The Lunar Queen Chapter 68

Serena POV

It worked. That stupid powder the witch gave me actually worked. I’m so happy we got rid of that bitch, and now I get my mate.

My chest feels light for the first time in days—like everything finally went my way.

As I wait in their ornately decorated room, I begin rummaging through all the clothes she has, suits, dresses, and robes, all of which she will no longer need.

My fingers drag over the fabric like it already belongs to me.

None of it fits me, but I can have it resized from this cow’s size. What does everyone even see in her?

I step into the bathroom, where the mirror reflects my determined face, and peel my dress off, revealing smooth skin.

I tilt my chin up slightly, studying myself like I’m already standing in her place.

I might as well shower and wait for Cole to come upstairs, although the long wait is frustrating.

Every second stretches too long—I should already be with him.

The chaos of the palace being attacked explains his delay. I saw the moment the gamma took her and waited silently until the fighting subsided before showing myself.

I really can’t believe it worked.

I was able to steal a fertility potion from the witch, a thick, shimmering vial filled with glowing liquid, that will make me pregnant by whoever I sleep with.

My fingers curl around the memory of it—tight, possessive.

Though the potion only lasts 24 hours, if I get pregnant, he will be bound to me regardless of what happens.

Bound. Permanently. No one takes him from me again.

Now I just have to wait for him to return.

As I stand there, a sudden sharp pain shoots through my chest, like a bond snap.

“No, Daddy,” I whisper aloud in the empty room, my voice trembling.

The word catches in my throat—wrong, sudden, final.

Something is terribly wrong.

I hurriedly put my dress back on.

When I move to open the door, I find two palace guards standing outside, one of them turning to face me.

“Your Highness, the king asked us to stand here to ensure nobody gets in,” he says, stern and unwavering.

I try to walk past him. “It’s okay, I will just go home,” I insist softly, but the other guard steps forward, blocking my path.

“Ma’am, it’s safest if you stay here. The king will be up shortly,” he responds firmly.

Their bodies don’t shift. Don’t hesitate. Not for me. Not anymore.

Frustrated, I slam the door shut.

What the hell is happening? Did David kill my dad? Why? We did everything right, he got that wretched girl.

We were supposed to win. This was supposed to be the part where everything falls into place.

I don’t know how long I’ve been waiting, but eventually Cole walks into the room.

I jump up and smile at him, hope flickering in my eyes.

“My love, is everything okay?” I ask softly.

He smiles back, a reassuring look in his eyes.

For half a second, it feels real. Like I already have him.

“Yes, princess. Everything is fine. We found the breach, and the traitors are all dealt with,” he says, walking closer.

The joy I feel in this moment shatters as he steps forward and suddenly grabs me by the throat.

I instinctively wrap my hands around his wrist.

“My love,” I gasp.

“My mate’s name is Lyric. You will never be my mate,” he spits, tightening his grip.

Every word lands like a slap—hard, final, undeniable.

“You and the council thought you could plot against me and get away with it. You tried to hurt my mate and my pups. Everything that has happened to her since she came here is because of you,” he snarls in my face.

Tears stream down my cheeks as I ask, “Are you going to kill me?”

My voice cracks—not from fear alone—but from something breaking inside me.

His wicked smile darkens.

“Oh no. I will be putting you in the cells until I get my mate back. When I do, I know she’ll want to kill you herself, and I will enjoy watching that,” he says, dropping me to the floor.

The word “mate” hits again—but not for me. Never for me.

The bedroom door swings open as the same two guards stride in, placing silver cuffs on my wrists and dragging me out.

“Wait, no! I only did as I was told, I didn’t want to do this,” I plead,

but even I can hear how weak that sounds now.

my words are lost as they drag me down to the cells.

Caleb POV

As soon as I handed Lyric over to David, I sprinted toward the caves, my heart pounding with urgency.

Not from fear—from anticipation. This was supposed to be the turning point.

Frances had told me to wait here, promising to send someone to extract me from the darkness.

I had been feeling an inexplicable push, a strong link trying to reach me, but I deliberately blocked it, even from Julie.

Her voice almost slipped through once—I shut it down immediately.

I knew she would be hurt about her friend’s disappearance, but I convinced myself she would eventually get over it—she could find new friends among the rogue pack.

She’ll understand. She has to.

I glanced at my watch; hours had passed, and still no rescue had arrived.

Too long. This is taking too long.

Suddenly, I heard distant movements outside the cave.

I hesitated only a moment before stepping out into the dim light, immediately colliding with Dominic, who wore his trademark stupid grin.

"Hello, gamma," he greeted, voice sonorous and mocking.

Shock flared in my eyes. "How?" I managed to rasp.

He chuckled softly, a sinister edge to his tone.

"Well, we broke Serena’s little spell on Cole. When he regained his senses, we discovered the Queen was missing, along with you. You were the last one seen with her. Just before the king brutally ripped his head from his shoulders, Frances told us exactly where to find you and explained how you escaped."

Frances talked. Of course he did.

My stomach clenched with dread.

“What about Julie?” I asked, fear gnawing at me for my mate’s safety.

"Oh, she’s waiting to reject you," Dominic replied, a cruel smile playing on his lips.

That lands harder than anything else.

"Reject me?” I echoed, panic rising.

"Yes," he said coldly, "because you’re dying for your crimes against the crown. She doesn’t want to feel the pain of losing you, so the king granted her the chance to reject you beforehand."

My chest tightens—sharp, suffocating. Not that. Not her.

He moved closer, his eyes gleaming with malice.

He halted in front of me, then delivered a brutal punch to my jaw.

"You pretended to be our brother, our friend," he snarled, swinging again.

I tried to defend myself, but my wolf was fighting me, reflexively holding me back from retaliating.

He doesn’t move. Doesn’t push forward. Doesn’t protect me.

"You betrayed the king," he hissed in my mind.

Dominic struck me again in the face, followed by a vicious blow to my ribs.

He stood there, chest heaving rapidly, spitting at my feet.

"You deserve a slow, agonizing death. I hope you get it," he sneered before turning and walking away.

They lifted me off the ground without resistance.

I don’t fight. I can’t. Even my own wolf has already decided what I deserve.

My own wolf had turned against me, and so had my mate, leaving me isolated in the suffocating darkness.

Completely alone.