Chapter 3. Unworthy of the Crown

Celeste’s POV

Even though I’d grown up an orphan, I’d never truly felt alone, because Lira had been there for me all those years. But now I was being forced to choose between her and my destined other half—and worse, there was no guarantee that even my mate would choose me in return. Lira had warned me all along: the pack would reject me as their Luna the moment they discovered the truth. Still, I dared to hope that Leon would fight for me—fight for us—though deep down I knew it was nothing more than wishful thinking.

I was walking back from the stream when I realized people were staring at me. Strange looks followed me wherever I went; fingers pointed in my direction, and I could practically feel the whispers. “They say she’s Leon’s mate,” I overheard half a dozen hushed voices say. How had news of our bond traveled so fast? It hadn’t even been a full day.

“Why would the Moon Goddess play such a cruel prank?” I heard one woman ask her young son, who gawped at me as if I were a rare artifact. “Doesn’t she know Leon is supposed to be our alpha? How can we accept an omega as Luna—especially one who can’t even shift yet?”

Every voice I passed repeated the same bitter truth: I wasn’t fit to be Luna.

Clutching the bucket of wet clothes to steady myself, I forced my shoulders back and kept moving toward the pack house, ignoring the women’s cruel comments.

I had just begun hanging garments on the line when someone shoved me from behind. I stumbled forward and fell flat on my face as cheers and laughter erupted behind me.

“How pathetic,” a voice hissed.

I managed to scramble up, only to find myself surrounded by Ariel and her clique—renowned for their tyranny over the pack’s weaker members. On Ariel’s command, one of her followers yanked my soaked clothes off the rope and stomped on them repeatedly, muddy water splashing everywhere.

“What are you doing?” I demanded, lunging for my ruined garments—but before I could reach them, a heavy hand knocked me down again.

Ariel’s cold voice cut through the laughter. “You must think this is your once-in-a-lifetime chance to climb the social ladder. Let me give you a reality check: it isn’t. No one here is going to accept you.”

I fought to keep the tears from spilling over. I’d spent the entire day enduring nothing but insults and humiliation, but I wouldn’t let them see me break.

She raised an eyebrow and spat, “Save yourself the embarrassment. Leave and never come back—there’s no place for you here.”

My heart pounded, but I refused to be cowed. “Leon hasn’t rejected me,” I said evenly, though everyone else assumed I hadn’t heard his thoughts. “Until he tells me he doesn’t want me, I’m not going anywhere.”

Ariel leaned in close, her breath hot in my ear. “Do you give me your word that today will be the last day you spend in this pack, bitch?”

I drew in a steadying breath. Even though my pulse raced with fear, I refused to back down. “I won’t go—at least not until I hear it from Leon himself.”

Her hand shot out, and a stinging slap sent me sprawling to the ground. Through the blur of pain, I glimpsed Lira standing on the balcony above, her hands clasped tightly. She looked away the moment our eyes met. The message was clear: our friendship was over, and I was facing this alone.

Exhausted and wounded, I stumbled into my room later that evening and collapsed onto the bed. My body ached from every blow and every prank I’d endured—I’d become the pack’s punching bag in a single day. And Leon? He hadn’t come to my aid once. Perhaps his silence was his revenge for all the years I’d suffered at their hands.

A sudden creak at the door jolted me upright.

“Who’s there?” I called, fumbling for my flashlight.

I flipped it on, and the beam illuminated a familiar face—Leon, shielding his eyes from the glare. Relief washed over me.

He came to the side of the bed and sat down wordlessly. The tight set of his shoulders, the way he avoided looking at me—it was clear he was in a foul mood. Part of me ached to ask if his anger had anything to do with me, but the silence between us grew heavy. Finally, I broke it.

“Just say what you came here to say,” I murmured.

Leon exhaled slowly. “Everyone’s telling me to reject this bond,” he admitted, his gaze fixed on the floor.

I kept my voice calm, though dread churned in my stomach. “Is that what you want?”

He snapped his head up for a moment. “Honestly? I don’t even know what I want.”

For a fleeting second, hope flickered in my chest. But then he added, “That doesn’t change the fact that you’re unfit to be Luna.”

The words hit me harder than anyone else’s cruelty had all day. I couldn’t bring myself to meet his eyes.

Leon’s voice softened, tinged with regret. “My mother died because she couldn’t defend herself against the bad guys. If I ever lost my mate like that… I can’t even imagine how devastated I’d be.”

“I can learn,” I blurted, trying to keep my tone hopeful.

He regarded me with pity. “Can you even shift?”

I opened my mouth to answer, but the words caught in my throat. Tears welled up in my eyes—already I knew where this was heading.

“Will you reject me?” he asked, his tone almost pleading.

I swallowed hard. “That’s up to you. If I could, I would’ve chosen someone stronger, someone better than me. But fate brought us together, and I can’t deny this attraction between us…” I trailed off, my voice breaking.

He closed his eyes, jaw clenched. “But I can’t make you my Luna. In the end, there’s only one option left.”

My heart pounded so fiercely I was certain he could hear it.

“The only way we can be together,” he said in a low voice, “is if you agree to become my second wife—and give up the title of Luna.”

I pressed my lips together, fighting the lump in my throat. “And who would be first?” I asked, though I already feared the answer.

Leon’s eyes never left mine. “Lira.”

Silence stretched between us as the weight of those words settled over me, heavier than any slap, any humiliation I’d faced today. The choice had been made for me. Now all I could do was decide what to do next.