I sat on the garden bench with my hands wrapped around a steaming cup of tea. The sun finally came greeting the pack. Its rays filtered through the trees, creating beautiful golden patterns on the ground. This was one of the few places in the Ruby Hill castle where I could find peace.

However, I was also thinking about what Orla said to me a few nights earlier.

“I can’t stay here forever,” I whispered, watching the steam rise from my cup.

My wolf then joined by saying, ‘You don’t have to. You’ve given enough, Lisette. No one could blame you for walking away.’

‘They might not say it, but they’ll think it. Leaving the pack... it would be like abandoning my parents’ memory,’ I told her.

However, Orla immediately argued, ‘You can honor their memory by living the life they wanted for you. You’re not honoring them by suffering.’

I didn’t respond to my wolf’s argument. Instead, I sipped my tea, letting the warmth spread through me.

“Luna Lisette!” a cheerful voice called out, breaking my thoughts.

I turned to see Eleanor Mayfield, the pack’s head cook, who walked toward me with a basket of fresh bread. To me, she was like a second mother. Her kind face lit up with a smile. Seeing her made me couldn’t help but smile in turn.

“Good morning, Eleanor,” I greeted her, managing a small smile of my own.

The kind woman told me as she set the basket on the bench beside me, “Good morning, Luna. I thought you might like some of the new loaves. They just came out of the oven.”

“Thank you. You always know how to brighten my day,” I said sincerely, taking a piece of bread.

Eleanor smiled, sympathizing with me, before she responded, “You do so much for this pack, Luna. We see it even if ... even if others don’t show their appreciation the way they should.”

“That means more to me than you know,” I said quietly.

To my surprise, the pack’s head cook then squeezed my hands warmly as she told me, “Don’t let anyone make you feel small, Luna. Please know that we’re on your side. Do you mind if we hear you playing in the afternoon, Luna?”

I just nodded even though I couldn’t bring myself to say more. After that, Eleanor politely left me. Once again, I was alone with my thoughts.

‘Eleanor is right, Lisette. You’ve given everything to this pack. You’ve earned their respect, even if Oscar refuses to see it,’ my wolf said.

The mention of my husband’s name hurt my aching heart even more. I stood abruptly, brushing crumbs from my lap. Again, I didn’t wish to be reminded of the pain I had.

“I should check on the preparations for the hunting party,” I quietly murmured.

When I entered the castle, the pack members were bustling around the courtyard. Our members were busy preparing horses and equipment for a joint hunting event hunt between the Ruby Hill Pack and the Onyx Sky Pack to rebuild our alliance after some disputes in the past.

As a Luna, I had to make sure that everything was perfect. This event would be pivotal for the future alliance that the Ruby Hill Pack would have. So, I couldn’t make any mistakes.

“Luna Lisette,” a young warrior named Peter Eldridge greeted me politely.

The young man told me, “The archery sets are ready, but we’re short a bowstring.”

“I’ll check the storage. Thank you for letting me know,” I replied.

As I made my way to the storage shed to get some bowstring, I overheard two pack members talking nearby. Their voices were quieter, but the words were impossible to miss. What they said hurt me.

“Luna Lisette always working so hard. I don’t know how she can do all of these,” someone said.

The other person responded, “It’s because she’s a good Luna. Better than we deserve, honestly. If only Alpha Oscar-”

“Be careful. We shouldn’t say things like that,” the former interrupted the latter.

When I heard their conversation, my heart ached. Although their words were meant as praise, they only reminded me of the growing chasm between Oscar and me. No matter how hard I had worked as his Luna, the Alpha would never appreciate me.

Inside the storage shed, I found the bowstring and gave it to Peter who thanked me profusely when I gave it to him. By the time I finished making sure that the preparation was done well, the hunters were ready to depart for their mock hunting party that was done before the Onyx Sky Pack.

Oscar stood at the forefront, looking every bit the confident Alpha. However, the sight next to him really tore my heart. It was Gloria who walked beside him, laughing at something he said. Her presence was like a dark cloud to me, overshadowing everything else.

“Lisette!” Oscar called me, waving me over.

I approached hesitantly, feeling the weight of Gloria’s gaze on me.

As I kept my tone neutral, I asked the Alpha, “Yes, Alpha?”

“You’ll oversee the whole pack while we’re gone. Make sure everything is in order,” my husband ordered me curtly.

I responded quickly as I slightly bowed my head, “Yes, Alpha.”

