The Rejected Curvy Luna Queen

KELLY THOMPSON'S POV

Oh moon goddess, I can't help but feel so attached to him, yet it's heartbreaking that he's never once looked my way with those dangerously attractive blue eyes. No, instead, his thoughts and affections are glued to that annoying girl, Betty Nord. Ugh, it's infuriating!

But honestly, why am I even bothering? My parents, loyal betas to Alpha King Don Bentley, made the ultimate sacrifice two years ago during the deadly battle against the North pack to save his son, Jason.

In acknowledgment of their bravery, the Alpha King boldly declared, "The daughter of the Thompsons will marry my first son, the Alpha heir Jason Bentley, on her eighteenth birthday, once she's awakened her wolf."

I have to admit, I loved every bit of that speech at my parents' funeral for one big reason: I had a secret crush on Jason, but I never had the guts to tell him.

Of course, Jason was already smitten with that girl Betty. He's like a lovesick puppy chasing after her just because she looks just like his late mother, Jane Bentley, who died giving birth to him. Ever since, the Alpha King has been alone.

Jane was this tall, slender blonde who was also a Luna Queen. Her light green eyes sparkled like emeralds, making her look like a goddess among humans.

Now, me? I don't resemble her at all. I'm eighteen, standing at 1.65 meters and weighing 85 kilograms. With my black hair, brown eyes, and pale skin marked by generous curves, I guess it's safe to say I'm a proud, chubby werewolf gal.

The big issue? I still haven't gained my wolf, and that's beyond frustrating. Even that unbearable Betty has already gotten hers and left our pack to train as a nurse in the East pack school, our ally.

So, this morning, I found my way to the pack's temple. I lit some incense sticks and prayed to the goddess for my wolf.

Not sure if she heard me, but when I got back to my room, I got the shocking news that I'm supposed to marry Jason.

I found out that the Alpha King had gone straight to his nineteen-year-old son and told him it was time to marry.

Unsurprisingly, Jason wasn't thrilled about it and even had an argument with his father. But the Alpha King, using his royal authority, got Jason to agree to the plan.

Jason even asked the ruler of the South pack to pick a date for the wedding.

"Tonight at midnight," the Alpha King declared, his voice booming.

********

11 PM (ONE HOUR UNTIL THE FULL MOON)

Jason is waiting for me, looking bored, while I can hear the other young werewolf girls behind him gossiping about me, the bride they've dubbed "the luckiest ugly girl in the whole world."

Suddenly, the choir strikes up a beautiful melody to signal my arrival. I catch Jason glancing at his watch; it's 11:30 PM. A faint smile creeps onto his face, probably because he thinks this nightmare is finally coming to an end.

As I step in, I feel my face going paler; I have no clue what to expect from my groom.

"Hi, yes, you're not dreaming, it's the chubby Kelly," I think to myself as I see Jason's disappointed expression.

The guests are laughing, tossing around names for us. "The prince charming and the pancake lover, Kelly" is one that sticks with me.

I stand next to Jason, and he doesn't even look at me. I can feel his embarrassment as we both turn to the priest, Dan Tommy.

The Alpha King locks eyes with me and asks how I'm feeling.

"Great," I say, forcing a smile.

"Are you ready for what you know?" he asks.

I'm confused.

Just then, the clock strikes 11:59 PM, and a small light in the star-filled sky starts to grow. With each second, it becomes brighter until, at midnight, a full moon hangs above. I can feel my body starting to quiver. This is it-my first shift.

My fancy wedding dress rips apart as my bones shift and snap, fur sprouting all over. My face elongates and morphs into a terrifying snout, completing my transformation into a massive wolf. Guests scream in panic and start fleeing.

The Alpha King remains disturbingly calm and tries to restrain me, but I accidentally crash into a curtain, getting hopelessly tangled up. I fight against the fabric, but soon weariness takes over, and I collapse. The guests breathe a sigh of relief as I shift back into my human form.

