Chapter 39
I stood in front of the mirror, smoothing out the fabric of my dress. It was a deep shade of red, almost similar to the one I wore at the grand ball but this one is more bold, powerful, the color of blood and fire. And maybe that was fitting, because I felt like a war was brewing inside me.
A part of me wanted to rip this dress off, storm out of this estate, and never look back. The other part? The part that was tired—tired of fighting, tired of losing—told me to play along.
Tonight was about making a statement. About me being done saving anyone. A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts.
I turned to see one of the pack members standing there, his head bowed slightly.
“Luna, everyone’s waiting for you.” I took a deep breath. And then, I walked into the lion’s den.
As soon as I stepped into the grand hall, the whispers started. Loud enough for me to hear. Soft enough for them to pretend they weren’t meant for me.
“Oh my god, she was with Killian, and now she’s back with Tyler?”
“She can’t even make up her mind. It’s embarrassing.”
“I heard she cheated on Killian with Tyler. That’s why she left.”
“She’s just being passed around like a prize.”
“Some Luna. No wonder the Silver Moon Pack fell apart after she left.”
I felt my jaw tighten. I wanted to turn around and slap every single person whispering about me.
But I didn’t. I kept my chin high, my expression unreadable.
Because if there was one thing I had learned, it was that power wasn’t just about strength. It was about control.
And right now, I would not give these people the satisfaction of seeing me break. At the end of the room, Tyler stood on the raised platform, dressed in all black, his golden eyes gleaming under the dim lights.
He lifted his hand, signaling for silence. The whispers died instantly.
“Aurora,” he called, his voice smooth, confident. “Come here.” I walked forward, ignoring the stares, the judgment, the silent accusations. In the crowd, I could see my mother, Arla and Alex. But I couldn’t seem to read their minds.
The moment I reached his side, Tyler placed a firm hand on my waist, holding me in place. Then, he turned back to his pack.
“A few years ago,” he began, his voice carrying through the room, “I made the biggest mistake of my life.” I stiffened.
The entire pack stood in silence, waiting. Tyler took a deep breath, his grip on my waist tightening. “I insulted Aurora. I humiliated her. I rejected her.” A ripple of shock went through the crowd. Because Alphas never admitted their mistakes.
But Tyler just continued.
“I was young. Stupid. I didn’t see what was right in front of me.” His eyes flickered to mine, unreadable. “I hurt the woman who was meant to stand beside me. I made her suffer for years, and I was wrong.”
For the first time, true silence fell over the room. No whispers. No murmurs. Just stillness. Then, Tyler straightened.
His voice deepened, filled with authority.
“But tonight, I am righting that wrong. Tonight, I am reintroducing her as your Luna.”
The crowd burst into applause. Some clapped out of respect. Some clapped because they had to. And some… clapped because they truly believed in what Tyler was saying.
I turned my head slightly, my eyes searching for familiar faces in the crowd. Arla. My mother. Alex.
They stood off to the side, their faces now a mixture of shock and confusion. And yet—they still clapped. Because whether they understood it or not, this was happening. This was real. Tyler turned to me then, his eyes burning into mine.
He lifted his hand, brushing a strand of hair away from my face before leaning in close. So close that only I could hear him. And then, in a voice so smug, so filled with certainty, he whispered—
“I knew you would make the right decision.”
