The Lycan King's Accused Luna

Aria POV

Another plague had reached our territories again.

I stood, among the quarantined pups in Tauris, quill in hand as I jotted down observations on my scroll. The little ones played around me despite being sick, their energy endless.

Elias, the Beta of Tauris Pack, stood beside me, trying to hold the kids climbing on top of the walls and destroying everything around us. One pup had chewed through a wooden post. Another had knocked over a water bucket and was now rolling in the mud. A third was halfway up the roof.

The plague was common among young pups. It made their wolves more aggressive and hyperactive.

It was kind of cute, if you didn't think about the deadly aftereffects.

"You're really struggling with them," I said, laughing as a little girl latched onto his leg while he carried a small boy in his arms.

Elias shot me a tired smile, his shirt torn at the sleeve, sweat on his brow. "Aren't they meant to be crying and sleeping? Why are they so happy?"

"That's what I want to observe." I ruffled the ears of one of the pups in wolf form. "Their wolves seem more hyperactive than usual. Aggressive, too. Did you see how that one snapped at the other?"

Elias nodded, finally dropping the kids down. "Logan hasn't given you the resources we need yet. We need them now to find a cure."

"He's busy with our travels. The letter won't reach him very soon, Elias. Relax." I scolded him, knowing he was about to go on a rant.

Elias's jaw tightened. "Logan. He is always traveling, Aria. Always leaving you alone to care for this pack while he chases whatever it is he chases."

I shot him a sharp look. "That is no way to talk about your Alpha."

He sighed, looking away. "I'm sorry. I'm just stressed from having to deal with these little gremlins." He said it, but I knew that was a lie. He just didn't like Logan for some reason, despite them working hand in hand.

Logan also didn't like Elias. But ironically enough, Logan respected him. They knew how to set their differences aside when they had to work together.

A little girl ran past me, clutching a small doll to her chest. Her mother sat nearby, watching with a soft smile.

I looked down at my belly, at the flat curve of my stomach that had remained stubbornly empty for five years.

"Besides," I added, "I haven't given him any pup. He has every right to be disappointed. This is the least I can do for him."

Elias's jaw tightened. "Aria..."

"Five years." I forced a smile. "Five years of trying. Five years of hoping. And still nothing."

Elias ran a hand through his hair. "That's not your fault. You know that, right?"

I didn't answer. Because I didn't believe it.

I turned back to my scroll, forcing myself to focus on my work. I reviewed my notes from yesterday, comparing them to today's observations. But I could feel Elias watching me from the corner of my eye. His gaze lingered on me, solemn and unreadable.

I had never been able to read him. Not really.

Being surrounded by the pups made my inadequacy feel so much worse. Logan's words from last month returned to me.

"What's the point of your research if you can't figure out why you're barren?"

If I had given him a pup by now, maybe he would be happier with me. Maybe he would actually appreciate the knowledge I had spent years building.

A little boy latched onto my leg, looking up at me with wide eyes, almost shifted. I chuckled softly, dropping my things down and picking him up.

Even with everything, there were still moments when I felt happy

I was Luna. And I would prove that I deserved the title.

----

By the time I made it back to the estate, the sun was setting. I was exhausted, my back aching. I couldn't wait to sink into a warm bath with sweet honey-scented candles.

Then I saw it.

Logan's wagon was parked in front of the estate.

My heart leaped. He was home. He was finally home.

I smiled, my steps quickening. "He's here! I wasn't expecting him until next week."

Elias said nothing. His jaw tightened, but I didn't notice. I was too happy.

I laughed and waved over my shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow, Elias. Go rest!"

I ran inside, eager to see my mate. Logan may have been disappointed in me, but he also respected me. He knew how much I had done for this pack. He would be glad to see me.

I entered the estate and made my way to the main parlor.

And I froze.

Logan was seated in the chair by the fire. My sister Natalia was beside him. His hand was wrapped around her shoulder, his arm draped over her stomach.

My parents were there too, seated together, their faces bright with pride. My brother Victor stood nearby, looking smug.

