Kaelen

The council chamber smelled of iron and incense. I sat at the head of the long obsidian table while the voices around me fought to be heard over one another, a cacophony of outrage and fear.

"She's with him now," Elder Raith spat, his weathered hands slamming against the wood. "Shadowfang territory, and parading herself as though she belongs there."

"Parading?" Elder Arwen sneered. "She has been claimed. You all saw the decree. Draven has made her his Luna."

The words thudded into my chest like stones. My mate. My bond. Selene... mine by blood and by destiny was now bound to another.

I clenched my jaw so tightly my teeth ached. "Decree or not, Shadowfang is nothing compared to Bloodfang. Let Draven play with what I discarded. It changes nothing."

But it did change something. Every time I closed my eyes, the bond screamed with it. A tearing sensation deep in my ribs, like fire licking through veins. I felt her rage and her defiance. I felt her heat when she looked at him.

I would not show weakness here.

"She is not discarded," Raith said sharply. His eyes glinted with something dangerously close to defiance. "Selene was loved here. She bled for this pack. Many of us raised our children on the stories of her strength. She was supposed to be our Luna. Do not speak of her as though she were–"

"Enough." My voice cracked across the chamber. Every head turned toward me. "Selene made her choice when she spat in my face. She allied herself with Shadowfang. She is no longer of Bloodfang."

"Draven," I growled, the name tasting like bile. "That scarred bastard has always been waiting for a chance to strike at me, and now he's got her."

Thorne shifted uneasily, his loyalty unwavering but his eyes betraying a flicker of doubt. "It's a bold move, Alpha. Selene as his Luna... it legitimizes him. Gives him insight into our pack."

"Insight?" I laughed bitterly, but inside, the bond twisted, a flash of her face in my mind– fiery red hair, storm-grey eyes, that unyielding spirit. She'd been mine, fated, the one who should have stood beside me. But I'd chosen prosperity, alliances, the gold and armies Lysandra brought. It was the right choice for the pack, dammit. The right choice for our future.

The doors opened again, and Lysandra glided in, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders, her silk gown whispering against the floor. She looked every inch the princess she was bred to be. She was beautiful, a vision of royal grace, but it lacked that fire I'd come to love.

Selene's laughter still haunted these walls. The way she once stormed into this chamber with mud still on her boots, bow slung over her shoulder, daring the elders to mock her. She never bowed. Not even to me.

Lysandra bowed every time like an obedient wife should. Perfect, and yet completely lacking. Whenever I looked at her, I felt nothing but the dull echo of obligation. The bond pulled elsewhere.

"Kaelen," she said, her voice smooth. "What's this I hear about Selene? The servants are whispering."

I ignored her and forced my attention back to the council. "Bloodfang remains strong. The alliance with the royal family secures our future. Ships, armies, gold. The people will never starve under my rule. That is what matters. Not the rash decisions of one she-wolf."

"She-wolf?" Elder Arwen's tone was sharp enough to cut. "You speak as though she is not your mate."

A growl ripped from my chest before I could stop it. "She was my mate, elder. Was. Past tense."

The elders exchanged uneasy glances.

Lysandra's voice finally slid through the silence. "You all waste breath on a traitor. She abandoned this pack the moment she ran into Shadowfang arms. Whatever loyalty you cling to, it is misplaced. She will use Draven's name to turn everything you love against you. It is an insult."

"An insult?" I echoed, my rage bubbling over. "It's war. Draven's using her to undermine me. He knows her value... her knowledge of our defenses and our people. She's handing him everything on a silver platter."

Lysandra stepped closer, her hand on my arm was cool. "Then we will deal with her, my husband. All she has is Draven's name and his dwindling resources. You have ships and an army that can rival even the King's."

I turned my head, studying her profile. Perfect, yes. Poised. A princess trained for politics. She knew how to speak to the council, how to thread venom through civility.

But her words coiled around me differently than she intended.

Just Draven's name? No. It was not Draven who lit the fire in her. It was she herself. Selene had never needed a man to make her dangerous. She was danger itself.

And now she was his.

The bond twisted in my chest, a violent knot I had felt two nights ago. I'd felt the press of Draven's teeth on her neck, marking her. I had torn my chamber apart with the fury of it, ripping silk sheets, splintering wood beneath my claws. Lysandra had fled the room and had not returned until dawn.

I could still smell Selene on my skin even though she had not touched me in weeks.

"She will come back," I muttered under my breath, low enough that only I heard it. "She has to."

But even as I said the words, I doubted their sincerity. The Selene I knew would rather die than beg.

Just then, the chamber door burst open and a messenger stumbled in, gasping, and holding out a parchment sealed with Shadowfang wax. My claws itched as I snatched it from him and broke the seal.

