Chapter 2 2

Midnight soon arrived, and the palace bells rang loud and clear, signaling that the coronation was about to begin. In a few minutes from now, Damian would become Alpha and he would pick his Luna.

Catherine's heart pounded as she slipped into a dress, a simple but elegant white gown. Around her, the other maids whispered amongst themselves as they prepared. They were also excited about the selection of a Luna.

This was it!

This was the moment Catherine's life would change forever. Finally, she was going to clear her parents name and tell everyone that they weren't traitors. She couldn't believe her eyes.

Excitement built up in her chest as she rushed out of her room, following the other maids down the grand halls toward the ceremony.

Everything was extremely perfect.

The hall was filled with people-warriors, nobles, elders, and servants-all standing in tense silence, waiting for the ceremony to begin. The golden chandeliers made the hall look extremely royal and breathtaking. But despite its beauty, the air was still filled with tension.

Catherine stood at the back, her hands trembling as she watched everything. At the center of it all, the elders placed a heavy silver crown on Damian's head, crowning him as the Alpha of the Shadow Moon Pack.

"All hail Alpha Damian!"

The crowd erupted into cheers, but Catherine barely noticed. Her hands clenched the fabric of her dress as she waited for what would come next.

The ceremony was almost over.

The elders stepped forward, their loud voices echoing through the grand hall. "It is time for our Alpha to choose his Luna."

Silence fell.

Damian rose to his feet, his deep gaze moving across the crowd, scanning, searching.

Was he looking for her?

Catherine held her breath, frozen in place. Her body trembled-not from fear, but from hope. His gaze moved slowly, deliberately, as if he was enjoying the moment, dragging out the suspense.

"Just say my name, Damian..." she begged silently, her eyes fixed on him. "Please... say it."

And then-he looked at her.

Their eyes met.

Her heart stopped.

In that single moment, the world disappeared. There was no crowd, no noise-just him. Just Damian. And her.

She had loved him for so long. Loved him more than she had ever loved anyone. She was proud of him-of the man he had become, of the strength in his voice, the kindness in his heart. And those eyes-those deep, beautiful eyes-they had always made her feel safe. Wanted. Seen.

She knew him. And she knew, without a doubt, that he loved her too.

This was their moment. She could feel it. She could see it in the way he looked at her. He was about to choose her. She would be his Luna - his queen, his partner, his everything.

His lips parted.

"I have chosen my Luna."

The room fell silent.

Every eye turned to him. Every breath held.

Catherine's heart pounded so hard it hurt. Tears welled up in her eyes.

This was it. The moment she had dreamed of. She braced herself, ready to hear her name. But then-he turned his gaze away from her.

And everything shattered into pieces when he announced a name that wasn't hers.

For a second, Catherine couldn't move.

His words didn't make any sense at all. They felt wrong coming out of his mouth. What was he saying? Which name did he just call out?

She didn't want to believe she heard the right name until Damian repeated himself again and her heart sank.

"I have chosen Lady Bianca, daughter of Elder Gregor, a member of the Elder Council in the Shadow Moon Pack to be my Luna."

The hall erupted into cheers. Applause filled the air, some even whistled in excitement. Smiles and nods of approval spread through the crowd like wildfire.

But Catherine heard none of it.

She only heard that name.

Lady Bianca.

It was her best friend's name.

She turned to look at her, her hands trembling with fear. But Bianca wasn't shocked. She didn't even look confused for a second. It was as if she knew that she would be Damian's Luna.

And in that moment, Catherine realized the truth.

Bianca had known all along.

The world around her blurred. What had just happened? Damian had been so sure, so confident that he would pick her as his Luna. How could he pick her best friend to be his Luna?

How could she have even trusted him?

Their relationship was a secret from the start. Damian had told her it was for her safety, that the elder council wouldn't approve of them until the time was right. And she believed him. She trusted him with her heart, her soul, everything. But standing there, listening to him call someone else's name, she couldn't help but wonder if it had all been a lie? Was she just a secret he never planned to keep?

Her heart sank.

She had been betrayed by him. Catherine's world shattered. She felt her breath leave her lungs as he turned to Bianca, his hand reaching for hers like she had always belonged to him. The warmth in his eyes-the love she once thought was hers-was now meant for someone else.

Bianca smiled up at him, her golden gown shining under the bright lights. And then, to Catherine's utter surprise, Bianca stepped forward, tilting her face up to his, and he kissed her.

Loud cheers erupted again in the grand hall. People clapped. Some screamed out of joy. Others raised their glasses in celebration. The entire pack was rejoicing.

Except for her.

Catherine stood there, frozen, her hands trembling at her sides. She couldn't breathe. Her chest rose and fell too fast, and her heart pounded so hard it hurt. Tears burned her eyes, and she realized that she needed to get away-away from the cheers, the applause, everything.

She stumbled out of the hall, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside her. She pressed a hand against the cold wall, her legs shaking so badly she could barely stand.

Suddenly, she heard whispers. Low, hurried voices coming from around the corner. Catherine wasn't the kind of person to eavesdrop-but something in their tone made her freeze. She stayed still, barely breathing, straining to hear.

"She won't make it through the night!" one of the voices said. A guard. His tone was extremely cold.

Catherine's blood turned to ice.

"Are you sure the order came from him?" a second voice asked, quieter this time - hesitant, almost afraid.

Her heart stopped. The air grew intense around her, pressing in on her chest until it hurt.

"Yes. Directly from him!" The first voice confirmed in a hushed tone.

Catherine's stomach twisted violently as she continued eavesdropping on their conversation.

"The girl has outlived her usefulness!" the voice continued. "Once the celebration is over... we have to kill her!"

Catherine felt the world tilt beneath her feet. The words replayed in her head, slow and heavy, crashing over her like a wave.

They were talking about her. They had to be.

Her breath quickened, coming in short, sharp gasps. She placed a hand over her mouth, struggling not to scream out in tears.

But one question burned in her mind-so fierce and terrifying she thought it might consume her.

Who gave the order?

Her thoughts spun wildly.

It had to be Damian. Who else could it be?

The man she loved. The man she had trusted.

But why? Why would he do this?