The Rejected Luna and The Cursed Nephilim

"Everyone, let me introduce to you, Lillian Grace. Starting today, this girl will be my true mate and the future Luna for all of you." Adrian, the alpha of the Eclipse pack alliance, tightly held a petite-looking girl’s shoulder that stood next to him, she was nervously glancing across the members of his pack gathered in the main hall of Belmont Castle. The blonde-haired girl tried to straighten her back and smile awkwardly, “H-Hello, my name is Lillian Grace. You can just call me Grace or Lily.” She could feel the weight of the room's shocked silence and retreated backward. Her knee-length blush pink dress swayed a little when she moved. Adrian, not aware of his tense surroundings or pretending not to care, chose to smile sweetly at Grace’s clumsy behavior, then pulled her even closer to him and looked at her with a gaze full of love. However, his sudden announcement received no response whatsoever. Instead, everyone froze in place, horror-stricken, staring at their alpha as if he was mad or something. Of course, it would be like that. He was bringing a human girl and announced her as the new Luna candidate at the Luna coronation party and mating night between him and me–the true Luna candidate that had been chosen by the alliance for a long time. I was standing quite far from the main podium while holding a wine glass when that happened. “Ian, I think I made a mistake,” murmured Grace with a flustered face. Ian, or Adrian, caressed Grace’s hair slowly. “It’s okay, you’re doing fine.” "Adrian, what in the world is happening here? Why are you bringing a human to the Luna coronation ceremony?" Aunt Vanz, the wife of Adrian's father's younger brother, stepped forward with an expression of disbelief. Adrian locked eyes with his aunt, his gaze icy. "Why not? It is my right to choose who my Luna and mate will be. I chose Grace because she is my true mate, not a puppet selected from a long time ago. I want a mate based on love, not forced arranged marriage!" His words reverberated through the room, echoing like a wolf's howl, asserting his alpha dominance. Yet, Adrian seemed entirely unconcerned that I was standing there, desperately trying to maintain composure amidst the pitying and mocking stares all across the room. I knew he hated this arranged marriage, but I could not find the reason behind his childish act of mocking me as his fiancee or this pack tradition. I tried to hold back my anger and disgust, did not want to fall into his words and bursting anger. "Abel... are you okay? I'll escort you into the room." The gentle voice of a middle-aged woman snapped me out of my trance. I had been silently gazing blankly toward the podium where Adrian and Lily stood together for a quite long time. "Don’t worry. Your father will handle all of this. You'll still become a Luna, don't worry." "Pft–becoming Luna? When the alpha rejects you openly and humiliates you in front of everyone, would Mom speak like that if Mom were in my position right now?" I turned to my mother with a piercing yet emotionally charged gaze. I had followed all of my aunts' advice and bathed in various flowers and fragrances to heighten the alpha's libido, ensuring I would soon bear an heir. However, now all those efforts seemed useless because I would not become Luna tonight, or ever. I was cast aside, rejected, and humiliated. "Abel...," my mother whispered weakly. "It’s fine, Mom. I'll put an end to all of this." I clenched my fists tightly and began to step forward. I might not become a Luna, but I would not bear this shame alone. Tap. Tap. Tap. "Isabel?" The question lingered in the air, leaving an anticipatory hush. "What's she gonna do?" "Bella, please." Every plea for me to contain my rage was outright ignored. I continued my determined stride towards the podium, locking eyes with Adrian, and meeting the alpha's piercing gaze as he shielded Grace in his embrace. He might be afraid that I would tear apart his new mistress or do other foolish revenge, but I would never let my pride be broken by something stupid like that. I was born and raised to be a Luna. A Luna could never be compared with a mere human girl. Meanwhile, Grace herself was entranced by my indescribable beauty, a captivating allure beauty akin to the Moon Goddess herself–I heard that a lot. "What do you want?" Adrian's words were tense and laced with disdain. "I won't grant you the Luna title, even if you kneel or are willing to do anything. You must surrender, Bella. A Luna is no longer your place." His words dripped with mockery. Just because the Belmont family stood one tier higher than the Hawthorn did not give him the right to treat me arbitrarily, as this alliance was forged through ancestral agreements, not power-based. Belmont and Hawthorn were equal in power, but Belmont was more dominant in the military area whereas Hawthorn's main source of power resided in their indomitable wealth. "Pft—" I scoffed, a short, disdainful sound escaping my lips. I intended to laugh, but all that emerged was a dismissive scoff. I shot a cold gaze at Adrian, my eyes flicking briefly towards Grace. "Kneel? Ready to do anything? Do you think tonight I'm enrolling to be your servant?" I quipped, my words dripping with icy disdain. "What?" Adrian furrowed his brow. Clunk. Not one to wait around, I unclasped the jewel-adorned alexandrite pendant—a legacy of the Luna lineage, passed down through generations in the Eclipse pack—and dropped it onto the marble floor. "Take it and put it to her, or whatever." "Tch! You've truly crossed the line, Isabel—" "One thing you need to know, Ad," I suddenly pulled on the man's collar, creating a mere two-inch gap between me and Adrian. I locked eyes with him, intense. "You're not the only one forced into this marriage. I was forced too. I lost my childhood, my friends, and even my time to savor life just to learn how to be a Luna. Luna, Luna, and Luna. Everyone says I'm the best Luna-to-be, destined to be the most respected Luna someday. But now, you're acting selfishly, leaving me alone in this pit hole." Adrian's eyes widened a bit, absorbing my words. He had never known my side of the story, as I rarely spoke unless commanded or given a task. I continued, my voice determined. "I don't want to play this foolish game anymore. Marry whoever you want and make them your Luna. But, one thing you must understand, I will make you realize that what you're doing today will lead you to your downfall, Mr. Belmont." I pushed Adrian, causing him to step back in surprise. Everyone present was so astonished by my sudden boldness, the total opposite of my usual calm and silent demeanor. "And you, human girl." This time, I turned to Grace, making her tremble in fear when confronted with my powerful aura and charisma. "I won't curse you, but know this, there's a reason why I had to learn from a young age to become a Luna, rather than just appearing with someone else's fiancé. But it's fine. You can have him now. I hate having to wear preloved stuff anyway." I flashed a thin smirk, sending a chill down Lily's spine. After that, I turned and walked away from what should have been the happiest night for me. I left the lovebird couple in a state of shock, unable to utter a word in the face of my abrupt change in demeanor. It was not that sudden. These were all the emotions I had suppressed since childhood because I was taught that Luna must be fair and not prioritize her feelings on top of the pack matter. I walked out through the exit and disappeared behind the door, not knowing that there was someone who was not a member of our pack who watched all of this from outside. "Phew—I came to kill some werewolves, but I ended up with an interesting drama here." From behind the ceiling, a man dressed in black was lying on the roof and blended perfectly with the night's darkness. He murmured while toying with a dagger in his hand, casting a glance in my direction, as I had vanished from the room. "That girl is like an injured wolf queen. She still looks stunning even though her soul is torn apart right now. She's perfect to be my next prey." He grinned. "Today is not a good day to continue the hunt. Hmmm, let's just go back now." He mumbled again before leaping backward, disappearing into the cluster of trees.