"Hello, Kelly," another voice echoes in my mind.

There she is! I finally have my wolf, Sherry.

But my excitement fades quickly during the hurried wedding ceremony as I notice Jason's indifference. He doesn't even recall our wedding night. To drown his sorrows about this forced marriage, he drank heavily from the mini-bar and passed out. It's been an awkward silence ever since.

Before I know it, I realize I'm pregnant with his pup.

"I promise we'll take great care of him; he's ours," Sherry says enthusiastically.

Yes, our baby pup.

For the first time, a sense of hope for the future washes over me.

NINE MONTHS AFTER THE MARRIAGE

KELLY THOMPSON'S POV

Thank the moon goddess! I gave birth this afternoon to a beautiful, bouncing baby boy. We named him Eden Bentley, the second in line for the throne after his father, the Alpha heir, Jason.

Finally, I can pick up my healer studies again after quite a long break and work towards getting my certificate. It's been my dream to become a doctor for our community and teach at the pack school.

Jason also works there, serving as the deputy director alongside the director and Gamma Nicolas Nord. Nicolas is a longtime friend of Alpha King Don Bentley and, by the way, Betty's father. Ugh, I really dislike that.

A couple of months later, things changed when Jason became the new Alpha King following his father's resignation due to old age. I never imagined that I would be rejected afterward and forced to leave the pack. The pack's newspaper even ridiculed me, dubbing me the "weak Luna Queen" on the front page.

Betty Nord found out I had given Jason a son and went absolutely wild, vowing to create chaos. She framed me, and of course, Jason trusts her. He's never really loved me, even after I gave him a child.

The very next day after Jason's coronation, Betty showed up at the castle under the pretense of congratulating him. Jason and I were seated on the royal stage in the main hall to greet our well-wishers, as was tradition after a new Alpha King took over. Betty arrived dressed to the nines in a stunning blue satin robe with pearls around her neck. She gracefully approached us, stopping at the demarcation line, bowed before us, and asked to come closer.

Jason allowed her, and I could feel he still had feelings for her.

"Your Majesty, My Queen, I wish you long life and victory over our enemies. The past is behind us now, and I'm truly happy with my nurse training; that's what matters most," Betty said.

"But I can't help but feel sad about the old Alpha King's health. I wish I could show the Luna Queen, who is studying to be a healer, how to make a rejuvenating pill to help His Majesty regain some strength. I learned this skill at one of the top schools in the werewolf world," she added.

The new Alpha King was quick to respond, clearly excited by Betty's offer.

"Oh, definitely, the Luna Queen should learn how to make that pill. My father must live long enough to see our son, Eden, grow up, right, darling?" Jason said, looking at me playfully for the first time.

So I reluctantly agreed.

The next day, Betty returned to the castle, bringing a bag of ingredients for the rejuvenating pill for the old Alpha King while Jason was away.

Without wasting any time, she pulled out the ingredients and started mixing them.

"Listen, Kelly, if you mess up the mixing, it can be fixed. But if you get the magic formula wrong? Well, then you never know what could happen," she said, locking eyes with me as if trying to read my fear.

And then she began.

"Repeat after me! SERVUNDA BEVUNDA OLDMO ALPHATO KINGO DONTO BENTLEYO VOMITTO," Betty commanded, her expression twisting unnaturally, which freaked me out.

I could tell something was off about that magic formula, but Betty kept insisting, "Repeat, repeat, repeat!"

I tried to resist and back away, but she got angry, casting another spell: "BERVUNDA SERVUNDA LUNATA QUEENA OBEYA TOYA MEYA," as she waved her nails like she was pulling me closer with an invisible force.

Suddenly, I felt a surge of power, and my mouth opened involuntarily. Betty then used my voice to echo the magic words.

As soon as she finished, a nice-looking pill appeared in a box as I was regaining my senses.

"What have you done to me, Betty Nord?" I asked angrily, but she shushed me.

