Should have dawned brighter, warmer, softer—but it didn't.
Selene woke to gray skies, the forest beyond her chamber window cloaked in a mist that clung to the earth like shrouds. The silence of the pack house pressed down on her. Even the usual morning bustle seemed muted, whispers replacing greetings, footsteps quick and cautious.
She dressed in silence, braiding her long dark hair with trembling fingers. Though she tried to steady herself, her stomach twisted into knots. She knew what the whispers were about. Her rejection had already spread like wildfire. Wolves loved their stories, and Selene's shame was the juiciest tale of all.
By the time she left her chamber, wolves avoided her eyes in the corridor. A few sneered openly, others snickered as she passed. Her wolf growled low inside her chest, begging her to snarl back, but Selene kept walking, her chin high. She would not give them more to mock.
The summons came before breakfast.
Two guards flanked her door, their black uniforms stiff with formality. "Alpha Magnus requests your presence," one of them said, his voice flat but edged with disdain.
Selene nodded, heart hammering. She followed them down the narrow hallways, each step heavier than the last. They led her not to the Alpha's office, but to the main hall—the place of judgment.
Her stomach dropped.
The hall was filled when she entered. Elders sat in their carved seats, their silver hair gleaming in the dim light. Warriors lined the walls, arms crossed, their eyes sharp. And in the center, standing tall and regal in a crimson gown, was Seraphina Vale.
Selene froze.
At the head of the dais, Magnus sat with his usual impassive expression, though his eyes flickered with a faint gleam of satisfaction. Beside him, Lucian Hale stood stiffly, his jaw clenched, his gaze averted.
"What is this?" Selene demanded, though her voice trembled as it echoed in the hall.
Magnus's tone was cold. "Selene Blackthorn, you stand accused of treason against the pack."
The words slammed into her like a physical blow. She staggered back, her eyes widening. "Treason? That's—"
"Lies," Seraphina cut in sweetly, her lips curling in a mock smile. "That's what you want to say, isn't it? But we all know the truth, Selene. You were never loyal."
Gasps rippled through the gathered wolves.
Selene's throat tightened. "You dare—"
"Enough!" Magnus's voice silenced her. He gestured for Seraphina to continue.
The rival Luna stepped forward gracefully, her every movement deliberate, like a predator circling prey. "Last night," she began, her voice dripping with false sorrow, "I went for a walk near the borders to clear my thoughts. And what did I see but Selene—our Alpha's own daughter—whispering in secret with rogues."
Murmurs filled the hall. Warriors growled low, the air tense with anger.
Selene's chest seized. "That's a lie!"
But Seraphina pressed on, her hand fluttering to her chest in feigned distress. "I heard her speak of the pack's weaknesses, of openings in our defenses. She spoke of her hatred for Lucian, for Magnus, for all of us. She planned to betray her own blood."
The hall erupted. Wolves shouted, some demanding punishment, others calling her a traitor.
Selene's heart pounded. She pushed forward, her voice breaking. "I never—! This is madness. I have never spoken to rogues, let alone plotted with them. She's twisting this, she's—"
"Do you deny being outside last night?" Seraphina snapped, her sweet mask slipping to reveal sharp cruelty.
Selene froze. She had gone outside. She had spoken to the moon, to herself, to the Goddess if she was listening. And Seraphina knew it.
"She cannot even answer," Seraphina declared triumphantly. "Because she knows the truth will damn her."
Magnus's gaze bore into Selene, cold as steel. "Is this true?"
Selene's chest heaved. "I went outside, yes—but I spoke to no rogues! I spoke to no one. If you doubt me, search the borders. Look for tracks. There will be none but mine!"
But she could see in their faces that the truth didn't matter. The story had already sunk its claws into them. Wolves thrived on blood and scandal, and Seraphina had given them both.
Lucian shifted beside Magnus, his face tight with discomfort. For a fleeting moment, Selene thought he might speak in her defense, but when Magnus's gaze flicked to him, Lucian's jaw hardened. He looked away.
Coward.
Selene's stomach twisted. Her father had abandoned her. Her mate had rejected her. And now, her rival painted her as a traitor, and no one would listen.
Magnus rose, his presence filling the hall. "Selene Blackthorn," he declared, his voice thundering, "you are accused of conspiring with rogues against this pack. Until judgment is decided, you will be held under guard."
"No!" Selene cried, her wolf snarling within her. "I will not be caged for lies!"
Warriors stepped forward, their eyes hard.
Seraphina's smirk widened, victory gleaming in her gaze.
Selene's nails bit into her palms, blood welling from the crescent moons her claws left in her skin. Fury roared inside her, but beneath it was something else—something older, wilder. A pulse of energy stirred in her chest, heat rushing through her veins.
The Moon's power.
For a heartbeat, her eyes glowed silver-white, bright enough that wolves nearby recoiled. The murmurs stilled, fear mingling with confusion.
Selene drew in a sharp breath, struggling to hold it back. She could not reveal too much—not yet.
She forced her voice steady, sharp as a blade. "You condemn me without proof. You turn your backs on me because it is easy. But I swear on the Moon herself, the day will come when you regret this. When the truth burns brighter than Seraphina's lies, you will all see what you have done."
The hall fell into tense silence.
Magnus's eyes narrowed, unreadable. But Seraphina laughed lightly, clapping her hands as if amused. "Hear her threats! Even now, she bares her fangs against her own pack. The Goddess herself should strip her of her wolf."
Selene's heart twisted, but she did not look away. She met Seraphina's gaze with fire, her voice low. "The Goddess sees more than your poison. And she will not bless a heart as black as yours."
Gasps rippled again, but Selene no longer cared.
The guards moved to seize her, chains glinting in their hands. She fought the urge to resist. Her wolf howled in her chest, demanding she break free, but she swallowed it down. Not yet.
She let them take her, head high, eyes burning with defiance.
As they dragged her from the hall, Seraphina's laughter followed her like a curse.
And above it all, Selene swore to herself: this was not the end. This was only the beginning.