Reborn To Defy The Alpha-Chapter 82: Luna Position Is Mine

Nikki lounged on her velvet chaise. One leg tucked beneath her, the other dangled lazily, toes pointed and relaxed. Her spine stayed straight as she stretched her hand forward, fingers spread, already imagining how her nails would sparkle once they were dry.

Lena knelt at her feet, careful and quiet, applying a glossy layer of pink nail polish. Her shoulders were pinned upward by nerves, movements precise to the point of rigidity. The brush glided neatly... except for the slight tremor she tried and failed to hide.

A knock came from the door.

Neither girl bothered to acknowledge it with even a glance. "Come in, " Nikki said, voice flat with boredom.

Lyra slipped inside, closing the door quietly behind her. Nikki didn’t look at her right away. Only when she noticed Lyra was alone did her gaze sharpen.

"Where is Seraphine?" Nikki asked, voice laced with annoyance. "I specifically told you to fetch her for me."

Lyra clasped her hands in front of her. "I searched everywhere I could, she is nowhere in the pack house. It seems Sir Eberhard sent her on an errand."

Nikki’s brow furrowed. Seraphine never left without informing her daughters. Not unless it involved matters Nikki’s father wanted hidden from everyone else. The timing irritated her even more.

She clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Of course he did. He always needs her when I actually want something. The moment she gets back, I want to know. Immediately. Our little plan may fall apart without her."

"Yes, my Lady." Lyra dipped her head in a small bow.

Nikki shifted, restless and impatient. The sudden movement jerked her hand just enough for Lena’s brush to slip. A bright streak of polish slashed across the side of her finger

Nikki hissed. "Are you blind and stupid?"

Lena recoiled, eyes wide. "I–I’m so sorry, my Lady," she whispered as she scrambled for the bottle of remover to fix her mistake. Her fingers shook so badly the lid nearly slipped from her grip. She dabbed gently, her apologies tumbled out of her.

"Enough," Nikki cut in sharply. "Just finish. I’d like to relax at some point today."

Lena bit back any further words and worked silently, shoulders folding inward even more.

Nikki shifted her attention back to Lyra, who still stood stiffly near the door.

"And you," Nikki said, brows lifting. "Why are you still here? You’ve delivered the bad news, haven’t you?"

Lyra shifted from foot to foot. Her voice steadied only slightly. "There is something else I need to report."

Nikki let out a slow breath. "Go on."

Lyra drew a breath. "I heard the Alpha announced at dinner last night that the council has agreed this year’s Convergence ceremony will be hosted by the Grimhowl pack."

"What!" Nikki shot upright, causing Lena to jolt and smear an entire wet nail. The brush dragged across the side of Nikki’s hand and even onto the fabric of the chaise.

Lena froze mid-motion as if movement alone might get her punished.

Nikki stared, jaw tightening. "Do you have worms in your brain? Fix that. And do not leave a single mark."

Lena nodded rapidly, hands trembling as she scrubbed gently with remover.

Nikki narrowed her gaze at Lyra again, heat rising in her voice. "And why am I just hearing this now?"

Lyra answered without flinching this time. "We left dinner early, my Lady. And we avoided breakfast in the dining hall today because you said you did not want to see Rhea’s face."

Right. That did sound like something she’d said.

Nikki exhaled through her teeth. "Has my father heard about it?"

"I cannot say," Lyra replied. "But he usually knows about these decisions before they are ever announced."

Nikki nodded slowly, irritation simmering beneath her skin.

Lyra took a breath. "There is more, my lady."

Nikki’s stare hardened to flint, lips pressed into a sharp line. "What more?"

Lyra swallowed. "Rhea was seen... in the gym with the Alpha."

Nikki shot up from her seat so fast the velvet cushions hissed under her. Lena jerked, the brush slipping from her fingers. A splash of glossy pink flew across Nikki’s pink chaise and dripped onto the rugged floor.

Lena froze in horror.

Nikki did not even look down. She stalked toward Lyra like a predator mid-pounce. Lena scrambled wildly for napkins, trying to wipe up the pink mess before Nikki noticed what she’d done.

