3

Long before she ever stepped into the hall, Thalia could feel the weight of the eyes on her. The whispers, the murmurs—always present, but never kindly addressed to her. It was the same tonight. The pack's combined attention tightened like a noose around her and Killian as they stepped into the packed area. She was not respected by them. As long as Astrid was still lurking in the back of their minds, she wasn't really their Luna.

Her fingers trembled slightly when she held the edges of her garment, but she pushed the quiver to go away. She was unable to display weakness. She refused.

With a brief "Smile," Killian led her to their spot at the head of the room, his hand barely touching hers. "We’re here to represent Thornwood, not to play the victim."

Thalia nodded, his words of calm indifference piercing her more deeply than any blade could. She had long since lost hope that he would ever consider her to be his partner. Duty was always at the center. Looks are everything. She merely served as a pawn and a symbol. She also detested herself for continuing to cling to something that had never existed.

There was an awkward silence in the room as she sat down next to him. Tension was high in the air, and rumors of her lack of merit were circulating like poison. Thalia's heart skipped a beat, though, because of the loud voice that broke the uncomfortable silence.

"Well, well," a deep voice in the crowd cried out. It was clear that the speaker was a tall warrior with broad shoulders and sharp features. He was Kaden, a fighter with a reputation for being brutally honest and not holding anything back. Even though Thalia had always knew he didn't like her, it was a whole new experience to hear his words echoing through the hallway.

"You really expect us to follow her?" With his eyes narrowing, Kaden scoffed and turned to face Thalia. "She is unfit to be our leader. You can find the real Luna elsewhere. Furthermore, that isn't her.

Everyone in the room seemed to breathe in anticipation of Killian's answer. However, nothing was present. Nothing but the sound of the flickering candlelight, the distant echoes of laughing, and the icy, uncompromising stillness from her husband.

Thalia’s heart raced. The sting of the words cut deeper than she cared to admit. The eyes of the pack—those who previously embraced her with wide arms—now stared at her with scorn, as if she were nothing more than a ghost, a feeble apology for the woman they had hoped to have at their side.

"Unworthy, she says." Kaden's tone was filled with mockery, and his voice was sharp as a dagger. "Pathetic. She can hardly stand up straight, let alone lead Thornwood."

Thalia's throat tightened as she forced herself to look into his eyes. She muttered, "I’m... I’m not unworthy," but the words sounded hollow to her.

Before she could continue, however, Killian spoke in a clipped, aloof, and cold voice. "Enough, Kaden." Although he had a sharp command, it wasn't a man who cared. It was the voice of someone who wanted this moment to disappear as quickly as possible.

Kaden didn’t back down. Instead, he smiled, a mocking grin that seemed to pierce the very depths of Thalia’s soul. "It’s the truth, Killian. You may not like to accept it, but we all see it. She is not what Thornwood needs in Luna. The Luna you deserve is not her.

Thalia's fingers clenched around the chair's armrest as her breath caught. The shame scorched throughout her skin. Like a tsunami, the weight of the pack's condemnation fell over her.

"Enough!" Killian yelled once more, but this time there was no anger in his voice. He never once looked into Thalia's cold, aloof eyes. He was more concerned with silencing the room than with defending her. He had no interest in what happened to her, not when the wolves of Thornwood clearly agreed with Kaden’s remarks.

It wasn’t Killian’s command that quiet Kaden—it was the profound, frightening silence that followed. It was the absence of any rebuttal, any effort to shut down Kaden’s insults. Thalia wasn’t worth defending. She wasn’t even worth the effort to pretend.

The time extended on, and just when the strain got unbearable, the sound of footfall broke through the calm. Astrid.

Thalia had sensed her presence before she even saw her. Astrid was always in charge, always observing from the margins of every gathering, her eyes like cold daggers locked on Thalia.

Astrid strolled into the middle of the room, her eyes darting to Thalia with a satirical pity before turning back to Kaden as though nothing had occurred. With her smooth, sneaky voice, Astrid said, "Kaden," "You're right. Would you say that the Luna's presence is... lacking?

Thalia’s blood turned cold at the way Astrid spoke. It wasn’t a surprise, but it didn’t make it any easier to digest. Astrid was constantly present, waiting for the ideal opportunity to strike by hiding in the shadows. And suddenly, she was moving.

Before Thalia could react, Astrid turned toward her with a smile that made Thalia’s stomach churn. The grin was piercing, calculating, and completely untrue.

Her voice was sweet and gentle as she said, "Thalia," "It's okay. Doesn't Kaden express his opinions? Her eyes flicked briefly to Killian and then back to Thalia. "We are all aware of how challenging it is to assume the role of Luna. Isn't it incredibly... overwhelming?

Though Thalia's jaw tightened, she resisted the waves of shame that slammed into her. "I’m fine," she said in a forceful yet hushed voice. "I don’t need your pity, Astrid."

Astrid's smile merely got bigger, but it lacked warmth. "Oh, dear Thalia. You don’t need my pity, you need my sympathy." She moved in closer, her breath warm against Thalia’s ear, and whispered, "You know, it must be so hard, knowing that Killian might have had someone like me. Someone who actually understands him. And yet... here you are, pretending to be someone you’ll never be."

Thalia’s heart hammered in her chest, her hands shivering beneath the table. Every word that came from Astrid’s lips was like a sharpened blade, twisting deeper with each syllable.

"And if you ever forget your place," Astrid added, her voice low, "just remember that your status here is fragile at best. Killian’s heart belongs to someone else. Remember that.

After straightening up and giving Thalia one final glance, Astrid returned her focus to Killian, who hadn't even blinking during the conversation. You could feel his coldness. It was as if the talk had never even happened.

Thalia was paralyzed as she sat there, the terrible weight of the truth pressing down on her heart. Astrid was right. She didn't have Killian's heart. It didn't.

However, her name appeared on the Luna title. Her blood was in his veins. None of it mattered, though. It was all meaningless.

Thalia could hardly hear Astrid's gentle giggles or Kaden's derisive laughter as the silence dragged on. She realized that the pack had already chosen their Luna, and the only sound she could hear was the thump of her own heart. And she would never be the one.