Chapter 4 – Imposter Syndrome

Damon I stood by the palace window, staring down at the sprawling royal garden. My thoughts were far away, lost in the ever-growing exhaustion of duties I never asked for. Behind me, Jackson cleared his throat. “There’s a girl in the selection who resembles her.” I didn’t turn to face him. I didn’t need to. His words settled over me like a storm cloud. "Impossible." My voice was flat, emotionless. "My Luna was one of a kind. No one is like her." Jackson didn’t flinch. He’d been my mentor for too long to be intimidated by my coldness. "Your Highness, Natalie is gone. We must move forward. The packs have been without a Luna Queen for ten years. This selection may help you find your second mate." I exhaled sharply, turning away from the window. "You know I’m not interested in them." None of them could ever replace Natalie. None of them would be worth my time. Jackson sighed, his patience clearly thinning. "You have responsibilities, Damon. You can’t keep shutting out the idea of a Luna. The pack needs stability. You need stability." I scoffed, running a hand through my hair. "Stability? My father ruled without a Luna for years, and he was just fine. Why should I be any different?" "Because your father wasn't haunted by the ghost of his Mate," Jackson said bluntly. Few people could get away with speaking to me like that. Before I could respond, a flash of movement in the garden caught my attention, happily pulling from the argument I did not want to have. A figure in the garden collapsed in the dirt, her long hair spilling over her face, the sun bathing her like a tragic painting. Her body trembled slightly, fragile among the plants she was tending. Something about the image made my chest tighten, though I couldn't understand why. My wolf, Zane, stirred. Who is she? I ignored him. My wolf never cared much for others, so I wasn’t sure why he showed any interest now. Zane growled softly in my mind, demanding my attention. She needs help. Send the Beta. Jackson, sensing my distraction, followed my gaze through the window. "A girl who couldn't withstand the heat," he noted. I wasn’t sure if he meant that literally, or that she shouldn’t be here for the bride selection that he insisted I hold. Not willing to have another argument with either Jackson or my wolf, I opened the mind link to Ronan. "There’s a woman hurt in the garden; find out what happened and report back." A few minutes later, Ronan knocked and quickly entered the room. "My King, the female was rude to Isabella, so she ordered her to pull weeds in the garden. She collapsed from exhaustion." Of course she did. A flicker of irritation sparked in my chest. Isabella had over stepped. Again. She had no authority to punish anyone, yet she acted as if the palace were hers to command. I clenched my jaw. "Relieve her from the punishment and have the servants bring her inside." Zane growled louder. Send a doctor. I want to meet her when she wakes up. I stiffened. No. You know I’m busy today. Come on, it won’t take long. He whined, actually whined at me. I exhaled, rubbing my temples. It wasn’t like my wolf to fixate on anyone, and it was unsettling. My gaze swung back to the gardens, lingering on the place the woman had collapsed. A strange unease settled in my gut. My instincts had never betrayed me before, and something about this woman was setting them on fire. "Send a doctor," I ordered my Beta. "And when she wakes up… I want to meet her." My wolf was pleased, but I wasn’t. Not at all. Lila I woke up to the feeling of cool cloth pressing against my forehead. My body ached, but the dizziness from the heat had faded. I blinked up at the high ceiling, disoriented. A man stood beside me, adjusting what smelled like a vial of medicine. His scent told me he was Lycan but not a dominant one. "Um, hello. Are you a doctor?" I rasped, my throat dry. He nodded, giving me a reassuring smile. "You collapsed in the garden from exhaustion, you really should rest here for a while." "Does every woman in the selection get a personal doctor?" I asked. The doctor’s lips twitched, almost amused. "No. Just you. The Beta ordered me to tend to you." I frowned. “Beta Ronan?" That was strange. I’d assumed Isabella would have left me to rot out there, not told Ronan where I was. “I’d like to thank him, if I could.” A firm knock made me sit up. I expected the doctor to answer it, but instead, the door opened on its own, revealing a tall man with sharp eyes and an aura of quiet authority. Beta Ronan, speak of the devil. Behind him, a maid stood, arms crossed, looking proud for reasons I couldn’t figure out. I swallowed. "Thank you for helping me, I appreciate it." I said cautiously. Beta nodded in acknowledgement. "The King wants to see you." My heart stuttered and panic threatened to drown me. What if Isabella had twisted the story? What if this was a summons for more punishment? Damn me and my smart mouth. "I…" I glanced down at myself. My dress was wrinkled, covered in dirt, completely unfit for meeting a King. "I can’t go like this." The maid stepped forward, the reason for her proud expression was now clear. She held out a gorgeous gown. The delicate fabric shimmered with tiny jewels, expensive beyond anything I’d ever touched. I inhaled sharply. "This must have cost a fortune." The maid scoffed. "As the daughter of an Alpha, you must have worn something like this before." I stiffened. My reaction had been too genuine. Too out of place. She was right – as the daughter of an Alpha I should have enjoyed the finer things like gowns that cost more than a months’ pay. Ronan’s gaze flicked to me, sharp as a wolf scenting blood. "Strange reaction," he murmured. I forced a small laugh, trying to recover. "It’s just… more than I expected." Beta Ronan’s gaze lingered on me, pinning me in place; he noted the tension in my shoulders and the fabric of my dress clenched too tightly in my hands. "More than you expected," he echoed, voice low. Calculating. "What exactly were you expecting, then?" The air in the room thinned. My heart slammed against my ribs. I smoothed my hands over the gown, forcing my shoulders to relax. Think. Recover. "I just didn’t think the selection would spare such extravagance for us, I expected to change into my own gown." I said lightly, masking the tremor in my voice. Ronan hummed, unconvinced. He stepped closer, his presence intimidating. "That so?" His voice was softer now, more dangerous. "You’re an Alpha’s daughter. You should be used to extravagance." I forced myself to meet his gaze. Lesson one: don’t show weakness. "Of course. But my father was… practical." Ronan held my stare as I held my breath. This felt like a test. And if I didn’t pass, I wouldn’t make it out of this selection alive.