Crowned by the enemy Alpha

Do you understand?

CHAPTER 12

~VERA~•

I allow Finn to drag me from the Luna’s chambers, keeping my expression neutral even though fury burns in my chest. Not at Lyria—never at her. But at the situation, at being punished for doing my job.

The moment we’re in the corridor with the door closed behind us, I yank my arm free.

“I can walk on my own,” I say flatly.

Finn releases me immediately, a smirk playing at his lips. “Finally. Maybe this will teach you to know your place, Sentinel.”

I turn to stare at him, my eyes boring into his until his smirk falters slightly. Know my place? My place is protecting this pack, protecting our Luna. But I don’t waste my breath explaining that to him.

Instead, I turn and walk toward the dungeons. Finn trails behind me, probably expecting me to resist or make a scene.

I won’t give him the satisfaction.

The dungeon entrance is guarded by two of our warriors. When they see me approaching with Finn, confusion crosses their faces.

“Open it,” I tell the guards. “I’m to be locked up.”

“Sentinel Vera?” One of them hesitates. “What happened?”

“That’s not your concern,” Finn says sharply. “Open the cell.”

They unlock the heavy door, revealing the damp stone corridor beyond. I can already see the three guards from Moon Strike Pack in one of the cells, their faces sullen and angry.

“I’d like to join them,” I say, gesturing to the occupied cell.

“What?” The guard looks at Finn. “But Sentinel, that’s…”

“That’s an order,” I interrupt. “Put me with them.”

Finn studies me for a moment, and I can see the wheels turning in his head. He’s trying to figure out what I’m planning. Finally, he shrugs.

“Allow it,” he tells the guards. “If Sentinel Vera wants to share accommodations with our guests, who are we to deny her?”

The guard unlocks the cell, and I step inside. The three Moon Strike wolves immediately shift uncomfortably, pressing themselves against the far wall like I’m a predator who just entered their den.

Smart of them.

The door clangs shut behind me, and I turn to survey my new cellmates. Two large enforcers and one older messenger. They’re all watching me with wary eyes.

“Which one of you,” I say quietly, my voice deadly calm, “spoke disrespectfully to our Luna?”

They exchange glances, none of them answering.

My patience, already thin from being locked up for doing my job, snaps.

I cross the cell in two strides and stomp down hard on the nearest enforcer’s foot. The c***k of bones breaking echoes off the stone walls, followed immediately by his scream.

“I asked a question,” I say over his howling. “Which. One. Of. You?”

I lift my boot and stomp on the other enforcer’s foot. Another c***k. Another scream.

The messenger presses himself against the wall, his face pale. “It wasn’t me! I swear! I just delivered the message!”

“Good.” I move to sit on the stone bench, watching all three of them writhe in pain. “Then you’ll live longer than your friends here.”

The older enforcer, the one who seems to be in charge—glares at me through his pain. “You’re going to regret this, wolf. When we get out of here, when Alpha Damon hears what you’ve done, he’ll make sure you pay. He’ll kill you himself.”

I lean back against the cold wall, completely relaxed. “That’s if you get out alive.”

All three of them go still, realizing that I’m not exaggerating. They’re at my mercy down here, and mercy isn’t something I’m known for.

We sit in tense silence, broken only by their occasional groans of pain. I close my eyes, conserving my energy. If Alpha Kaelan wants to keep me locked up, fine. But these three will learn to fear Draven Crest Pack while they’re here.

Footsteps echo down the corridor some time later, light, careful footsteps that I recognize immediately.

My eyes snap open. “No.”

But it’s too late. Lyria appears at the cell bars, her face concerned and determined.

I jump to my feet. “Luna, what are you doing here?”

“I came to check on you.” She looks past me at the Moon Strike wolves, who are now watching her with expressions ranging from hatred to fear.

“Are you trying to get me in more trouble?” I demand, moving to block her view of them. “The Alpha will lose his mind if he finds out you came down here.”

“Are you blaming me for this?” Her voice is soft, hurt.

I sigh, running a hand through my short hair. “You’re the one who caused me to be here, Luna. If I….”

“I’m sorry.” The apology is immediate and sincere. “I’ll talk to Alpha Kaelan. I’ll make sure he releases you.”

I nod, about to tell her to leave before she gets us both in deeper trouble, when one of the Moon Strike guards opens his stupid mouth.

“Look at you,” the older enforcer sneers at Lyria, apparently having forgotten his broken foot in his desire to cause pain. “Playing Luna like you deserve the title. You’re nothing but Alpha Damon’s rejected trash. You…..”

My hand moves before my brain catches up.

The slap echoes through the dungeon like a thunderclap. His head snaps to the side, and blood sprays from his split lip.

“Vera…” Lyria starts, but I’m already hitting him again.

And again.

And again.

and again

“Vera, stop!” Lyria’s voice cuts through my rage.

I pause, my hand raised for the fifth strike. The enforcer’s face is a bloody mess, and he’s slumped against the wall, barely conscious.

“No one,” I say, my voice shaking with fury, “talks to our Luna like that. No one.”

I lower my hand, stepping back. My knuckles are bloody, but I don’t care.

Lyria is staring at the guards with an expression I’ve never seen before.

She steps closer to the bars, her voice carrying through the dungeon with surprising authority.

“Listen carefully,” she tells them. “If you somehow make it back to Moon Strike Pack in one piece, you will deliver a message to Damon for me.”

The guards watch her with wide eyes, blood dripping from the older one’s ruined face.

“Tell him I appreciate what he did,” Lyria continues, her voice steady and cold. “Tell him that rejecting me was the best thing he ever could have done for me. Because if he hadn’t, I never would have met Alpha Kaelan. I never would have found a pack that values me. I never would have discovered how strong I could become.”

She grips the bars, her knuckles white.

“And tell him this….if he ever dares send anyone to take me again, I will personally cut off their head and deliver it to him myself. I am Luna of Draven Crest Pack now. I am Alpha Kaelan’s mate. And I am done being anyone’s victim.”

The silence that follows is absolute.

Even I’m staring at her with new respect. This isn’t the scared girl who arrived months ago. This isn’t even the determined woman who’s been training with us.

This is a Luna. A true Luna.

The Moon Strike guards look like they’ve seen a ghost. Or worse, like they’ve just realized they severely underestimated their prey.

“Do you understand?” Lyria asks, her voice still deadly calm.

The messenger nods frantically. The other two are too injured to do more than groan their agreement.