The Fake Luna: Marked By The Alpha King

Aria's POV

"Ma'am, I've checked the system three times. There's no marriage record under your name. Are you certain about the date?"

I stood frozen outside the County Clerk's office, the clerk's words still ringing in my ears.

Two years of believing I was Ethan Holt's wife, his Luna.

As the only human Luna, we had also applied for a marriage certificate in my human community, and it now sat in the nightstand drawer in my bedroom.

Real enough that I never questioned our relationship, even though we never had a mating ceremony with his pack.

Until three days ago, when Marcus tore it to shreds during one of his tantrums. That was what brought me here today-to get a replacement copy of our marriage certificate.

But now, standing here with trembling hands...

How could our certificate possibly be fake?!

Then my phone buzzed. I glanced down at the screen, still numb. An unknown number. Normally I would have ignored it, but something made me answer.

"Ms. Smith? Aria Smith?"

"Speaking." My voice sounded distant, like it belonged to someone else.

"My name is Richard Castellano. I'm the attorney handling the estate of Vincent Smith. I apologize for the abrupt contact, but it's imperative that we meet as soon as possible. You are the sole heir to your father's estate."

I blinked. "I'm sorry, what? I don't have a father. My parents abandoned me when I was born."

"Ms. Smith, Vincent Smith passed away two weeks ago. The DNA test and his will are both conclusive. You are his only legitimate biological child."

My jaw nearly hit the floor. Vincent Smith-that name was nothing short of legendary in both human society and the werewolf world.

Orphaned as a child and taken in by a wolf pack, he had displayed extraordinary business genius from an early age.

As an adult, with the backing of his adoptive Alpha brother, he forged a massive commercial empire that seamlessly connected the human and supernatural realms.

And now someone was telling me that I, as his sole daughter, stood to inherit the bulk of his fortune?

"The estate is substantial, including commercial holdings across multiple Pack territories. We need to begin the inheritance process immediately."

Of course. No one dared underestimate the extent of Vincent Smith's wealth. My brain felt like it was being pummeled by this earth-shattering news.

"I need to confirm something first," I heard myself say. "I'll call you back."

The most important thing now was to verify my marriage status with my husband.

If this was real, Ethan and I wouldn't have to worry about the pack's questioning looks anymore.

I could complete the final mating ceremony with him smoothly, become the pack's Luna, and lead them to even greater prosperity.

The drive to Silver Creek Pack's main building took twenty minutes.

Twenty minutes later, I stepped onto the third floor. The hallway was unusually quiet.

As I approached Ethan's office, voices drifted through the half-open door.

A woman's voice.

"Ethan-yes-right there-"

His voice, ragged and raw, "You feel so good, Clara."

Clara. My best friend!

Then, something even worse than being betrayed by my best friend and mate hit like a freight train.

"When are you going to get rid of her, Ethan?"

"Our son is already three years old. I'm tired of pretending." Clara's voice was sharp with impatience.

Marcus. The little boy Ethan claimed we'd adopted because my human body supposedly couldn't handle pregnancy, and the pack needed a pup to serve as the Alpha's heir.

I couldn't breathe. The pup I had lovingly raised was Ethan and Clara's biological child! My heart was bleeding-how dare they!

Inside the office, Ethan sighed. "Just a little longer."

His voice was cold. "We still need her. The Pack's finances are stable because of her work. Once we've locked everything down, I'll cut her loose."

"What am I supposed to do until then? Keep playing victim while she parades around as Luna?"

"You know she's nothing to me. Just a tool. Once we've squeezed every last drop of value out of her..."

I didn't wait to hear more.

I shoved the door open.

Clara was perched on Ethan's desk, her blouse undone, skirt pushed up to her waist.

Ethan was buried inside her, his hips driving into her as she gasped against his mouth, her legs wrapped tight around him.

It made me want to throw up.

"Sorry to interrupt."My voice sliced through the air like a blade.

They froze. Clara scrambled to cover herself, nearly falling off the desk. Ethan jerked upright, his mouth wet, his eyes wide with shock.

I leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, a cold smile on my lips.

"Don't stop on my account. I'd hate to ruin the mood."

"Aria. You shouldn't be here," Ethan said with mild annoyance.

"Shouldn't I?" I said, my voice shaking with rage."I think you owe me an explanation."

"You told me I was your True Mate. You pursued me for months. You convinced me the Moon Goddess chose us.But now you're sleeping with my best friend?"

"There's nothing to explain. Clara is my destined mate,"Ethan said flatly, "let's not beat around the bush. "

"The deal with V&A International Group needs final signatures. We need you for one last meeting as Luna. After that, we'll give you reasonable compensation for your... services."

