The Princess's Revenge Chapter 90

Valencia’s POV

The great hall filled with people. Warriors, servants, elderly pack members, even children. They filed in through the main doors, their voices creating a low rumble that made my stomach twist.

I sat at the head table beside Logan, my hands folded tightly in my lap. The red silk dress felt too bright, too obvious.

"Stop fidgeting," Logan said quietly beside me.

"I'm not fidgeting."

"You're crushing your dress." He glanced down at my hands, which were indeed gripping the fabric so hard my knuckles had turned white.

I forced myself to let go. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize. Just breathe."

I tried to take deep breaths. More people entered. I recognized some faces from the attack - warriors I'd helped save. A few nodded at me. Most avoided eye contact.

Captain Tatum walked in with his group. My whole body tensed. He looked directly at me and smiled. Not a friendly smile.

The last few people found their seats. The hall was packed. Every table full. Logan stood. The hall immediately went silent.

"We gather tonight for two purposes," he said, his voice carrying easily through the room. "First, to share what food we have as a pack. Second, to witness the Luna ceremony."

Whispers rippled through the crowd. I saw people leaning toward each other, whispering behind their hands.

"Eat," Logan said simply, sitting back down.

The hall erupted into conversation and the sound of cutlery on plates. I stared at my own plate. The meat looked dry. The bread was hard. My stomach was too twisted to eat anyway.

"You need to eat something," Logan said.

"I'm not hungry."

"Valencia."

I picked up the bread and took a small bite. It tasted like sawdust. I forced myself to swallow.

Around us, people ate quickly. The portions were so small that most finished within minutes. Children looked at their empty plates with confused expressions. Their parents had nothing more to give them.

"You're shaking." He squeezed my hand gently, his thumb rubbing small circles on my palm. "It's going to be alright."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I'm here with you." His voice was steady, calm. "We'll face whatever comes together."

"The pack won't accept me."

"Stop overthinking." He brought my hand up slightly, still hidden under the table, and pressed it against his thigh. The warmth of his body seeped through the fabric. "Feel that? I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

"I can't help it."

"Yes, you can. Focus on me instead." He squeezed my hand again. "On this moment. Not on what might happen."

I tried to do what he said. To focus on the warmth of his hand, the solid presence beside me. It helped, a little. My heart rate slowed slightly.

"Better?" he asked.

"A bit."

"Good. Keep breathing. Nice and slow."

I nodded, concentrating on my breathing. In and out. In and out. His hand never let go of mine, a constant anchor in the storm of my anxiety.

The meal ended too quickly. Plates were cleared by servants who looked just as hungry as everyone else. The wine pitchers were removed, mostly still full since there wasn't enough to go around.

Logan stood again. He went to the platform. My heart started racing.

"Now for the second purpose of tonight's gathering," he said.

The hall went completely silent. Every eye turned to him. My pulse pounded in my ears.

"Three years ago, I became Alpha of Cliffwatch Pack," Logan began. "Since then, we've defended the northern border. We've survived attacks. We've protected Valdoria from Aldermere invasion."

People nodded. A few warriors thumped their fists on the tables in agreement.

"But an Alpha is only half of leadership," Logan continued. "A pack needs a Luna. Someone to stand beside the Alpha. To provide different strengths."

My hands started shaking. I pressed them flat against my thighs, trying to hide the trembling.

"Tonight, I present to you my Luna."

This was it. My heart hammered so hard I thought it might burst from my chest.

"Valencia," Logan said, turning to look at me. "Stand beside me."

My ears started ringing. The world blurred at the edges. I couldn't feel my legs, but somehow they carried me forward. I stood up, the chair scraping against the floor.

Each step toward Logan felt like walking through water. The platform seemed miles away even though it was only a few feet. My legs moved on their own, mechanical and stiff.

I reached the platform and climbed the two steps. Logan's warm hand pressed against my lower back, steadying me. The touch grounded me. The ringing in my ears faded. My vision cleared.

I looked out at the crowd and immediately wished I hadn't.

The women and children were smiling. Most of them, anyway. They looked at me with something like hope or curiosity.

Some of the men stared at me with appreciation. Their eyes moved over the red dress, the makeup, lingering in ways that made my skin crawl.

But others - too many others - looked at me with pure disgust. Their faces twisted like they'd tasted something rotten. Tatum sat in the middle of them, his smile growing wider.

All those eyes pressed down on me like physical weight. I couldn't breathe properly. My chest felt too tight.

Logan squeezed my back gently. "Speak," he whispered.

Right. I had to speak. Had to address the pack.

My lips felt glued together. I forced my mouth open, trying to produce something calm and strong. My heart raced faster. My throat felt like someone was strangling me.

"I..." My voice cracked and broke on the single word.

Laughter rippled through parts of the crowd. Not everyone, but enough. Tatum actually slapped his knee, grinning broadly.

My face burned. This was a disaster. The most important moment of my life and I'd already ruined it with one word.

I took a deep breath. No. I couldn't fall apart. Even though my heart felt ready to explode, I had to continue.

"I know..." My voice was still tight, strained. "I know many of you have doubts."

Oh God. More steady. Good. Keep going.

"You see this collar and think 'slave.' You see my inability to shift and think 'weak.'"

The words came easier now. My voice grew stronger.

"You're not wrong. I am technically still a slave. I can't shift into wolf form. By traditional standards, I shouldn't be standing here."

The hall was completely silent now. Even Tatum had stopped smiling.

"But I've learned something in my time here. Strength isn't just about shifting. It's about protecting those who can't protect themselves. It's about standing up when you're terrified. It's about choosing to fight even when you know you'll probably lose."

