After five years of guarding the pack's borders, my father and I received a summons to return to the Lycan King's court.

I saw him again.

The young Lycan Prince I once protected had now ascended to the throne as the Lycan King. Before the entire court, he declared me his Luna. The hall erupted in applause. Everyone seemed to think that a rough-around-the-edges warrior like me, the daughter of an Alpha, should be overwhelmed with gratitude for such an honor. After all, it was no secret that I had pursued him for three years.

But they seemed to have forgotten.

At the Lycan Queen’s birthday celebration, to preserve his cousin Romina’s pristine reputation, he had accused me of infidelity, tarnishing my name and turning the pack against me. That same night, he had me dragged from my home and paraded through the streets, publicly decreeing my exile from the pack lands.

After that, I rejected our mate bond and left with my father to defend the borders. Through life-and-death battles, I found clarity and detachment. And now, he stood before me, bestowing his “grace” as if I should kneel in thanks.

His mentor, an elderly Beta, spoke with a trembling voice. “I’ve never seen the Lycan King so devoted to anyone. After you left, he ordered the entire pack to cease any discussion of you, and he imprisoned those who mocked you. Even though you wronged him, he built a shrine in your honor and summoned you and your father back. No Alpha has ever received such treatment. If you accept, the title of Luna is yours alone.”

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“Loretta?”

All eyes were on me, waiting for me to accept this “gift” so they could shower me and my father with praise. Only my father noticed my discomfort and remained silent.

“The Lycan King, in his infinite grace, has done more than enough to show his loyalty to you. Do not reject him again!”

The Beta standing behind the Lycan King, Teo James, scolded me harshly, his expression filled with disdain for the “ungrateful” daughter of an Alpha.

I didn’t know if these words came from Declan himself or if they were the Beta’s own thoughts. Looking around, I recognized many of these faces—those who had once condemned me as a disgrace and forced me out of the pack lands. Now, they were pressuring me to accept this “honor,” their words dripping with hypocrisy.

My heart remained unmoved. I steadied myself and spoke calmly.

“I have already made a vow before the Moon Goddess: I will never take a mate. I will dedicate my life to defending the pack’s borders and will never return to the court.”

The hall fell into stunned silence. The courtiers dropped to their knees, some in fear of the Lycan King’s wrath, others in shock that I had refused. After all, everyone knew that I, the daughter of Alpha Bruce Gibson, had pursued the Lycan Prince for three years.

Even the Lycan Queen had intervened at the time.

Every morning and evening, I would wait with a bowl of hot soup for Declan to return from his duties. He had no mother, and the Lycan King had little regard for him. When he fell ill, it was I who knelt in the snow outside the healer’s den, begging for help. Declan recovered, but I was left with a permanent ache in my knees that flared up during cold, damp weather.

I would ride from one end of the pack lands to the other to find his favorite treats, toys, and books, just to see him smile. When he wanted the throne, I went on a hunger strike to force my father to support him. With the backing of the Alpha of the Gibson Pack, Declan finally gained the Lycan King’s attention.

At last, the Lycan Queen took pity and petitioned the Lycan King to make me the future Luna, with the marking ceremony to be held the following year.

Declan was devoted to me, saying I was the only one who had been kind to him since his mother’s death, his sole comfort in the harsh world of the pack.

“When I ascend the throne, it will be your hand I hold,” he promised.

When the pack mocked me for “chasing” him, he defended me fiercely. No matter how other women tried to tempt him, his eyes were only on me. We were inseparable in the court, and everyone said we were a perfect match.

But then his cousin, Romina Myers, returned.

Declan and Romina had been raised together by his mother until they were ten, and their bond was close. Rumors had even spread that she was his “childhood mate.” But she had fallen ill and left the pack lands to recover in the mountains, only to return years later.

At first, I dismissed their closeness as childhood friendship. I treated her like a sister, showering her with the finest cosmetics, exquisite jade, and the latest silks.

