CLAIMING HIS RELUCTANT LUNA

Savina’s POV I am the daughter of a traitor, at least behind these walls. Beyond them, I am no more than Vina McCoy, and it had been this way for nine long years, living an identity that wasn't mine for fear of being executed. When I was twelve, my family was killed in a fire orchestrated by their own clan - our own pack. We were accused of treason, of scheming our way into power through a union with the witches. That is the highest form of betrayal across all packs. From a young age, we are taught that witches are wicked creatures, bloodthirsty with blackened, demonic hearts. Only one thing ever comes from summoning or allying with a witch, and that’s death and chaos. But of course, I know my father could never jeopardize our pack in such ways. He loved this pack with everything within him, and I guess...he paid for that devotion with his life. The accusation had thrown my father off guard, especially since it was made by his very own friend and Beta, Hensen Jones. There I had been, hidden at the top of the stairs, as I watched the calamity unfold. An angry mob of werewolves surrounded the Palace entrances, led by no one else but their Beta. My father's attempts to calm my mother went unheard. Even as Alpha, she knew there was little he could do when the entire pack was against him. I watched the Palace get burnt to ashes by the mob outside, my family still in it—all for a crime we did not commit. If it weren't for a palace guard who managed to slip me through the crowd, I probably would have gone down with them. In the middle of a storm, we drove to the outskirts, where a close friend lived. And there, he left me. “You'll be safe here,” he had said. And I was. Fast forward to the present, as I dressed for the day, the memories of that night played like a nightmare in my head. It was a secret I was forced to keep. Alpha Hensen would kill me if he found me. That's right—he took my father's place as Alpha after his death. And till today, everyone still spoke of the Dwythes, my family, with pure disdain. I lived among the commoners now, bearing the last name of my new parents. The secret was kept safely in my cupboard. Up until a few days ago, when I told Leon. Leon Fagel is the only son of a merchant werewolf who lived across the street. He was undeniably gorgeous, a fact that everyone in our small town couldn't help but notice. His hair, a perfect shade of blond, seemed to glow under the moon, giving him a magnetic appeal. Those icy blue eyes of his, contrasting with his often stern demeanor, could send shivers down your spine or warm your entire being, depending on his mood. His training sessions were an event in themselves, drawing a crowd of she-wolves who lined up for a glimpse of his well-defined abs and a fleeting chance to catch his eye. Yet, Leon was the kind of guy whose gaze remained fixed on his ambitions—he aimed for nothing less than joining Alpha Hensen's squad of elite gamma wolves. This unwavering focus might well explain why he never seemed to notice the way I looked at him—as if he were the only man in the room, no matter the crowd. Even though we're supposed to be just friends, best friends, my heart can't help but race a bit faster whenever he's near. It’s a little pathetic to be in love with my best friend - I know. However, my first few days in the neighborhood were only meaningful because of him. He had taken my problems as his own, accustomed me to the ways and the people. It was no surprise he turned out to be my best friend. Except... after nine years, the feelings I had for him were beginning to be more than that. I told him my true identity, for no other reason but because he deserved to know. His reaction had been quiet, too quiet, and then nothing at all. For three days, he’d ignored all my attempts to reach him. Understandably, it might have been a horror to take in, and in my pack, only Rogues would remain friends with a traitor. Maybe staying my friend was too much of a risk for him - especially not with his ambition to be Hensen’s gamma. However, just when I'd resigned myself to the idea that things between us might forever stay this way, as friends turned strangers, Leon asked to see me this afternoon. The uncertainty of what this meant for me was overwhelming, yet despite my bundle of anxiety, there was no question about whether I would go—I was already planning what to say, what to wear, how to act, how to handle him cutting me off if it ever came to that. *** I squeezed through the swerving bodies that filled the dance floor in search of a certain gold head. I knew I would spot him easily in the dark; his impressive height crowned by a mop of blond hair made him stand out. It wasn’t until I was out of the crowd that I spotted my best friend over at the bar. He sat alone, drink in hand. Now and then, his gaze shifted from side to side as though hiding from someone. If I didn’t know him any better, I’d think he was nervous. But then, this was Leo Fagel - boisterous, cocky, and mostly never nervous. “Hello, stranger.” Slumping into the seat beside him, I bumped his shoulder with my fist. Leon turned my way and managed what I knew was a forced smile. The blue of his eyes glittered as he regarded me, a gesture whose meaning I could not decipher. With a hand, he beckoned the bartender to get me a glass. “You’re late,” he said, the words devoid of emotion, his eye contact unsteady. I waited for him to continue. Maybe a lame joke about how many eons had passed while he waited, a backhanded compliment on how I looked? When all he did was stare