Gloria smirked, her eyes glinting with amusement when my husband ordered me as if I were his Beta.

“Don’t work too hard, Lisette. You deserve to rest once in a while,” the woman arrogantly told me.

I forced a polite smile as I returned her arrogant words by making a sarcastic remark “Thank you for your concern, Luna Gloria. Your pack must’ve thrived since you’re here, no?”

When Gloria heard my remark, she was incensed. However, there had been lots of rumors of her not doing her Luna duties properly. So, I didn’t think it was wrong at all.

Oscar didn’t seem to notice the tension. The Alpha immediately mounted his horse, giving a signal for the group to move out. However, Gloria still won over me as she could go with my husband. As for me, I watched them go with a hollow feeling settled in my chest.

The castle felt quieter than usual after the party left. But that didn’t mean I could relax. After all, I spent the afternoon checking on the staff and handling small tasks that needed attention. It was tiring, but it kept my mind occupied.

As evening fell, I returned to the garden as I was hoping to find solace in the fading light. Instead, I found Eleanor waiting for me as she promised. She came with a small harp in her hands.

“I thought you might want us to hear you play, Luna. “Music brings you joy, doesn’t it? You deserve a little joy,” she said, holding it out to me.

When I looked at her, I couldn’t help but feel moved.

“Thank you,” I said, my voice trembling.

Eleanor smiled warmly as she said, “Please play something for our pack tomorrow, Luna.”

“I will,” I firmly told her.

After the pack’s head cook left, I sat on the garden bench with the harp resting on my lap. Not long after that, I plucked a few strings as I letting the soft notes fill the air.

My wolf hummed softly as I played the harp.

‘You were born to do this,’ Orla said, her voice filled with pride.

I told her, ‘Sometimes I wonder what life would’ve been like if I’d chosen music instead of this path.’

‘It’s never too late. You still can,’ my wolf said.

I didn’t answer, but her words stayed with me as I played until the moonlight. However, my train of thought was quickly broken by the noises from the hunting party. Without further ado, I quickly reached the gate with the other warriors.

Before the front gate, the warriors who joined the mock hunting party greeted me. However, their expressions looked worried. That made me anxious.

The moment I noticed Oscar wasn’t there, I panicked.

I quickly asked the Alpha through the mind-link, ‘Oscar, where are you?’

No response from his end, which made me panic even more.

“What’s going on?” I asked one of them.

One of the warriors, a grizzled man named Gregor Farlane, turned to me as he respectfully answered, “Luna, our hunting party encountered rogues.”

My stomach dropped when I heard him.

I asked the grizzled man again, “Were there any injuries?”

“No casualties. But it was close. The Alpha and the rest of the party are on their way back now,” Gregor said quickly, trying to reassure me.

I nodded, trying to keep my composure, as I said, “Prepare the infirmary and gather supplies. We’ll be ready to treat anyone who needs help.”

The pack members sprang into action. It was clear that they trusted my leadership. Despite the tension between me and Oscar, it gave me a small sense of purpose when they followed me.

As soon as the hunting party returned, the courtyard was busy. Several warriors had minor injuries, so I worked alongside the pack doctor to tend to them. However, my mind was still on Oscar.

‘Oscar, are you okay?’ I asked him through the mind-link again.

A few hours later, Oscar finally arrived. My husband’s clothes were torn and his face was streaked with dirt. The man looked exhausted but unharmed.

“Alpha, are you okay?” I asked as I approached him.

The man nodded curtly as he answered, “I’m fine. Focus on the others.”

Gloria appeared moments later, rushing to his side, as she said, “Oscar! Thank the Moon Goddess we’re safe because of you.”

He smiled at her, a warmth in his expression that he rarely showed me. My chest tightened, but I pushed the feeling aside and returned to my work. After all that I had done, I would never own his heart.

Orla’s voice broke the silence in me as she said, ‘Lisette, you can’t keep doing this. You’re giving everything when the Alpha gives nothing.’

Again, my wolf continued, ‘You’re stronger than you think. One day, you’ll see it.’

What my wolf had said kept being replayed in my mind. She was right. It was time for me to change.

‘I must change for myself,’ I thought to myself.

Today was the day of the joint hunting party held between the Ruby Hill Pack and the Onyx Sky Pack. For centuries, the two packs had histories of disputes. However, the recent rogue attack had made each pack try to rebuild an alliance that was broken in the past, including our pack.