But I soon noticed that Romina and Declan were spending more time together, and it was no longer my hand he held.

On my birthday, he claimed he was too busy with pack affairs. But when I arrived at his den with his favorite pastries, I found him laughing with Romina under the moonlight, his arm draped around her.

When Declan saw me, he showed no guilt, only irritation.

“What are you doing here?”

I had been raised as the cherished daughter of an Alpha, and this was a blow I couldn’t bear. Tears fell despite my efforts to hold them back.

“Is this what you call ‘busy’? Do you even remember it’s my birthday? How could you humiliate me like this?”

“How dare you speak of my cousin that way? You’ve become so uncouth. My mother was right—you’re nothing but a brute!”

The words hit me like a physical blow—shock, disappointment, and grief flooded through me before I finally settled into a cold, detached calm.

Just yesterday, he had smiled at me with such tenderness, brushing a strand of hair from my face, murmuring how my scent outshone the fragrance of the forest.

Now, here he was, beneath the same tree, entangled with another woman.

Perhaps it was my uncharacteristic silence that unnerved Declan. He quickly left Romina’s side and strode toward me, a flicker of panic in his eyes.

“Loretta, I spoke out of turn. I didn’t mean it. Please, don’t…”

I stepped back, avoiding his outstretched hand, and met his gaze head-on.

“Is that really how you’ve always seen me?”

“The Queen has repeatedly demanded I conform to pack traditions, humiliating me time and again, and you’ve never once stood up for me.”

Of course, I should have known. Declan, the future Lycan King, so obsessed with appearances and hierarchy—why would he ever tolerate someone like me?

“Loretta, you’re misunderstanding. The Queen only wants what’s best for you. Harsh words can be a form of guidance. You should be grateful to her.”

“And Romina—she’s just my cousin. Today was a mistake. Let me make it up to you, alright?”

He pulled out a small box of my favorite frozen custard from his pocket, offering it with that familiar, affectionate ease.

Young hearts are easily swayed, and I couldn’t help but soften as I accepted it. The cool, creamy sweetness on my tongue eased the tension in my chest.

“Then why did you lie to me?”

“I didn’t lie. I just ran into Romina on my way out. We haven’t seen each other in years, and we got caught up talking about my mother…”

His voice wavered with a hint of sorrow, and I couldn’t bear to see him like that. I quickly reassured him.

“I overreacted. Don’t be upset.”

Romina chose that moment to approach, her voice trembling with feigned fragility. “Loretta, I’m so sorry for causing you distress. I’ve always been the outsider, sent away as a child and only finding solace in my cousin’s kindness. If my presence bothers you, I’ll… I’ll request to leave the pack again.”

She looked so frail, her voice quivering with tears, her expression pitiful.

Seeing this, Declan stepped away from me, lowering his voice to comfort her.

Though my chest ached with bitterness, I swallowed my feelings and held my tongue.

But my restraint only emboldened Romina.

From that day on, every outing, every visit to the King’s court, included her.

“We’re family, Loretta. Don’t overthink it.”

“You’re going to be Luna someday. You can’t afford to be jealous.”

“Don’t worry. You’ll always be my only mate.”

I chose to trust him unconditionally, but that trust only made him bolder.

Soon, he stopped inviting me altogether, only taking Romina with him.

She became the only woman by his side.

Whispers spread through the pack, mocking me for clinging to the delusion of becoming Luna, while Declan’s heart had already turned to Romina.

Before I could confront the gossiping pack members, Romina dropped her fragile facade and stormed into my territory, her words sharp and venomous.

“How can someone like you, with no pride, keep chasing after him like this?”

“Do you really think Declan loves you? He pities you, nothing more. He’s only grateful for your father’s loyalty. He’s told me countless times how much he despises your brutishness, how sick he is of you clinging to him like a parasite!”

I clenched my fists, refusing to engage with her theatrics.

But Romina sneered, “If you don’t believe me, wait until the Mark Ceremony. I’ll make sure you see the truth for yourself.”