The Luna Who Vanished with the Heirs

The night before the ceremony, the pack’s home buzzed with celebration. Candles flickered and champagne flowed as my closest friends gathered around, laughter echoing through the halls. They gifted me silk robes, handwritten notes, and matching jewelry sets—tokens of a future everyone seemed excited for.

But beneath the sparkle, tension simmered.

Midway through the night, my phone buzzed on the table. A call from the station. I excused myself, heart quickening.

“Miss Graham, we need you to come down. It’s about Darren.”

No details. Just urgency.

By the time I reached the station, my palms were clammy. And there they were—Darren and Sharon—tucked into a quiet corner like the world didn't exist. She leaned into him, her hand resting on his knee, his arm loose around her shoulders. They didn’t even notice me enter.

I stared. The closeness. The softness in their voices. It wasn't the way siblings spoke.

Sharon had been adopted into the family, and though we all treated her like one of our own, the bond between her and Darren had always felt…off. People talked. Even my friends had tried warning me—with screenshots, whispers, and recordings—but I dismissed them. I was marrying for duty, not romance.

Still, nothing prepared me for the gut punch of seeing it with my own eyes.

“Janet Graham?” A guard's voice pulled me back.

“I’m here,” I said, barely managing a smile as I signed the bail forms.

Darren and Sharon walked past me without a word. No apology. Not even a glance.

That night, I tossed in bed, haunted by what I’d seen. Eventually, I left my room, thinking water might help. But as I neared the kitchen, voices stopped me cold.

“You don’t love her,” Sharon whispered, pleading. “You love me.”

“I know,” Darren murmured. “But Janet's the Alpha’s daughter. We can't afford war.”

“She deserves the truth.”

I took a step closer, ready to confront them—but Sharon turned and kissed him.

I froze, my breath catching as betrayal stabbed through me. I slipped away silently, each footstep heavier than the last.

Alone in my room, I wept into the silence, seeking clarity from the Moon Goddess. But no signs came. Only stillness.

When dawn broke, the wedding day was upon me.

I sat before the mirror, staring at my reflection. My gown shimmered like frost under moonlight, flawless and cold. My hands trembled as I tried to steady my breath.

Then came the scent—wild pine, earth after rain. I didn’t have to look up to know who it was.

“You’re not supposed to be here,” I said, staring at my reflection.

“I came anyway,” said Lloyd.

He stepped in, the same Lloyd who had once vowed to stay, then vanished into the human world. My wolf stirred at his presence.

“You left,” I whispered, “and now I’m marrying someone else.”

“Someone who doesn't deserve you.”

I clenched my jaw. “This is my duty.”

“Duty isn't love, Janet.”

He walked toward me, his eyes unwavering. “You still feel it, don’t you? The bond.”

“Stop.”

“I will, if you ask me to. But before that—”

Lloyd knelt before me, pulling out a ring that sparkled like morning dew. “Janet Graham,” he said, voice low and steady, “will you come with me? Leave this pack, this pain—and live a life we were meant to share?”

My heart raced. My future stood on two paths—one paved with expectations, and the other with love I thought I’d lost.

And I… I wasn’t sure which to choose.