‘Today will be different, Lisette,’ Orla said inside my mind, which woke me up.

I couldn’t help but ask her, ‘What do you mean, Orla?’

‘Today will be the start of something … that never happened,’ my wolf said, almost prophetically.

When I heard her saying that, I could feel a flicker of unease. Somehow, I could sense that she was right even though I couldn’t understand why. However, I quickly focused on myself by getting out of bed and dressed quickly as my mind already racing with all the things I needed to do.

Oscar, my husband, was already sitting at the dining table, eating breakfast. However, it was quiet. It was different from any of our breakfasts where it would be pretty noisy. That was when I realized that Gloria sat next to the Alpa.

Everyone who ate at the dining hall didn’t make any noise, which showed their silent protest of the Luna of the Onyx Sky Pack’s behavior. It seemed the woman also noticed because she then moved to the seat meant for the honored guest. Unlike my husband who never cared about it.

Frankly, it wasn’t a surprise. After all, she had made it her daily mission to be as close to Oscar as possible. Nevertheless, I would never expect her to be this bold.

“Good morning, Alpha,” I said, trying to keep my voice calm and even.

Oscar didn’t look up as he coldly greeted me, “Morning.”

Gloria flashed me a smile, but it was more of an arrogant smile than anything genuine.

“Good morning, Luna Lisette. Did you sleep well?” she asked.

“I slept fine,” I answered politely.

She looked at me before she let out a smirk as she tried to provoke me by making remarks, “You look a little tired, no? Shouldn’t the Luna of the Ruby Hill Pack keep up with her appearances?”

“Thank you for the reminder, Luna Gloria. I’m attending to the needs of my pack. As you know, our warriors were injured yesterday. I hope you’re also attending to your pack’s needs, Luna Gloria,” I calmly told her as I looked at her.

I was done with her arrogant behavior, so I decided to waste no time on her sarcastic remark.

‘If she wanted to provoke me, I’d make sure to make her shut her mouth,’ I thought to myself, which my wolf agreed wholeheartedly.

Gloria went quiet. Her face was red with embarrassment. Meanwhile, our pack members quietly murmured as they agreed with what I said.

Seeing that his fated mate was unhappy, Oscar cleared his throat as he tried to divert the attention and ordered me with his Alpha voice, “Lisette, we have guests arriving tonight. Make sure the preparations are complete.”

“Of course, Alpha,” I said quietly.

Oscar nodded, returning his gaze to his food. It was the same every day. My husband expected me to serve him dutifully, and keep everything in order, while he barely acknowledged my presence unless it suited him.

Still, I noticed that there was something strange from the Alpha. It seemed as if he was uncomfortable. Could it be because Gloria’s husband was coming to us?

Alpha Elliot Darrington, the Alpha of the Onyx Sky Pack, was known to be ruthless among us werewolves. Not to mention, the relationship between the Ruby Pack Hill and the Onyx Sky Pack wasn’t known for being at its best due the past disputes. However, there was another reason.

It was Gloria. The Luna of the Onyx Sky Pack said that she was abused by his Alpha, which was the reason she often came here. My husband definitely took the role of the knight for her, which worsened the relationship between the two packs.

Thus, the task of mending the bond fell to me.

‘What a coward!’ Orla angrily yelled inside of me.

Soon enough, the day had turned into the night. Our pack was ready for the arrival of the Alpha Elliot. He already sent us a letter, announcing that he would come tonight.

The Alpha told us that he accepted the Ruby Hill Pack’s warm gesture to mend the bond as well as telling Gloria to come back to her new pack as she hadn’t been fulfilling her duties as his Luna. It seemed he was growing tired of her neglect. Obviously, this had become a hot topic.

Nevertheless, I didn’t have enough time to care about it.

Our warriors had informed that Alpha Elliot was due to arrive soon. I couldn’t help the nervous flutter in my stomach. To my surprise, Orla did something I had never even known of.

‘Soon, it’ll happen,’ my wolf said.

Without further ado, I asked her, ‘What do you mean?’

Unfortunately, Orla quickly disappeared before I could get an answer. Still, it made me curious. What would happen soon?

Eventually, Alpha Elliot arrived at the Ruby Hill Pack’s castle. Immediately, his presence filled the room. The man was tall with sharp features and piercing blue eyes that seemed to see straight through everyone. I stood with Oscar to greet him. Meanwhile, Gloria was nowhere to be found.

