After His Luna Murdered Our Daughter, I Escaped

The white dress felt soft against my skin as I twirled in front of the mirror. Today was supposed to be special—my mating ceremony with Lucien. I'd been waiting for this day since he promised to make me his Luna after I saved him from those bad wolves years ago.

"Perfect," I whispered to my reflection, touching the simple pearl necklace Lucien had given me last night. "Do you think he'll like it?"

My wolf, Silver, purred inside me. *He'll love it because it's you wearing it.*

The door opened with a soft click, and Lucien appeared in his formal Alpha attire. My heart skipped a beat at how handsome he looked—all tall and commanding with his dark hair perfectly styled and those green eyes that could see right through me.

"Ready, my little captain?" he asked, extending his hand.

I nodded eagerly, taking his warm fingers in mine. "Ready!"

But instead of leading me to the pack's altar where I'd imagined our ceremony would be, Lucien guided me through the winding corridors of the Silvercrest estate to a part I'd never seen before.

"Where are we going?" I asked, confusion creeping into my voice as we entered a lavishly decorated wing with high ceilings and expensive paintings.

"This," Lucien said, stopping in the center of a grand room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a private garden, "is the West Wing. Your new home."

"My home?" I tilted my head, trying to understand. "But shouldn't we be at the altar? For our ceremony?"

Something flickered across Lucien's face—guilt? Annoyance?—before his expression smoothed into gentle concern.

"Harper," he said softly, placing his hands on my shoulders. "We need to talk about what happens next."

He led me to a plush sofa and sat beside me, taking my hands in his.

"You can't be my public Luna," he explained, his voice careful and measured. "Your... condition... makes that impossible. The pack needs strength, someone who can represent us to other Alphas."

My chest tightened. "But you promised—"

"And I keep my promises," he interrupted, squeezing my hands. "You'll still be my Luna in here." He tapped my heart. "This will be our secret. Your safety is my priority, Harper. Think of this as your Gilded Cage—a beautiful, safe place where I can keep my precious treasure."

I frowned, struggling to process his words. "A cage? But cages are for—"

"Not a real cage," he corrected quickly. "Just a safe place. You'll have everything you need here."

---

Hours later, alone in my new quarters, I wandered around touching the expensive furniture and pretty decorations. Nothing felt right. Nothing felt like home.

I found a remote control and switched on the large television mounted on the wall. Maybe some noise would make this place feel less empty.

The screen flickered to life, showing a news channel with breaking headlines. My breath caught as I saw Lucien standing at a podium, looking every bit the powerful Alpha. But he wasn't alone.

A beautiful woman with