"Compensated?" The word tasted like poison.

"You lied to me for two years. You used me to build your Pack's business portfolio.And now you want to pay me off like a servant who's served her purpose?"

Clara walked toward me, adjusting her clothes with deliberate slowness.

"You should be grateful, honestly. A human orphan with no family, no packs? Where else would you have ended up? If you're smart, you'll take whatever he offers and leave quietly. Otherwise-"

I moved.

I was across the room before Clara could finish the threat, my hand fisting in her golden hair. Clara yelped, stumbling backward into the desk.

"Aria!" Ethan grabbed my arm, twisting it hard enough to make me gasp. Then he shoved me backward. Hard.

I hit the floor, the impact jarring through my spine. Pain exploded in my tailbone. I looked up at him, stunned.

Ethan stared down at me, his light blue eyes ice cold. "Touch her again and I'll break your wrist."

The words hit harder than the fall.

Something inside my chest cracked. Not my ribs. Something deeper.

I pushed myself to my feet, my hands shaking. My tailbone throbbed where I'd hit the floor. Everything hurt. Not just my body.

"You're going to regret this," I said quietly. "Both of you."

I turned and walked out before either of them could respond.

Back in my car, I dialed the lawyer's number.

"Mr. Castellano. About Vincent Smith's estate. I'm ready to talk."

"Good. I need to confirm-inheritance requires the heir to sign as an independent individual. If married, the spouse must witness the process. Otherwise-"

"I'm single," I cut him off. "Legally, I always have been."

Silence for two seconds.

"Understood," Castellano said, and something in his tone shifted, became more formal. "That simplifies things considerably. Are you available to meet soon? There are several details in the will that need to be discussed in person. "

"The sooner the better," I said. "I have plenty of time these days."

"My office then. This afternoon?"

"I'll see you at three."

I sat in the parking lot for another five minutes, staring at nothing.

Two years. Two years of lies, manipulation, and humiliation. Two years of believing I was fighting for something real.

But it was over now.

Ethan was about to discover exactly what the fury of an heiress looked like.

Ethan's POV

The door slammed behind Aria. I should go after her. Smooth things over like I always did. I took a step forward.

"Ethan." Clara's hand wrapped around my wrist, yanking me back. "Where do you think you're going?"

"She just saw us. I need to talk to her before she does something stupid."

"Something stupid?" Clara's amber eyes flashed. "Like tell everyone you cheated? She won't. She loves you too much to destroy what you've built together."

I pulled free, running a hand through my hair.

Clara was right. Aria had proven her love a thousand times over-working herself to exhaustion for the Pack, enduring my mother's cruelty, raising Marcus without complaint. She wouldn't throw that away over one moment of weakness.

"But what if she heard our conversation about Marcus?"

"If she had, do you think she'd just walk away? She would've been hysterical. Screaming, crying, breaking things." Clara's hand stroked my arm.

"Then in three days, she'd come crawling back, accepting this child with pure Alpha bloodline and begging you not to let her go."

I exhaled slowly. "I guess you're right."

"I'm always right." She smiled.

Clara had always been like this-bold, unapologetic, dangerously confident.

It was what drew me to her when we were teenagers, when she'd dragged me bleeding out of the forest after a rogue attack. I owed her everything.

But Aria was different. She was my True Mate-chosen by the Moon Goddess herself.

And I'd rejected that bond the moment I understood what it meant, because accepting Aria meant letting go of Clara.

Fortunately, as a human, Aria's perception of the mate bond was weak.

After I completed the rejection, she wouldn't feel the pain and would still hold hope for our destined connection.

Her abilities were genuinely impressive-my pack flourished rapidly under her guidance. I kept my pup Marcus by her side, hoping she could help me raise a more perfect heir.

In front of her, I didn't mind playing the devoted mate. It was the only compensation I could offer her.

"Ethan." Clara's voice cut through my thoughts.

"I want to move into the house. With you and Aria. I'm tired of hiding, tired of sneaking around like a dirty secret. Marcus deserves both his parents under one roof. "

"Either I move in, or I take Marcus and leave. Your choice."

My wolf snarled. Having them both under one roof was a disaster waiting to happen-but if Clara left with Marcus...

"Fine," I heard myself say. "You can move in."

Her face lit up. She threw her arms around my neck and kissed my jaw. "You won't regret this, baby. I promise."

---

Aria's POV

After signing the inheritance papers at Mr. Castellano's office, I drove home in a daze.