"Finally, a beautiful heir for the pack!" my mother exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "I knew Natalia was the right choice."

Natalia smiled, one hand resting on her rounded belly. "I'm sorry I ran away all those years ago," she said softly. "I should have stayed."

Victor placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's not your fault, Natalia. Aria stole what was supposed to be yours. You were supposed to be Luna."

I froze. My voice was gone. But I forced myself to speak.

"What are you talking about?"

Everyone turned toward me.

My mother's smile faded. My father's eyes went cold. Victor looked annoyed.

Logan stood up slowly.

"Good. You're here." His voice was flat. "Let's get this over with. We're severing the bond."

"What?" The word came out as a whisper.

Logan sighed and pulled Natalia closer. "Natalia is carrying my child, Aria."

I stared at him. At my sister in his arms. At her rounded belly. "But... she wasn't here. You were traveling."

Natalia sighed, looking at me with false sympathy. "Logan has been visiting me, Aria. I hope you're not mad."

"Visiting you," I repeated. My legs were shaking.

My father spoke from his seat, his voice cold. "You know your sister always wanted to be Luna. She and Logan were in love. But you came and took it away."

"Took it away?" My voice rose. "The pack chose me. Natalia left years ago. I stayed. I ruled. I handled every crisis that came to our region, sat through endless council meetings, and found resources when our merchants were struggling. The elders chose me!"

"But you couldn't bear a child," Logan cut in. "That's all that matters to me. If we can't have children, who will lead my pack in the future?"

I stared at him, my throat tight.

Logan sighed. "I appreciate what you did while I was gone. But it's over. Natalia will be Luna now."

Victor laughed from his seat, shooting me a look of pure contempt. He was a lazy man who lounged around the estate and ordered the staff around. I'd sent him away for his behavior. Seeing him sitting there now, smug as ever, I could only assume Natalia had convinced Logan to bring him back.

I looked at Logan and stepped closer. "Logan, please. You can't do this. Natalia doesn't understand the responsibility. And my parents, Victor, when they lived here, they-"

"Shut up." My father's voice was sharp and panicked.

He was trying to cut me off. It was clear they didn't want me to tell Logan about the gambling-the reason my family had gone bankrupt. They had used Natalia to get close to Logan's family when we were children, hoping to secure themselves a place of power through her.

I tried again. "Logan-"

Logan raised his hand. "Aria, don't beg. Just accept this. We sever the bond tomorrow."

I looked at my family. My mother, who had never been proud of me. My father, who had always favored Natalia. My brother, who had always resented me.

And I saw nothing but strangers.

Logan loved Natalia. His desire for a child had blinded him. I couldn't recognize the logical man I had loved. He would regret this. And hopefully, when he did, he would come running to me.

I held back my tears.

I turned to walk away, but Natalia's voice stopped me.

"Oh, Aria?" Her smile was sweet. "Don't worry. You can still help me raise my child when I get too busy acting as Luna."

I stumbled out of the estate. My legs gave way beneath me, and I collapsed onto the cold stone floor of the courtyard, tears streaming down my face.

Elias rushed toward me, his face pale. He dropped to his knees beside me, gripping my shoulders.

"What happened?" His voice was urgent. "Aria, what happened?"

"L-Logan," I choked out. "He wants to sever our bond. He got my sister pregnant."

Elias's eyes widened. "Natalia is back?" He shook his head. Then he pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly. "He can't sever your bond, Aria. It will hurt you. Breaking a bond with a wolf is dangerous. It could kill you."

I leaned into him, my heart shattering. "Just take me away from here," I whispered. "Please, Elias. Just take me away."

His expression hardened. He helped me to my feet, keeping an arm around me as he led me away from the estate.

"I will not let them destroy you," he said, his voice low and fierce. "We will fix this. I swear it on my life."

-

I was seated in an armchair in a simple cabin, holding a cup of tea. The warmth of the cup seeped into my cold fingers, but I barely felt it.

Elias stood before me, pacing restlessly. His boots scuffed against the wooden floor, and I could see the tension coiled in his shoulders.

