Reborn Luna: Claimed By The Lycan King

Selene's POV:

Beneath the glittering crystal chandeliers, golden light spilled across the grand hall, weaving restless shadows through the sea of guests.

The deep crimson gown hugged my figure as I stepped through the entrance, and the lively chatter around the room abruptly faded into stunned silence. Every gaze seemed to lock onto me at once.

In my previous life, I had always stood quietly behind Theron with my head lowered, shrinking myself until I was little more than a shadow at his side. This time, however, confidence steadied every step I took as I moved forward with calm, effortless grace.

At the center of the room stood Theron. His broad frame towered over the crowd, the oppressive Alpha aura surrounding him so powerful that every Omega instinctively lowered their eyes in submission.

Wrapped around his arm was Sylvia, dressed in the same flowing white gown I had worn in my past life. She smiled at him softly, pretending to look pure and innocent.

Without the slightest ripple in my expression, I walked directly toward them, perfectly composed from the inside out.

"Theron," I called, my tone crisp and icy enough.

Both of them looked over at once.

The instant Sylvia noticed the blood-red gown draped around me, shock flickered across her face, quickly followed by a sharp stab of jealousy.

A second later, she slipped back into her usual weak, innocent act and pressed herself tighter against Theron's arm.

Keeping my composure, I stepped closer and offered her my hand with a graceful smile. "You must be the Gamma student Theron told me about—Miss Sylvia Howe, correct? I'm Selene Hart, Theron's mate… and the Luna of the Darkclaw Pack."

Sylvia's smile stiffened instantly, and the hand she had extended hung awkwardly in the air with a faint tremble.

Back in my previous life, she had humiliated me in front of everyone. This time, though, I had no intention of giving her that chance again.

Theron's expression dimmed, something unreadable twisting behind his eyes as he looked at me like he couldn't figure out who I'd become.

"Enough already, Selene," he said flatly, his tone edged with irritation. "Everybody here knows you're my Luna. Quit making such a scene."

At that moment, soft orchestral music drifted through the grand hall. One by one, werewolves began stepping onto the dance floor with their partners.

Theron's gaze settled on me again.

As his mate and the Luna of the Darkclaw Pack, I was supposed to be the woman he invited for the opening dance.

Yet he remained perfectly still, showing no intention of offering me his hand.

Catching the chance instantly, Sylvia wrapped herself around Theron's arm with a bright smile. "Come dance with me, Alpha. I practiced some new moves just for you."

After that, she glanced at me with fake innocence shining in her eyes. "You don't mind, right?"

Calmly, I stepped aside and gave a faint shrug. "Go ahead. Enjoy yourselves."

A flicker of surprise crossed Theron's face, but he didn't say a word.

He guided Sylvia onto the center of the dance floor.

Together, they moved beneath the glowing lights with effortless chemistry, their bodies far too close for comfort.

Sylvia carried herself like she already owned the title of Luna, leaning close to whisper into Theron's ear before breaking into soft, delighted laughter every few moments.

Theron made no effort to stop her. Right there in front of the entire crowd, he even lifted a hand and gently brushed his fingers through her hair.

Murmurs immediately rippled across the crowd around me.

"Look at the Luna of the Darkclaw Pack. So what if she dressed herself up? Her mate still doesn't give a damn about her."

"How embarrassing. Her mate throws his money at his mistress, and she still sits there acting proud."

Every mocking whisper drifted clearly into my ears, sharp and cruel. This time, though, none of it touched me.

I watched the entire scene with detached calm, absentmindedly running my fingertips across the cover of the auction catalog. I hadn't walked into this place to compete for Theron's attention. Something as cheap and worthless as his affection no longer deserved even a second of my concern.

The Crescent Party's final event was the auction.

My attention had been fixed on a worthless-looking piece of land called Shadow Hollow.

To everyone in the room, it was nothing more than a worthless stretch of dead land, a desolate wasteland wrapped in rumors of bad luck and curses. Memories from my previous life told me something no one else in that room knew. Within three years, future expansion projects would turn Shadow Hollow into the largest transportation hub in the region. Nearly eighty percent of all trade between the packs would eventually flow through that land.