The house blazed with warm light. Through the front window I saw them-Ethan, Clara, and Marcus around the dining table like a perfect family portrait.

Ethan laughed at something Clara said, his hand resting on the back of her chair. Marcus sat between them, grinning up at his father.

Clara ruffled the boy's golden hair; Ethan caught her hand and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

Domestic bliss.

Everything I'd been too blind to see for two years snapped into clarity.

The late nights he called Pack business. The way Marcus flinched whenever I tried to hold him. Clara's constant presence, always with some excuse.

My mother-in-law Margaret's pointed remarks about being "grateful." Sophie's knowing smirks whenever Clara's name came up, watching me with pity mixed with contempt.

They'd all known. Everyone except me.

I forced myself to breathe, to push down the rage threatening to choke me.

Not yet. Not here. I needed to play this smart. Take back what was mine.

I walked in and schooled my face to careful neutrality. The laughter died the instant I stepped inside.

"Aria." Ethan stood quickly, putting distance between himself and Clara, as if that erased what I'd witnessed in his office. "You're home early."

"Am I?" I crossed to the kitchen. "I wasn't aware I had a curfew."

I filled a glass of water, more to occupy my hands than anything. My heart pounded in my ears.

Footsteps behind me.

"Can we talk?" Ethan's voice was low, careful.

I turned slowly. "About you and Clara?"

"It's not what you think," he said, slipping into that patronizing tone I'd grown to hate.

"Clara's going to be staying here as Marcus's nanny. He needs consistency, and frankly, you're not around enough-"

"Not around enough?" I cut him off. "I've been running this Pack for you, Ethan. Every meeting, every decision-while you were off doing what, exactly?"

His jaw tightened. "That's not the point."

"Then what is?"

"Marcus needs to be taken care of."

"OK." The word came out flat. "I disagree."

He blinked. "Excuse me?"

"I said no. This is my home. I didn't agree to a live-in nanny."

"She's not just a nanny. She's helped raise Marcus since he was born. He needs her here."

Of course. Because she was his real mother.

"That's not my problem," I said coolly. "If you want Clara housed, buy her an apartment. She's not living under my roof."

"You're just tired." He raised a hand, his tone measured-managing me, like I was an obstacle, like my opinion was a tantrum to be waited out. "We'll discuss this after dinner."

"There's nothing to discuss."

"Aria-"

"Bad woman!"

Marcus appeared out of nowhere, small face twisted with rage. "You're really bad! You're mean to Clara!"

"Marcus, that's enough-" Ethan started.

But the boy was already charging at me, hands outstretched. He slammed into me with surprising force.

I stumbled back, my hip colliding with the corner of the side table-exactly where I'd hit the floor in Ethan's office earlier. Pain exploded through my lower back; my vision went white.

"Marcus!" Ethan grabbed him by the shoulders. "What the hell are you doing?"

"She's mean!" Marcus wailed, but his eyes were dry-nothing but calculated defiance. "She's mean to Clara and mean to you and I hate her!"

Ethan reached for me. "Aria, I'm sorry, he didn't mean-"

I jerked away. "Don't."

"Let me help-"

"Don't touch me."

I pushed myself upright, ignoring the swimming in my vision. My tailbone throbbed from earlier; now my hip would bruise too.

Clara burst in and gathered Marcus into her arms, stroking his hair while he buried his face in her neck. The devoted mother, perfectly performed. My stomach turned.

"He's just a kid," she murmured, kissing his temple. "Please forgive him."

"What a touching scene of motherly devotion," I said. "I'm starting to wonder if he's actually your biological pup."

Clara's expression tightened-clearly she wasn't sure how much I'd overheard outside the door.

"Aria, as your friend, I'm very disappointed in you. Words like that don't just hurt me, they hurt Marcus. You-"

I turned and walked upstairs, each step sending fresh jolts of pain through my hip.

"Aria, wait-"

I didn't.

I spent the next hour in the guest bathroom, running the hottest water I could stand. My hip had already darkened to purple, matching the bruise forming on my tailbone. Two injuries in one day. Both from the same family.

How poetic.

By the time I emerged in pajamas, wet hair wrapped in a towel, the house had gone quiet. A knock at the door-I didn't need to guess who.

"Come in."

Ethan stepped inside, closing the door carefully. He looked tired. Worried. Like he actually gave a damn.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fantastic. Your son has quite the arm."

His jaw tightened. "He's been disciplined. It won't happen again."

"Right. Like the last dozen times really stuck."

He exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "I know today has been difficult. But Clara needs to stay here. Marcus needs her. She's been more of a mother to him than-"

"Than me?" I finished. "Yes, I'm aware. Hard to bond with a child who's been taught to hate me since birth."

