Alpha’s Loyalty Under Deception: I'm Not His Only Luna novel Chapter 2

Selene's POV

Two hours later, I arrived at the corporate den right on schedule, my pregnancy barely hindering my movements despite being in my third trimester.

Representatives from the Northern Crescent Pack, Silver Ridge Alliance, and even the distant Blackwood Territories had sent their messengers to witness our announcement. My beta practically whimpered with relief when he caught my scent at the door.

"Thank the moon you're here, Luna," he whispered, using my formal pack title.

I instructed him to visit our injured packmate at the hospital—ensuring they received proper care was our priority. A good Alpha pair always puts the pack's wellbeing first.

After he left, I composed myself, tilting my chin up in a display of confidence that belied my inner turmoil. As I strode into the conference hall, I felt my unborn cub stir protectively.

Several executives from our finance division caught my scent and instantly huddled together, their body language betraying their discomfort. I offered a diplomatic smile, baring just enough teeth to remind them of my rank, but strangely, they backed away as if I were an omega rather than their Luna.

Pushing aside their bizarre behavior, I was about to announce the start of the presentation when a sudden shift in the room's energy made my wolf instincts flare. A female had risen from the audience, her scent carrying unmistakable aggression.

She held up an ancient wolf-hide scroll, the blood runes clearly visible even from where I stood.

"You claim to be the Alpha's mate," she challenged loudly, her voice carrying the harmonics of someone used to pack authority. "So what exactly does that make me?"

I fought to maintain my composure—this was the same female from the Highland Center who supposedly shared a Bloodmoon Pact with Ronan. What right did she have to attend a Lycandros Pack business gathering?

Though I'd never caught her scent before, I noticed with growing fury that she wore ceremonial jewelry that matched my own traditional style. Most infuriating was the hand-crafted moonstone amulet around her neck—the one Ronan had commissioned from the elder craftswolf as my mating gift.

My canines lengthened involuntarily.

"Where are the pack sentinels?" I demanded, fighting to keep my voice from becoming a growl. "Who permitted an outsider to enter our territory?"

[MoonStalker67: Look at her—clearly not even from a registered bloodline. As if an Alpha of the Lycandros caliber would dilute his lineage with her!]

The absurdity nearly pulled a bitter laugh from my throat. Ronan and I had performed the sacred blood ritual under the full moon with the pack elders as witnesses. We had mingled our blood on an ancient carved bone tablet. The cub I carried was a legitimate heir to the Lycandros lineage.

"Stop spreading falsehoods before the next moon," I warned, letting just enough of my wolf surface to make my eyes flash. "Ronan Lycandros and I completed the Bloodmoon ritual. This company is territory we built together."

I opened my phone gallery to find images of our ceremony, but couldn't locate them anywhere. Then the memory hit me—during our first blood moon together, in a moment of passion after our bonding, we had buried our bone tablet deep in our territory as was ancient tradition, signifying that our bond was now part of the very land we ruled.

We were in the process of requesting a formal record from the Council Elders so our cub could be registered in the pack bloodline archives.

As my explanation faltered, Vivian's lips pulled back in a predatory smile, revealing teeth just slightly too sharp for mixed company.

"I knew she couldn't produce proof," she announced to the room, her voice dripping with triumph. "Because I am Ronan Lycandros's true Luna, recognized by moon law and pack council, bound by blood that still stains this sacred hide."