"And a toast for my girlfriend, Sarah."
Diana stood while the others remained seated, the spotlight bright on her, catching the glow of her olive skin and her warm smile. In this room, she turned heads, making male wolves growl under their breath. This was the same woman no one had glanced at years ago.
"To you, Sarah." Diana's smile deepened as she looked down at her friend, who clung to her husband's arm, the brightest grin on her chubby cheeks.
"The first time you came to my dorm and asked if I'd seen Alex, I wanted to poke your cheek."
The crowd laughed, and Diana's eyes softened. "Now you've found your Alex… and married him."
"Awwn," the guests beamed.
Alex squeezed Sarah's hand.
Diana went on, "Back then, when you came looking for Alex, I thought it was a rat that had eaten your biscuit." The crowd erupted in laughter. "But no… it was your Romeo. The same Romeo you wanted to yell at because he drank your wine after crashing into your house with your brother—and now, he must pay."
Sarah dried the tears that had fallen on her cheek.
"And now he has turned out to be the most important person in your life, just like you became so important to me after you introduced yourself awkwardly, back when you were more into your rat..."
They all laughed and even cheered at Diana. Sitting next to her was AJ, looking at her proudly, while Elijah sat across the table, starstruck by her face. He didn't clap or laugh; he just kept looking.
"I love you, Sarah," Diana said, locking eyes with her. "Back then we didn't talk much, but after your introduction, after we got to know each other, you became one of the people who changed my life entirely."
The crowd grew silent, many knowing what Diana meant. Some now felt guilty for having looked down on her.
Diana raised her drink and said cheerfully, though a tear now stung her eyes, "To Sarah and Alex."
"To Sarah and Alex," echoed the crowd, raising their glasses as the lively feast returned again.
Diana slid into the seat beside AJ, who leaned toward her. "I'm so proud of you," he whispered, his warm breath brushing her ear.
A few heads turned at the closeness. Some still wondered how the two had ended up together, no one had heard about the engagement until today. Most had assumed they were just friends.
The low murmurs drifted across the room, reaching Alpha Elijah. His gaze flicked toward them, catching the small, intimate moment before he quickly looked away.
Diana's lips curved as she met AJ's eyes, calm and steady. "I owe you for that, love."
His gaze softened, a warmth blooming in his chest. His heart skipped, and for a moment, all he wanted was to close the gap between them and taste her full lips. But the music swelled through the room, pulling him back into his seat.
Diana didn't notice the brief tension. The moment the music started, she shot to her feet, eyes sparkling. Grinning at AJ, she asked, "Wanna dance?"
"No, I'm good," he replied, his voice rough with uneven breath.
"Such a shame you don't dance," she teased, already hurrying toward the dance floor.
The spotlight first caught Sarah and Alex, but soon shifted to Diana, who moved with playful energy. She swayed her hips to the beat, her smile drawing people in until even Sarah stopped mid-step to clap for her, and the rest of the crowd quickly followed.
From his seat, Elijah rose. Every fiber of him wanted to take her away, hold her until she agreed to be his. His wolf bristled at the sight of her moving like that.
He started toward her, but before he could reach her, another man stepped into his path—AJ.
Born into a noble warrior family yet loyal in service to the Moonbound pack, AJ stood firm. Still, Elijah's every instinct screamed to tear him apart.
"So, you got the girl, huh?" Elijah said, lips curved, but there was a dark shadow in his expression that didn't escape Aj's notice.
"And you didn't," Aj replied, eyes narrowing. He didn't care if Elijah was the Alpha, there was no way he was letting him near Diana, not after everything she had been through.
"You can't stop me," Elijah said, jaw tight. "If I want her, I'll get her."
"Beat me, then." Aj's gaze glinted. "You always think you can have whatever you want. Have you forgotten how you threw her away?"
The memory cut through Elijah. It was the mate announcement ceremony. Diana had stepped forward, her smile bright as she looked at him. But his gaze had been like a blade, his voice just as sharp when he said the words that shattered her: "I can never accept you as my Luna. You are far too weak to survive the enemies that come for this pack."
He had chosen duty over the bond. Yet over the years, what had he become? A mad Alpha craving his mate, needing her to soothe the storm in him.
Aj was right, he didn't deserve her. But he would be damned if he let some ordinary warrior spit that in his face.
"Damn you," he hissed, storming out of the room. He ignored the few glances thrown his way, though he was certain some had already started whispering that the Alpha had gone mad.
For five years, he'd kept it locked inside–tight, controlled. He never expected her to walk into this wedding looking like someone else entirely… someone who could rip that control apart.
Outside, the night sky shimmered with scattered stars and a pale half-moon. A soft breeze slipped past, ruffling his dark hair as he leaned against a pillar, eyes fixed on the flower beds.
"Elijah?"
He didn't turn. He knew the voice too well and wasn't sure he had the patience for a lecture from his Beta tonight.
Hulk stepped into view, broad-shouldered, all muscle, chestnut hair neatly trimmed. Not taller than Elijah, but heavier in build, a wall of quiet intimidation.
"Your wolf is stirring," Hulk said.
Elijah gave him a sidelong glance, mouth twisting in a faint mockery. "Serves me right, doesn't it? That it can barely behave at the sight of her."
"She's your mate. You can't keep fighting it," Hulk said with a low sigh. "I told you rejecting her would come back to bite."
"And the reminder is supposed to make me feel better?" Elijah's tone turned dark, lips twitching with restrained frustration. Damn it, could this wedding just end? But also… could he find a way to see her again?
"How did she become so different? What has she been up to all these years?" he asked curiously, rubbing his chin.
No one had seen her after he publicly rejected her. Some even said she was probably dead. But the pull had been there all these years, and he had tried to track her scent, to find any trace of her whereabouts. He never succeeded until now. And she had been the one to reveal herself.
"Get every piece of information you can, and how she made contact with Aj," he suddenly commanded. "I need it as fast as possible."
"Certainly." Hulk bowed slightly and left.
When Elijah returned to the hall, the dancing had stopped. She stood with a drink in her hand, talking and laughing with Sarah. Her pose was different now, confident, and her eyes remained fierce. Aj stood beside her, his hand resting on her waist.
Elijah quickly looked away and walked back to his seat. The elders glanced at him, but he raised a brow, and they immediately looked away, minding their own business. Yeah, that's what I thought.
The party came to an end, and guests began to depart. Diana and Aj bid their last farewell.
"I do love him, you know," Sarah whispered with a giggle, referring to Aj as he was pulled away by old friends. "He's a keeper. Do keep him."
"Sure, I will," Diana laughed. After waving her friend goodbye, she walked hand in hand with Aj and straight into Elijah, who stood with some council members.
No words were exchanged, but their gazes locked in a silence heavy with unspoken words. Diana was the first to look away. She smiled at Aj as though unaffected, though her breath came ragged as the past replayed in her mind.
And the words that had haunted her: You are too kind, too naive, and those qualities are not for me, Diana. You cannot be the Luna for me.