Darius POV I know I’m not supposed to listen to my mother’s words. I’ve promised myself countless times that I wouldn’t let her manipulations sway me. I’d told myself I would act with my own mind, with my own principles. But something about the way she sounded last night…it made me worried. There was an undeniable desperation in her voice, a warning that I couldn’t shake off. It felt like she could see something I couldn’t—that we were about to lose everything. But how could that be possible? We’re royalty. We’ve always been royalty, and we always will be. I willingly gave up my chance to become Alpha so that my brother, Alpha Orion, could lead the pack. I trusted him to hold that position with honor and keep the family intact. But then my mother’s words echoed in my mind again. "Why would he want to dethrone her from being Luna? Why now?" I couldn’t shake it. Why would Orion strip my mother of her position as Luna just to make Anita Luna? Why couldn’t he marry Anita and still leav
Anita POV “How can they just come to me and expect me to believe whatever they say?” It had been hours now since the change in my life. No work, no chores, no orders—they’d moved me from the slave quarters to one of the concubine’s chambers. I was stunned. Confused, really. Why was this happening? What did I do to deserve this sudden elevation? They said I was now "privileged." Madame Betty had dropped that word like a gift at my feet, but it felt more like a trap. I don’t trust it. I can’t trust it. It didn’t feel real, like none of this was real. I sat down for dinner, alone at a private table, away from the other maids. They treated me differently now. Even the way they looked at me had changed—some with jealousy, some with confusion, but most with judgment. I didn’t want any of it. I didn’t ask for any of it. The more I thought about it, the more I realized I couldn’t stay like this. This wasn’t me. I’m not meant for this. All I wanted was peace, but here I was, getting caught
Alpha Orion POV I don't know why, but no matter what I do, Anita always finds a way to annoy me. Every word, every action—it's like she's determined to push me to my limits. I try to offer her a higher position, a life beyond the chains of servitude, yet she dares to drag her feet, insisting she doesn't want it. She even asked to go back to the slave quarters! Can you believe it? After all I've done to lift her from that wretched place, she rejects me. I know I wasn’t supposed to yell at her. I know I wasn’t supposed to lose control. But how could I not? Frustration burns through me like fire, and she stands there, defiant. Every word she speaks is like a thorn in my chest. I’m trying to give her a life so many others would kill for, yet she throws it all away like it's nothing. She stands there, eyes filled with something I can’t quite place—hurt? Anger? Fear? And still, she defies me. I remember watching her get harassed by Luna Nora, feeling powerless, but now I'm taking action—
Alpha Orion POV Anita wasn’t rejecting the idea because she liked being poor or because she didn't want a better life. She was rejecting me because she was slowly losing feelings for me. That realization gnawed at my insides like poison. The blame—no, the fault—rested solely on Darius. My fists clenched tightly, and I had to hide my hands behind my back so Anita wouldn’t see how angry I was. The thought of Darius slipping into her heart, taking what was rightfully mine, made my blood boil. I wanted to crush him—to destroy him—but I knew I couldn’t let that rage show. Instead, I had to be strategic. Luna Nora. That was the key. I’d take everything from her. She’d lose her position, and with it, Darius would lose his power too. They both thought they could stand in my way? They were wrong. I looked at Anita, offering her a forced smile. She looked puzzled, unsure, but there was relief in her eyes. I placed a hand gently on her shoulder. “You don’t have to worry, Anita. I won’t stress
Luna Nora POV The moment I walked into the council room, my stomach churned with anticipation. I knew Alpha Orion was about to make his move—his betrayal. And as I sat there, waiting for it all to unfold, I steeled myself for the inevitable. I was about to lose everything I had worked for, everything I had sacrificed for this pack. But I couldn’t show my fear. I couldn’t let anyone see that this moment terrified me to my core. Not Darius, not the council members, and certainly not Anita. Alpha Orion cleared his throat, his voice echoing across the chamber, and the council members bowed respectfully. I refused to move. He didn’t deserve my respect. Not after what he was about to do. His gaze softened as it landed on Anita, and I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this was the moment he would announce my downfall. I clenched my fists under the table, feeling the weight of his betrayal like a noose tightening around my neck. I waited for him to speak, each word from his mouth like
Darius POVStanding up against Alpha Orion felt like stepping into a battlefield. I knew it was a dangerous move, but I had to show my mother that I was ready to protect her, to stand by her, even if it meant challenging my brother. If I failed to defend her now, she would forever see me as weak, as someone who bends to Alpha Orion's will. That was something I couldn't live with.My eyes narrowed as I faced Alpha Orion, and I made sure the anger was clear in my expression. I wanted him to see that I wasn’t just standing there like a shadow. I was here for a fight, and this time, I wouldn’t back down."You can’t just strip my mother of her position, Orion. You’ve been planning this for a while, haven’t you? Everyone’s been whispering about it, everyone knows what you intend to do. But I won’t allow it. Anita doesn’t even want this. Ask her! She doesn’t want to be Luna, and you know it!"I turned to Anita, hoping that my words would give her the strength to speak up. But instead of defe
Anita POVWatching them all argue together, I couldn't help but feel a deep sadness welling up inside me. This wasn’t how I imagined things would turn out. I never wanted Darius and Alpha Orion to fight, not over me, not over anything. All I wanted was for them to find peace with each other, but now, that peace seemed so far out of reach.I felt like a stone, stuck in place, forced to watch the growing tension between the two brothers as it tore them apart. I knew deep down that this was all part of Luna Nora’s plan. It was obvious in the way she smiled at me, a sly, satisfied grin that told me everything was going exactly as she wanted. She was enjoying this, watching Alpha Orion and Darius clash. I hated that I was at the center of it all, but there was nothing I could do to stop it.Darius looked at me with pity, as if he knew the burden I carried, but I couldn’t move. I couldn’t speak up. If I said anything now, I would only offend Alpha Orion further, and I knew he was already on
Luna Nora POVAfter Alpha Orion had finally succeeded in humiliating me—doing exactly what he wanted—Darius did nothing. That betrayal pierced through me. He just stood there, silent, when he should’ve stood up for me. I was furious beyond words, but I had no right to speak, not anymore. I could feel the council’s eyes on me, watching, waiting for my reaction. If I wanted to keep any semblance of dignity within the palace, if I wanted to be respected even a little, I had no choice but to play along and accept Orion’s decision.But deep inside, I was boiling. He had stripped me of everything—my power, my title, my respect—all in one fell swoop. And for what? For that lowly slave girl, Anita? It felt like a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from. The more I thought about it, the more the rage inside me festered. My position, my throne as Luna, was gone. But that didn't mean I was defeated. No. I still had a weapon, and that weapon was Darius. I saw the anger and vengeance in his eyes before