My Luna Mother Ruined Me For Her Favorite—So I Chose The Rogue King Chapter 04
The night after, my back felt as if a layer of skin had been ripped off. Every breath drove pain through me.
Celeste walked into my room and set a jar of salve on the nightstand. “Mother told me to bring this to you. It helps with silver burns.”
Mother.
That was what she called her now.
“Actually, I destroyed that gown myself. I told Lyna to lie for me. I just wanted to see who Mother would believe. You—or me.” Her gaze slid to the wounds on my back. “Now we both know the answer.”
My fingers curled into the sheets.
She smiled.
“Oh, by the way—Mother had your grandmother’s gown hung in my room. The moonstone beadwork is exquisite. Truly beautiful. It really would have been wasted on you.”
She walked out, radiant with satisfaction.
Nora slammed the door and locked it, grabbed the jar, and started to apply the salve.
The next second, a scream tore out of me.
Nora yanked the jar back and inspected it closely. Her face went white.
“This isn’t a healing salve. It’s wolfsbane—mixed with silver ash. How dare she?”
“I’m going to Helena. Right now—”
I caught her sleeve.
“No. Mother will side with her. If you complain, the only ones who get punished will be you and me. Tomorrow, find an independent healer. Get the real medicine. I can hold on tonight.”
Nora sank to her knees beside the bed and held my hand. Her voice cracked.
“Evelyn… why are they doing this to you?”
I buried my face in the pillow and let the tears soak into it.
I’m fine.
I just need to sleep.
When my things were taken. When I was blamed for what I hadn’t done. Every time I watched my mother choose Celeste over me.
That was what I told myself. Every single time.
Somewhere between sleep and waking, I saw a familiar figure sitting at the edge of my bed.
Mother?
I almost called out for her. Then I closed my mouth again.
No. It wouldn’t be her.
She would be in Celeste’s room right now, stroking her hair, choosing jewelry for her, telling her she’d stand behind her, no matter what.
And yet—I heard my mother’s voice.
“I was too angry today. I shouldn’t have punished you like a traitor. It was my fault.”
“Mama does love you. The mate I chose for you isn’t remarkable, but at least he’d let you stay close to me. Once Celeste is settled, I’ll make it up to you. I’ll fix what’s between us.”
A tear slid from the corner of my eye.
There won’t be a chance.
There won’t be an us.
A week later, my mother had Celeste dressed and ready. A commotion rose beyond the pack house.
Thinking it was the Royal Pack’s escort, she pulled Celeste out to greet them.
And then—there he was.
Rowan Frost.
The exiled royal blood of the Royal Pack. The one who had gathered every exile, every packless wolf, every soul cast out by the old order, and built his own territory and army in the Northern Wastes.
The most dangerous Rogue King alive. Everyone assumed he had come back for revenge.
But he walked straight toward me. His nostrils flared once—the scent of silver, wolfsbane, and dried blood hit him like a blade.
“My mate.”
His eyes swept over me, then locked on my mother.
“Who touched her?”
“I’ll tear his throat out with my teeth.”
The air went dead silent. My mother’s face changed.
“So that’s why Seraphina kept defending you at the gathering. The one you wanted was Rowan—not the Crown Prince!”
Shock. Then rage.
The dreaded Rogue King, Rowan Frost—not the obedient patrol wolf she had picked, not the wolf she could keep on a leash.
She would never allow an exile to take her daughter away.
“Rowan Frost—this is Blackwood Pack, not your Northern Wastes! I have already chosen a mate for Evelyn. I will not let you take my daughter. How dare you even show your face—”
A low voice cut through from the back of the crowd.
“I told him to come.”