"The elders will not agree to Logan severing your bond," he said, his voice sharp with barely contained fury. "You were the chosen Luna. The whole pack respects you. The soldiers revere you."

I stared down at the tea, watching the ripples form as my hands trembled.

"While Logan was traveling to impregnate your sister, you were here helping our pack, Aria." Elias's voice cracked with emotion. "So stop crying. No one is letting you leave your post."

I sighed. "He's the Alpha. When Logan wants something, he gets it."

I sniffled as my tears spilled faster. "I couldn't give him a pup, and he has been in love with Natalia since we were pups, Elias. I cannot do anything. There is nothing I can do. I just have to make sure I survive the severing of the bond. A lot of people have survived it."

"You could die, Aria!" Elias dropped to his knees before me, his hands gripping mine around the cup.

His eyes burned with desperation. "If you sever your bond, your wolf will grow weak and cold. You could die. Do you understand that? The bond breaking could kill you. I will not allow this. The elders will not allow this. We will fight this together."

I looked down at him.

He had always been so devoted to me. I had never understood why. He was Logan's right-hand man, not mine.

"Elias, please," I whispered. "Remember, he is still your Alpha."

Elias's jaw tightened. His eyes burned with something fierce and protective. His grip on my hands tightened.

"He may be my Alpha," he said slowly, his voice dropping to a low growl. "But you are my Luna. And I will protect you with my life. I do not care what title he holds. I do not care what the pack says. You are the one who has earned my loyalty, not him."

I stared at him, startled by the intensity in his voice.

"Elias..."

He released my hands and stood.

"I will speak with the elders tomorrow," he said firmly. "Rest for now, Aria."

I watched him walk away.

The door closed behind him, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

All I could do was hope Logan would come back to me when he realized his mistake.

Aria POV

The next day arrived faster than I was ready for.

I was summoned at dawn. The elders had agreed to Logan's request. My bond was to be severed.

I stood in the center of the community building, my head bowed, my tangled hair falling around my face. I could hear the pack gathering around me-the shuffle of feet, the whispers of confusion, the quiet voices of parents trying to understand what was happening. Children stared at me from behind their mothers. Even the soldiers, the very men I had helped and supported, stood watching in helpless silence.

Logan stepped onto the dais in front of the community building. Natalia stood beside him, her arm wrapped around his, her rounded belly proudly displayed. My parents stood behind them, smiling from ear to ear.

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Murmurs spread like wildfire.

"What is the meaning of this, Logan?" Elder Marcus stepped forward, his voice sharp with authority.

"I am here today to sever my mate bond with Aria." Logan's voice was flat and dismissive. "Natalia will become the Luna of this pack."

The crowd erupted.

I heard a woman's voice rise above the chaos. "Aria has been a good Luna! When you were traveling, she took care of this pack! She fed our children when we had nothing!"

Another voice joined in. "Why should we choose Natalia over her? Natalia abandoned this pack years ago!"

"Who will help us through the plague, Alpha?"

Logan's jaw tightened. His eyes swept over me with cold contempt.

"She cannot bear an heir. For five years, Aria has been unable to give me a child. She is useless. She is to step down from her position."

Elias shot to his feet, his face pale with barely contained fury. "This is outrageous! To sever her bond for such nonsense reasons? The bond could kill her, Logan! Are you so heartless that you would sacrifice her life for your selfish desires?"

"It is a very good reason." Logan's voice was cold. "She is barren. The pack will die without an heir. Natalia has already proven she can give me what Aria could not."

Natalia stepped forward, one hand resting on her belly. She smiled at the crowd, her eyes wide with false innocence.

"I know this is difficult," she said, her voice dripping with false sympathy. "But I am carrying the future of this pack. I will be a good Luna. I promise. As for the plague, we could simply hire someone else to handle it."

"This is outrageous!"

The voices around me blurred into a distant murmur.

I stared at Logan. He met my gaze, and I quickly looked away, too ashamed to see what was in his eyes.

If only I had borne him a pup sooner.

"I agree to sever the bond." The words left my mouth, my voice flat and hollow.

