"You will no longer be my Luna, Alicia."
The words fell like thunder across the grand hall. Alpha Travis's voice, heavy with restrained fury, silenced the music, the laughter, the clinking of goblets. For a moment, even the air seemed to hesitate.
Alicia did not flinch. Not even the decree of the man every pack and kingdom revered could stir her pride. Instead, her lips curled into a mocking smile.
Whispers ignited at the tables.
"At last," someone hissed.
"She was never fit to be our Luna."
"A pretty face with a venomous heart," another spat.
The chatter spread like wildfire, feeding the room with cruel excitement. It was as though the entire pack had been waiting for this moment.
Alicia's temper exploded. "Silence!" she shrieked. Her voice cut sharper than glass. With lightning speed, she seized the butler, who trembled under the weight of a fallen tray and pressed her claws to his throat. His pulse hammered in terror as wine bled across the polished floor.
Gasps rippled. No one dared move.
Alpha Travis rose slowly from his seat. His chest expanded, his breath deep and dangerous, the weight of his authority pressing into every corner of the hall. This was the same man who had led armies through fire since his youth, claimed mountains with his sword, and bent rival alphas to their knees. Yet when he looked at Alicia, the woman who had once been his joy, his voice broke with both rage and grief.
"Release him, Alicia." His command was low, rumbling, carrying the edge of a howl.
But Alicia only smirked, her fangs flashing as she hissed, "An eye for an eye, Travis. A tooth for a tooth."
The insult struck deeper than any blade. Before the gathered elders, nobles, and priests of the Moon Goddess, she dared to defy him. For years, Travis had given her everything; his loyalty, his throne, his strength, only to be met with coldness and cruelty. Tonight, she has spat on his love one last time.
His roar shattered the silence. Power surged from him like a storm as he unleashed the command no mate ever wished to use. "Submit!"
The force of his Alpha authority slammed into her. Alicia fought it, clawed against it, but her body betrayed her. With a strangled cry, she fell to her knees, her wolf bowing in unwilling surrender.
The hall erupted in cheers. Elders rose to their feet out of reverence for the Alpha and servants wept with relief.
"Seize her," Travis ordered, his voice steady now, though his eyes burned with pain.
His Beta, Justus, moved swiftly, signaling guards who closed in around the disgraced Luna.
"Throw her in the dungeon," Travis decreed. "She will face trial at dawn."
Even as she was dragged away, Alicia lifted her chin, eyes glittering with venom. "This isn't the end, Travis. You'll regret the day you turned your back on me."
Travis stood still, shoulders squared, the weight of the crown heavy upon him. To the world, he was the undefeated Alpha, conqueror of kingdoms. But tonight, for the first time in sixteen years, he was simply a man staring at the ruins of what he once believed unthinkable.
The only woman he has ever loved is gone.
And somewhere, deep in his chest, the hollow space she left behind burned like fire.
***
Jessie stepped into the kitchen and was immediately greeted by the warm, inviting smell of breakfast. Whenever she left the busy halls of Willowridge University, she found herself longing for the quiet charm of Greenhart Creek; the little town where her grandmother's porch light and homemade delicacies always seemed to be waiting. And this morning was no different.
As if on cue, Grandma Elira turned from the stove, her smile lighting up the room. "Oh, you're awake. I hope I didn't wake you with the sound of my pan?"
Jessie grinned and kissed her grandmother's cheek. "More like the smell of your delicious breakfast."
They both laughed, and Jessie reached for a warm cookie from the counter. Elira playfully nudged her. "Why don't you go sit at the table while I bring these down for you?"
"But Grandma, I want to help."
"Nonsense," Elira scolded gently. "First you're going to recover the weight you've lost at school before I let you lift a finger in this house. You look starved, honey."
Jessie snorted. "I look like someone balancing final-year coursework, a part-time job at the diner and training."
"Still chasing that warrior princess dream of yours?"
"Evergreen, Grandma. I'm just waiting for my knight in shining armor to sweep me off on his white horse. Together we'll fight the bad guys and rule the world." Jessie's eyes danced with playful fantasy.
Elira shook her head, pouring coffee into a cup and handing it over. "Quit daydreaming and face reality, child. You'll be twenty-three next month. A graduate soon. And still no young man in sight. You've dreamed of this knight since you were a girl. It's time to stop."
Jessie sipped her coffee, unfazed. "I'll wait. Something tells me he's coming soon. And as for those guys you're talking about, I can't even relate to them. It's like we're from different worlds. I'd rather stay single than waste my precious time in shallow relationships."
"Well, I wonder what your father has to say about that," Elira replied just as the kitchen door swung open.
Jessie's composure melted in an instant. "Dad!" She ran into his arms with a squeal of delight.
Her father chuckled, squeezing her tight. "Well, someone sure missed her old man."
"I did! I didn't think I'd see you this time of year when you're usually off hunting."
Known for avoiding any discussion about his work as a Hunter, her father quickly shifted the subject. "And you? What brings you home this weekend?"
Jessie joined him at the table, helping serve food before grabbing her seat across from him. "Nothing special. School and work were overwhelming, so I came home to clear my head. I'll head back on Monday."
"Clear your head, hm? Or did you just miss my cooking?" Grandma teased, making all three of them laugh.
"Your cooking, plus Dad, plus Greenhart. I missed it all." Jessie's eyes gleamed mischievously. "And now that everyone's home, like the old days… Dad, how about a round at The Pit in the evening?"
Her father raised a brow. "The Pit? You really want to challenge me on my own turf?"
"Cut it out, you two," Grandma interrupted with mock exasperation. "One would think you'd encourage her to act more like a lady, not train her to fight like a man."
Jessie leaned back with a grin. "But I am a lady. Who says I can't be both a warrior and a woman? Dad, five o'clock sharp. Meet me at The Pit."
Her father smirked, shaking his head. "You're sure you want to take on your old man?"
Jessie's eyes glinted with fire. "Exactly. If I can beat you, then I can beat anyone."
***
The air at the Pit was sharp with the scent of gunpowder and churned earth. Evening shadows stretched long across the circle, the wooden targets lined up like silent witnesses. Jessie wiped her sweaty palms onto her jeans, her heart pounding with the familiar mix of excitement and nerves.
Her father stood opposite, calm as a mountain, rifle resting against his shoulder. The way he carried himself; steady, unreadable, always made her feel like she was staring down a legend.
"Last chance to back out, Jessie," he called, voice rough but teasing.
Jessie smirked, flipping her hair back. "Not a chance, old man. Let's see if you can keep up this time."
The signal rang out, and both moved in unison. Shots cracked through the air, sparks of light and smoke dancing between them. Jessie ducked, rolled, and fired again, her movements sharp and confident. Her father mirrored her with frightening precision, each shot barely missing her shoulder, each dodge making her adrenaline spike higher.
They clashed in the center, close enough to feel each other's breath, rifles locked in a tense push. Jessie broke free with a quick spin, firing at the last target. The shot rang true, dead center.
But so did his.
For a breathless moment, silence reigned. Then the scoreboard blinked: her father by a single point.
Both collapsed against the wooden posts, sweat dripping, chests heaving. Jessie's face glowed with the rush of the fight, her laughter mingling with his deep chuckle.
"You've grown," her father said between breaths, eyes gleaming with pride. "You're sharper and faster. What have you been up to?"
Jessie grinned, wiping sweat from her brow. "Been training at school. Guess I learned a few new tricks."
Before he could reply, a low, guttural howl echoed from the treeline. It wasn't human. It wasn't any sound The Pit had ever known. Both their smiles faded instantly as the air around them shifted.
Something or someone was watching!