Luna Unveils Her Royal Status

The morning air carried the scent of pine and anticipation as I stood at the starting line of the hunting challenge. Victoria's smirk told me everything before the team assignments were even announced.

"For fairness," she announced into her microphone, her voice dripping with false sincerity, "teams have been pre-selected to balance experience levels."

My wolf, Selene, growled low in my mind as I surveyed my assigned teammates. *She's stacked the odds against us*, Selene observed, her silver-tipped consciousness bristling with indignation.

Four nervous werewolves shuffled toward me, their postures already submissive. The youngest couldn't have been more than seventeen, fresh from her first shift. The oldest was a limping Delta whose damaged knee made him wince with every step.

"Congratulations, Evangeline," Victoria purred, sidling close enough that only I could hear her next words. "I hope you remember how to carry dead weight. Just like Chase carried you for all those years."

I met her gaze, allowing a small smile to play at my lips. "Thank you for the challenge, Victoria. I do appreciate the opportunity to demonstrate real leadership."

Her smile faltered at my calm response. She'd expected anger, perhaps tears. Instead, my Luna aura rippled outward, steady and controlled.

As the teams took their positions, I gathered my mismatched pack around me. "We hunt as one," I told them quietly. "Follow my lead, trust your instincts, and remember—the strongest pack isn't made of the strongest wolves, but those who work as one."

The starting howl pierced the air, and the forest erupted with motion. Other teams immediately shifted, fur erupting across skin as they charged forward. I held my team back, watching the chaos unfold.

"But the others—" the young she-wolf began anxiously.

"Are wasting energy," I finished for her. "We're hunting the northern elk herd. They'll be moving east through the ravine after that commotion."

I closed my eyes, feeling Selene rise closer to the surface. Not a full shift—not yet. Just enough to share her senses with my team. My eyes glowed silver as I extended my awareness through the forest, following trails invisible to the others.

"Now," I whispered, and we moved as one.

I guided them through the underbrush, teaching with subtle gestures rather than words. The limping Delta found renewed strength in our formation, the young ones learned to read the forest signs. When we finally cornered the massive bull elk, our coordination was flawless—five wolves moving with the precision of a single hunter.

The cameras caught our triumphant return, my team flanking me with newfound confidence, our prize dragged behind us. We had finished not just ahead of the other teams, but with a kill twice the size of our nearest competitor.

I could sense Chase watching from the judges' platform, his amber eyes burning with conflicting emotions. Pride at my skill—skills he once claimed were his to command—battled with rage at my independence.

The scoreboard flashed our victory, and for a moment, genuine applause rippled through the crowd. Victoria's face tightened into a mask of fury as she saw her plan backfiring. My team had not only survived—we had excelled.

Then, as I crossed the finish line, the main screens flickered and cut away. The applause died as the cameras panned to Victoria throwing herself into Chase's arms, their embrace clearly rehearsed yet presented as spontaneous. Her voice carried over the speakers.

"And while we celebrate all our competitors, let's take a moment to appreciate the true bond of an Alpha and his chosen Luna!"

The crowd's attention shifted instantly, their earlier appreciation for our hunt forgotten as they cooed over the public display of affection. Chase's arms wrapped possessively around Victoria, but his eyes—just for a second—darted to me.

Selene huffed in annoyance. *Pathetic theatrics*, she muttered in my mind.

*Let them have their moment*, I replied silently. *Our time is coming*.

That evening, as Celeste and I shared dinner in our private suite, my phone buzzed with notifications. The supernatural media had exploded with stories, each headline more vicious than the last.

"REJECTED LUNA'S FALL FROM GRACE" screamed one tabloid, featuring a carefully edited photo that made me appear desperate and alone.

"#MateTraitor" was trending across all platforms, with thousands of comments from werewolves who had never met me condemning my "betrayal" of Chase.

Celeste looked up from her plate, her golden eyes—so like her father's—watching me carefully. "Are you sad, Mama?"

I set my phone down, reaching across to smooth her midnight hair. "No, little moon. Sometimes people believe stories instead of truth. But the truth always comes out in the end."

Selene snuffled irritably as another notification lit up my screen. *They have no idea who they're dealing with*, she growled.

I touched the moonstone pendant at my throat, feeling its cool weight against my skin. Alexander would be watching all of this unfold, waiting for the perfect moment to reveal himself. The thought brought a smile to my lips.

"What's funny?" Celeste asked, tilting her head.

"Just thinking about how surprised everyone is going to be," I answered, "when they finally meet your papa."

My phone buzzed again with another hateful headline, but this time, I didn't even glance at it. Let them believe their lies for now. The stage was set, the players were in position, and soon—very soon—the final act would begin.