Another Chance for the Luna Queen novel Chapter 3

Ella POV

I could feel everyone staring at me in shock at my words. I couldn't blame them; it wasn't the kind of confident statement I would have made before. But it was true now—I would never allow David to become the Alpha of my family's pack in this life.

I would be the one to take over for my father.

"What suddenly changed your mind?” David's father said. “You always refuse to learn how to be an Alpha. Now you know nothing about leading a pack. What’s wrong with letting David help you?"

The first time this happened, I was too naïve.

My father always spoiled me, thinking I could spend another few years being his innocent little girl, so I didn’t know anything about what it took to run a pack.

That’s why all the power was handed over to David so easily when my father died. But I wanted my pack to survive and thrive so badly after my father’s death, so I learned hard to take care of a pack as David’s luna.

I had to learn because it was all too much for David to handle on his own. In fact, now that I thought about it, almost every serious issue that ever faced our pack—I was the one to solve.

"I think it's funny you would question my ability to lead when your pack is in severe financial crisis under your lead," I said, smiling at him, "Your pack income relies too much on your farmers, but you have no risk management. You spent lavishly and wasted the taxes you collected from your farmers during the last few years, now you don’t have enough money to make up for the crops that were lost this harsh winter."

David's father looked like he wanted to yell, but I continued speaking.

"Meanwhile our pack is thriving. We've made sure that we have enough money put away to get us through any emergency, and we ensure that the funds our people need to do their jobs—jobs that keep our pack safe and healthy—are always available to them.”

My father was nodding approvingly at my words.

“We know our people. We know when they're struggling, and we know that when we help them through their struggles, it makes our pack stronger. That’s a lesson you would do well to learn," I added.

Everyone was staring at me with obvious surprise, but I kept my head held high and proud. I waited for David's father to respond, but he didn’t say a word. Instead, he grabbed his wife, Lily, by the arm, and the two of them hurried out of the house.

David stepped in front of me, and I could see a pained expression on his face. "What is going on?" he asked. "Why are you embarrassing me like this?"

"I'm not trying to embarrass you," I said honestly. "I just think it's important for me to learn to lead my own pack. After all, you'll want my help once we're married, won’t you?"

I could tell that he was seriously considering my words.

Clearly, I wouldn’t let him win the Alpha King selection this time. But from his current point of view, he could still use my support as a strong Alpha heir to win the selection. He could promote himself by showing our unified strength—that would win a lot of people over.

"I'm sorry for how poorly things have gone today," I said, putting one hand against my temple. "I’m not feeling well. I need to rest."

It’s all just been a lot. I desperately needed some alone time to sort out my plans.

"Are you sick?" Amanda asked.

"It’s only a headache," I replied.

"I'll make you some tea," my mother said as she left the room. My father patted me on the shoulder supportively, then followed her out, leaving just David, Amanda, and me alone.