Are You Worthy To Be Their Luna

~ Reize ~

The next morning, I woke at the first hint of dawn, the pale light creeping through the heavy curtains of my new room in the Moon Palace.

I stared up at the ornate ceiling, intricate carvings of wolves, moons, and stars swirling together in a hypnotic dance.

The sky outside was a soft gradient of gray and lavender, the kind of quiet, expectant calm that only comes before the sun fully rises.

But instead of feeling serene, I was chilled to the bone.

I pushed aside the thick, luxurious blankets and let my feet touch the floor.

The coldness seeped through my skin, making me shiver as I stood up.

I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to chase away the feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of my stomach.

The room was grand, far too grand for someone like me—a seelie, the weakest of all supernaturals, thrust into a world of power and dominance.

I moved carefully, trying not to disturb the quiet of the room as I searched for the source of the freezing cold.

My fingers brushed against the smooth wall until they met the cool surface of a hidden panel.

I pressed it, and a sleek, modern air conditioning unit revealed itself, its silent hum filling the room.

I hadn't even noticed it the day before, so consumed by everything else that had happened.

With a click, I turned it off, the chill slowly dissipating from the room.

I breathed a sigh of relief, my breath fogging up the air as I stepped back.

The wolves here might have enjoyed the cold, but I certainly did not.

The thought crossed my mind—how did Butler Eriq Talbot, a human, manage to survive in a house full of wolves who thrived in the cold?

He must have had a strength I couldn't comprehend.

But despite everything, I found myself grateful for Eriq's presence in the Moon Palace.

He was a calm, steady force in a place where I felt completely out of my depth.

He didn't make me feel entirely like an outsider, though I knew that's exactly what I was.

I glanced at the clock and realized it was still early, but there was no way I could go back to sleep.

The bed was too big, too cold, too empty. The whole room felt like a prison, despite its beauty.

I needed to get out, to see the rest of this palace that was now my home, though it felt anything but welcoming.

As I stepped out into the hallway, the vastness of the Moon Palace struck me again.

The corridors seemed to stretch endlessly, each one filled with doors that likely led to rooms just as grand, just as cold, as mine.

The silence was almost oppressive, broken only by the distant sound of activity coming from somewhere deeper in the palace.

I followed the noise, my footsteps echoing on the marble floors as I navigated the maze-like corridors.

As I turned a corner, the hall opened up into a grand atrium filled with light from high, arched windows.

The air here was alive with movement—hundreds of staff members were bustling about, cleaning, cooking, gardening, all moving with a practiced efficiency that was almost unnerving.

I paused, watching them for a moment.

The sheer number of people was overwhelming, and it made sense given the size of the Moon Palace.

A place this vast required an army to maintain it, and that's exactly what it had.

But as I stood there, a deep discomfort settled over me.

I wasn't used to this kind of luxury, this kind of service.

I felt like an imposter, living off the wealth and power of the True Alpha, a man I didn't even know.

I decided that I couldn't just stand by and do nothing.

I needed to contribute, to find some way to earn my keep here, even if it was just a small gesture.

I approached one of the staff members, a young woman who was sweeping the floor near the entrance to the garden.

"Excuse me," I said softly, trying to sound confident. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

The woman looked up at me, her expression blank as she quickly bowed her head.

"No, Miss Reize. Please, don't trouble yourself." Her voice was polite but distant, and before I could say anything more, she turned and walked away, continuing her work as if I hadn't spoken at all.

I stood there, stunned. The way she had dismissed me so easily, so casually, made me feel invisible.

I tried again with another staff member, a man trimming the hedges outside, but the result was the same.

He bowed, muttered something about it being unnecessary, and then ignored me completely.

It was as if I didn't exist, or worse—as if I was someone to be politely tolerated but not truly acknowledged.

Feeling dejected, I wandered away from the bustling activity, trying to find a place where I wouldn't be in the way.

My feet carried me through the winding paths of the garden, the air fragrant with the scent of flowers.

The garden was beautiful, a sprawling expanse of greenery with winding paths that led to hidden corners filled with statues, fountains, and carefully cultivated flower beds.

I paused to admire the flowers, each one more exotic than the last.

There were blooms that I had never seen before—petals that shimmered with an iridescent glow under the morning sun, others that seemed to absorb the light and give off a soft, internal glow like miniature moons.

I knelt down by one of the beds, gently touching the delicate petals of a flower that looked like it had been spun from silver thread.

The staff in the garden moved with a quiet grace, their hands working quickly and efficiently as they tended to the plants.

One man was on his knees, meticulously weeding around a patch of flowers with pale blue petals that seemed to pulse with a faint light.

Another was trimming a hedge that had been shaped into the likeness of a crescent moon, his movements precise and practiced.

I continued to wander through the garden, letting the sights and sounds wash over me.

It was peaceful here, away from the cold, impersonal grandeur of the palace's interior.

But even in this beautiful place, I felt out of place, like an intruder in a world that wasn't meant for me.

As I rounded a corner, I saw Butler Eriq Talbot standing near the archway that led back into the palace.

He was giving orders to a group of staff members, his voice calm and authoritative.

They listened intently, nodding as he spoke, before dispersing to carry out their tasks.

I hesitated for a moment, then approached him, hoping that he might be more receptive than the other staff had been.

"Butler Talbot," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I… I wanted to help out around here. I feel like I'm just taking up space and—"

He turned to me, his expression shifting from one of calm authority to something colder, more serious.

His eyes, usually warm, were now hard as he spoke, his voice carrying a weight that made me feel small.

"Miss Reize, listen to me carefully," he began, his tone leaving no room for argument. "You're not here to doubt yourself or to play nice. You're here to ensure the True Alpha's government and power remain unchallenged.

The fact that he's mated to a seelie is unprecedented, and it has caused ripples through the entire werewolf network.

The staff here—" He gestured to the people working around us. "—they don't think you're worthy of their True Alpha. They can only tolerate you for so long, and they bow out of respect for your title, not for you."

His words hit me like a physical blow, the harsh reality of my situation sinking in.

I opened my mouth to speak, to argue, but he continued, his voice now tinged with a warning.

"If you don't exercise power and take control of the government within this palace, you'll be stepped on and dragged down, bloodied in this game of power.

You've been dragged into a bloody war of survival, Miss Reize, and the True Alpha knew that, which is why he was hesitant to claim you in the first place."

I felt a chill run down my spine, not from the cold, but from the weight of his words.

"But I'm not… I don't know how to… I'm not like them," I stammered, the fear creeping into my voice.

Eriq's gaze softened, just a fraction, but his tone remained firm.

"If you can't dominate the government of your own home, how will you help the True Alpha with his government?

You're supposed to be his backup, his private army. But to do that, you need to convince the entire werewolf network worldwide that you're worthy of their loyalty, that you're worthy to be their Luna.

They need to see that you're a strength to their Alpha, not a liability. If you can't do that, Miss Reize… you'll be chewed up and spat out alive."

With those final, chilling words, Eriq turned and walked away, leaving me standing there in the archway, my heart pounding in my chest.

I felt like the ground had been pulled out from under me, the reality of my situation crashing down on me all at once.

I was no longer just Reize, a seelie who had somehow found herself in the world of werewolves.

I was the mate of the True Alpha, the highest-ranking werewolf in existence, and I was expected to live up to that title.

But how could I? I didn't have the strength, the power, the confidence that they all seemed to possess so effortlessly.

As I stood there