"What did you just say?" Nikki’s voice dropped, sharp as a blade.

Lyra hated this part. She truly did. But keeping information from Nikki always led to something far worse than discomfort. She straightened, eyes lowered. "Rhea was in the gym with the Alpha."

Nikki’s fingers curled into fists. "And the Alpha? What did he do? How did he react?"

Lyra hesitated, shifting her weight. "I heard she was not turned away. Some even said... they heard what seemed like she and the Alpha sparring...and..." She paused, wishing the ground would swallow her alive.

"And what?" Nikki snapped.

Lyra’s voice wavered. "And there is a rumor that the Krolls might have fallen out of the Alpha’s favor."

Everything inside Nikki detonated. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Her breath ripped out of her chest as she spun, pacing, eyes wild. The atmosphere turned molten. Lena flinched so hard she dropped the stained napkins. Lyra took a step back, heart pounding, worried Nikki might actually break something or someone.

Nikki suddenly stopped breathing, shoulders heaving as she pulled in air like she might scream. Instead, she whirled to her small pink fridge, yanked it open, and grabbed a cold bottle of water. She drank every drop with a shaking throat, not stopping until it was empty.

The bottle clattered onto a side table. She shut the fridge with a controlled click that told both women she was one breath away from an explosion.

Lyra and Lena watched her pace again. Their heads moved in perfect coordination, tracking her with dread.

"We should make our move now." Nikki’s voice was low, steady, terrifying. "I will not wait for Seraphine anymore."

Lyra and Lena exchanged a concerned glance.

Nikki muttered under her breath as she paced. "She thinks she can steal my Alpha. She thinks she can wiggle her way into what is mine. I will remind her who she used to be. I will not let her take what belongs to me. The Luna position is mine. It has always been mine."

— — — — — — — —

Eberhard’s weight pressed Seraphine deep into the mattress, the air punched from her lungs with each driving movement of his hips. The headboard thudded against the wall in a relentless rhythm, and the sheets beneath her fists were already twisted tight from how hard she clutched them.

Her face burned against the pillow. Her teeth dug into her lower lip. A sound slipped out anyway, half-moan, half-plea she didn’t understand. His hand clamped around her hip, rough, demanding. Every part of him felt like fury contained only by her body beneath his.

Tears stung her eyes before she even realized she was crying.

Her breath caught when he leaned down, chest to her back, his growl low against her ear. "You ground me, Sera" he said, voice wrecked and strained like the admission cost him blood. "You keep me from destroying everything."

The words should have soothed her.

They didn’t. She hated that he needed her this way. She hated that it kept happening. She hated that her body answered him like it was grateful for every rough touch.

She blinked through the tears.

Seraphine had been on her way to breakfast when Eberhard cornered her in the hallway. He simply stared down at her, jaw tight, eyes burning with a fury she knew too well.

Something had set him off again.

Seraphine’s heart dropped. She did not ask what happened. She did not argue. She simply followed, like muscle memory, into a room that always felt too cold no matter how warm the air was.

The moment the door shut, he grabbed her.

There was nothing gentle in his hands. No hesitation. No care. Fabric tore before she could gasp. She stumbled backward, shoved toward the bed, her palms hitting the sheets as she caught herself.

"Eberhard, wait," she whispered.

He did not.

He pushed her down, taking what he wanted, using her to bleed out whatever rage he carried. His breaths came harsh and uneven, each one laced with frustration that had nothing to do with her. She clenched her jaw, every muscle locked tight against the shock that rippled through her body.

It was always like this when he was angry.

Seraphine buried her face into the bedding, tears leaking silently into the fabric. She hated that her body reacted at all. Hated that part of her still felt the mate bond, still ached for softness she would never receive. She bit down harder, fighting the confusing swirl of pain and unwanted pleasure, wishing she could shut her mind off completely.

Why was she always the place he came to dump his storms?

Why did she always let him?

Her fingers curled into the sheets until her knuckles whitened. Each harsh movement pushed another tear loose.