‘I guess she’s running from her duty again. No wonder Alpha Elliot is mad,’ I thought to myself.

When Alpha Elliot met me, I respectfully bowed at him as I let out a polite smile and greeted the man, “Welcome to the Ruby Hill Pack, Alpha Elliot Darrington.”

However, I was struck by how his gray eyes were looking at my green eyes. The man let out a polite smile before he kissed my hand gently, which shocked everyone, even Oscar. He then bowed back at me.

“My pleasure, Luna Lisette Harroway. It’s a pleasure to be here,” the Onyx Sky Pack’s Alpha said.

I nodded politely. As I was about to pull my hand, Alpha Elliot stopped me. The man looked at me intensely. However, what he would say sent a shiver down my spine.

Alpha Elliot said, “If only my Luna is as dutiful as you are.”

The only thing I could do was to nod politely. However, I could sense that Oscar was unhappy with what Alpha Elliot had said. Somehow, I felt that my husband was looking at me strangely. Without further ado, he quickly diverted the Onyx Sky Pack’s Alpha attention from me by bowing.

Oscar then politely said, “We’re happy to have you here, Alpha Elliot.”

After that, both Oscar and I led Alpha Elliot to the dining hall. Soon enough, we could see Gloria already sitting on the guests’ seats. Since the woman was Alpha Elliot’s Luna, she obviously would sit next to her husband while Oscar and I sat next to each other.

Seeing Gloria and Alpha Elliot felt very mismatched, like watching me and Oscar. However, it seemed that the Luna of the Onyx Sky Pack already found out about how her husband had treated me earlier. It was because I could see the flicker of jealousy in her eyes.

Throughout the dinner party, Alpha Elliot’s gaze was steady on me throughout the meal. Every time I spoke, he listened intently. in fact, his eyes were never leaving mine. It was a strange feeling like he was seeing me in a way no one else ever did.

Gloria, sitting beside him, didn’t seem to appreciate the attention I was receiving. Her smile was tight. Every now and then, she would glance at me with a look that could kill anyone.

‘Gloria is not happy,’ my wolf told me.

I couldn’t help but let out a slight smile as I said to her, ‘I can tell.’

As the dinner party continued, Oscar shifted in his seat. My husband was clearly uncomfortable with the way Alpha Elliot kept looking at me. I could feel the tension building between the two men, the unspoken rivalry simmering just beneath the surface.

Gloria noticed, too. Her jealousy was practically palpable. The Luna of the Onyx Sky Pack tried to talk to her husband but to no avail. The Alpha of the Onyx Sky Pack barely responded as his eyes were still on me.

To everyone’s shock, including mine, Alpha Elliot then asked me, “Luna Lisette, I’ve heard you’re a good musician. Why don’t you play something for us, Luna Harroway?”

I could only blink as I was very surprised by his request, but I quickly responded, “Sure, Alpha Elliot. I hope you don’t mind my lackluster playing.”

Soon enough, I stood and made my way to the harp that had been set up in the corner of the room. The moment my fingers touched the strings, I felt a surge of calm. Music was the one thing that always brought me peace.

The room fell silent as the soft, haunting melody filled the air. My hands moved easily over the strings, the music flowing like a river. I could feel everyone’s eyes on me, and for once, I didn’t mind. When the last note faded, there was a moment of silence before Alpha Elliot clapped first.

After that, everyone followed suit.

“That was beautiful, Luna Lisette. Your talent is truly remarkable. I wish to hear you perform more,” the Onyx Sky Pack’s Alpha said, praising me.

The moment I heard it, my cheeks flushed, “Thank you for your praise, Alpha Elliot.”

Meanwhile, Oscar shifted again uncomfortably in his seat as he praised me, “It’s … it’s a nice piece.”

My husband wasn’t happy, I could tell. As for Gloria, the woman clapped politely. But there was no warmth in her applause. She was staring at her husband and Oscar, waiting for them to look at her. But none were looking at her, which made the Luna of the Onyx Sky Pack unhappy.

‘Serves they right!’ Orla happily exclaimed.

I lowered my head, trying to block out the tension in the room. For the first time in a long while, I felt like I had done something for myself. But I could already tell that it was making things worse.

The dinner finally ended. Fortunately, the atmosphere between the two packs had eased up with my music. However, I couldn’t help but notice how often Alpha Elliot’s gaze kept looking at me. Somehow, I had a feeling that this would only complicate things further.