The words inside were simple and bold.

The Shadowfang invite you to come celebrate the joining of their Alpha with his new Luna bride. There will be drinking, dancing and a massive feast. All are welcome.

Draven's signature scrawled at the bottom like a wound.

I crushed the parchment in my fist, nails biting through as my blood slicked the crushed seal. The room spun with the sound of rushing rage in my ears.

"She is mocking you," Lysandra said sweetly though her eyes glittered with something dark. "Mocking us. Mocking this union, this council, this pack. Are you going to let her?"

Raith bristled. "What would you have him do, princess? Send assassins? Spill Bloodfang blood across borders and risk war before we are ready?"

"Yes."

Just one word and the whole chamber went completely still. Every head swung toward her.

"Yes," she repeated, her voice sharper now. "End it before it grows. If you let her stand beside Draven, she becomes a banner for every enemy you've ever had. Wolves will rally to her because they know her, because they believe in her. You may have their coin and their fear, Kaelen, but she has their hearts. Cut her down before she spreads the infection further."

My chest heaved. A thousand memories tore at me at once: Selene teaching pups to string bows. Selene standing at my side during raids, her arrows whistling past my head. Selene laughing, that her fierce contiguous laugh, even when covered in blood.

And now Lysandra was telling me to kill her.

I replied with one word. "No."

Lysandra blinked. "No?"

"Did I stutter by any chance?"

The council stared in stunned silence. No one dared to interrupt.

Lysandra's eyes narrowed. "She is a threat."

"You expect me to send assassins to kill my son's mother?" I said turning to look at her.

"Your son has another mother now," She retorted. "Selene is a traitor who is now married to your mortal enemy. What do you think she'll do next, huh? Right this very moment, she's probably whispering our secrets in his ear while they share a bed"

The image flashed through my mind. Selene's body arched under his, her laughter for him. Jealousy surged within me, but with it came a realization:

They hadn't consummated the marriage yet. I would've felt it through the mate bond. And if Selene hadn't consummated their marriage, that meant by the goddess' law, she wasn't his Luna yet.

A smile started to spread across my face.

"No," I said, leaning back in my chair. "No assassins yet. I have a better idea."

Every head turned to me with rapid attention, eager to hear what I had in mind. With the smile still on my lips, I turned to Thorne and said, "Send word back to Blackfang."

"We're attending their feast."

Selene

The Shadowfang fortress rose high against the dusk, its black stone walls jagged and unyielding, as its high towers pierced the sky. The air carried a faint metallic tang, laced with something sour, as if the stones themselves whispered of old curses and older betrayals. I'd heard tales of haunted halls and blood-soaked floors. This was a pack built on ruthlessness as much as loyalty. Now, standing at its gates, I felt those stories pressing against me, daring me to step forward.

My boots crunched on the frost-dusted path and I kept my chin high, my red hair catching the wind like a banner of defiance. Let them stare and know I wasn't here to bow.

Draven walked beside me and his warriors flanked us, their eyes glinting with either curiosity or suspicion, I couldn't tell which.

The gates groaned open, revealing a courtyard bustling with wolves. Some cheered Draven, fists raised, their voices rough with pride. "Nightbane! Nightbane!" they chanted, celebrating the alliance my presence sealed. Others glared, their stares heavy with distrust, lips curled at the sight of a Bloodfang traitor in their midst. I met their eyes head on. I'd faced worse than their judgment. These wolves didn't scare me.

Draven leaned close, his breath warm against my ear. "Smile, Selene. They're watching their new Luna. This is the perfect time to make a good first impression"

I snorted, keeping my voice low. "I'm here for my son. I don't need their approval."

His lips twitched upwards into a smirk. "Play the part, and you'll get him back. Unless you'd rather fight this entire pack first."

I didn't answer, but my jaw tightened. He wasn't wrong. Shadowfang was my only path to Dorian now, and I'd walk it, no matter how treacherous. The courtyard blurred as we moved toward the great hall, its doors carved with snarling wolves who eyed me like I was little more than meat. Inside, the air was thick with smoke and the scent of roasted meat, the hall alive with long tables, flickering torches, and wolves wrapped in leather and furs. The place was bustling with random noise—laughter, arguments, and the clink of tankards. At the far end, a dais held a single chair carved from dark wood, its armrests shaped like claws. Draven's seat. And mine soon, if I played his game.

"Welcome to Shadowfang," Draven said, his voice carrying over the din. The hall quieted, as every head turned towards us. "Tonight, we bind our pack's future. Tonight, Selene joins me as Luna."

A murmur rippled through the crowd, some cheers, some growls. A wiry woman with a scar across her cheek stood and her eyes locked on me. "Bloodfang filth," she spat. "Why should we trust her?"

