Chapter 2 Her Coronation

(Hilda)

It’s Cerelia’s Luna coronation ceremony today. 

It’s almost funny that only yesterday, I believed today would be my coronation day. I had imagined it. The flowers, the music, the happiness I would feel standing beside him. But now it was her flowers, her music, and her happiness. 

The pack gathered in the clearing, everyone dressed in their finest, smiles adorning their faces. The air was filled with joy and celebration, the scent of flowers and the sound of laughter permeating the space. 

Everywhere I looked, there were signs of festivity and happiness. It felt like a cruel joke. 

I walked slowly through the crowd, each step sending a jolt of pain through my body. The physical discomfort was nothing compared to the agony in my heart. 

I tried to search for my old friends in the crowd but I didn’t find them. The only thing I could see was Soren and Cerelia standing together, their hands intertwined, looking at each other with such love and adoration that it brought tears to my eyes. 

It was the same look he used to give me, the look that made me feel like the most important person in the world. 

Memories flooded my mind. Soren and I grew up together, training side by side, sharing our dreams and ambitions. I was his mate, his Beta, his equal. We had fought together, bled together, and now he was making another woman his Luna. 

It was a betrayal of everything we had ever shared. 

A man’s voice brought me back to the present. “Well well well, if it isn’t the forgotten Beta,” he sneered. It was Alpha Damon, Cerelia’s brother. I knew him from battle, a skilled warrior with a sharp tongue. 

He had always been insufferable, and now he still takes delight in my misery when we were no longer enemies.

“Must be really hard for you to watch this,” Damon continued, his tone dripping with mock sympathy. “Seeing your mate with my sister, knowing you’ve been replaced.” 

I clenched my fists, trying to keep my emotions in check. The pain, the anger, the sense of betrayal - it all surged within me. Damon’s words were like salt in an open wound, and I could feel my control slipping. 

“What do you want, Damon?” I spat, my voice shaking with suppressed rage. 

He shrugged, a smirk playing on his lips. “Nothing, really. Just enjoying the show. You look so pathetic, standing here all alone. It’s quite the sight.” 

That was the last straw. All the hurt, all the frustration, everything I had been holding back came to a head. I lunged at him, but was stopped by a strong hand on my shoulder. I turned around angrily but my foul mood was almost cleared when I saw the familiar face of my oldest friend, Alec.

“Alec! I am glad you are alive! Where is Becca?”

His sad eyes told me everything. I sighed.

“Hilda, let’s not make a scene. Come with me.” He grabbed my arm and tried to lead me away.

I glared at him, my fists still clenched. “He was mocking me, rubbing salt in the wound, he said I have been replaced…” 

“You are.” Alec rubbed his temples. “Hilda, you need to control your temper. This isn’t helping anyone. Alpha Damon is our biggest ally, you are not only sabotaging the delicate balance between the packs, but also hurting Soren himself with your inconsiderate outbursts. ” 

I was shocked that he took their side over mine. I guess a year is a rather long time to be asleep.

I laughed bitterly. “After everything he’s done, you expect me to just stand here and take it?” 

For a moment, it looked like he might say something, but then Soren and Cerelia appeared, pushing through the crowd. Soren’s eyes were filled with a mixture of anger and concern as he looked between the three of us. 

“What’s going on here?” Soren demanded, his voice stern. 

“Your ex-mate just tried to attack me,” Damon said, pointing an accusing finger at me. “She’s gone mad.” 

Cerelia stepped forward, her expression softening. “Hilda, please. We don’t want any more trouble. This is supposed to be a happy occasion.” 

“Happy for you, maybe,” the bitterness in my voice was evident. “But for me, it’s a nightmare.” 

Soren put a hand on Cerelia’s shoulder, his eyes locking onto mine. “Hilda, I know this is hard. But we need to move forward. You need to move forward.” 

His words cut deep, but there was a part of me that knew he was right. Standing here, fighting with Damon, wouldn’t change anything. It wouldn’t bring back what I had lost.

Soren doesn’t want me any more. My friends are all dead or unrecognizable. There was nothing here for me anymore. Maybe it was time to let go.

“Fine.” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

With that, I turned and walked away, leaving the festive crowd behind. The pain in my heart was still there, but I was determined to find a way to survive. 

But Damon wasn’t done. “Seize her!” He yelled at his men.

His voice cut through the murmur of the crowd, and a group of warriors moved to surround me, their grips firm but not harsh as they took hold of my arms.

The humiliation of being publicly apprehended was almost too much to bear, but I wouldn’t show weakness. Not here. Not now. 

“I’ll teach you a lesson on respect.” Damon sneered at me while signaling his men with a nod.