"That's not-" He caught himself, changing tactics. "This isn't about you and Clara. This is about what's best for Marcus. He's settled here. He's comfortable. Taking Clara away would disrupt his entire world."

I stared at him, this man I'd believed was my husband, my mate. This man who'd convinced me I was broken, that my body couldn't handle the bond.

This man who'd built his entire Pack's success on my labor while keeping his real family hidden in plain sight.

He was still lying. Still manipulating. Still expecting me to just accept whatever scraps he offered.

Fine. Let him think he'd won.

"I have a condition," I said.

Wariness flickered across his face. "What kind?"

"My birthday is next week. You forgot last year, and the year before. So this year, I want a proper gift." I kept my voice light. "The penthouse at Meridian Tower. Top floor. In my name only."

He went very still. "That's a fifteen million dollar property."

"Is it?" I tilted my head. "I think it's fair-as a birthday gift, and as compensation for what you've done."

The muscle in his jaw jumped. For a moment I thought he might finally drop the pretense. Instead, he pulled out his phone.

"Fine," he said curtly. "Consider it an early birthday present."

"And the transfer note," I added. "For Aria's house fund. Happy birthday."

He tapped at the screen, expression darkening with every second, then turned the phone toward me.

Fifteen million dollars. Transfer note included.

"Happy birthday," he said flatly.

"Thank you, Ethan." I let the endearment drip with acid. "You're so generous."

He pocketed his phone. "Clara stays."

"Clara stays," I agreed.

He nodded and left.

I waited until the door clicked shut, then pulled out my phone and opened the banking app.

Balance: ¥15,150,000.00

Two years as Luna-hosting banquets, negotiating alliances, building his reputation.

My card had never seen a single paycheck, not a penny of Pack money.

The only funds I'd ever had were fifteen thousand saved from part-time jobs during school, hard-earned and carefully hoarded.

Now, because I'd caught him with Clara-because she was the leverage that finally forced his hand-he remembered I existed.

How pathetic.

Aria's POV

I woke to the smell of pancakes and coffee.

For a moment, still half-asleep, it felt almost normal. Then I heard Clara's laugh drifting up from the kitchen, and reality came crashing back.

I took my time getting dressed. Let them have their little domestic fantasy.

I could afford to be patient. After all, I was a billionaire now. And their client.

By the time I came downstairs, a plate of eggs, toast, and bacon sat waiting on the counter-the kind of gesture meant to look like an apology. I reached for it.

Marcus lunged forward and yanked it away, the plate clattering against the marble. "No! This is for Clara! Daddy made it special for her!"

Clara hurried over, hands fluttering. "Marcus, sweetie, that's not how we treat people. Apologize to Aria." Her words were honey. Her eyes, locked on mine, were pure triumph.

Ethan appeared in the doorway. "Marcus. Apologize. Now."

The boy shuffled toward me, not meeting my eyes. "Sorry," he muttered.

I didn't accept it.

I stood, crossed the room, grabbed him, and pressed him against the wall. I took a thin branch from the nearby vase and brought it down hard on his backside.

He burst into tears.

"Aria, that's too much." Clara stepped forward. "He already apologized-"

"Funny," I said, landing another strike. "By what right do you interfere with a mother disciplining her misbehaving child?"

Clara's face went white. Her nails dug into her palms. "He's still young... he didn't do anything that wrong..."

"Small mistakes uncorrected become big ones," I replied. "If I don't discipline him now, I'll have a harder time later."

That shut her up.

Ethan stepped forward and caught my wrist. "That's enough."

He was right. The anger had cooled. I tossed the branch to the floor. Marcus scrambled behind Clara, sobbing too hard to even glare at me.

Clara bit her tongue and patted his back in silence.

"Marcus." I fixed my gaze on him. "As long as I'm your mother, you will show me respect. If you can't learn that, I'll adopt a better child to be the pack's rightful heir."

The room went quiet. Even Marcus stopped crying. I was smiling when I said it.

"Aria, don't-" Ethan's voice tightened.

"Don't what?" I turned to him, sweetly.

"Since I accepted adopting one child with no blood relation to me, I can certainly adopt a second. As long as you want me to stay with this pack, don't try to provoke me."

Looking at the three faces in front of me, all dark as thunder, I cheerfully picked up my purse. "Enjoy your breakfast. All of you."

---

I was halfway to my car when footsteps followed.

"Aria, wait." Ethan's tone was stern. "I said wait."

I turned slowly. "Was there something else?"

