Chapter 15 Brynne Rybak
BRYNNE
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I growl under my breath.
No one moves, not even Lilith or the girl. And that only intensifies the light. My hand clenches at my lower back. I wait for it to shift to someone else in the crowd or return to one of the twelve girls. But it doesn’t.
Soma inches back, as if expecting the light to vanish, but it follows her. It’s almost comical watching the skinny thing try to escape her fate. I invited her to serve our table because I thought it would be fun to mess with her, but this is more than I bargained for.
This is a mistake.
There’s no way a weak wolf like her will be my Luna. Can she fight? Can she defend herself?
Everyone seems to share the same shock I have. They look on, as if waiting for Lilith to withdraw the staff, but she’s still in a trance, probably communicating with the Moon Goddess. My eyes drift around the hall to where Father sits at the back. He didn’t want to be the center of attention, so he chose a secluded spot.
Kade drums a finger on the table, his confusion mirroring mine. Tristan freezes. But when he finally reacts, it’s with a tiny smile. Typical. He’s the only one who’ll find this situation amusing.
Lilith shakes out of her haze and stretches her hand. The staff returns to her, but Soma still glows from the moon’s light, which highlights the freckles on her cheeks. She’s the Moon Goddess’ unmistakable choice.
All my life, I’ve been told the Moon Goddess never makes a mistake, but tonight, I think she has. Before I can point that out, Lilith’s voice booms across the hall. It drags everyone’s attention back to the stage and the girls.
“Somadina Aramide Bello,” Lilith begins. Her voice deepens, taking an inflection that has most people lowering their heads in reverence. Soma jumps, holding her clenched fist to her chest. Her faux innocence doesn’t fool me. She must have tampered with the selection. “Blessed daughter of the Divine Moon Goddess, you’ve been chosen.”
“Impossible,” I spit out. If this is a ploy for her and her weak boyfriend to gain some power, it won’t work.
But Lilith continues in a voice that leaves no room for argument. “You’ve been selected for a divine task. To rule this great kingdom of ours, alongside its future king and ruler.”
“No,” I whisper. But no one is listening to me. “No.”
“Brynne Rybak, Crown Alpha Prince of Shadowspire,” she says, turning back to me. Her eyes glow, shutting me up before I can utter another word. “The Moon Goddess has chosen Soma to be your Luna. With the moon as our witness, she shall be crowned princess and future Luna of Shadowspire. When the time is right, she’ll rule by your side, slaying rogues and bringing peace to these lands.”
Silence falls, then shatters the next moment. Everyone dissolves into protest. Their voices echo in agreement. They don’t approve of the Moon Goddess’ choice. I glance at Soma, expecting her to be in tears or gloating, but she nods too eagerly to everything they say, as if glad to be rejected. That triggers something dark within me.
Is she okay?
If she’s crowned princess, she will be second to only a few people in the pack. Even Kade and Tristan will have to respect her. The twelve contestants will do anything to be in her position. I shoot a glance at them, and a few are already in tears. Two stand in solidarity, their glare fixed in one direction. I recall the face of one of them. The one who almost slapped Soma. Who’s she?
The voices grow. I don’t want this, and neither do any of the people present here. But Lilith doesn’t budge. Her fingers flex around her staff, and the ceiling clicks closed. Even with the moon out of sight, Soma’s tawny skin retains that gold-brown glow, like the heavens had kissed her skin.
What if this is truly real?
What if we’re truly fated to be Luna and Alpha?
The thought must have hit both of us at the same time because our heads raise in perfect synchrony, and our eyes meet. She halts, her greens growing wide with something innocent and sad. I scoff, channeling all the dislike and disgust I feel into that stare.
When the full force of my hate hits her, she sucks in a soft breath. As far as she is from me, I catch the sound. Tears line her eyes, rolling down her cheeks like crystals. Her shoulders shake with each silent, annoying sob. She wipes her face and looks away.
Those tears might fool someone else, but not me. Still, I can’t shake off the unease that presses into my chest.
“What the fuck is going on?” someone snaps.
The voice disrupts my thoughts, and I turn. What the fuck is right, because how did this happen?
How can the Moon Goddess choose this filth that I’ll hardly let shine my shoes as the one to be my partner? She can’t survive on her own, let alone leading a pack with me. This must be wrong.
“Someone say something,” that same voice mutters. ”What the fuck is actually going on here?”
This time, my eyes find the person who spoke. It’s one of the two contestants who were glaring at Soma. She straightens up, her hand locked in her partner’s. They must be sisters. The resemblance is uncanny. I’ve seen them before, probably one of the many friends Sienna brings home. I haven’t fucked either of them. If I have, I don’t remember. But they are too pretty to be easily forgotten.
“Maeve,” Lilith warns, putting a name to the face. I won’t be surprised if she knows the names of all the contestants. That’s the type of person she is. “Watch your language.”