CHAPTER 5: THE REAL LUNA

Bella opened her eyes and saw a beautiful woman standing in front of her. The woman had long blonde hair and cold green eyes. She wore an expensive dress that looked like it cost more than Bella had ever seen.

"Guards!" the woman called out sharply.

Two large men rushed into the room and grabbed Bella by her arms, pulling her roughly to the ground.

Bella winced in pain. "What are you doing? Let go of me!"

The blonde woman smiled, but it was not a kind smile. "Look like I have found the bitch who seduced Alpha Alfred."

Bella looked up at her, confused and scared. "Who are you?"

The woman laughed coldly. "You don't deserve to know who I am. The only thing you need to know is that I am the real Luna of this pack."

She stepped closer, looking down at Bella like she was dirt. "Guards, how about we introduce this bitch to the elders?"

"No, wait!" Bella tried to struggle, but the guards were too strong. They dragged her out of the room while she kicked and fought.

The woman followed behind them, her high heels clicking on the stone floor.

The hall was dark and cold. Old men sat in tall chairs, looking down at Bella like she was some kind of criminal. Their faces were mean and unwelcoming.

The guards threw Bella on the floor in front of them. She landed hard on her knees, her hands scraping against the rough stone.

"Elders," the blonde woman said sweetly, "I found this troublemaker in our territory."

One of the elders, an old man with gray hair and angry eyes, spoke up. "Who is this girl?"

"This is the reason for all the problems between our pack and the Wolfsbane Pack," the woman lied smoothly. "She was causing trouble there, and now she's here trying to seduce our Alpha."

Bella's eyes went wide. "That's not true! I didn't cause any trouble!"

"Silence!" another elder shouted. "You will speak only when we tell you to speak!"

The blonde woman walked around Bella slowly, like a hunter circling its prey. "Look at her, Elders. She has no wolf. She's weak. She's nothing but a maid who thinks she can climb above her station."

"I'm not a maid anymore," Bella said quietly, but loud enough for them to hear.

The elders laughed.

"Not a maid?" the first elder said. "Then what are you? A princess?"

They laughed harder, and Bella felt her face turn red with shame.

The blonde woman leaned down close to Bella's ear and whispered, "I know you're pregnant with Alfred's child. But that won't save you. The elders will never accept you as Luna. Never."

Bella's heart stopped. How did she know about the baby?

"Elders," the woman said louder, "this girl is dangerous. She uses her body to manipulate our Alpha. She's probably working as a spy for other packs."

"No!" Bella stood up quickly. "I would never do that! I'm not a spy!"

One of the guards hit her in the back, making her fall down again.

"Stay down, girl," the guard said roughly.

The eldest of the elders, a man with a long white beard, stood up from his chair. His voice was deep and scary.

"Girl, you stand accused of being a spy and causing trouble between packs. What do you say to defend yourself?"

Bella looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "I was a prisoner in the Wolfsbane Pack for seven years. Alpha Alfred saved me. I never caused any trouble. I just want to be safe."

"Lies," the blonde woman said quickly. "She's trained to say these things. Look at her - she doesn't even have a wolf. How can someone without a wolf be trusted?"

The elders nodded, agreeing with her.

"She's right," one of them said. "A wolfless person cannot be part of our pack. They bring bad luck."

"And weakness," another added.

Bella felt like her heart was breaking. These people hated her before they even knew her. Just because she didn't have a wolf.

The blonde woman smiled triumphantly. "Elders, I suggest we lock her up until Alpha Alfred returns. Then we can decide what to do with her properly."

"Agreed," the eldest elder said. "Guards, take her to the prison cells."

"Wait!" Bella cried out. "Please, just let me explain-"

But the guards were already pulling her away.

As they dragged her through the halls, Bella heard the blonde woman talking to the elders behind her.

"Don't worry," the woman said. "Once Alfred sees how the pack feels about her, he'll understand that I'm the only suitable Luna for him. This little problem will be solved soon."

The cell was cold, dark, and wet. Water dripped from the ceiling, and the air smelled bad. Bella sat in the corner, hugging her knees to her chest.

She put her hand on her stomach, thinking about the baby growing inside her.

"I'm sorry, little one," she whispered. "I wanted to give you a safe life, but I don't know if I can."

Footsteps echoed in the hallway outside her cell.

A guard appeared with a tray of food - if you could call it food. It was just some old bread and dirty water.

"Here," the guard said, sliding the tray under the bars. "The Luna said you get one meal a day."

"Luna?" Bella asked. "You mean that blonde woman?"

The guard laughed. "Lady Lydia has been preparing to be Luna for years. Everyone knows she and Alpha Alfred will be mated soon."

Lydia. So that was her name.

"But Alpha Alfred brought me here himself," Bella said softly.

"So?" the guard shrugged. "Alpha Alfred brings many women here. Doesn't mean anything. Lady Lydia is his true mate."

The guard walked away, leaving Bella alone in the darkness.

But what the guard said bothered her. Did Alfred really bring many women here? Was she just another one?

She thought about the night they spent together by the pool. The way he looked at her. The way he saved her from Roland. It felt real.

But maybe she was just being stupid. Maybe Alfred was just being kind because of the baby.

Hours passed. Bella didn't know if it was day or night in the dark cell.