He caught up, slightly breathless, hair disheveled. "I'll drive you to the office. We can go over the Riverside contract on the way."

"I'm not going to the office."

"What? We have the meeting with-"

"Reschedule it." I pulled open the car door. "I have other plans."

"What other plans?"

"I'm going to look at a house."

I closed the door and started the engine. In the rearview mirror, he stood in the driveway, fists clenched at his sides.

---

The Meridian Tower was everything the listing had promised and more. Floor-to-ceiling windows, soaring ceilings, and most importantly, it was mine.

Now I just needed furniture.

The furniture district catered to Pack elite-somewhere I'd never shopped before. Too expensive for someone like me.

Now, walking through the gleaming showrooms, I felt like a kid in a candy store.

I wandered through displays of silk cushions and polished wood, mentally decorating my new space. Modern but warm. Nothing like the cold aesthetic Ethan preferred.

That was when I saw it.

A sofa in deep charcoal leather sat center stage. The tag read "Russo Collection - Limited Edition. 1 of 3."

Perfect.

I was reaching for my phone when a voice cut through the air behind me.

"Excuse me, but I'm taking this one."

I turned to find a woman about my age standing there, arms crossed, looking at me like I was something unpleasant she'd found on the bottom of her designer shoe.

She was dressed head to toe in labels I recognized from fashion magazines.

Her blonde hair was styled in perfect waves, her makeup flawless. Everything about her screamed money and privilege.

"I'm sorry?" I said politely.

"The sofa." She gestured impatiently. "I saw it first. So you'll have to find something else."

I blinked. "I don't think that's how shopping works."

Her perfectly glossed lips thinned. "Do you have any idea who I am?"

"Should I?"

A flush crept up her neck. "I'm Vanessa Crane. My father is Alpha Richard Crane of the Riverside Pack. And when I say I want something, I get it."

Riverside Pack. Wealthy enough, but nowhere near Crescent Moon's weight class.

"That's nice," I said, turning back to the sofa. "I'm still buying it."

Vanessa's face flushed scarlet. She snapped her fingers. Two large men in black suits materialized from behind the displays. "This woman is harassing me. Escort her out."

They moved toward me. I tensed-ready to fight back.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

The voice came from the entrance-deep, cultured, carrying the kind of authority that made everyone freeze.

A silver-haired man in a perfectly tailored three-piece suit strode in, flanked by six men in dark suits.

He moved like someone who had wielded power for decades and never once had to raise his voice.

Vanessa's guards stepped back instantly. Her face drained of color.

"Beta Harrison," she stammered. "I didn't know you were-"

"Clearly." He didn't look at her. His attention was fixed entirely on me. He stopped and inclined his head in something close to a bow.

"Miss Smith. It's an honor to finally meet you."

The showroom went silent.

"I'm Harrison Reid, Beta of Crescent Moon Pack. Your uncle Victor sent me to find you."

"Wait." Vanessa's voice came out strangled. "Smith? As in-Vincent Smith?"

Harrison finally turned to her, and there was nothing warm in it. "Miss Crane. I believe you were just threatening my Boss's daughter and sole heir. Would you like to rephrase your earlier comments?"

Vanessa went from pale to gray. "I didn't-she didn't say-I had no idea-"

"Ignorance is not an excuse for disrespect." His voice could have cut glass. "Particularly when you were having her physically removed from the premises."

She turned to me, all earlier arrogance dissolved. "I'm so sorry. If I had known-"

"You would have been polite?" I said. "How nice. Unfortunately, basic decency shouldn't require a family pedigree."

Her face crumpled. "Please-if there's anything I can do to make this right-"

I studied her for a moment. Making enemies right now would be stupid. "An apology is enough. You can go."

She didn't need to be told twice. She practically fled, her guards scrambling after her.

I turned to the sales associate hovering nearby. "I'll take the sofa. Please have it delivered to the Meridian Tower, penthouse floor." I paused. "And the matching armchair."

Then I turned back to Harrison. "Quite an entrance."

"Word will spread quickly," he said, not sounding remotely sorry. "But it was necessary. Aria Smith is not to be trifled with. It will save you considerable trouble down the line."

He gestured toward the exit. "The car is waiting, Miss Smith. Shall we?"

"Where are we going?"

"Crescent Moon Pack house." A slight smile. "Your home."

I was silent for a moment. Vincent was my biological father.

A billion-dollar inheritance had landed in my lap. Going to Crescent Moon was inevitable-and honestly, I had no reason to avoid it.

"Alright," I said. "If it's my home, I should at least see it for myself."

What was meant to come would come eventually.