Kaelan stormed into the grand hall, his steps echoing like thunder. His gaze was fixed on Liana, who stood at the center of the room, her expression shifting between surprise and irritation. The crowd parted instinctively as Kaelan approached.
“What is this?” he demanded, his voice ringing through the hall.
Alpha Veyron stepped forward, his expression hard. “This is a selection, Kaelan. The council has agreed that it’s necessary to secure the pack’s future.”
Kaelan’s fists clenched at his sides. “Behind my back? Without even telling me?”
“It was for the good of the pack,” Veyron replied, his tone unyielding.
Kaelan’s gaze snapped to Liana. “And you? What game are you playing now?”
Liana lifted her chin, her confidence returning. “I’m doing what I should have done from the start, Kaelan—showing the pack who the rightful Luna should be.”
Kaelan’s jaw tightened, but before he could respond, another figure appeared in the doorway. Mira stood there, her face pale but her eyes resolute. She stepped into the hall, her presence drawing whispers from the crowd.
Kaelan turned to her, his expression softening. “Mira, you knew about this?”
She nodded slowly, her voice trembling as she spoke. “I did.”
The disappointment in his eyes was a dagger to her heart. “And you didn’t tell me?”
“I didn’t want to hurt you,” she said, stepping closer. “But Kaelan, this isn’t about us. It’s about the pack. I overheard the council, the advisors… If you don’t take a Luna, they’ll never accept you as Alpha. They’ll turn against you.”
Kaelan shook his head, his voice a desperate whisper. “You think I care about that? You’re my mate, Mira. You’re all I want.”
Tears welled in her eyes as she placed a hand on his chest. “And I love you. But love isn’t enough to hold this pack together.”
The room was silent, every pair of eyes fixed on the two of them. Kaelan’s heart ached as he looked at her, the woman he had fought so hard to keep by his side.
“Mira,” he said, his voice breaking. “I can’t.”
“You can,” she whispered, her tears falling freely. “You have to.”
Kaelan closed his eyes, the weight of her words crashing down on him. When he opened them, his gaze swept over the crowd, the council, his father—each face a reminder of the impossible choice he was being forced to make.
And in the corner of his vision, Liana smiled.