Kieran's POV
This wasn't meant to happen.
I stood there like an idiot with my hand still stretched out toward Elara, waiting for her to take it. She always took it. In the other timeline, she nearly glowed when I offered to make her my Luna.
But now she just stared at my hand like it was covered in poison.
"No," she said.
The word hit me like a physical blow. My wolf growled inside my mind, confused and angry. No one rejected Kieran Frostborne. Ever.
I forced a smile, trying to laugh it off. "I don't think you heard me right. I'm offering to make you Luna of the North. Do you understand what an honor—"
"I understand perfectly, Alpha Frostborne." Her voice cut through mine like ice. "I reject your claim."
She said it louder this time. Loud enough for everyone to hear.
The crowd gasped. Whispers burst around us. My face burned hot with embarrassment that quickly turned to rage.
This was wrong. All wrong.
Seven years ago—no, in the other seven years—Elara said yes instantly. She was so happy, so grateful. She clung to my arm like I was her rescuer. That grateful, naive girl let me do whatever I wanted.
She never questioned the practice. Never fought back when I needed her blood. Never suspected anything until it was too late.
But this Elara looked at me with eyes that held something dangerous. Something that looked almost like... knowledge.
"You're making a mistake," I said quietly, moving closer. My wolf pushed forward, trying to frighten her into submission. "Think carefully about what you're refusing." "I already have." She didn't back away. Didn't even look. "The answer is no."
Rage boiled in my chest. My carefully laid plans were falling apart in front of the entire Moon Dance. I needed her. The ritual needed a Luna with locked wolf magic, and Elara was the only one who fit. Without her, I couldn't finish the power transfer. Without that power, the dark alliance I'd made would turn on me.
Morgana had told me something felt different this time. I should have listened.
Before I could grab Elara's arm and force her to rethink, she turned away from me. Actually turned her back on me in front of everyone.
And then she did something that made my blood freeze.
She walked straight toward the Lycan King.
"No," I breathed, fear replacing anger. "No, you can't—"
But she did.
Elara reached up to the masked person everyone knew was Lucian Nightborne. She pulled his mask away. And she kissed him.
The mate bond burst to life between them like silver lightning. Everyone saw it. Everyone felt it. A real, genuine mate bond that couldn't be faked or pushed.
My world turned sideways.
This wasn't just rejection. This was full and total destruction of everything I'd planned.
The crowd exploded into shocked whispers. Some people looked thrilled by the news. Others looked terrified. I just stood there, watching my future fall.
When Elara pulled back from the Lycan King, I saw her say something. Whatever she said made Lucian smile—a real smile that I'd never seen on the cold Lycan King's face.
They looked at each other like they shared a secret. Like they'd known each other forever.
And suddenly I understood.
"You," I snarled, pushing through the crowd toward them. "You planned this!"
Lucian's smile disappeared. His face turned dangerous. "Careful, Frostborne. That's my mate you're talking about."
"She was supposed to be mine!" The words burst out before I could stop them.
Was going to be. Past tense.
Elara's eyes sharpened. She heard it. She caught my mistake.
I needed to fix this fast. "I mean, she would have been mine if you hadn't interfered! You used dark magic on her!"
It was a desperate charge, but it was all I had. I needed to cast doubt on their link, needed to separate them before this went any further.
"I used no magic," Lucian said quietly. Too slowly. Like he expected this. "Everyone here felt the mate bond form naturally."
"Then prove it!" I pointed at Elara with a shaking hand. "Let the Moon Temple priests check her! If there's no magic, the truth will show!"
I was gambling everything on this. The Moon Temple monks could see through lies, yes. But they could also see everything. Including whether someone was hiding something about their past.
If Elara really did remember the other timeline like I thought, the priests might expose that. And if they did, I could use it against her. Claim she was twisted by dark magic. Get her away from Lucian's safety.
Get her back where I needed her.
Elara's face went pale. For just a second, I saw fear flash through her eyes.
She was hiding something. I knew it.
But then her face hardened. "I agree to the examination." What?
Lucian looked at her sharply. "Elara—"
"I have nothing to hide," she said easily. "Let them check. They'll find no dark magic."
My triumph started to fade. She sounded too cocky. Like she knew something I didn't.
"Fine," Lucian said, his hand moving protectively to Elara's back. "But any examination happens at the Moon Temple with proper planning. Not here. Not tonight."
He was protecting her. Giving her time to prepare for whatever the priests might find.
"Tomorrow then," I said through tight teeth. "At the Moon Temple. With the entire court watching."
"Agreed," Lucian said.
I stared at Elara one more time, promising vengeance with my eyes. She'd ruined everything. But this wasn't over. I'd find a way to fix this. I had to.
I turned and shoved through the crowd, my pack following. We needed to talk to Morgana immediately. She'd know what to do. She always did.
As we reached the edge of the pavilion, my second-in-command, Drake, leaned close. "Alpha, we have a problem."
"I know we have a problem!" I snapped. "Elara just—" "Not that." Drake's face was grim. "One of our scouts just reported in. The Moon Temple priests? Three of them died this afternoon. Poisoned."
My blood went cold. "What?"
"Someone killed them. The ones who would have been assigned to examine Elara tomorrow." Drake's voice dropped to a whisper. "Whoever did it wanted to make sure specific priests couldn't perform the ritual."
My mind raced. I didn't order those priests killed. Which meant someone else didn't want Elara inspected by the original priests.
Someone else was playing a deeper game.
"Who found the bodies?" I asked.
Drake paused. "That's the other trouble, Alpha. The person who reported finding them was Lady Morgana."