Logan's eyes widened in shock before he quickly masked it. He hadn't expected me to agree.

Natalia's smirk widened, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction, while Elias looked at me in horror.

I stepped forward. "I'm ready for the chants."

The elders hesitated, exchanging uncertain glances.

Elias suddenly lunged forward, but two soldiers grabbed him and held him back.

"Let me go!" he shouted, his voice breaking. "Aria! Do not let them do this! Fight!"

Logan snapped at him with a deep growl before turning back to me.

"She won't die. I'm sure she's smart enough to find a way to survive this, don't you think?"

I said nothing.

I simply stood there, staring at the sky.

The elders began to chant, the ancient words of the severing ritual filling the air.

I felt the bond in my chest-the invisible thread connecting me to Logan-begin to tear.

I gasped as my knees buckled beneath me, sending me crashing to the ground.

The sensation was unlike anything I had ever experienced before.

I groaned, trying to keep my composure, but the pain was too much. It burned through me, suffocating me, as my wolf screamed inside me, fighting to hold on.

The pain intensified, and she grew weaker by the second.

Blood filled my mouth.

The pain became unbearable. I screamed, the sound tearing from my throat and echoing through the courtyard. My wolf howled inside me, fighting until the very end.

Then the bond shattered.

I was thrown backward as blood spilled from my mouth.

The world spun around me. I could barely breathe or think, feeling only the hollow emptiness where my wolf used to be.

She was gone.

I was alone.

Logan looked down at me, his face unreadable, before turning to Natalia.

"Now move out of my estate. Your duty is done."

I tried to stand, but the pain in my chest nearly brought me back to my knees. Elias ran toward me, but Logan's voice cut through the air.

"Beta Elias, you are hereby banned from the pack."

Elias went still, his face paling. Whispers erupted around the courtyard as the elders stepped forward in fury.

"Logan, how dare you ban Elias!" Elder Marcus shouted. "He is the Beta of this pack! He has served faithfully for years!"

Logan's voice was cold and absolute. "Shut up. I am your Alpha, and my word is final. Get this traitor out of my pack."

Elias stood frozen, his hands trembling at his sides.

"Aria..." His voice broke. "I failed you."

I forced a smile, even as blood dripped from my lips. "You did everything you could, Elias. Go. Please. Just go."

"No," he said, his voice fierce. "I will not leave you."

I looked at him, at the one person who had never abandoned me.

"It's okay. I've been alone all along. I'll manage."

The soldiers grabbed him. He fought, thrashing against them and screaming my name, but they dragged him away-out of the courtyard, out of the pack, out of my life.

I was alone.

I collapsed onto the cold stone floor, my body broken and my wolf gone.

I let the darkness take me.

Aria POV

I woke up to the familiar scent of Mira's cabin filling my senses. My eyes adjusted slowly to the dim light filtering through the small window. The bed beneath me was soft, a stark contrast to the cold stone floor I had collapsed on.

"Aria?"

I turned to see Mira entering the cabin, her eyes red and swollen with tears. She rushed to my side, wrapping her arms around me in a fierce embrace.

"I am so glad you are alive," she whispered, her voice trembling.

I remained still. My body was numb. My heart was shattered. And my wolf, the other half of my soul, was silent. She had retreated somewhere deep inside me, refusing to come out, refusing to acknowledge the world I had been thrown into.

I looked down at myself, noticing the soft blankets covering me. "How long was I out?"

"Two days." Mira pulled back, pressing a warm, damp cloth to my forehead. "Logan immediately marked Natalia in front of everyone. She is already Luna."

I nodded. "And Elias?"

Mira's expression faltered. She sighed heavily, her hands pausing.

"He's not here anymore. I went to see him before he left. He gave me a few bags of coins to give you. To start a new life somewhere else."

I chuckled dryly. "I'm not Luna anymore. Why does he keep bothering?"

I sat up slowly, my body aching. Mira pressed a bowl of soup into my hands, and I ate mechanically.

Mira studied my face. Her eyes narrowed. "You are so oblivious as always."

I blinked. "What do you mean?"

