The Substitute Luna Chapter 02

The Substitute Luna Chapter 02

That night, Ronan didn’t come home.

At dawn, Taryn posted on the pack network:

[You swore you’d never hold another’s hand.]

The photo showed two clasped hands, a small scar on the man’s knuckle. Ronan’s.

Within minutes, it spread across every territory.

My name appeared in the comments: [Get rid of the fake Luna. He should be with Taryn.]

Others pleaded with Ronan: [Think of the alliance treaty. Don’t ruin everything for a willful she-wolf.]

Our pack’s alliances were tied to border treaties. Breaking them would cost us dearly.

Beta David tried reaching Ronan, but couldn’t. He called me instead, asking me to post something to quell the rumors.

I scrolled through my private album, only to find barely any photos of us together, and in every single one, I was the only one smiling.

Finally, I uploaded an old picture, Ronan sitting in the pack house study, reviewing documents. The warm light made him look like the man I once dreamed of.

The comments turned instantly: [See? He’s with his mate. Stop spreading lies.]

Then Ronan reposted Taryn’s photo.

Under the clasped hands, he wrote: [It’s me.]

He’d chosen her over me. Again.

Her supporters flooded my page: [Three years and still nothing. Pathetic.]

Watching the messages pile up, I erased every trace of him from my devices.

I was done.

By morning, the pack council summoned me to address the fallout from Ronan’s scandal.

I ran into Taryn in the hallway, as expected.

She offered a demure smile. “Luna, I’m terribly sorry about last night. I’d had too much to drink and posted without thinking.”

“I never expected Ronan to respond so publicly, I told him as much this morning. He’s the Alpha, after all. He can’t afford to seem so… preoccupied.”

“All those rumors from the pack are absurd. Saying I’m your replacement? Please.”

“They don’t understand how grateful I truly am. I appreciate you being there for Ronan all these years…”

I smiled back. “I’m his mate. Being there for him is part of that. You owe me no thanks.”

“I heard what they were saying last night, that you were the one breaking up a family. Don’t let it bother you.”

Her smile vanished.

“The ring,” her eyes dropped to my hand, vicious. “It’s mine now. Give it back.”

She reached for me. I threw her arm off, my elbow grazing her cheek.

She screamed and swung her clutch. The metal clasp caught my eyebrow; hot blood poured into my eye. My ears rang.

I raised my hand to strike back, but someone caught my wrist from behind.

Ronan’s voice, ice-cold. “Go ahead, Vivian. Try it.”

Then he looked at the blood on my face, then at Taryn. “Did you do that?”

Taryn’s eyes instantly welled up. “No, she cursed at me, tried to hit me. I was only defending myself. I’m sorry, Ronan, I apologize…” The tears spilled over.

Ronan released me abruptly and stepped to her, stroking her hair. “Next time, defend yourself harder. With me here, you never bow to anyone.”

I stood there alone, blood streaming down my cheek.

My best friend Jenna snapped, “Alpha, that’s your mate! Are you blind? Holding her while she plays the victim?”

“What did Vivian do wrong? Have you forgotten you wanted pups with her?”

“You’ll regret this.”

Pups. My hand drifted to my stomach.

Since yesterday, I’d noticed my scent changing, my wolf growing weaker. That meant I was carrying a pup.

I hadn’t had the chance to tell him.

“Maybe I cared about Vivian once,” Ronan said impatiently, “but Taryn’s back.”

“Vivian or whoever, get out of my way.”

I was silent for a moment, then said, “Fine. I’ll get out of your way completely.”

And I took off the ring.

Jenna grabbed my arm, glancing at my stomach. “Don’t be stupid. You…”

“It’s mine now.” Taryn snatched the ring eagerly. She forced it onto her finger, but it got stuck halfway.

Her smile twitched. She dropped the ring into the trash.

“I thought about it,” she said softly to Ronan. “We should get new ones. Not someone else’s castoffs.”

Ronan ignored her. His gaze was fixed on me. “Are you serious?”

“Yes,” I took a deep breath. “I hope you find what you’re looking for, Ronan.”

Then I turned and walked away, my hand over my belly.

From now on, this child was mine alone.