Chapter 32: Chapter 32

SELENE

The last few weeks had been ~full~ of work.

Not just for the pack—but for us.

Rebuilding was never just about the land, about fixing what was broken. It was about the people. The bonds. The trust.

And trust? That was harder to rebuild than anything else.

Lux and I had spent every waking moment ensuring that our pack was not only recovering but growing stronger.

The battle with the hunters had taken its toll, leaving wounds both seen and unseen. The funerals had come first, long, somber ceremonies to honor those we had lost. We buried our fallen warriors with pride, with songs and rites, ensuring that their sacrifice was never forgotten.

But it hadn’t just been warriors we laid to rest.

~Maeve~.

Along with the three wolves who had stood by her, who had fought for her, who had died for challenging Lux.

Their families had grieved for them just as much as anyone else and I knew—we both knew—that there were still wolves who resented ~me~ for it.

Even if they didn’t say it outright.

Even if I wasn’t mortal anymore.

It was in the way they looked at me. The way they hesitated before bowing their heads, the way they spoke carefully, as if they were trying to accept me but hadn’t fully decided if they could.

Lux didn’t let it show that it bothered him.

But I knew it did.

The tension in his shoulders when we walked through the village. The way his gaze would flicker to the pack members who quickly averted their eyes, the murmurs that would die the second we passed.

Bigotry didn’t go away overnight.

It would take time.

And in the meantime, there was work to be done.

We had focused on the pack first—restoring order, solidifying defenses, reinforcing the borders. We had strengthened the hunting parties, ensured that food was stocked, that the injured were cared for.

And then, there were the changes.

The ones that were ~mine~.

Lux had followed through on his word. Mortals were being fed properly now, their rations matching those of the wolves.

It had started slow—introducing meals with equal portions, ensuring that meat was given to all, not just warriors. The first time I had overseen a meal distribution, I had felt the way some of the wolves bristled.

But no one dared to argue.

Not when their alpha stood beside me, making it clear that this was how things would be from now on.

Not when I had made it clear that I was watching, and I wasn’t going to let this be something that was implemented in words alone.

I made sure it happened.

And it was only the beginning.

Lux and I were rebuilding everything.

Together.

“You ~need~ a ceremony.”

The words snapped me out of my thoughts.

I turned toward Erik, who was watching me with his usual sharp gaze, arms crossed over his chest. Beside him, Julian and Zander nodded in agreement, their expressions unreadable.

Lux let out a slow breath. “I knew this was coming.”

“Of course you did,” Julian murmured, adjusting his collar. “It was only a matter of time.”

Lux and I exchanged a glance.

We both knew why this was happening.

~Why~ the ceremony needed to happen.

The pack still wasn’t fully on board.

I could feel it in the air, sense it in the way their loyalty to Lux didn’t automatically extend to me.

~Luna~.

The title was mine in name, in position—but not yet in the hearts of all our people.

A ceremony wasn’t ~just~ tradition.

It was a declaration. A finalization.

And it wasn’t just for Nightshade.

It would require invitations.

Other packs. Other alphas and lunas.

A public display of my claim to this role.

My stomach tightened slightly, but I pushed it down. I had fought my entire life to be more than what others saw me as, and I had already won.

Now, I just had to make them ~believe it~.

Lux exhaled, rubbing a hand down his face. “Fine. Let’s start drafting invitations.”

Julian nodded. “We’ll prepare a list of those who need to be invited.”

Erik sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. “Just know that this ceremony isn’t just about crowning Selene.”

Lux lifted a brow. “Then what else is it?”

Erik met his gaze evenly. “It’s about proving to the pack that she belongs.”

The words hung heavy between us.

I swallowed.

Lux’s expression hardened.

“She ~does~ belong.”

“I know that,” Erik said carefully. “But not everyone else does. Not yet.”

A muscle ticked in Lux’s jaw.

He hated this.

I could feel it through the bond—the way it grated against his instincts, the way it set his wolf on edge.

But he knew Erik was right.

I reached for Lux’s hand, threading my fingers through his, giving him the briefest squeeze. He turned his head toward me, exhaling softly, his anger still simmering just beneath the surface.

I looked at Erik. At Julian and Zander.

“Then we do it,” I said firmly. “We’ll make them see.”

