

But instead of leading me to the pack's altar where I'd imagined our ceremony would be, Lucien guided me through the winding corridors of the Silvercrest estate to a part I'd never seen before.

"Where are we going?" I asked, confusion creeping into my voice as we entered a lavishly decorated wing with high ceilings and expensive paintings.

"This," Lucien said, stopping in the center of a grand room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a private garden, "is the West Wing. Your new home."

"My home?" I tilted my head, trying to understand. "But shouldn't we be at the altar? For our ceremony?"

Something flickered across Lucien's face—guilt? Annoyance?—before his expression smoothed into gentle concern.

"Harper," he said softly, placing his hands on my shoulders. "We need to talk about what happens next."

He led me to a plush sofa and sat beside me, taking my hands in his.

"You can't be my public Luna," he explained, his voice careful and measured. "Your... condition... makes that impossible. The pack needs strength, someone who can represent us to other Alphas."

My chest tightened. "But you promised—"

"And I keep my promises," he interrupted, squeezing my hands. "You'll still be my Luna in here." He tapped my heart. "This will be our secret. Your safety is my priority, Harper. Think of this as your Gilded Cage—a beautiful, safe place where I can keep my precious treasure."

I frowned, struggling to process his words. "A cage? But cages are for—"

"Not a real cage," he corrected quickly. "Just a safe place. You'll have everything you need here."

---

Hours later, alone in my new quarters, I wandered around touching the expensive furniture and pretty decorations. Nothing felt right. Nothing felt like home.

I found a remote control and switched on the large television mounted on the wall. Maybe some noise would make this place feel less empty.

The screen flickered to life, showing a news channel with breaking headlines. My breath caught as I saw Lucien standing at a podium, looking every bit the powerful Alpha. But he wasn't alone.

A beautiful woman with perfect blonde hair stood beside him, her hand possessively on his arm. An older man in an expensive suit stood on his other side.

"Today marks a historic moment for the Silvercrest Pack," the reporter announced. "Alpha Lucien Greene has just announced his engagement to Sofia Perez, daughter of Senator Marcus Perez."

The room spun around me as I heard Lucien's voice through the speakers: "This alliance will strengthen both our packs and create unprecedented opportunities for our people."

My fingers found the small wooden boat in my pocket—the one Abel had carved for me before I left with Lucien. I clutched it tightly as something cracked inside me.

*He lied*, Silver whimpered. *He's choosing her.*

"But he said I was his Luna," I whispered to the empty room.

---

The door chimed softly, pulling me from my daze. I quickly wiped away the tears that had formed and tucked the toy boat back into my pocket.

"Hello?" I called out, unsure who would be visiting.

The door swung open to reveal Sofia Perez in person—even more stunning than on television. Her smile was bright but didn't reach her eyes.

"So you're the... guest... I've heard so much about," she said, gliding into the room with perfect grace. "I thought I'd welcome you personally."

"Hi," I said softly, suddenly aware of my plain white dress compared to her designer outfit. "I'm Harper."

"Yes, I know." Sofia's laugh tinkled like glass. "The boat captain who saved our Alpha. How... heroic."

She moved around the room, touching things with manicured fingers. "Lucien told me about your... special arrangement. How sweet of him to keep you tucked away."

Before I could respond, she gasped dramatically as red wine splashed across my white dress.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, setting down her glass. "How clumsy of you!"

"I didn't—" I started, but the door opened again.

Lucien strode in, his expression darkening when he saw the wine stain spreading across my dress.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"Just a little accident," Sofia said smoothly. "Your... guest... was a bit clumsy."

I looked up at Lucien, waiting for him to defend me. Instead, he turned to Sofia.

"I'm sorry about this," he said, his voice low and apologetic. "Let me have someone bring you a fresh glass."

And in that moment, as Sofia's triumphant smile burned into my memory, I realized exactly where I stood in this hierarchy.