My fingers itched for my dagger, but I kept my voice steady,. "Trust me? You don't have to. But you're going to have to respect me, however. Because wether you like it or not, I am to be your new Luna."

Draven's hand grazed my arm, a warning or support, I couldn't tell. "Enough, Veyra," he said, his tone calm but firm. "Selene's already proven herself to be more than capable. She fought rogues to be able to stand here."

He turned to the rest of the crowd and added. "I chose for her to be Luna. This was my decision as your Alpha. Anyone who questions her, questions me."

Veyra sat, her glare lingering, but the hall settled. Draven gestured to the dais, and I followed, my heart pounding. This wasn't my pack. These wolves weren't mine. But for Dorian, I'd wear their crown, even if it burned.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The ceremony was swift, all sharp vows and cold formality. A robed elder stood before us holding a silver chalice in his hands. The runes on his robes glowed faintly, casting shadows that danced across the stone floor. "Before the Moon Goddess," he intoned, "do you, Draven Nightbane, take Selene as your Luna, to stand as your equal and to guard Shadowfang's heart?"

Draven's eyes met mine. "I do."

The elder turned to me with a heavy gaze."And do you, Selene, take Draven as your Alpha, to stand as his Luna, to bind your strength to Shadowfang?"

I hesitated for a beat as the word Draven had said earlier echoed in my mind. Equal. Kaelen had never offered that. But I wasn't stupid enough to assume Draven was my savior—he was a tactician, a wolf with his own claws. "I do," I said.

The elder raised the chalice as the liquid inside swirled and gleamed. "Drink, and seal the bond."

Draven took it first, his throat working as he swallowed. He passed it to me, as his fingers brushed mine. I held his gaze as I drank, the bitter liquid burning my tongue and coating my throat.

I held my breath as Draven leaned over to mark me as his. I angled my neck, shifting my hair to the side to give him room. A brief pulse of pain surged through me as his teeth sunk into the soft flesh. And just like that, it was done.

The crowd roared, some with approval, others with grudging acceptance. The bond with Kaelen pulsed, and I knew then that he could feel exactly what had just happened. Even now, I could picture the rage that would well up within him when he realised just who I had married. I smiled despite myself.

Draven leaned close, his voice a low rumble againstmy ear. "Not bad for a huntress who'd rather gut me than marry me."

I smirked. "Night's still young, Nightbane."

His laugh was low and genuine, and for a moment, the tension eased. The hall erupted into feasting, wolves tearing into meat, and passing tankards, their voices a chaotic hum. I sat beside Draven on the dais, my hands clenched in my lap, and playing the part of the dutiful wife. Meanwhile, my eyes scanned the crowd for potential allies, enemies, or maybe even escape routes.

My gaze landed onto Veyra sat at a table near the dais, whispering to a burly wolf who shot me a cold glance. Trouble was brewing, but I'd face it when it came.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After the feast, Draven led me through winding corridors to his chambers, the walls lined with tapestries of wolves tearing through forests, their eyes glowing with stitched silver. My stomach knotted as the door closed behind us. The room was lit by a single fire, its light casting shadows across a massive bed draped in furs. It reminded me of my very first night with Kaelen, his hands in mine, as he slowly sank into me. I shoved the memory away, and focused on the wolf before me.

I made my way to the edge of the bed and just stood there, bracing myself for what was to come.

Draven looked over at me and to my surprise, let out a booming laugh. "Relax, Selene," he said, "Unlike your cunt of a husband, I've got a reputation to maintain, and it includes laying with women who actually want to lay with me." he shrugged, "I'm a gentleman like that."

I raised a brow. "You? A gentleman? I guess the stories are true and pigs really can fly in the Shadowfang pack."

He grinned, tossing his cloak onto a chair. "Don't get used to it. Soon, you'll be begging for me to share that bed with you."

I plastered a sweet smile. "Every word that comes out of that mouth of yours tempts me to want to show you just how good I am with my hunting knife. Please keep talking."

His grin widened. "Awwn.. Is this our very first marriage squabble? Remind me to take you up on that offer. But for tonight, we need to keep up appearances. The pack expects a Luna and for that, they expect a consummation. We need to fake it, until all they can talk about is our grand union instead of your Bloodfang past."

I crossed my arms, studying him. "Fake it? You're telling me you dragged me through that mind numbingly boring ceremony just to play pretend?"

"Glad to know you had fun," he said with a smile. Then it faded. "But no, it's strategy. Shadowfang has been on it's toes for a while now because of rogue attacks and it needs something to take their minds off." He added with a wink, "What better than the blissful union between their Alpha and new Luna?"

Draven stepped toward the bed, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Come on, huntress, let's give them a show."