As the final note of music faded away, the grand hall slowly brightened beneath the crystal chandeliers overhead.

The auctioneer made his way onto the stage and brought out the item I had been waiting on from the start.

"And now, our final event of the evening—auction of the deed to Shadow Hollow. Bidding will begin at five hundred thousand. Place your bids!" the auctioneer called out, his booming voice echoing through the glittering hall.

Silence answered him. Only a few mocking snickers drifted through the crowd.

To everyone there, the land was nothing but worthless wasteland no one would ever buy.

"Five hundred thousand," I said calmly, lifting my paddle without the slightest hesitation.

The instant the words left my mouth, Theron's entire body seemed to tense.

A heartbeat later, his furious voice slammed into my mind through the Mindlink.

"Selene, have you completely lost it?" Disgust laced every word he spoke. "That land's garbage. Don't humiliate the Darkclaw Pack in front of everyone."

I glanced at him and collided with the fury burning in his eyes. Inside the mental realm, the crushing force of his Alpha aura slammed into me like a tidal wave, trying to drag me to my knees and force my submission.

"That's none of your concern." I shot back, my voice sharp with frost.

"Drop the paddle," he ordered sharply. The pressure from his Alpha aura intensified through our mate bond, sending a stabbing pain through my head and awakening the instinct to obey him.

Breathing hard, I forced myself to endure the agony ripping through my head. Then, without hesitation, I severed the Mindlink connecting me to Theron.

Theron's face drained of color. Shock blazed across his features as he stared at me like he couldn't believe what I'd just done. Cutting off the Mindlink was an open act of defiance against an Alpha's authority. Between mated werewolves, it might as well have been a declaration of war.

"Six hundred thousand." A low, velvety voice drifted through the hall, smooth as silk yet carrying a dangerous edge that sent a chill down my spine.

Startled, I turned toward the far side of the hall. A man sat alone in the shadows.

Dark purple velvet draped over his tall frame, while long silver hair spilled across his shoulders. Even from a distance, an oppressive aura rolled off him. Every inch of him screamed danger.

He was none other than Draven Nightshade, the Alpha of the Umbra Pack.

Rumors claimed his wolf was terrifyingly powerful, and everyone knew he and Theron were sworn enemies.

Hardly anyone who witnessed his transformation ever made it out alive.

He ruled the underworld like a king born from darkness.

"Seven hundred thousand," I forced out through clenched teeth as I lifted my paddle once more.

"One million." Draven spoke lazily, almost bored, yet those dangerously mesmerizing eyes never left me for even a second.

The moment our gazes locked, an icy chill crawled down my spine. It felt as though some ancient predator had fixed its sights on me, and every drop of blood in my body turned cold. His stare held no trace of mockery—only a dark, unsettling curiosity, sharpened by something dangerously predatory.

For one breathless second, my thoughts scattered, and my heart began pounding against my ribs despite myself. It wasn't fear—it was a strange pull that seemed to echo from deep within my soul.

"Two million," I said, forcing my voice steady as I lifted my paddle again.

"Three million." A faint, amused smile curved his mouth, but his eyes never once left mine.

The entire hall exploded into chaos.

Nobody had imagined the Luna of one pack and the Alpha of another would clash so fiercely over a stretch of land everyone considered worthless.

"Four million!" Grinding my teeth, I threw out my final bid.

A low, amused laugh slipped from Draven's lips. At last, he looked away from me and lifted one elegant hand in a lazy gesture, signaling that he was backing down.

"Sold! Shadow Hollow now belongs to Luna Selene!" the auctioneer declared.

Exhaustion washed over me as I leaned heavily against the chair, my hands damp with sweat.

A sharp, icy shiver suddenly crawled down my spine. Without noticing when exactly, Theron had moved behind me without making a sound. He bent close, the heat of his breath ghosting against my ear while barely contained rage rolled off him in waves.

"Four million for a worthless stretch of land? Looks like you've finally gotten bold, Selene." Keeping his voice low enough that no one else could hear, he added with cold menace, "Listen to me carefully. You're paying for this out of your own pocket. I'm not throwing away a single cent on your pathetic little stunt."