I saw some people nodding. Others still looked skeptical.

"I can't promise to be the Luna you expected. But I promise to fight for this pack with everything I have. To protect the weak. To stand beside Alpha Logan through whatever comes."

My speech ended. The silence stretched on for several painful seconds.

Logan stepped forward. "Does anyone object to my choice?"

My heart stopped. This was it. The moment Tatum would strike.

The hall remained quiet. People looked at each other. Some seemed to be waiting for someone else to speak first.

Please. Please let no one object. Even though I knew that was impossible.

A low, rough voice broke the silence. "I object."

I sighed. Here it came. The nervousness from before seemed to fade slightly, replaced by a cold determination. I looked toward the speaker.

Of course it was Tatum. His face wore that smug expression that made my stomach turn.

"On what grounds?" Logan's voice was dangerously quiet.

Tatum stood up slowly, making a show of it. But I noticed how he kept his eyes carefully averted from Logan's face. "Alpha, with all respect, I'm only thinking of the pack's future."

"Continue," Logan said coldly.

Tatum swallowed, his earlier confidence wavering slightly under Logan's stare. "She... she wears a slave collar. The other packs will question our strength if our Luna is marked as property."

"That collar is temporary," Logan said.

"But Alpha," Tatum said carefully, still not meeting Logan's eyes directly, "she can't shift. A Luna who can't turn into a wolf... it's unprecedented."

One of Tatum's warriors stood up beside him, emboldened by his captain's words. "The pack needs a strong Luna, Alpha. Someone who can fight alongside you."

"Someone who can lead if something happens to you," another warrior added quickly, then immediately looked down when Logan's gaze swept to him.

Tatum nodded eagerly, seeming to gain courage from his men's support. "We mean no disrespect to your choice, Alpha. But the pack must think of survival. What if Aldermere attacks? What if you're injured? Can she lead us?"

"These are legitimate concerns," Tatum continued, his voice growing steadier as he addressed the crowd rather than Logan. "Our enemies will see this as weakness. The other packs will laugh at us. A slave as Luna? They'll think we've gone soft."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. I saw people nodding, whispering to each other.

"This will make it worse after the recent attack," one of Tatum's men said.

"We need a Luna who can strengthen our position, not weaken it," another added.

Tatum gestured to the crowd, carefully keeping his tone respectful toward Logan. "I'm not alone in these concerns, Alpha. Many here share them. We're only thinking of Cliffwatch Pack's future."

The crowd was really talking now. I could feel doubt spreading through the room.

"Perhaps," Tatum said, his voice almost pleading now, "the Alpha could reconsider? Choose someone more... traditional? For the good of the pack?"

My hands clenched into fists. The rage was building, but I forced it down.

"She saved people during the attack," a woman said from the back. I gave the woman a grateful look.

"Luck!" Tatum dismissed her with a wave. "Pure luck! Anyone could have done what she did!"

People leaning together, arguing quietly.

"Stand with me," Tatum said to the crowd. "Tell the Alpha we deserve a real Luna! Not some pretty decoration!"

I was preparing to defend myself when Gareth suddenly stood up. The blacksmith's massive frame commanded attention.

"You're wrong," Gareth said simply.

Everyone turned to look at him.

"Valencia fought bravely during the rogue attack," Gareth continued. "Not through luck. Through courage. She ran straight into danger to protect people."

I was so surprised that Gareth stood up for me. A glimmer of hope rose in my heart.

"That's one incident," Tatum argued weakly.

"One incident?" Lennon stood up, the courtyard guard's face serious. "She protected the servants in the courtyard. Killed a rogue herself. While you were where exactly, Captain?"

Tatum's face reddened. "I was defending the walls with my men."

"Were you?" Lennon challenged. "Because I was at the walls, and I didn't see you there."

I looked at them, feeling something warm bloom in my chest. They were defending me. Actually defending me.

Tatum looked embarrassed, his earlier confidence cracking. His jaw clenched as he tried to recover. "That was just... good fortune. Being in the right place at the right time doesn't qualify someone to be Luna."

"It wasn't luck." Dr. Vance stood up, his voice firm. "Valencia helped organize the defense of the storage room when it caught fire. She helped save our food supplies."

"She carried the wolfsbane antidote to dying warriors," Delphine added, also rising. "Risked her life going into burning buildings."

Lucian stood next. "She fought the fires in the weapons storage."

Macsen and Rhodes rose together. "We saw her," Macsen said. "Running through smoke and flames to save people."

"She distributed the antidotes," Rhodes added. "Saved dozens of lives."

More people were standing now. Warriors I'd helped. Servants I'd protected.

Then a young man with brown hair stood up slowly. He looked around nervously as everyone's attention turned to him. I vaguely recognized him from somewhere.

"I... I need to say something," he said, his voice shaky.

"Speak up, boy," someone called.

He swallowed hard. "Valencia... she's not afraid of fire. I saw her walk right through it. The flames didn't even slow her down."

Everyone held their breath. The hall went completely silent.

"It's true," Dr. Vance agreed. "I saw it too. She walked through flames that would have killed anyone else. She's more than qualified to be our Luna."

I looked at all of them gratefully, my throat tight with emotion. These people were standing up for me.

Tatum's face had gone pale, then red with frustration. The warriors who'd stood with him were slowly, awkwardly sitting back down, avoiding his gaze.

I stared coldly at Tatum. "Captain, if you still have doubts about my worthiness, we can settle this with a formal challenge. Right here. Right now."

His face went even paler. The memory of this morning, when I'd easily defeated him was clearly fresh. He sat down hard, not meeting anyone's eyes.

"Anyone else?" Logan asked, his voice carrying across the silent hall.