Chapter 3
The full moon hung heavy in the night sky, casting an ethereal glow over the sacred gathering grounds. I stood tall on the ceremonial platform, my silver dress flowing around me like liquid moonlight. My hand rested protectively over my slightly rounded belly as I watched the assembled Alphas take their places in the circle.
Tonight was about power. About consequences.
Madison stood at my right shoulder, her presence a steady anchor in the storm of emotions I kept carefully contained. "He's here," she murmured, nodding toward the edge of the clearing.
Michael entered with his entourage, his shoulders rigid with tension. Our eyes met across the distance, and I saw the barely contained fury in his gaze. Good. Let him feel a fraction of what I had endured.
"Alpha Michael Harrison," I called, my voice carrying across the now-silent gathering. "Step forward."
The crowd parted as he approached the platform. I noted with cold satisfaction how several Alphas from neighboring packs watched with undisguised interest. News of his betrayal had spread like wildfire, and now they would witness his humiliation.
"Luna Victoria," he acknowledged stiffly, stopping at the base of the platform.
"You know why you're here," I said, each word precise and cutting. "Your actions have dishonored the sacred bond between Alpha and Luna. You have broken faith with the Silvermoon Pack."
Michael's jaw tightened. "I have agreed to the submission ritual. Let's get this over with."
"So eager," I replied softly, descending the steps until we stood face to face. "One might think you have somewhere else to be. Perhaps with your rogue?"
A muscle jumped in his cheek, but he remained silent. I circled him slowly, feeling the eyes of every Alpha present tracking my movements.
"Kneel," I commanded.
For a moment, I thought he might refuse. His eyes flashed amber, his wolf rising to the surface in rebellion. Then, with visible effort, he lowered himself to one knee.
"Lower," I instructed coldly.
Michael's hands clenched into fists as he dropped to both knees. The proud Alpha of Blackwood Pack, kneeling before me like a supplicant.
I placed my hand on his shoulder, feeling him tremble—not with remorse, but with rage and humiliation. Exactly as I had intended.
"Bare your neck," I ordered, my voice carrying the unmistakable weight of Alpha command.
His resistance was palpable, his wolf howling against this ultimate submission. But he had no choice. Slowly, Michael tilted his head, exposing the vulnerable line of his throat.
I leaned down, my lips close to his ear. "Remember this moment," I whispered, for his ears alone. "Remember how it feels to be powerless while everyone watches."
Then I straightened, addressing the gathered witnesses. "I accept Alpha Michael's submission as acknowledgment of his disrespect. The Silvermoon Pack will honor existing trade agreements—for now."
The last two words hung in the air like a sword. Everyone present understood the implicit threat. Michael's submission had bought his pack a temporary reprieve, nothing more.
As he rose to his feet, his eyes met mine with naked hatred. "Satisfied?" he hissed.
I smiled, cold and sharp. "Not even close."
---
I was reviewing territorial maps in my study when Madison burst through the door.
"Eleanor Harrison is at our gates," she announced, her expression tight with anger. "Demanding an audience."
I set down my pen, a wave of nausea washing over me—whether from pregnancy or the mention of my manipulative mother-in-law, I couldn't tell.
"Let her in," I said after a moment. "I want to hear what excuses she's prepared."
Eleanor swept into my study minutes later, her silver-streaked hair perfectly coiffed, her expression a practiced mask of maternal concern.
"Victoria, dear," she began, as if we were still family. "This situation has gone far enough."
I remained seated, deliberately not offering her a chair. "Has it? I wasn't aware betrayal had an expiration date."
"You're carrying the future of both our packs," she pressed, gesturing to my belly. "Think of the child. Think of our alliance."
"The alliance you helped destroy when you introduced that rogue into your son's bed?" I asked pleasantly.
Eleanor's mask slipped, just for a moment. "Sophia is...a complication. But she's not important. What matters is preserving what our packs have built together."
"A Luna's position is sacred," I replied, rising slowly to my feet. "Something you seem to have forgotten. Your son publicly humiliated me, and you orchestrated it. There is no preserving what you've destroyed."
"You're being emotional," she snapped, her diplomatic veneer cracking. "This pregnancy—"
"Guards," I called, not raising my voice.
Two warriors appeared instantly at the door.
"Escort Elder Harrison from Silvermoon territory," I ordered. "She is no longer welcome here."
Eleanor's face hardened. "You'll regret this, Victoria. When your child is born—"
"My child will know their mother stood for her honor," I cut her off. "Now leave, before I decide your trespass warrants more severe consequences."
As she was led away, I felt a sharp twinge in my abdomen. I pressed my hand against it, taking a deep breath.
*Just stress*, I told myself. *Nothing more*.
---
The confrontation with Eleanor left me restless. I found myself pacing the hallways of the pack house, my mind racing with plans and contingencies.
I turned a corner and froze. Michael stood at the end of the corridor, his expression darkening when he saw me.
"What are you doing here?" I demanded, instinctively placing a protective hand over my belly.
"Collecting the last of my things," he growled, stalking toward me. "Since you've made it clear I'm not welcome in my own mate's home."
"You forfeited that right when you chose her," I shot back, refusing to retreat despite the warning signals my wolf was sending.
"This vendetta has gone far enough," he snarled, closing the distance between us. "You've made your point. The submission ritual—"
"Was just the beginning," I finished for him. "Did you think one moment of kneeling would erase what you did? That I would simply forgive and forget?"
His eyes flashed amber. "What more do you want from me?"
"Nothing," I replied coldly. "There is nothing you can give me that I would accept."
"The pup—"
"Is mine," I cut him off, my voice sharp as a blade. "You lost any right to claim them when you betrayed us both."
Michael's face contorted with rage. He stepped closer, his Alpha aura flaring aggressively against mine. "You can't keep my child from me!"
The sudden spike of anger, the clash of our energies—it was too much. A sharp pain lanced through my abdomen, more intense than before. I gasped, doubling over.
Something warm trickled down my inner thigh.
"Victoria?" Madison's voice came from behind me, quickly followed by her steadying hands on my shoulders. "What's happening?"
I looked down in horror at the small droplets of blood now staining the marble floor.
"Get Healer Lyra," Madison ordered one of the guards, her voice tight with urgency. "Now!"
The last thing I saw before Madison whisked me away was Michael's face—shock replacing anger, his hand half-raised as if to reach for me.
But it was too late for that. Far too late.
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