The child went outside with Kieran while Selene remained, her mocking voice cutting through the air.
"You're really stupid, aren't you?" she sneered, pushing my forehead with her finger.
"No wonder Kieran's parents like me better than you—a useless Luna"
Anger surged through me, and I slapped her. But she retaliated—twice—her blows so forcefully that I stumbled, falling to my knees.
"You're nothing compared to me, Soleil," she said, looking down at me with satisfaction.
I lifted my head, meeting her gaze. "Yes, because you're just a mistress who doesn't know her place."
Selene smirked. "Are you talking about yourself? Tell me, what is your place in Kieran's heart?"
I didn't answer. I couldn't
Her smirk widened. "See? Nothing. And we're family, with a son. A thing you will never have." Then she walked away.
I wiped my tears and stood up. I had made my decision—I would tell Kieran’s parents everything he had been doing. Even an Alpha deserved punishment.
I stood in the great hall, my breath shaky, my hands clenched so tightly that my nails bit into my palms.
They were all here—Kieran’s parents, my parents—watching me like I was nothing more than an inconvenience.
Not a daughter. Not a Luna. Just a problem they wanted to be rid of.
Former Alpah Cedric sighed, his expression laced with disgust as he took in my miserable state. He rubbed his temples as if even listening to me was exhausting.
“Soleil, do you know how foolish you look right now? What will others think of you? That we’re not taking care of you, and that’s why you look like a homeless?”
Homeless..Yes, I felt homeless. Helpless.
I sniffed. “Foolish?” My voice was eerily calm. “I came here to tell you who the real foolish is—your son.”
My dad slammed his hand against the table, his anger palpable. “Watch your words, lady. Where’s your manner?”
The former Luna scoffed, crossing her arms. “And what did you expect? That we would turn against Kieran for someone like you?”
She stood, her gaze serious and unwavering. “You want us to punish him for doing what needed to be done?”
My stomach twisted. “What needed to be done?”
Beside them, my mother shook her head, disappointment clear on her face. “You never understood the sacrifices it takes to be part of a strong pack.”
I look at her in disbelief. “Is that what you call this? A sacrifice?”
My father let out a sharp breath, rubbing his temples. “For God’s sake, Soleil, stop bothering us and think of how to be useful.”
“I’m not acting like anything,” I hissed. “I am telling you what happened. I am telling you that Kieran—”
A crack echoed through the room.
For a second, I didn’t register what had happened. I just felt the burning sting on my cheek, the way my head snapped to the side, the way my breath caught in my throat.
Slowly, I turned my face back to my father.
His hand was still raised.
I tasted blood in my mouth.
“Enough,” he said coldly.
He slapped me for telling the truth.
“You are lucky,” he said, his voice sharp as blade. “Lucky to have been chosen as Luna. Lucky that Kieran tolerated you for as long as he did.”
I felt like I was going to be sick. “Tolerated?”
Luna Helena scoffed. “You think we didn’t know that you can’t carry a child anymore?”
She gave me a pitying look, but it wasn’t real pity. It was Mockery.
“You can’t give Keiran an Heir.”
The words sent a sharp, twisting pain through my chest. I nearly collapsed.
“We knew from the moment the healers confirmed it” Alpha Cedric said. “And we knew Kieran blessed with a son from Selene.”
Tears burned at the back of my eyes.
They all knew.
“I am his Luna.”
“No heir, no strength, no real place in this pack.” My father said as if I was not his blood and flesh.
Luna Helena tsked. “We were kind to let you stay as long as we did.”
Kind. Like I was some stray, they had given shelter to.
As if I were lucky to even be alive. As if they wished I had been the one who died instead of my child.
“You should know by now, Soleil. An alpha heir is more important than anything else. If it had been other way around—“she sighed.
“The moon corrected it by giving us Selene and her son.” Alpha Cedric said.
Every word they spoke stabbed me, branding itself into my soul.
But the worst part?
I had no one. No one to run to as they all turned their backs to me a long time ago.
"You are my greatest regret. I wish Selene were my daughter instead" my father spat, his voice laced with disappointment. "Take your disgrace and bury it deep in your grave."
"You will be dethored as Luna. And you are no longer part of our family." He added.