She set her hands on her hips. "Isn't it obvious? Elias likes you. He has for years. That is why he does all of this. That is why he risked everything to defend you."

I froze. The spoon hovered mid-air. "Likes me?"

Mira nodded, rolling her eyes. "You were so blind. I swear I could feel him daydreaming about always rutting you."

I blushed. A spark of color returned to my pale cheeks. "Hey, that is inappropriate."

Mira sighed. Her expression softened. "I am just telling you. Maybe you should consider living with Elias. He would take care of you."

I looked away. "I don't like him like that. And I am tired of romance. I just got rejected and tossed out by my mate. Who would want a barren woman?"

"Aria..." she murmured, reaching for my hand.

I pulled away. I set the empty bowl aside.

"I can't stay here anymore. I need to go get my things from Logan's estate. And then..."

I didn't know what came after that. I only knew I couldn't remain here.

Mira stood quickly. Her eyes blazed with protective fury.

"Let me help. Who knows what that bitch Natalia has done with your things?"

I smiled sadly. I shook my head.

"No, stay here. You have your own family to worry about. I will send word sometime."

I walked toward the door and paused at the threshold.

"Thank you," I whispered.

She nodded. "Be careful, Aria. And if you want a place to stay, I'm available."

I nodded and stepped out of the cabin.

---

I arrived at Logan's estate and made my way to my chambers. I brought out my bag and began packing. One by one, I folded my clothes and placed them inside.

Once I was done, I went to my work station. I picked up the herbs and potions I had been working on. I organized them carefully.

Then my eyes landed on my papers. My research. The long list of documents I had made on winter rot, a disease plaguing the northern region.

I picked up one of the papers and read through my old notes.

A reluctant smile came to my face.

This severing was a blessing in disguise. Logan had refused to let me go north to study the disease. He said it would take me away from my duties.

But now I was free.

I could start working on it seriously.

But first, I needed approval from the Lycan King. The northern region was his main territory. If I wanted to study the disease there, I needed his permission.

So once I found a place to settle, I needed to write a letter to him.

I finished packing and went downstairs.

In the main parlor, I saw Victor and Natalia eating.

Natalia was dressed in the Luna robe, while Victor wore expensive clothes. They were already bossing the staff around as if they owned the place.

"Is this what you call a meal?" Victor snapped.

He picked up his plate and threw the food at the omega standing beside the table. The food splattered across her face and clothes. She stood there silently, her head lowered.

I felt bad for her.

Natalia didn't even bother to stop her brother. She simply continued combing through her hair.

"I need a proper spa day soon," she said, checking the ends of her hair.

I decided to ignore them. Soon enough, Logan would regret his actions. By then, I would have found a cure or made progress with my research. I would be valuable to the King.

And Logan would see my worth.

But as I walked toward the door, Victor and Natalia noticed me.

"What are you doing here?" Victor asked.

I looked away. "Just packing."

I tried to walk past them. Natalia's voice stopped me.

"And you're going with that?"

I turned. She smiled sweetly. Her eyes were cold.

"That stuff belongs to Logan. All those little experiments of yours are to remain here."

I froze. I clutched the bag tighter. "This is my research. It belongs to me."

"They are Logan's property." Natalia's voice was flat. "You should be grateful we are letting you leave with your life."

I felt anger rising. "Be careful. As Luna now, you cannot go around threatening-"

Natalia scoffed. "You'd better watch your mouth. You're below me now. You should be lucky Logan decided not to kick you out of the pack. Now drop those things back."

"Natalia." Victor stepped forward. "Let her take it. It's cheaper if we have her around to cure these diseases instead of paying someone else."

I blinked, shocked by Victor's words.

I guess he does have a brain in him.

Natalia huffed. "Fine. But she's not staying in this estate."

"I am not planning on staying either way," I spat.

Natalia's eyes narrowed.

Then she smirked. "Oh, really?"

I frowned. Before I could respond, the front door slammed open.

We all turned.

There stood the Lycan King's soldiers. Their armor gleamed. Their faces were cold.

My blood ran cold.

What were they doing here?