I wondered how much longer I could keep pretending that everything was fine.

‘I hope it won’t be too long,’ I thought to myself.

The air was thick with tension as the joint hunting party began. The Red Hill Pack and the Onyx Sky Pack were attempting to rebuild a fractured alliance that had been strained by past disputes. So, we invited Alpha Elliot to come as well as renew our alliance with the Onyx Sky Pack.

While I actually didn’t wish to attend the hunting party, Oscar had insisted I attend despite the strained silence between us. My husband was always quick to put on his mask of politeness. However, I could feel the growing distance in his cold gaze.

His mind was clearly elsewhere, often drifting to Gloria Turner who had been circling around him like a hawk all evening. I couldn’t ignore how she seemed to grow bolder with each passing minute. Tonight, it was obvious that her patience was wearing thin.

The moonlight bathed the clearing where we had gathered. Its silver glow made everything feel too still, too quiet. The forest surrounding us seemed to close in while the shadows grew darker as the night stretched on.

“We need to stay close,” Oscar told me as he approached.

His eyes flicked to Gloria, who stood not far off, pretending to chat with some of the other pack members. She caught his gaze and smiled, her attention fixed on him. Again, I was ignored.

So, I just nodded and stepped closer to Oscar.

I really wanted to remind him that I was still his Luna and I had a role to play in this pack, but everything in me was telling me that no matter how much I tried, I wouldn’t matter to him anymore.

‘He’s already made his choice,’ Orla, my wolf, muttered in the back of my mind.

She continued, ‘Gloria is the one he’s focused on. And you ... you’re just the duty he’s tired of carrying.’

I closed my eyes for a moment, letting out a slow breath.

‘I know. But I’m not done fighting yet. Not for the pack, and certainly not for myself,’ I replied softly.

The hunt had gone well, but there was a sudden shift in the air as we made our way back to the clearing. Oscar led the group, followed by Alpha Elliot. When Oscar, Alpha Elliot, and I arrived, I noticed Gloria was already watching us. She narrowed her eyes as Oscar spoke to her husband.

As soon as Oscar turned his back, Gloria's gaze shifted toward me. Her eyes darkened with something I couldn't quite place. I had a bad feeling.

It seemed that Orla agreed with me as she warned me, ‘She’s up to something. Watch her carefully.’

When I turned to walk back to where the other pack members had gathered, I felt a sharp prickling at the back of my neck. Before I could react, I heard a faint rustle in the trees behind me. A shadow moved fast, and at that moment, I saw Gloria.

She had her bow out. The arrow was notched, aimed directly at me. Instinctively, I ducked, but I wasn’t fast enough.

The arrow shot forward, I heard it whistle through the air. The sharp tip grazed the edge of my shoulder, causing me to stumble slightly. I gasped in pain, my injured hands aching in the cold air. But the shock wasn’t from the pain. It was the realization of what Gloria had just done.

I turned toward her, my eyes flashing with fury.

“Luna Gloria!” I shouted, but she simply sneered, drawing another arrow.

This time, the woman aimed it more carefully and took her time. Immediately, the rage that boiled inside me surged. Without thinking, I lunged forward. My injured hands trembled as I grabbed her bow, twisting it out of her grasp. She fought back, pushing me away with a snarl. But I didn’t let go.

‘I won’t let you hurt me!’ I thought to myself.

The struggle was short but intense. In a swift motion, I shoved Gloria back. The Onyx Sky Pack’s Luna instantly lost her balance. The arrow she had been aiming at me flew wide, hitting a tree just beyond the clearing. But the movement caused the woman to trip and fall backward.

Gloria collided with the sharp edge of a rock that jutted out from the ground. The woman let out a sharp scream of pain, clutching at her shoulder where she had landed. Blood started to seep from the wound. I knew it wasn’t serious, but it would certainly leave a mark.

I didn’t have time to check on her. My focus was on the fact that I had just defended myself, despite my still-healing injuries. The tension in the clearing had shifted. Pack members were beginning to gather, murmuring, unsure of what to do.

Oscar was the first to react. His face twisted in disbelief as he rushed toward me. However, the man rushed towards me as if he wanted to kill me.

The Alpha quickly shouted at me, “What the hell is going on here? You’re the Luna! How could you hurt Gloria-”

Immediately, I cut my husband off by saying, “Luna Gloria was trying to kill me, Oscar. You saw it. I had no choice.”