Forsaken by My Pack: The Omega’s Luna Rises

The days after my father's funeral passed in a blur. The grief was still raw, and the weight of the pack's expectations loomed like a storm cloud over me. I knew it was only a matter of time before the council would summon me. And when the summons finally came, I felt the familiar knot of dread twist in my stomach. The council house was always a place of decisions, of judgment.

The rumors had already reached my ears, each one sharper than the last. I had overheard enough whispers to know what was coming. Some of them were blatant. Others were more subtle but no less harmful.

‘An omega as Luna’s mate? It’s disgraceful.’

I’d heard them all. And despite the ache in my chest, I refused to crumble.

I entered the council house, my head held high. But the tension was suffocating. The elders sat in a semi-circle. Their expressions were unreadable. But I could feel the judgment radiating from them, thick and oppressive.

"Tabitha," one of the elders finally spoke. "We’ve deliberated on the matter of leadership within the Crescent Moon pack, considering your... situation."

Situation. That’s what they called it. Not my birthright, not my duty to my pack. Just a situation. My eyes flickered over to the far corner, where Ares stood, arms crossed. His smug expression was barely concealed. He didn’t even try to hide his satisfaction. The corner of his mouth twitched into a smirk as our eyes met. My blood boiled.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to remain composed. "I’m the rightful Luna," I said keeping my voice steady, though the anger simmered beneath the surface. "This was my father’s legacy. Killian is my mate, yes, but that has no bearing on my ability to lead."

An elder cleared his throat, his eyes shifting uncomfortably. "Tabitha, we must consider the wellbeing of the pack. Being mated to an omega... it complicates things. The council believes that—"

"I don’t care what you believe," I interrupted. My gaze went sharp as I scanned the faces of the council. "Being mated to Killian does not make me weak. I am my father’s daughter. And I am more than capable of leading this pack, with or without your approval."

There was a murmur of discontent among the elders, but I didn’t back down. They needed to hear me, to understand that I wasn’t some fragile girl they could manipulate. I had seen what they were trying to do, and I wouldn’t let them strip away what was mine.

But Ares, of course, had other plans.

"It’s not just about you, Tabitha," he said. His voice dripped with false concern as he stepped forward. "The pack needs stability. Strength. And with an omega by your side, the pack will always question your authority."

I clenched my fists at my sides, resisting the urge to snap at him. "This isn’t about Killian, Ares. This is about you. You’ve been undermining me since the day I was named my father’s successor. You want the pack for yourself."

Ares’ eyes gleamed, but his expression remained cool. "I only want what’s best for Crescent Moon. And let’s face it, the pack doesn’t trust you to lead. They never did."

I turned to the elders. My heart pounded. "You can’t let him manipulate you like this. My father wouldn’t have wanted the pack in Ares’ hands."

The elders exchanged uneasy glances. I could see the doubt creeping into their faces, but I knew that Ares had already sunk his claws into them. His influence ran deep, poisoning their thoughts, twisting the truth.

"I am not stepping down," I declared. I managed to voice firm despite the growing sense of helplessness inside me. "This is my birthright. And I won’t let anyone take it from me just because I’m mated to someone you don’t deem worthy."

Ares chuckled. "It’s not about worth, Tabitha. It’s about power. And you don’t have it."

My heart raced as I glared at him. Fury and frustration swirled in my chest. I knew I wasn’t going to win this fight here, not today. The council had already made up their minds. And Ares had stacked the odds against me.

Without another word, I turned and stormed out of the council house.

I had never felt so powerless… so alone. The pack was slipping through my fingers. And I didn’t know how to stop it.