Alison’s POV
The morning sun filtered through my window, casting a soft, warm glow over the room. I’d just finished my lesson with Andrew and was feeling restless, a strange energy building up inside me. Xander had encouraged me to become familiar with the Nightfang Pack’s lands and customs, but up until now, I hadn’t ventured much beyond the castle grounds. Today, something in me urged to explore, to see more of the place I was slowly beginning to call home.
I took a deep breath, straightening my shoulders. “It’s time,” I murmured to myself, slipping on a light jacket and heading out. I was going to face this world outside, whether they liked me or not.
Stepping out of the castle felt like stepping into another world entirely. The gardens gave way to cobbled paths, which led to the cluster of stone buildings that made up the heart of the Nightfang Pack’s territory. The air here was thick with the smell of pine and earth, layered with the occasional waft of grilled meat or baking bread.
At first, I tried to keep my head down, but it was impossible to ignore the stares. As I strolled down the main path, it felt like every pair of eyes in the pack had fixed on me. Conversations fell silent as I passed, only to pick up again in low murmurs once I was beyond earshot. I didn’t need super-hearing to know they were talking about me.
I squared my shoulders, determined to meet their stares with grace. “Just keep walking, Alison. Just keep walking.”
But I didn’t have to strain to catch snippets of the whispers. A small group of girls, gathered by a bakery, were speaking in hushed tones that grew louder as I neared.
“Can you believe it?” one of them said, voice dripping with disdain. “The Alpha wants her as our Luna? A complete outsider, and from Silver Moon Pack, of all places.”
Another girl sneered. “It’s ridiculous. Caitlyn is perfect for him; she’s one of us. Who knows what damage this… this stranger could inflict?”
My cheeks flushed, but I forced myself to keep walking. Just as I thought I’d escaped their biting comments, one of them called out mockingly, loud enough for the whole street to hear.
“Hey, Silver Moon Girl! Did you think we wouldn’t see right through you? We don’t want a spy as our Luna.”
I paused, glancing back over my shoulder. The girl who had spoken was smirking, her arms crossed as she stared me down with a smug expression. I felt a flare of anger rise in me but bit it back. I couldn’t let them get to me.
Just then, the young maid who’d been assigned to accompany me, a small, freckle-faced girl of about 14 named Clara, leaned in close. “Don’t listen to them, Miss Alison,” she whispered, her voice kind but hesitant. “They would soon adjust to you.”
I smiled gratefully at Clara, though inside, the hurt lingered. “Thank you, Clara. I appreciate that.”
We continued down the path, my eyes sweeping over the scattered groups and faces that seemed to follow my every step. As we walked, I couldn’t help but notice the unspoken message in the way they stood, the way they turned away from me, some with open disgust in their eyes.
“Clara,” I finally said, needing answers. “Why do they hate me so much? I get that I’m new and previously a slave in another pack, but that shouldn’t just be it, is there more?”
She hesitated, glancing around as if worried someone might overhear. “Well, I feel… it’s just… you’re not what they expected, I suppose. The Alpha’s mother, Lady Katherine, she had… introduced Miss Caitlyn to the pack as the future Luna before you arrived.”
I stopped mid-step, my heart sinking. “So that means the entire Pack sees me now as a rival to Caitlyn?”
Clara nodded, her face twisted in sympathy. “At the last pack celebration, Lady Katherine made it clear to a few Elders that Miss Caitlyn was the chosen one. She’s well-liked here, you see. Raised here, trained here, comes from a linage of Betas and is an Omega… She knows the traditions. They expected her to lead alongside Alpha Xander.”
I processed her words, feeling a sense of duty settle heavy in my chest. No wonder they all looked at me with such contempt. In their eyes, I was just a conniving stranger, an intruder who had come to take the place of someone they knew and trusted.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me about this?” I muttered, more to myself than to Clara. “How am I supposed to stand a chance if they’ve already decided I don’t belong?”
Clara looked at me with a gentle smile. “Because they don’t know you yet. They’re afraid of what they don’t understand.”
We kept walking, and although I tried to focus on Clara’s words, it was impossible to ignore the tension in the air. Some pack members simply nodded as we passed, cautious but polite. Others, however, didn’t bother to hide their hostility. One older man scoffed as I passed, muttering under his breath, “Nothing but trouble…”
Further down the path, a group of elderly women whispered to each other, glancing my way with disapproving frowns. I tried to ignore them, but one of their voices cut through the air sharply.
“It’s disgraceful,” she said. “The Alpha bringing in some unknown girl as Luna… A slave girl, no less!”
Shame and embarrassment churned in my stomach. I wanted to shout, to tell them they didn’t know me, didn’t understand the all I had been through. But I clenched my fists and kept silent, knowing that nothing I said would change their minds.
As we walked, Clara kept her head down, clearly uncomfortable with the growing tension. But her presence by my side helped ground me, and for that, I was grateful.
We passed another group, this one filled with younger women, who sneered and whispered as I approached. I couldn’t make out their words, but the tone was unmistakable. Their glares were almost palpable, sharp and heavy like daggers against my skin.
One of them, tall with fiery red hair, turned to face me, arms crossed. “You think you can just waltz in here and take what’s not yours?” she spat, her voice full of venom.
I stared back, forcing myself to remain calm. “I’m not here to take anything,” I replied, my voice steady. “I’m here because the Moon Goddess chose me for Xander. I didn’t ask for this, but I won’t apologize for it, either.”
The girl snorted, rolling her eyes. “The Alpha may have chosen you, but the pack hasn’t and would never accept you. Remember that.”
I swallowed, nodding curtly before moving past them. Their laughter echoed behind me, but I refused to look back.
Clara walked close to me, her face pale. “I’m sorry, Miss Alison. I didn’t know it would be this bad.”
I shook my head, managing a small, bitter smile. “Neither did I, Clara. But if this is what it takes, then I’ll face it. I’m not running away.”
As we made our way back to the castle, I couldn’t shake the weight of what Clara had told me. Lady Katherine had chosen Caitlyn publicly, and the pack had already accepted her as their future Luna. I was stepping into a role they didn’t believe I deserved, a role they’d been told belonged to someone else. I thought this was only a chose known by people within the castle, I never knew it went deeper than that.
And yet, deep down, I felt a spark of determination flare within me. I didn’t want to be seen as an outsider, as a stranger or a threat. I wanted to be someone they respected, someone they could trust.
The path ahead wouldn’t be easy. Every cold stare, every whisper, every disdainful look was proof of that. But I couldn’t back down now. Not after everything I’d been through. Not after all the sacrifices I’d made to be here.
By the time we reached the castle steps, I had made up my mind. I would do whatever it took to earn their respect. I would prove to them that I was more than just an outsider, more than the girl they saw as an unworthy replacement.
I turned to Clara, giving her a determined nod. “Thank you for sticking with me today. I needed that.”
She smiled softly, nodding. “You’re welcome, Miss Alison. And… I think you’re stronger than they realize. Don’t let them get to you.”
I took a deep breath, my resolve solidifying with every passing second. I wasn’t just here for Xander; I was here for myself, too. And I was determined to show them all exactly who I was.
With a final glance back at the hostile faces in the village below, I made a silent vow to myself.
One day, they would respect me. One day, they would see the strength I carry within me. And until that day came, I would keep fighting, no matter what they threw my way.