Thorne Wilder POV

"Our New Luna " and their eyes widened in disbelief upon hearing the sudden revelation.

" Cassidy Hart is going to rule the pack as the overall female leader, " Beta informed them, and they were all stunned.

They couldn't believe their ears as they pinched themselves to ensure they weren't daydreaming.

" The alpha has gone crazy," they murmured amongst themselves.

There was a legacy in the pack that stated that the Alpha's mate was to marry from a prestigious family within the pack.

It was unheard of that the alpha would be taking his mate from the outside world.

The Alpha's mate has always been believed to be the strongest in the pack, thus making her worthy of being the Luna.

"You are the new Luna of our pack," I said to her via telepath, and she remained speechless because the announcement came out of the blue.

"What?" She exclaimed looking confused.

" You must be kidding, right?" she asked with a serious expression

" I am a stranger here do you have an idea what you are doing right now?" She shouted and everyone kept mute.

You can't take an outsider as your Luna, as it will be going against the traditions which have been passed down for ages," The gamma stated, but I ignored his concern.

They thought they knew me.

They thought I’d rather rip my own throat out than take a mate.

But today, they were wrong.

Murmurs rippled through the crowd the moment I made the announcement.

I let them talk, their hushed whispers filling the air as they tried to make sense of my words. I remained silent as my eyes scanned the room.

Everyone knew I had no interest in taking a mate. I had made that clear over the years. So why now?

That was the question burning in their minds.

I remained unfazed by her outburst as I found her reaction ridiculous after I had made my decision.

"You're reversing this. I don't care how but I am not your Luna and never will be."

Cassidy’s fingers curled into fists. Her chest rose with shallow, panicked breaths.

She laughed, but it was a broken, strained sound, like a scream caught in her throat.

Her eyes were brimming with unshed tears.

"It's either you accept my decision or you get killed outside the territory of my pack," I said telepathically, leaving her at the crossroads.

"Are you trying to threaten me now" she scoffed.

"I can't be the Luna, and I don't care what you do to me, but I won't accept it, " She spat out, feeling disgusted by the revelation.

" We can't accept a stranger in our midst to be our Luna." The council disagreed with my decision.

" Do we need your approval to make our own judgments?" The Beta threw the question at them, leaving them utterly speechless.

"But this matter can't be done without..." The Gamma spoke, but before he could finish his statement, the Beta cut him off.

" The Alpha's words are the law. How dare you question him? " he yelled at them.

I smirked at my beta’s defense.

I grew up being accustomed to these rules.

I knew them better than anyone. Every law and every tradition still rings a bell in my head. I followed the rules to the latter since the day I ascended the throne assuming the leadership of the pack at a tender age.

And now I will bend those laws to carry out my will.

" I am going to select my bride myself, " I declared, my voice cutting through the air like needles.

"You are free to have your daughters participate in the candidate selection and let them prove worthy of being the Alpha's mate" The Beta announced.

There was a grave silence. They know I won't choose their so-called daughters. They aren't appealing enough.

The elders just glared at me, their disapproval hanging in the air. I met their intense gazes daring them to challenge me.

None did.

Let them scheme.

But there was absolutely nothing they could do.

This was my pack. My rule stands above everyone else.

Finally, one of the elderly men stepped forward. His voice was low.

" Forgive me, Alpha, but the dictates of our pack state that Alpha's mate must be chosen from a prestigious family. The selection process is unconstitutional and it is against the norms of the pack"

I turned my gaze to him, cold and deadly. The weight of my authority was suffocating which made his words die in his throat.

" My words are the law and final. I am not going to rescind my decision" I addressed the issue.

No one dared utter a word and a grave silence swept across the room.

They swallowed hard knowing incurring my wrath was the deadliest poison with no antidote.

They knew me better.

They knew crossing me would automatically be the end for their families.

It was like a nightmare to them as if I could read their minds.

They knew the legacy had been passed down by our ancestors to their generations.

They could whisper all they wanted.

Fight it.

Resent it.

They all kept mute with their words hanging in the air.

I made a gesture with a wave of my hand.

Two guards marched forward with their heavily built physiques.

" We are at your service " they uttered in unison.

" You must secure the Luna of the pack at all times. Any mistake will eventually cost your lives," I signaled to them with my hands moving in precision.

As I was still addressing my guards when she took a glass filled with champagne.

My heart pounded faster as she passed me a sinister smile.

Before I could process what was happening she splashed the champagne on my silk robe.

"What did you just do"

"Nothing" she replied.

I felt embarrassed at her actions because it was unexpected.

I rolled my eyes at her seeing the humiliation she gave me before my own very people.

"You think that was bold? It was petty. You'll need more than spilled wine to rattle me.

A smirk curved on my lips as I moved steadily towards her with flames burning in my eyes.

Her heart raced fast as the adrenaline popped through her veins with a drench of sweat rolling down her forehead.

"What are you trying to do?" She stammered stumbling backwards.

" I am going to burn you and throw you into the dungeon for pests to feast upon, "I whispered via telepath to her, and she flinched.

She closed her eyes slowly, waiting for the unexpected, but in the next second, I just plucked a strand of her hair brushing it across her face.

She then turned to leave, but before she could fully exit, two hefty bodyguards stood in her way, blocking her movements.

"Out of my way!" She shouted, but they remained adamant.

" You can't leave without permission from the alpha" They reminded her that I had the absolute authority in the pack.

She just sulked as they refused to grant her approval to leave the gathering.

" This old man is crazy," she muttered to herself, but I could barely hear it.

I just smiled at her looking at her foolishness as she felt hooked.

"Why won't you leave me alone?" She said. "And what is it you want from me? Power? Control? You won't get either "

She asked but I didn't answer her questions.

" Enough of you throwing tantrums. You just have to obey my orders if you do. Otherwise, it won't do any good to you," I further advised.

My expression darkened and my gaze landed on her.

"Come sit with me," I called her, but she remained unmoved.

"He's insane" she muttered. “So fucking insane.”

She stood still. She was blazing with anger.

Her eyes flashed in annoyance because I refused to let her go.

And I enjoyed watching her squirm.

Before I could say anything else, my head maid filed in carrying a tray of exquisite items.

The item was covered with a golden linen which was placed on a wooden stool.

I just blinked my eyelids at the Beta and he understood the task well.

He went over to Cassidy's side and lured her into coming over.

" You cannot escape from my threshold," I whispered telepathically into her mind.

"Sit down" I ordered.

"Make me."

“I said sit…DOWN!”

She grunted. Murmured and grumbled to herself but still she sat down.

I unveiled the item before everyone which lay on the stool.

It was a golden crown that was made of emerald stones sparkling like diamonds.

"I have decided to crown Cassidy Hart as the Luna of Blood Moon pack," I announced to the crowd.

She looked at me with anger flashing through her eyes.

I stepped forward with the crown visible in my hand.

"Now Now, to your Luna. My mate. My wife and your Queen,” I held the crown and placed it on her head.