I entered the council house, my head held high. But the tension was suffocating. The elders sat in a semi-circle. Their expressions were unreadable. But I could feel the judgment radiating from them, thick and oppressive.
"Tabitha," one of the elders finally spoke. "We’ve deliberated on the matter of leadership within the Crescent Moon pack, considering your... situation."
Situation. That’s what they called it. Not my birthright, not my duty to my pack. Just a situation. My eyes flickered over to the far corner, where Ares stood, arms crossed. His smug expression was barely concealed. He didn’t even try to hide his satisfaction. The corner of his mouth twitched into a smirk as our eyes met. My blood boiled.
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to remain composed. "I’m the rightful Luna," I said keeping my voice steady, though the anger simmered beneath the surface. "This was my father’s legacy. Killian is my mate, yes, but that has no bearing on my ability to lead."
An elder cleared his throat, his eyes shifting uncomfortably. "Tabitha, we must consider the wellbeing of the pack. Being mated to an omega... it complicates things. The council believes that—"