Before I could protest, he yanked the furs from the bed, tossing them into a chaotic heap, and kicked the frame hard enough to make it creak. I caught on, and smiled while grabbing a pillow and hurling it against the headboard with a thud.

"Louder," he whispered, stifling a laugh, then let out an exaggerated groan, loud enough for the guards outside to hear. I bit back a smirk, adding my own dramatic moan for added effect.

"Harder, Draven. Go harder." I said, feigning pleasure.

"I'm trying, dear wife. If I go any harder than this I'll nail you into the headboard."

I punched his arm playfully, half laughing as we traded glances, the absurdity binding us in a fleeting moment of camaraderie. The guards' boots shuffled uncomfortably outside, and I could almost feel their ears pressed to the door, eating up every sound.

Draven winked, his voice low. "Not bad, my queen. We might make a team yet."

"You just might be right, Nightbane. But I have to warn you, if you try anything, I'll carve your heart out and feed it to your wolves."

He let out another laugh. "Now who's tempting who? Get some sleep, my beautiful bride. We've got work tomorrow." he said as he stretched on the fur laid out on the ground and drifted off, leaving me with silence and my own churning thoughts.

I didn't sleep all night. Partly because Draven snored like a dying boar, and partly because I couldn't keep my thoughts still. I sat by the fire, dagger in hand, listening to the fortress creak as my mind raced.

Draven's game was dangerous, and I wasn't foolish enough to think he actually cared about my son. He wanted Kaelen's head, and I was his perfectly placed weapon. He'd discard me as soon as he got what he needed. I just needed to stall long enough to get Dorian back.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Morning came too soon, grey light spilling through the narrow windows. By the time I opened my eyes, I saw Draven already up, dressed in black leather with his hair tied back. He sat at a table, scratching a quill across parchment, his expression focused, and a mischievous smile playing at his lips.

"What's that?" I asked, my voice rough from sleeplessness.

He didn't look up. "A letter to Kaelen."

The sleep cleared instantly. "What?"

He grinned, sliding the parchment toward me. "A little taunt to let him know his mate's found a better throne. Thought you'd appreciate the touch."

I snatched the paper, my eyes scanning the words.

The Shadowfang invite you to come celebrate the joining of their Alpha with his new Luna bride. There will be drinking, dancing and a massive feast. All are welcome.

Alpha Draven Nightbane.

"You're baiting him." I said finally.

"Perceptive as always, my queen."

I furrowed my brow. "But what's the point? This will enrage him as best."

Draven leaned back, his golden eyes gleaming with mischief. "That's exactly the point. Let him rage. I'm trying to get him to make a mistake. You want your son? This is how we draw Kaelen out of that stone fortress of his."

I wanted to scream that this was reckless, that Kaelen's wrath would burn us all. But Draven's logic was sound. Kaelen was prideful and impulsive when it came to me. The bond told me that much, its pulse a constant reminder of his jealousy.

I said finally, "I still don't understand how this helps. You plan to send assassins to ambush him on his way here? You know fully well there's no way Kaelen's coming here without a small army at his tail."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, my sweet Luna," he said, his voice low. "The plan isn't to kill him... yet." he said the word like a silent promise.

"Knowing Kaelen," he continued, "he's going to come along with a substantial amount of his forces as a show of power. And with his castles defenses diminished, I'll be able to sneak in spies of my own. We'll have eyes and ears within his very walls."

I hesitated, then a smile started to creep along my face. "You're a mischievous little bastard, aren't you?"

He laughed, sealing the letter with wax. "Correction. I'm your mischievous little bastard. Now go along and get dressed. You're Luna now and you need to act like it."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was late afternoon and I was halfway through figuring out the difference between the feel of fur and wool when the door burst open and a messenger, stumbled in panting.. "Alpha! A reply from Bloodfang!"

Draven's brow arched, and I froze, my heart slamming against my ribs. "Already?" he said, taking the parchment.

He broke the seal, his eyes scanning the words, and his face broke into a wide smile.

"What is it?" I demanded, stepping closer.

He handed me the letter. "Read it."

I took the parchment from his hand and opened it quickly. Kaelen's handwriting stared back at me.

Congratulations on picking up my leftovers. I was absolutely honored to receive your invitation. Expect me at your feast, to help celebrate your joyous union. Enjoy your huntress, Nightbane. She'll never be more than a Beta's daughter playing queen.

Alpha Kaelen.

I crushed the letter in my fist, smiling. "Looks like your plan worked."

"Why of course it did." he replied with his ever present smirk across his face. "Did you ever have a doubt, my lady?"

Just then, I felt the bond twist on my insides. Kaelen's presence was a shadow I couldn't seem to shake. He'd walk into Shadowfang, tomorrow evening, not knowing he was walking right into our trap.