Before Kael, life was simple—complicated in the usual ways, but nothing like now.
Arwen had grown up in a well-guarded world. Her father, a high-ranking government official, was powerful and deeply respected—feared, even. Her mother was softer, quieter, and her greatest confidante. Their estate was secluded, protected by thick iron gates, secret service patrols, and an unspoken wall between Arwen and the outside world.
Despite the luxury, Arwen never truly felt free. Every move was monitored, every friend vetted. Her father never trusted easily—especially not the supernatural. To him, werewolves were a threat, a mistake from the old world that needed to be erased. His hatred for their kind ran deep, though he never explained why.
Arwen had always felt different, though. She was drawn to stories about the things her father tried to silence—wolves in the woods, the Moonbound legends, and whispers of beings who lived between worlds.
Her life shifted the day she met Kael at a restricted summit between supernatural leaders and human authorities. She wasn't meant to be there. She had snuck in out of curiosity, hidden behind heavy curtains—until Kael's eyes found hers.
That moment... that single, stolen gaze ignited everything.
He was confident, fierce, with a quiet rage beneath his composure. A walking contradiction. He introduced himself with charm, but Arwen saw the storm behind his smile.
They kept meeting—accidentally at first, and then intentionally. And despite everything she had been taught, Arwen fell. Hard.
She thought she had found freedom in him.
But she didn't know then...
She was just a piece in his plan.
A plan written long before she was even born.
She had gone against everything—and everyone—to be with Kael.
Her father warned her. Her mother pleaded with her. The media painted Kael as a dangerous radical, a werewolf Alpha with too much power and too many secrets. But Arwen didn't care. Love made her defiant.
"I don't care what he is," she'd told her father the night she left. "He sees me, not my last name. Not your politics. Me."
But her father's last words haunted her still.
"The day you choose him over your blood will be the day you'll regret it most."
She hadn't believed him. Not then.
The wedding was quick and quiet—no media, no public ceremony. Just a binding ritual deep in the forest, under the light of a full moon. She remembered how Kael had looked at her that night—like she was his entire world. She held on to that image, even now, when everything felt cold between them.
For a while, things were beautiful. Passionate. Wild. Kael made her feel alive. He promised her forever, spoke about unity between humans and wolves, about building a future where their child—if they ever had one—could be safe on both sides.
But that future was unraveling fast.
Now, the man who once held her like she was sacred barely touched her without claiming her like a possession. The warmth was gone. And when she looked in his eyes, she no longer saw love… just calculation.
She had given up her life for him. Her family. Her identity. Her world.
And slowly, Arwen was beginning to realize...
She might have given up her soul too
Arwen sat on the balcony that evening, watching the moon rise. The same moon she once thought bound her to Kael in something magical — sacred, even. Now, it only reminded her of everything she'd lost.
The distant howl of wolves echoed through the trees that lined the pack's territory. It used to thrill her, that sound. Now, it unsettled her.
She reached for the locket around her neck — the one her mother gave her the day she left home. *"If you ever feel lost, remember who you are."* The locket didn't open anymore. Kael had crushed it in a moment of rage during one of their arguments, claiming it was a symbol of the past she needed to forget.
She hadn't spoken to her father in over a year. And the last time she did, it was to tell him she was marrying Kael.
It was strange how life worked. She thought she was choosing love over legacy. But she ended up trapped in a different kind of legacy — one she didn't understand, one she couldn't control.
Kael barely came home before midnight now. When he did, he was either cold or distant — or both. She wasn't stupid. She knew something else was happening behind the scenes. She'd overheard enough whisperings among the pack. There were talks of war. Of a child. Of her.
Her stomach twisted as she placed a hand over it.
She hadn't told anyone yet. Not even Kael.
She was carrying his child.
A part of her wanted to believe this would change everything. That maybe this child would remind him of the man he used to be. The man she fell in love with. But another part of her — the part growing louder each day — knew better.
Kael didn't want a family. He wanted a weapon. A symbol. A way to complete whatever revenge he still harbored deep in his heart.
And she was the perfect pawn to get it.
PRESENT DAY- Coronation
The drums echoed through the forest, their rhythm steady and deep—like the heartbeat of the pack itself.
Torches lit the path leading to the ceremonial grounds, casting flickers of golden light across the trees. Arwen stood at the edge of the circle, dressed in a flowing white gown lined with silver embroidery. Her long, dark hair was braided with wolf teeth and tiny crystals—symbols of strength and sacrifice.
Every eye was on her.
Kael stood in the center, tall and proud in his alpha regalia. His sharp gaze met hers, unreadable as always. Behind him, the pack elders waited with solemn expressions, the Luna's crown resting in their hands—an ancient circlet forged from silver and bound with the oath of blood.
Arwen's heart beat furiously. Not from excitement, but from restraint. This coronation wasn't born of love or honor. It was strategy. Politics. A tool to solidify Kael's position.
Still, she walked forward.
One step after the other, toward a future she no longer trusted.
As she reached Kael, he extended a hand. She placed hers in his, her fingers cold against his warmth. He leaned in and whispered, "You wear power well."
She didn't respond.
The elder stepped forward. "Do you, Arwen Evernight, swear to stand beside your Alpha, to protect this pack with your life, and to uphold the sacred bloodline of the wolves?"
Arwen's voice was steady. "I swear."
The crown was placed on her head. A silent ripple passed through the crowd. They howled—not for joy, but for tradition.
Kael leaned closer again, brushing his lips against her temple. "You're Luna now, Arwen. There's no going back."
She smiled faintly, eyes locked on the moon overhead.