"Here's the rejuvenating pill for the old Alpha King. Once he takes it and recovers, you can count on Jason falling in love with you like never before," she persuaded me.

I was so longing for Jason to love me genuinely one day.

So, I rushed to the old Alpha King's private quarters with the pill.

"Your Majesty, I have something for you! It's a rejuvenating pill to help you feel better," I announced excitedly as I walked in.

"Oh, Kelly, I appreciate it, but at my age, I don't need this. I've lived a good life-it's time to prepare for my journey. What could a few more years really change? I'm already in the history books," the old Alpha King replied.

"That's true, Your Majesty! But think about how much you'd enjoy seeing your grandson, Eden, grow up a bit more," I urged.

"Oh, yes, I definitely want to see that little boy grow and continue our legacy. Bring me that pill," he commanded, unable to resist the mention of his beloved grandson.

He sat up on the bed, and I handed him the pill with some water. He swallowed it quickly, and then, to my horror, the unexpected occurred. The old Alpha King began to shout in pain, clutching his stomach and vomiting uncontrollably.

"What have you done, Luna Queen?" asked Pal, the old Alpha King's messenger, who had been watching us quietly.

At that moment, Jason walked in. He had come for a routine visit, only to find out I had seemingly poisoned his father with the pill. His wolf, Jude, erupted with rage, but Jason's human side held him back.

"Get out of here. If I unleash Jude, you'll regret it, but I won't because of our son, Eden. I, Jason Bentley of the South pack, reject you, Kelly Thompson, as my mate and the Luna Queen," he declared angrily.

I felt crushed, my heart shattered as I feared for my life. Unable to face the reality, I fled and hid out in the pack's woods.

A dog came across me and bit me. I bled, prompting my wolf, Sherry, to take over. She killed the German shepherd with her sharp claws. The dog's owners realized what happened, but Sherry managed to escape, bleeding profusely as she crossed into the rival North pack's territory. It felt like only one side could survive.

Weak, Sherry collapsed. I could tell she wanted to tell me something, but her voice was faint. Still, I understood what she was trying to say. It was a farewell as she prepared to sacrifice herself for my sake. I howled inside as she left this world, her wolf form shifting back to that of a human.

I was now officially a rogue.

SIX YEARS LATER

LORRY SPRINGSTONE'S / KELLY THOMPSON'S POV

Wow, time really does fly! Here I am at twenty-five years old, after six amazing years in Liverpool, away from my family and the whole werewolf scene. Believe it or not, I've settled in quite nicely-I even run a school! A human school, no less. Can you believe it? And yes, I'm still a werewolf.

It's funny; no one really cares where I came from or what I look like. All they see is who I am today. Here, I'm known as Miss Lorry Springstone, the director of one of Liverpool's top medical schools.

Along with my two best friends, Leila and Dora Woods-who, by the way, are twin sisters-we do our best to keep this school at the forefront of medical education. I handle the administration, but I often jump in to help them out with their biology and kinetics classes.

When I first arrived in Liverpool, I got admitted into the public university's medical science program quite easily, thanks to the advanced knowledge I gained at the South pack's school. As a werewolf, my skills and senses are way more developed than the average human, so everything here often feels like child's play to me.

About two years ago, I defended my biomedical science thesis and was thrilled to receive top marks from the jury, ultimately earning my PhD. Almost immediately after graduating, I was offered the position of director here at this wonderful school.

In short, that's been my life for the past six years, leaving behind the stressful existence of Kelly Thompson, the once Luna Queen.

If there's one thing I regret from my old life, it's my son, Eden Bentley, my pride and joy. I've missed all his birthdays. This spring, he'll be turning six, and I won't be able to whisper, "Happy birthday, honey, mom loves you," to him at the South pack's castle.

It hurts-like, really hurts-being away from your only child for so long. I had to leave my flesh and blood behind under dire circumstances, just to save my own skin.

