The Abandoned Luna's Journey to Power Chapter 36: A Rogue Feast Gone Wild

James's POV:

Kenzi roared inside me, restless and angry. It was the instinctive reaction to our territory being invaded.

The air was thick with cheap, harsh pheromones. It smelled like rotten trash left out too long, and I felt like I couldn't breathe.

More than a hundred rogues had arrived at once. They took over the front tables—the seats meant for nobles and high-ranking werewolves.

They grabbed meat with their bare hands and tore into it. Wine splashed across the floor and tables. Some even fought over bones, shifting their hands into wolf claws and slashing at each other in full view of everyone.

Priscilla snapped her head toward Nick, her eyes sharp as knives, telling Nick to fix this mess—now.

Nick froze. He stood trembling in the corner, completely at a loss. No one had told him these troublemakers were coming.

He had arranged the seats strictly by the guest list, and the budget was tight to the coin.

The guests who had been invited were mostly noble families. They cared deeply about bloodlines and manners.

Now they stared at the rogues in horror, breathing in the sickening smell. Their faces turned pale and ugly with disgust.

Among them were royal envoys and representatives from major packs.

They had never seen anything like this.

The Duskfang Pack might not be the strongest, but it had stood for generations. How could a new Luna's ceremony turn into such chaos?

Some guests waited, standing politely, expecting the hosts to add more seats. Instead, drunk rogues began harassing their families.

"This pack is truly falling apart," a noble with pure gray wolf blood sneered. "And this is your new Luna?" He didn't even bother saying goodbye to me but left with his family.

Once the first left, others followed. More and more guests covered their noses and walked out, muttering things like "a complete joke" and "utter disgrace."

I was stunned. I had no idea Evelyn had invited these people.

Each guest who left felt like a slap across my face. My pride as an Alpha was crushed underfoot.

Shame and anger burned together, and Kenzi slammed wildly inside my mind.

I didn't care that a few guests were still seated. I strode forward, grabbed Evelyn, who was in the middle of a drinking contest, and pulled her up. Lowering my voice, I growled through clenched teeth, "Come with me. We need to talk. Now."

Evelyn was already deep in her drinks. She turned back with a grin and called out to the rogues. "Keep drinking, brothers. I'll be right back. Tonight, no one stays sober!"

"Oh? Boss is already heading to the bridal chamber? Ready to mate?" Someone laughed.

"Alpha, are you sure you've got the strength for this? If you don't, I can take your place!"

The crude jokes flew without restraint, packed with open insults aimed straight at an Alpha's dignity.

The few remaining guests still in the hall turned pale when they heard this. Almost at the same time, they stood up. No goodbyes. No courtesy. They simply left.

I almost lost my mind.

That kind of talk might pass in a low-tier mercenary camp, but look at who had been invited today.

These were the people who decided the future of the Duskfang Pack.

I dragged Evelyn into the back courtyard. My chest felt like it was on fire. I paced in circles, forcing myself not to shift into wolf form on the spot.

"Why did you invite them?" I snapped. "And why didn't you tell us first? All the guests are gone! You've completely humiliated the pack!"

Evelyn had drunk far too much hard liquor. Her eyes were hazy and unfocused.

She had always believed she earned her position through strength. In her mind, those formal rules never mattered.

Evelyn looked around in shock. The noble seating area was empty now, leaving only her friends behind. "Why did they leave?" she demanded. "Do they look down on my buddies?"

"There weren't enough seats!" I roared. My Alpha pressure spilled out before I could stop it. "That's why I asked why you invited them all! With their status, how could they sit alongside nobles?"

That was enough to set her off completely. Her wolf instincts flared, almost bristling under her skin. "Status?" she shouted. "So they're too good for my buddies now? Who do they think they are? Their comfort and wealth came from us bleeding on the border! Why aren't rogues allowed to sit at the same table?"

Seeing how confident she looked only made my temper rise. "This isn't about who deserves what!" I yelled back. "This is a political union! You invited over a hundred people without warning. Where is the pack supposed to find the food and money to host them? And if they left their posts without approval from their general, that's a direct violation of military law!"