A flicker of something unreadable crossed Erik’s face, but he nodded.

Julian and Zander didn’t argue.

Because at the end of the day—

This was happening.

Whether the pack liked it or not.

***

The ceremony was nothing short of extravagant.

The entire courtyard had been transformed—silken banners hanging from every structure, gold and deep midnight blue woven together to reflect the colors of the Nightshade Pack. Lanterns lined the pathways, casting a warm glow over the stone walkways, the air thick with the scent of burning sage and wildflowers.

Pack members filled the space, standing in clusters, murmuring among themselves. Warriors lined the perimeter, watching, waiting, ensuring that tonight went as planned.

It felt like something out of a story, like I had stepped into a world that wasn’t meant for me.

And yet…here I was. At the center of it all. His.

Lux stood beside me, his presence grounding, powerful, his shoulders squared as he watched the ceremony unfold. He was dressed in traditional black and silver, his sword strapped to his waist, the sigil of our pack embroidered into his cloak.

He looked every bit the alpha he had always been and tonight, I would stand beside him as his equal. Or, at least, that was the plan.

The other alphas and lunas had arrived from neighboring packs, each of them standing at the front, waiting to bestow their blessings upon us.

One by one, they stepped forward.

Some were genuine, offering quiet words of encouragement, nods of approval. Others were performative, their smiles forced, their words shallow. I could feel the hesitation, the uncertainty, the discomfort rippling through the gathered wolves.

I wasn’t blind to it.

Neither was Lux.

But we stood tall, side by side, as tradition dictated.

The final alpha—a broad, silver-haired man from the Bloodfang Pack—placed a hand on Lux’s shoulder, then turned to me, his amber eyes scanning my face.

“May your reign be prosperous, Luna,” he said smoothly, though there was something unreadable in his gaze. “May you bring strength to your people.”

I inclined my head. “Thank you.”

He hesitated, just for a fraction of a second, before stepping back.

And then—it was time.

The moment ~I~ would be crowned.

An Elder of our pack stepped forward, carrying the ceremonial diadem in his hands. It was simple but elegant—a silver circlet adorned with dark sapphires, shaped like a crescent moon.

Lux turned to face me, his hands steady as he lifted the crown, lowering it onto my head.

A hush fell over the crowd.

And just like that—I was luna.

I took a slow, steadying breath, letting the weight of the moment settle in my bones. My heart pounded, my wolf stirring beneath my skin, restless, eager. This was my moment, and I wouldn’t waste it.

“Lux,” I said softly, looking up at him.

“Yes, Luna?” His voice was calm, his head tilted slightly toward me.

“May I address the pack?”

His lips curled into a small smile. “You don’t have to ask.”

I turned toward the crowd, my voice ringing out clear, unwavering.

“I know what some of you think.” I let my gaze move over them, challenging them to look away. “I know that there are those among you who do not believe I belong here. That I was not born for this.”

A ripple of murmurs, some uneasy, some sharp.

I didn’t stop.

“I was raised among you, but I was not one of you,” I continued, my voice rising slightly. “I was born mortal. I lived as one. And I know what that meant. I know what it still means for many who live within this pack.”

The murmurs turned to low growls.

Lux stiffened beside me.

I could feel the tension in the air shifting, turning razor-sharp, but I kept going because this was ~my~ moment, and I refused to let them silence me.

“Mortals built this pack,” I said firmly. “We ~all~ start there. They work in the fields, they build the homes, they raise the children, they feed the warriors. They are the ~backbone~ of our people. And yet, they are treated as less.”

A sharp bark of laughter came from somewhere in the crowd.

Another growl.

The tension was rising fast.

I lifted my chin.

“I will not stand for it,” I declared. “Not as your luna. Not as someone who has lived it. This pack is strongest when we stand together. When we protect our own. That means all of us.”

A snarl cut through the air and then—it happened.

A rock flew past my head, shattering against the stone behind me.

Shouts. More growls.

A sharp movement from the left—one of the warriors stepping forward, ready to challenge me.

Lux moved in an instant, stepping in front of me, his power surging outward in a warning growl that echoed through the courtyard, but the unrest was already spreading.

The crowd shifted, bodies pressing in, anger sparking like fire catching dry grass.

The ceremony had just turned into the beginning of a riot.

~And I had caused it~.