로그인공유
•Chapter 22•
최신 업데이트:
2025-04-23 20:52:55
관련 챕터
The Stand-In Luna •Chapter 23•
ZaneThere was a certain kind of pain that came with seeing your own cowardice play out right before your very eyes. For once, I wanted to open up. To get her to see me for what I really was, but when it mattered the most, I clammed up and went silent. It didn't matter that I told myself that it was for the best. It just didn't feel right.On the way out of the Grove, I came across Alicia, who was busy crushing some seeds in a mortar with a pestle outside. She smiled when she looked up and saw me. “Oh, your Highness.”“You're the same age as my mother, Alicia. The honorifics aren't necessary,” I said to her. The muscles of my face felt too stiff for me to even attempt to smile. Alicia had been the healer who attended to me when I was younger, and up until Ashley came. It wasn't a surprise that I had grown to see her as a mother figure, especially during the times that my own mother had been so overcome with grief at my condition that she stayed away.“I can't bear to see you in so m
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-23The Stand-In Luna •Chapter 24•
AshleyThe exquisite stone carving must have taken months to complete because its delicate carving was unlike anything I had seen before. It told a story, without having to utter a word. “It's magnificent,” I said, unable to keep myself from running a hand over its surface. “This is the reason for our century old war for power,” said Gamma James, looking up at the statue himself with his hands clasped behind him. He looked regal in his embroidered matching two-piece. “The current Lycan King’s ancestor.”After he had come into the apothecary to see me, he asked to speak with me about something important, and since I'd heard enough about his family and their tendency for cruelty, I thought it better to avoid any issues and simply accept his offer.The first place he had taken me to was the heart of the tribe, which wasn't so far from the Grove. There, a huge statue rose from the centre of a circular platform, reaching for the sky. It was of a man in little clothing, focused on a targe
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-25The Stand-In Luna •Chapter 25•
AshleyWe went down a familiar darkened path, our footsteps making echoes over the walls. A light chill hung in the air, and I pulled my jacket tighter around me to keep it out. “What are we doing here?” I asked, looking left and right for any sign of people. The path here was too secluded to have been open for just anyone to pass through, so either James had the right to be there, or we were doing something very dangerous.“This is the one place that I'm certain will make you understand just how dangerous your King is.” He glanced it me out of the corner of his sly eyes. “Telling you just wouldn't suffice.”I kept quiet and continued to follow along, wondering what he had to show me and why he was so hellbent on making me see Zane as a bad person.We reached the great silver doors, the same ones that I had followed Bryce to. How did James know about this place, or was it merely a secret amongst the high-ranking pack members?“It is such a shame that the Leventis family would rather
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-25The Stand-In Luna •Chapter 26•
Ashley“Now that you know all that you do now, I expect that you'll be more cautious, Ashley,” James said once we were out of the pack house’s hidden site. Zane’s cage. Silver moonlight slid through his hair, making him appear like an angel—but I knew better. Eager to get away from him, I nodded. “Yes, I understand now.” The coldness in my chest from Zane's behaviour still lingered, although I tried to tell myself otherwise. I wondered why I still kept holding on to hope that he would open up to me, even when he had shown me differently more than once.Thoughts of Zane abandoned my mind when James moved closer to me, clasping both of my hands protectively in his. It made me all the more aware of how taller he was, and bigger too. His attitude may have been off putting, but he was an undeniably attractive person. And he was very much aware of it from the way he looked at me with heavily-lidded eyes.“I regret to leave your side this evening, but I have important matters to attend to.
최신 업데이트 : 2025-04-28The Stand-In Luna •Chapter 1•
Ashley The day everything changed for the worse started like any other morning. As the strongest warrior of the Moonlit Silver Pack, I led my team through the northwest border, with my muscles tense and my senses sharp. I was doing all of this not because I wanted to, but because even if Jace and I weren’t officially mates yet, I had already stepped into the role of Luna. Also because, deep down, I did it for him. Always for him.We pushed through the woods, but in an instant, my team was gone. My heart raced as I spun, looking for them. Five—no—six Rogues emerged from the trees, their grins sharper than my fighting blades. I couldn't move my limbs, which felt unusually sluggish. Worst of all, I couldn't sense the presence of my wolf, Amy, inside my mind. I was on my own, and something was horribly wrong. “This one belongs to the Alpha, does she not?” One sneered, eyes glinting with malice. “We can use her to get our leader back.” “It’s no wonder he wants her.” Anot
최신 업데이트 : 2025-03-28The Stand-In Luna •Chapter 2•
Ashley I repeated without hesitation, "I want us to break up. Please. Reject me." My voice trembled, raw with pain. Jace’s expression darkened, his jaw tight, fingers twitching as though fighting the urge to do something dangerous. "No," he growled, his voice laced with finality. "Don’t even think about it." The Alpha Command slammed into me like invisible chains, locking me in place. I couldn’t even breathe under the weight of his words. "I’ve already told the elders about our bonding ceremony. The neighboring packs are invited. Soon, you’ll be Luna. No one else can take your place." His grip tightened on my wrists, his warmth searing. "I know I wasn’t enough before," he murmured, voice thick with emotion. "But I want only you. Blaze is furious, heartbroken. We already lost Amy. We can’t lose you too." The protest died on my lips as I slowly shook my head. Oh, how I wanted to believe him. How I wanted to believe for just a moment that his words were true. But then the
