Chapter 1 Chapter 1

ANNA'S POV

I was just a maid.

At least, that’s what everyone thought. But tonight… tonight would change everything. Tonight, I would be the Queen of the Darkblood Pack.

No one knew yet.

No one knew that I was Prince Elijah’s mate. No one knew that we had been meeting in secret, hidden from the world, for a very long time. We were in love—truly, completely, dangerously in love—and I still couldn’t believe that the Prince, the future Alpha King, had fallen for someone like me.

Tonight was the coronation. It was the night when the pack would witness their new Alpha taking his crown. And it was tradition—one could never become the Alpha King without a Luna by his side. Tonight, Elijah would choose his Luna.

And that Luna would be me.

No one suspected a thing. Not my stepmother, not the other members of the pack. They didn’t know the mate bond we shared, the nights we had stolen together, the promises we whispered in secret. They didn't know that the girl they saw as nothing… would soon be their Queen.

I knelt on the cold floor of my stepmother’s room, scrubbing the tiles until my fingers were red and bleeding. My hands burned, my arms ached, but I couldn’t stop. It had to be perfect. That was the only way I could survive in this house—the only way she would leave me alone.

Suddenly, the door flew open. My stepmother came in like a storm, her eyes flashing with anger as she saw me.

“You useless little girl!” she shrieked. “Do you call this clean? You lazy, good-for-nothing bastard!”

I flinched, bending lower to keep my head down. My heart thumped painfully in my chest.

“You are worse than a stray dog!” she spat, her rage making me flinch in fear. “Your dead mother must be rolling in her grave, seeing what a worthless creature she left behind. Did she even care about you? Or did she just dump a useless girl like you in my hands and die?”

I froze.

How could she even say something as terrible as that? How could anyone be so heartless and wicked?

My mother was a beautiful and kind woman. She had died when I was very young, leaving me alone with this… this monster of a woman. I wanted to shout, to defend my mother, and to say she had been the best mother in the world, but no sound came out.

If I attempted to speak, it would be my last day on earth. My stepmother suddenly kicked me in the chest, making me gasp. I stumbled, my hands slipping on the wet floor, the mop clattering to the ground.

The truth is, I can’t remember much about my life. Not really. Everything before a certain point feels like a blur—like pieces of a story someone tore apart and burned. I try to remember, but nothing comes. No matter how hard I think, it’s all empty. I don’t know who I used to be, what I used to love, or what happened to me.

All I know is this house, this pain, and her...

Finally, my stepmother stormed out in anger, slamming the door behind her. I stayed on the floor, sobbing silently, my tears falling into the soapy water around me.

I tried to scrub again, pretending, moving my arms, but every motion was filled with sadness. And yet, in the midst of this pain, my mind wandered to one bright thought—Elijah.

I was still crying, my hands trembling as I tried to scrub the floor. The words of my stepmother still burned in my ears. I pressed my palms to my face, wishing for someone, anyone, to tell me I wasn’t worthless.

Then, I heard it—a soft creak. My heart jumped into my throat. I thought my stepmother was coming back and my heart skipped a beat.

But it wasn’t her.

“Elijah?” I called out, my voice cracking as soon as I saw him.

He stepped inside, carefully and quietly, like a ghost moving through the room. I blinked, unable to believe my eyes. My chest tightened, and my legs gave way. I didn’t think for a second—I ran to him, throwing myself into his arms. My fingers clutched his robe as if letting go would make him disappear.

“I missed you so much, Anna,” he murmured, holding me so close. His warmth pressed into me, and for a moment, I felt safe, loved, and excited.

“I… how are you here?” I asked, burying my face in his chest. “Didn’t my stepmother catch you?”

He shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. “I snuck in very carefully, Anna. Don't worry about getting into trouble because I made sure no one saw me.”

Relief washed over me, and I pressed my lips to his chest, then tilted my head to kiss him. He lifted my chin with one hand, capturing my lips with his.

Elijah's hands slid down my back, pressing me closer. I felt his fingers trail over my waist. My heart raced. My body pressed against his, needing him as badly as he needed me.

His hands held my breasts, pressing lightly, and teasing me. I moaned, shivering, my lips still locked on his. My fingers dug into his shoulders, slid down his back, holding him close, and feeling every strength in his body.

I wanted him.

I wanted him so badly.

But we couldn’t do anything. Not now… Not with my stepmother so close to us. This was her room, and she could walk in at any moment and catch us.

I pulled back slightly, resting my forehead against his. “Not now,” I whispered. “Tonight… after you pick me to be your Luna, we can do anything you want, Elijah.”

He pressed his forehead to mine, his eyes full of fire and love. “I promise,” he said. “Tonight, I will pick you as my Luna. You have to be there… in the hall, when I do. Will you?”

“I… I’ll be there on time, I promise.” I replied, nodding, my heart racing.

A soft smile curved his lips as he looked at me. “Don’t be late. I need you there, Anna... I don’t think I can survive without you. I love you so much.”

My chest tightened at his words. Every beat of his heart seemed to echo in mine. I reached up instinctively, touching his face, memorizing him—the way his eyes held mine, and the way his lips moved when he spoke.

He smiled again, softer this time, brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear. Quickly, he moved to the window, pausing for one last glance back at me. Then he slipped quietly into the night, leaving me standing there, trembling, my heart aching in the emptiness he left behind.

Tonight, I would be his Luna.

His Queen.

A smile crept across my face as I imagined my stepmother’s reaction—the shock, the anger, and the disbelief that would be on her face when she would see that the girl she had tried to crush be crowned Queen.

I couldn’t wait...

She would feel my wrath!