Lycan Prince Claims Luna

I collapsed onto the small bed in my quarters, a spartan room at the edge of pack territory—far from the Alpha's chambers where I once belonged. My body shook with silent sobs as the cruel words I'd overheard replayed in my mind like a twisted lullaby.

'Pathetic,' my own son had called me. My beautiful boy, whose first steps I'd witnessed, whose nightmares I'd soothed—now a stranger with contempt in his eyes.

The moonlight cast long shadows across the bare floor as I curled into myself, trying to hold the broken pieces of my heart together. Three years in that dungeon, I'd survived on hope—hope of reunion, of forgiveness, of family. Now that hope lay shattered around me like glass.

I pressed my face into the pillow to muffle my cries. I couldn't let them hear me break. Couldn't give them that satisfaction.

A warm sensation suddenly bloomed at the base of my skull, different from the pack mind-link. It felt... foreign. Powerful.

'I know the truth, Victoria.' The voice was deep, male, and completely unfamiliar. 'I know what they did to you.'

I froze, my breath catching. 'Who are you?' I projected back, my mental voice trembling.

'Someone who has watched this injustice unfold for too long,' the stranger replied. 'Someone who can help you seek justice.'

I sat up, wiping tears from my face. The moon goddess knew I had no reason to trust this mysterious voice, yet something about it called to me—a resonance that felt almost... fated.

'Why would you help me?' I asked.

'Because you deserve better than betrayal from those who should have protected you.' His voice carried an authority that sent shivers down my spine. 'Because I've seen your strength, even when you haven't.'

I closed my eyes, weighing my options. Trust had nearly destroyed me. And yet, what choice did I have? Return to being their puppet, or fight back?

'I'm willing to work with you,' I finally responded, my decision crystallizing like ice in my veins.

The connection faded without another word, leaving me alone with the weight of my choice. Whatever happened next, I wouldn't be the same Victoria who had walked out of that dungeon—grateful for scraps of affection, desperate to please. That woman died tonight.

* * *

The pack's main shopping district buzzed with activity the next morning. I moved through the crowd with my head held high, ignoring the whispers that followed in my wake. The sun warmed my skin as I examined fruits at a market stall, trying to appear normal despite the storm raging inside me.

That's when I caught her scent—gardenias on the verge of rot, sickeningly sweet.

'Well, look who's shopping like she still matters.'

I turned slowly to face Amanda Parker, the pack healer. Her blonde hair gleamed in the sunlight, her lips curved in a predatory smile. The woman Marcus and Dylan had mentioned in their mind-link.

'Amanda,' I acknowledged, struggling to keep my voice steady. 'I'm just getting some fresh air.'

She circled me like a wolf stalking wounded prey, her eyes raking over my prison-thinned frame. 'How... quaint. Enjoying your temporary freedom?'

The crowd around us quieted, pack members slowing to watch the confrontation. I stood my ground, though every instinct screamed to retreat.

'There's nothing temporary about it,' I replied, forcing confidence into my voice. 'I'm still Luna of this pack.'

Amanda's laugh cut through the market like glass. 'Are you?' She stepped closer, pulling down the collar of her blouse to reveal a fresh bite mark at the junction of her neck and shoulder. 'Then what's this?'

My world tilted. The mark was unmistakable—an Alpha's claim. Marcus's claim.

'That's impossible,' I whispered, my fingers instinctively touching my own mark, the one that had bound me to Marcus for years. 'He can't—'

'Can't what? Choose a stronger mate?' Amanda traced the mark lovingly, her eyes never leaving mine. 'I am the true Luna now, Victoria. The pack knows it. Marcus knows it. Even your precious son knows it.'

Before I could respond, a commanding presence cut through the crowd. Marcus strode toward us, his Alpha aura crackling with power. My wolf cowered instinctively.

'Enough of this spectacle,' he growled, grabbing my arm roughly. His eyes flashed amber as he leaned close. 'Know your place, Victoria.'

The Alpha command hit me like a physical blow, forcing me to my knees in the dirt. Gasps rippled through the watching crowd.

'Did you think I'd actually take you back?' Marcus hissed, low enough that only I could hear. 'After what you cost this pack?'

'I didn't do anything,' I managed through gritted teeth, fighting against the command.

His laugh was cold. 'Always the victim.' He straightened, addressing the gathered pack members. 'Let me clarify something for everyone. Victoria here seems confused about her position.'

He pulled Amanda to his side possessively. 'Amanda is my chosen mate. My true partner.'

'But that's not all,' he continued, his eyes gleaming with malice. 'Amanda is also Victoria's half-sister. Isn't that right, Richard?'

The crowd parted as my father stepped forward, his face a mask of cold disdain. The final betrayal clicked into place like the last tumbler of a lock.

Family. It had always been about family.

As I knelt there in the dirt, surrounded by faces twisted with judgment and scorn, something inside me hardened. The mysterious voice from last night echoed in my mind.

Justice. I would have justice.

And they would all pay.