The Unloved Luna: Humiliated by Her Future Daughter-in-law

ARIADNE'S POV

“Harper, please, you’ve got it all wrong—” I tried to explain, but my words were drowned out by her fury.

“No! Don’t lie to me!” She snapped, her grip tightening on my hair, yanking it painfully. “I saw the photo. You think you can fool me? Kissing him, holding him like that—you’re nothing but a homewrecking slut!”

My heart ached at her words, but I couldn’t find the strength to fight back even if I could. How could I? Harper was just a young she-wolf, misled by her emotions and the circumstances. She didn’t know. She couldn’t know.

When she finally let go, I staggered back, breathing heavily. Harper and her friends stormed off, leaving me alone in the hallway, the tension still thick in the air. I stood there for a moment, trying to compose myself, but the tears were already welling up in my eyes.

I made my way back to my room, each step feeling heavier than the last. As soon as I shut the door behind me, I leaned against it, my breath coming in shallow gasps. My reflection caught my eye—a woman who, despite her age, still looked as though she could be in her mid-twenties. My long dark hair, flawless skin, and youthful face—traits inherited from my vampire lineage—stared back at me, mocking the situation I found myself in.

“Fae, what should I do?” I whispered, sinking onto the edge of my bed.

My wolf, Fae, was simmering with anger. “She dared to lay a hand on us! On our pack’s former Luna! We should have ripped her apart!” Fae snarled in my mind, her voice full of rage.

"Calm down, Fae,” I replied gently, though I could feel her fury pulsing through me. “She didn’t know. How could she? It was all a misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding or not, no one treats us this way. Especially not some naive girl who doesn’t even know who she’s talking to!” Fae growled, pacing within me, her fur bristling with agitation.

I sighed, rubbing my temples as I tried to soothe the throbbing headache that was forming. “She saw the photo, Fae. She saw us with Carsten, and she assumed… well, you know what she assumed.”

I turned to the mirror again, studying my appearance. It was true that my vampire blood gave me a youthful look, but I never thought it would lead to something like this. I had been gone from the Snowfang Pack for so long, wandering the continent, trying to bury the grief of losing my mate, that I hadn’t realized how much things had changed.

“She doesn’t know who I am,” I murmured, almost to myself. “Harper must have thought I was some young mistress trying to steal her mate. She doesn’t recognize me.”

“And why should that matter?” Fae retorted. “We don’t owe her any explanations. She should have asked before attacking us. We should have put her in her place!”

“She’s Carsten’s mate, Fae,” I reminded her softly. “And she’s young. This isn’t just about us; it’s about Carsten too. We can’t make things worse for him.”

Fae huffed but didn’t argue further. I could feel her frustration simmering, but she held back, allowing me to think clearly. It was true, Harper was unfamiliar with the history of the Snowfang Pack. She probably had no idea who I was or what I meant to Carsten.

As the realization settled in, so did the sadness. I had been away for too long. Even my son’s mate didn’t know me. She didn’t recognize the woman in that photo as Carsten’s mother but as a threat. And to think she had come here with her mind filled with such thoughts, ready to confront her rival.

I sighed heavily, wiping the tears that had spilled over. “We’ll need to fix this, Fae,” I said, my voice firmer now. “Carsten needs us to clear this up. I won’t let this misunderstanding ruin his engagement.”

“You’re too soft, Ariadne,” Fae grumbled, but I could feel her slowly calming down. “But I suppose you’re right. For Carsten’s sake, we need to make this right. But if she steps out of line again…”

“I know,” I whispered, running a hand through my hair.