When the Hidden Luna Rises novel Chapter 17

**Chained by Fate**
**Eliza Rowan**
**Chapter 17**

In that moment, even Kelsey could hardly believe what was unfolding before her eyes. Ryan, the seemingly composed Alpha, had unexpectedly flipped the narrative in front of the cameras, and the atmosphere shifted dramatically.

As he stood tall, a palpable change enveloped him, radiating an undeniable Alpha presence that swept through the venue like a tempest.

His gaze roamed across the audience, landing on the front row where the Stormclaw Pack Elders sat—an imposing assembly that formed the very backbone of the pack’s high council. Beside them, the representatives from the Darkfang Pack shifted uncomfortably in their seats, their expressions a mix of curiosity and apprehension.

What had been intended as a joyous announcement of his wedding had morphed into a battleground he had meticulously orchestrated himself.

***

The reporter, perhaps sensing the tension but misinterpreting it as mere nerves, attempted to smooth over the moment with a light-hearted quip.

“It appears our Alpha is a bit tongue-tied amidst the excitement! The love between this happy couple is evident for all to witness.”

Laughter rippled through the crowd, but it quickly faded as Ryan lifted his gaze. With an air of calm authority, he discarded the script he had been clutching, letting it flutter to the ground like a fallen leaf. His voice, low yet resonant, cut through the air.

“Affection?”

“Don’t joke.”

He advanced deliberately towards the edge of the stage, his eyes glinting with an icy resolve.

“There are no feelings between us. This was merely a transaction, a performance for the masses.”

Silence engulfed the room, thick and heavy.

Claire, her smile frozen in disbelief, felt the color drain from her face as her fingers trembled slightly.

“Ryan, what are you saying? This is a live broadcast!”

She implored him in a hushed tone, desperately trying to reach out and hold onto the remnants of their facade.

***

But Ryan was quicker. He raised his hand and forcefully pushed her away.

“Don’t touch me.”

“This charade ends here.”

Claire stumbled backward, collapsing into her chair, shock etched across her features.

Gasps erupted from the audience, a wave of disbelief washing over them.

The Stormclaw Pack Elders reacted with outrage, their fists slamming against the table as they rose in unison.

“Ryan! Have you lost your mind?!”

Ryan met their frantic stares with an unsettling calmness, though a flicker of rage simmered just beneath the surface.

At that moment, the Beta rushed forward, clutching a thick stack of documents, urgency written all over his face.

Ryan accepted the papers, his voice low and thunderous, resonating like the rumble of an approaching storm.

“Lost my mind? Perhaps I have. Because I am utterly exhausted of…”

Before he could finish his thought, he hurled the stack of documents into the air with a fierce motion.

The papers soared through the venue like snowflakes caught in a whirlwind, scattering in every direction.

Camera flashes illuminated the chaotic scene, capturing each page as it fluttered down.

***

A figure in the audience bent down, instinctively reaching for one of the pages.

In that instant, time seemed to freeze.

Every camera lens shifted to capture her reaction, every eye in the room fixed upon her.

Yet Kelsey’s expression was devoid of shock or tears; her gaze resembled the still surface of a frozen lake, the last flicker of hope extinguished, leaving an icy void in its wake.

Ryan approached her, moving slowly, each step heavy with intent. The microphone clattered to the floor, forgotten in the gravity of the moment.

Ignoring the camera flashes and the surrounding chaos, his focus remained solely on her.

Then, in a gesture that shocked the audience, he knelt before her.

A collective gasp reverberated through the room.

This man, once hailed as the “most unshakeable Alpha,” was now on one knee before the entire pack, vulnerable and exposed.

“Kelsey,” he began, his voice thick with emotion,

“I was wrong. For years, I believed that endurance and compromise would bring stability to the pack.”

“I was mistaken. All it did was inflict pain upon you.”

“I know I have no right to seek your forgiveness.”

“But if I could turn back time, I would willingly relinquish all power rather than lose you.”

“Kelsey, when we wed, we had nothing—no ceremony, no vows.”

“This time, I want to make it right.”

He extended his hand toward her, his voice trembling with raw emotion.

“Will you be my Luna?”