최신 업데이트 : 2025-03-28The Stand-In Luna •Chapter 3•
Ashley The joy of Jace's earlier proposal felt like nothing but a cruel joke. "What about my arm?" My voice trembled, but I refused to back down. "This happened because I was trying to stop her from getting hurt.” Jace’s gaze flickered to the blood pooling at my feet. For a moment, he hesitated. Then, releasing Carina, he rushed to my side. His hands cradled my injured arm with a gentleness that made my chest tighten. "I’m . . . sorry, my dear." His voice softened, full of regret. "I’m just so used to worrying about Carina. I didn't mean to lash out at you." Carina shot me a glare of pure resentment before storming out. But Jace didn’t chase after her—he was waiting for my response. Once, his apology would have reassured me. But now, I was just tired. Tired of being an afterthought. Tired of always being overlooked and neglected. "I know you and Carina have nothing going on, but you needed to hear the things she said to me before you got here." I met his gaze, searching for an
최신 업데이트 : 2025-03-28The Stand-In Luna •Chapter 4•
Ashley I couldn't get away from the door fast enough, before I was grabbed and dragged into the hall. With a single jab to my back, I was forced to my knees before the Elders and Jace. I tried to fight it off but I wasn’t strong enough. Elder Joseph was quick to speak. “Kill her. We can’t risk this getting out. Keeping her around at this point is more of a risk.” He got up from his seat and came over to me. His cold eyes watched me like a hawk, assessing my every move. I was completely helpless—my limbs bound, my mouth gagged. He knelt down and pressed his hands into my throat, with the clear intent of ending my life. Panic surged within me as I struggled for breath. My eyes started to roll back into my head and the edges of my vision started to darken. All I could think about was how Jace, who I had trusted, was watching while I was getting strangled to death. “I agree. She’s just an orphan,” another elder chimed. “Getting rid of her would be no loss to us at all.” “Fo
최신 업데이트 : 2025-03-28
최신 챕터
The Stand-In Luna •Chapter 26•
Ashley“Now that you know all that you do now, I expect that you'll be more cautious, Ashley,” James said once we were out of the pack house’s hidden site. Zane’s cage. Silver moonlight slid through his hair, making him appear like an angel—but I knew better. Eager to get away from him, I nodded. “Yes, I understand now.” The coldness in my chest from Zane's behaviour still lingered, although I tried to tell myself otherwise. I wondered why I still kept holding on to hope that he would open up to me, even when he had shown me differently more than once.Thoughts of Zane abandoned my mind when James moved closer to me, clasping both of my hands protectively in his. It made me all the more aware of how taller he was, and bigger too. His attitude may have been off putting, but he was an undeniably attractive person. And he was very much aware of it from the way he looked at me with heavily-lidded eyes.“I regret to leave your side this evening, but I have important matters to attend to.
The Stand-In Luna •Chapter 25•
AshleyWe went down a familiar darkened path, our footsteps making echoes over the walls. A light chill hung in the air, and I pulled my jacket tighter around me to keep it out. “What are we doing here?” I asked, looking left and right for any sign of people. The path here was too secluded to have been open for just anyone to pass through, so either James had the right to be there, or we were doing something very dangerous.“This is the one place that I'm certain will make you understand just how dangerous your King is.” He glanced it me out of the corner of his sly eyes. “Telling you just wouldn't suffice.”I kept quiet and continued to follow along, wondering what he had to show me and why he was so hellbent on making me see Zane as a bad person.We reached the great silver doors, the same ones that I had followed Bryce to. How did James know about this place, or was it merely a secret amongst the high-ranking pack members?“It is such a shame that the Leventis family would rather
The Stand-In Luna •Chapter 24•
AshleyThe exquisite stone carving must have taken months to complete because its delicate carving was unlike anything I had seen before. It told a story, without having to utter a word. “It's magnificent,” I said, unable to keep myself from running a hand over its surface. “This is the reason for our century old war for power,” said Gamma James, looking up at the statue himself with his hands clasped behind him. He looked regal in his embroidered matching two-piece. “The current Lycan King’s ancestor.”After he had come into the apothecary to see me, he asked to speak with me about something important, and since I'd heard enough about his family and their tendency for cruelty, I thought it better to avoid any issues and simply accept his offer.The first place he had taken me to was the heart of the tribe, which wasn't so far from the Grove. There, a huge statue rose from the centre of a circular platform, reaching for the sky. It was of a man in little clothing, focused on a targe
The Stand-In Luna •Chapter 23•
