Chapter 3
Aria's POV
One month after returning to Shadow Ridge, I'd grown accustomed to this life.
Mornings washing clothes, afternoons cleaning the servants' quarters, evenings helping the kitchen clean up. My hands, damaged from nerve injury, shook constantly, making me slower than everyone else. Pack members would gossip behind my back, saying the former Alpha's daughter couldn't even handle basic chores properly.
I heard it all and said nothing.
Today was the pack's moon festival celebration—all important members would attend. The kitchen had been busy since dawn preparing the elaborate evening feast.
"Aria, you're serving tonight," fat cook Martha commanded. "Remember, move fast and don't break anything."
I nodded and put on a relatively clean apron.
Night fell and the great hall blazed with light. Long tables groaned under exquisite food, pack members wore their finest clothes, and the entire hall rang with laughter and conversation.
When I carried the first dish into the hall, all conversation stopped for several seconds. Then resumed, but noticeably quieter.
Terry sat at the head table beside Sera, who wore an elegant moon-white gown. She looked like a goddess, silver moon ornaments in her hair, chatting and laughing with the elders around her.
I began serving the elders' table, every step careful, terrified of making a mistake.
When I reached the head table, Terry was discussing border security with Beta Marcus. But when he saw me bending to serve them, his brow suddenly furrowed.
"Sera," his voice carried displeasure, "what's this about?"
Every eye focused on me. I maintained my bowing position, waiting for the storm.
Sera looked innocent. "What do you mean, darling?"
"Why is she doing this kind of work?" Terry's tone grew sharper. "Her hands haven't healed."
"Oh, that," Sera smiled gently. "Actually, Aria requested this herself. She said she wanted to reintegrate into pack life and serve everyone. I thought the attitude was admirable, so I agreed."
All eyes turned to me. I felt the weight of their stares, felt Terry's burning gaze.
"Is that true?" Terry asked me directly.
I raised my head, meeting his eyes. Those eyes that once captivated me now only felt foreign.
"Yes, Alpha," I said respectfully. "I hoped to do something for the pack, prove I still have value."
What a perfect lie, I mocked myself internally. Look, I've learned to perform humility for them.
Terry's expression grew complex, but he finally nodded.
"Aria's really thoughtful," Sera said sweetly. "I'm proud to have such a sister."
I continued serving with my head down, unmoved inside. I'd grown sick of this hypocritical performance.
Halfway through the feast, I carried a large platter of roasted meat toward the head table. The aroma was rich and appetizing.
As I served Terry, Sera suddenly spoke. "This dish smells wonderful, must taste delicious. Aria, your cooking has improved so much."
"I didn't make this, Luna. Chef Martha prepared it."
"Oh, really?" Sera smiled. "Then I simply must try some."
I served her a large portion, feeling inexplicably uneasy.
Minutes later, as I waited in the corner for the next course, I heard Sera's scream.
"Ah! My stomach! It hurts!"
My blood froze. I spun around to see Sera clutching her belly, face pale as death, sweat beading on her forehead.
"Sera! What's wrong?" Terry immediately pulled her into his arms, panic across his face.
"I... I feel terrible..." Sera said weakly. "After eating the meat... my stomach started hurting..."
The entire hall erupted into chaos.
"Get the doctor!"
"What happened?"
"Is something wrong with the food?"
Dr. Heather was quickly summoned. After examining Sera's symptoms, her expression grew serious. "Looks like poisoning. But strangely, only the Luna is affected."
"Poisoning?" Terry's face darkened. "How is that possible?"
My heart sank. Here we go again.
"I think..." Sera weakly pointed at me, "maybe... maybe there's something wrong with the meat..."
Every gaze instantly focused on me like countless swords piercing my body.
"Wait," Elder Sarah stood up. "We all ate the same meat. Why is only the Luna affected?"
"Because..." Sera coughed several times, "because Aria served me that portion separately... when she was serving, I saw her hand linger over my plate for a long time..."
"Are you accusing me of poisoning you?" I asked coldly.
"I wouldn't dare accuse," Sera said, tears in her eyes, "but... that's what happened... I'm just saying what I saw..."
Terry slowly stood, familiar anger burning in his eyes.
"Aria, what the FUCK are you trying to pull now?"
"I didn't do anything, Alpha," I said through gritted teeth. "I just served as instructed."
"Then why is only Sera poisoned?" Terry advanced on me, Alpha pressure making it hard to breathe. "WHY?"
"I don't know!"
"You don't know?" Terry's voice grew louder. "Just like five years ago you 'didn't know' why you made up those lies about Sera?"
Those words stabbed straight through my heart like a blade.
I looked at his furious face, remembering that painful night. When I'd crawled back from the cliff in Blood Moon Forest, broken and bleeding, I'd seen exactly this expression.
Cold. Angry. Complete distrust.
"Arrest her," Terry commanded. "Solitary confinement until I decide what to do."
That night, I was locked in a small cell in the basement.
Damp, cold, with only one tiny window letting in weak moonlight. I sat exhausted in the corner, involuntarily remembering that night five years ago that changed everything.
Blood Moon Forest, moonlight falling like blood over that forbidden land. I'd finally found the precious moonlight flower, ready to return and save Terry.
"Aria?"
I turned to see Sera emerge from the trees. She looked worried, tear tracks on her cheeks.
"Sera? What are you doing here?" I asked, shocked.
"I was worried about you," she cried. "This place is too dangerous. I couldn't let you risk it alone..."
In that moment I was moved nearly to tears. "Thank you, sister."
"Let me see the moonlight flower," she approached me. "Make sure it's alright."
I handed over the moonlight flower without suspicion. But in that instant, her expression completely changed.
The gentleness vanished, replaced by cold hatred.
"Why do YOU get his love?" her voice dripped poison. "I'm the one who should be his Luna!"
"Sera, what are you saying?" I asked, confused.
"I understand him better, love him more, deserve him more!" she gripped the moonlight flower. "But just because of your birth, everyone thinks you're more noble!"
"Sister, calm down..."
"Calm down?" she sneered. "I've waited so long for this opportunity. Terry will be grateful to his savior, will marry his savior. And that person should be ME!"
Then she shoved me hard.
Completely unprepared, I fell straight off the cliff's edge. As I plummeted, I saw her standing at the cliff's edge, holding the moonlight flower I'd desperately sought.
"Why... Sera... why are you doing this to me?" I cried desperately.
But she'd already turned away.
When I'd dragged myself back to the pack with broken ribs and countless wounds, what did I find?
Terry was awake, embracing Sera deeply, thanking her for saving his life. And when I appeared covered in blood, I was treated like a jealous, malicious woman.
"Sera risked her life to save me," Terry said with disgust. "You're making up this ridiculous story out of jealousy. You make me SICK."
"Why won't you believe me?" I sobbed heartbrokenly. "Terry, I really went there to save you! I almost died!"
"ENOUGH!" he roared furiously. "I don't want to hear your bullshit! Get out of my sight!"
In that moment, my heart shattered completely.