"I, Jason Bentley, of the..." Ugh, I can't even finish that sentence. Just thinking about it gives me a headache, and then I can't concentrate on anything for the rest of the day.

From what I hear, even though he has no interest in pack matters anymore, Jason is still leading the South pack with that blonde bimbo, Betty Nord, who's now his wife and the Luna Queen. They've had two adorable little girls, and apparently, it brings Jason joy to see them bonding with Eden, their half-brother.

But sometimes I hear Eden feels sad because he misses me so much since Jason kicked me out of the castle after that poisonous pill incident.

People have been spreading lies that the late Alpha King Don Bentley-may he rest in peace-was fortunate Betty was visiting the castle the day I "poisoned" him. Rumor has it she was a nursing student and happened to have a healing potion in her bag that she quickly gave him, easing his pain.

Apparently, the old king was so thankful that he wished he'd let Jason marry her sooner instead of forcing him to pair up with a chubby, smelly werewolf like me. Oh, poor Kelly!

*******

THE SUMMER HAS BEGUN

It's break time at the medical school in Liverpool, and I'm in my office when the twin sisters, Leila and Dora Woods, walk in carrying three cups of coffee, a giant chocolate cake, and a fantasy magazine that's all the rage around here. They hand me a steaming cup of coffee and a slice of cake. Then Dora starts chatting about the magazine's cover.

"Check out that sexy, muscular werewolf promoting the big annual festival for these wild creatures. I wish I could go!" says Dora.

"Come on, Dora! They don't even exist. It's Greek mythology. Do you really think there's a grand festival happening? Not a chance, it's all just fantasy storytelling," Leila teases.

I can't help but chuckle at how clueless humans can be about the werewolf world-especially since I'm one of them, even if I'm currently wolfless.

"Leila, you really don't believe in werewolves? You'd better start, or I might just change your mind right here," I say, trying to inject a little fear while playfully unbuttoning my shirt as if about to reveal my true nature.

But then I remember Shelly, who died long ago to protect me. So, I stop, and Leila just rolls her eyes, calling my antics pure craziness.

"Are you serious? You're buying into fairy tales too now, Lorry? Come on!" she laughs.

Dora joins in with laughter, and just then, a mysterious, handsome man knocks on my office door. He's tall, well-built, and dressed in a sharply tailored suit, which makes us all stop in our tracks, captivated.

"Excuse me, ladies, but I'm here to meet the director of the school, Miss Lorry Springstone," he announces.

I'm taken aback-this stylish guy is here for me! I sneak a glance at Leila and Dora, noticing some jealousy creeping into their expressions, even though they're trying to hide it.

"Please, come in!" I say, trying to sound as professional as I can.

I'm the director, and we're at work. I can't let this guy throw me off balance. He walks over to my desk and takes a seat after I invite him.

Then, to my surprise-and my friends' disappointment-he asks to speak with me privately. Leila and Dora don't need to be asked twice; they dash out as the school bell rings, signaling the end of break.

"Oh, Lorry, we really need to go. We each have one last class before heading home," Dora says as she quickly packs up the leftover cake and empty coffee cups.

"See you later!" she adds before hurrying out, with Leila trailing behind, still glancing at the attractive visitor.

Now it's just me and the mysterious man, who introduces himself as Tom Braxton. He tells me he's a messenger from a king in a faraway land looking for a doctor for his soon-to-be six-year-old son who's unwell. He insists the king is willing to pay one gold bar-or even two-if I can help.

That pay is triple what I make at the school here in Liverpool. I'm intrigued. Although I'm not unhappy with my salary, I definitely could use more for some personal aspirations. Plus, I've always had a soft spot for anything involving royalty. The temptation to say yes is overwhelming. After all, I was once a Luna Queen, right?

"Mr. Braxton, thank you for your generous offer-it means a lot. But I'm afraid I have to decline for personal reasons. I hope you understand!"