ZaneThere was a certain kind of pain that came with seeing your own cowardice play out right before your very eyes. For once, I wanted to open up. To get her to see me for what I really was, but when it mattered the most, I clammed up and went silent. It didn't matter that I told myself that it was for the best. It just didn't feel right.On the way out of the Grove, I came across Alicia, who was busy crushing some seeds in a mortar with a pestle outside. She smiled when she looked up and saw me. “Oh, your Highness.”“You're the same age as my mother, Alicia. The honorifics aren't necessary,” I said to her. The muscles of my face felt too stiff for me to even attempt to smile. Alicia had been the healer who attended to me when I was younger, and up until Ashley came. It wasn't a surprise that I had grown to see her as a mother figure, especially during the times that my own mother had been so overcome with grief at my condition that she stayed away.“I can't bear to see you in so m
The Stand-In Luna •Chapter 22•
Ashley“You're an idiot to think he even trusted you,” I muttered to myself.I rushed back home as though being chased by a nightmare, not caring about the dark, or caring about coming across someone who might have seen just how frazzled I was. The throbbing I had been feeling earlier had gone down to an uncomfortable numbness.Once I got back, I first rinsed my hand with cool running water and applied a salve to the places that were most hurt. The coolness of the salve helped me relax, and not long after, I fell asleep.By the next morning, the worst of the wound had been taken care of by the salve, although there were certain wounds that a salve couldn't fix and the fact that I had lost my wolf made my healing slower.Work at the Grove went on as usual—well at least it was until someone came knocking at the door of the apothecary Alicia had placed me in charge of.“Who is it?” I asked, already rising to my feet. I made sure that the bandage around my hand was secure, before pulling
The Stand-In Luna •Chapter 21•
Ashley “Oh no,” I muttered, shutting my eyes and pressing myself to the wall as though that would magically make me disappear. I didn't intend for my gasp to have been so loud, but the surprise had gripped me so powerfully that it slipped out.Bryce and Zane fell very quiet, obviously having heard me. “You heard that too, didn't you?” Came Zane's voice.“Fortunately, yes. You're not going insane,” was Bryce’s sarcastic reply. “I'll go check it out.”The pounding in my chest intensified. This wasn't going to end well. I had barely settled into the Lycan territory and I was about to be discovered for stumbling upon something I clearly shouldn't have.I heard the approaching footsteps and stewed in my silent agony for a few more moments, before finally stepping out of my cover with my hands raised.Bryce was closer than I had anticipated, and so the moment I stepped into his view, his arm struck out like a tail of a scorpion, inches away from my face.We both froze, staring at each ot
The Stand-In Luna •Chapter 20•
AshleyAfter visiting Daisy that evening, I returned to my newfound home, and had a night bothered by thoughts concerning Zane. What Bryce said about his nightly routine fed into those thoughts.Still feeling restless, I managed to fall asleep a couple of hours later.The next day started out on a calm note. I resumed at the Grove, attending to people who needed tinctures and ointments, particularly warriors, when Val, the warrior who had been flirting with me the previous day, burst into the little room I was working and asked me to come and help out with something. “Magic-hands,” he panted, using the nickname I was given for my healing abilities while pulling me to my feet, “there's someone who needs your help.” He didn't even wait for me to respond before he dragged me out to a little shack close to the woods.His frequent visits had made him a popular face in the Grove, but he looked a little worried that morning.“What’s going on?” I asked him, still so confused and a little unc
The Stand-In Luna •Chapter 19•
AshleyInitially, I thought I had taken Zane's offer because of the possibility of being close to Daisy, but the moment I got back to my little room in the Grove, I knew that I was merely lying to myself.I wanted to be close to Zane, too. There was a lot about him I didn't know, and I was eager to uncover every layer of him, piece by piece.The next day, I got up extra early to get prepared to go and see Daisy at the Grove. I quickly made the batch of healing salves and tinctures requested of me by Alicia, and turned them in before setting off.Daisy, as usual, was excited to see me. “Ashley! You really came!” She practically jumped onto me. “Zane said you'd still be coming to see me but I wasn't so sure.”“Why weren't you sure? Don't you trust me?”She nodded, shaking her little blond pigtails. “I do. I just don't have many people that have been coming to see me. My mother stays away because she says that seeing me here makes her sad. And Bryce and Clara are very busy—even Zane too.
The Stand-In Luna •Chapter 18•
ZaneI was furious. My sister almost died for the second time under my watch.I leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her forehead after she had fallen asleep from the sedative Ashley gave her. She had survived one attempt on her life to the other, and was still holding on. She was strong. I just wished she stopped trying so hard to prove what we all already knew.I got up from the bed, turning to Ashley, who was also watching Daisy with sad eyes. She caught me staring and blushed, clearing her throat awkwardly. “Um, I'll be leaving now,” she said, already shuffling towards the exit.“Wait.” I reached out and grabbed her arm, bringing her close once again. The familiar cool, calming sensation that went through my body the moment our skins came in contact hit me, and it instantly dulled the ache in my head. “What is it?” The volume of her voice dropped. Again, her earnest gaze captured me. “I can't thank you enough,” I managed to say. “You saved my sister again. If you hadn't uncover