into his glass, I realized it would take a while before he finally got used to knowing that the late Alpha Eldran Dwythe was my father. Sighing inwardly, I thanked the bartender for the cocktail. “Yeah, sorry about that.” I was putting in an extra effort to look good for you. I almost said it, but I doubted he even noticed. Leon went cold and silent again. His eyes darted around him as if he was expecting something to happen. For several minutes, we sat in an awkward silence he didn’t seem ready to end. “So…” I started. “How has your training been?” My grin was bright, too bright; I had to remind myself to take control. I was a bundle of emotions around him, and not the fun kind. He looked at me, frowning, as if I spoke a foreign language. After gathering his bearings, Leon rolled his eyes. “Oh, that? It’s been pretty much the same. Alpha Hensen says I gotta bring something new to the table.” He held my gaze almost knowingly. I stiffened as the name was mentioned. A clutching feeling of hatred filled me for a moment, but then, it vanished as if it was never there. “What else does he want aside from strength and competence?” A child sacrifice? Leon shrugged and said nothing more, even though there were tons of words needing to be said. He gulped down a tumbler of brandy as if it was nothing, just before taking another vain look around us. “Let’s cut to the real reason I reached out again, Vina.” In an attempt to avoid his heated gaze, my eyes fell to the base of his neck. Fair, glistening skin that pulsed as he swallowed. The first two buttons of his indigo shirt were undone, revealing a good deal of his torso. Goddess, he was sexy. If you’re wondering how inappropriate it is to think of my best friend in that manner, let me also add that my identity wasn’t the only secret I’d been hiding from him. “I missed you,” he began, softly. The words snapped my attention back to him. Heat imploded through my body and filled my face. Hopefully, just hopefully, I wouldn’t explode out of sheer excitement. He paused, searching for words, his gaze drifting past me to something—or someone—behind me. I was too engrossed up in our conversation to look back. After a moment, he continued, "It's just... I needed some time to fully digest everything you'd told me. It was..." "A lot to take in," I finished for him, understanding dawning on me. "I know. That's why I hesitated so long before telling you." A shadow of sadness crossed his face. Maybe I read too much into it, but instinctively, I reached out, my hand finding his. The warmth of his skin against mine sparked an involuntary gasp from my lips, and I blinked rapidly, trying to dispel the dizzying effect he had on me. "Don't worry, I'll still support your ambitions to be Alpha Hensen's gamma, whether or not my father was Eldran Dwythe. That’s what friends are for," I reassured him, squeezing his hand. Leon's gaze shifted past me once again, his expression tightening. I could sense that something was off, but nothing could have prepared for what came next. "So, it is true, Savina Dwythe," a familiar, gruff voice announced from behind me. I stiffened, and Leon's hand slipped away from mine. The voice belonged to a figure from a night I'd tried hard to forget—the same voice that had commanded the destruction of my home and the death of my parents. Turning slowly, I met the fiery eyes of a large man, his appearance marked by neatly groomed brown hair and beard, shot through with strands of silver. Behind him stood a group of soldier wolves, menacing and armed. A pain clenched my chest, making it difficult to breathe as I locked eyes with Alpha Hensen. A mixture of fear, hurt, and hatred churned in my stomach. Finding Alpha Hensen in a place like this was the last thing I expected...unless he was here for a very specific purpose. The music had ceased, a detail I missed while lost in Leon's presence. The dance floor had emptied, and all eyes were on me, drawn by the drama unfolding. Hensen had used a name I hadn't gone by since before the scandal broke. He knew who I was. "Seize her," he commanded, and the soldier wolves sprang into action. I turned to Leon, confusion and desperation mingling in my gaze. "What's happening?" "I'm sorry," he said, his voice empty of everything but regret. His apology hit me too late. Rough hands grabbed my arms, pulling me to my feet with a force that sent waves of pain through my body. "Your Majesty, this has to be some mistake," I protested, my voice drowned out by the chaos as they dragged me towards the exit. My efforts to were futile against their strength. "Leon! Leon, please do something!" But it was too late. Something had broken inside of me, leaving a void I could almost physically feel. My head now throbbed with an unbearable ache as I thought of the weight of my friend’s betrayal. I thought back to the moment he asked to see me; the joy I felt was boundless, my eager self waiting for it like some bride ready to be wed. Not once did I accept that only rogues would remain friends with a traitor. Not once did it occur to me that maybe, just maybe, I should have kept my identity forever hidden. In the doorway, just before the soldiers closed in to block off my view, I caught sight of Leon, standing sullenly beside the Alpha. He had needed to bring something new to the table to be considered for the position he had always wanted. Apparently, turning in the traitor's daughter was a significant feat, a cruel reality indeed. For someone whom I thought could go under a moving truck for me, I never thought he'd be like the rest of them.