The Silver Storm: Broken Luna's Return | Read Free Preview
Read chapters 1–3 of The Silver Storm: Broken Luna's Return free. Unlock the full ebook when you are ready to keep going.
Chapter 1 — Reborn
Stephanie Lansbury's POV:
"Stephanie! Didn't I tell you not to bug me through the mind-link unless it's something serious?" A voice, sharp and irritated, cut through the mental connection.
"Sorry... but I got attacked, and they tore my heart out," I managed to gasp out, my voice weakening with every word.
"Bah! Wait till you're six feet under then," the voice sneered, cold as ice.
The cold seeped into my bones, harsher than any winter gale.
There I was, sprawled on the unforgiving concrete, my soul slipping away like sand through my fingers.
A gaping hole in my chest where my heart once beat, now empty and raw.
The werewolf's natural healing kicked in, new flesh trying to knit itself together. But it was a losing battle. The energy reserves in my body were too depleted to conjure up a brand-new heart.
The air reeked of blood and sickly-sweet pheromones, a suffocating mix that spelled out nothing but hopelessness.
This was it. I was done for.
Deep within my mind, my wolf spirit, Silver Glow, let out a feeble whine.
It was calling out his name, the name that had become my personal hell.
"Alexander... Oates..."
That name was like a curse etched into my very being.
As my life force faded, so did Silver Glow. But it fought on, using the bond between Alexander and me to send out a desperate SOS. Only to find the mind-link blocked on his end.
"Silver Glow, reach out to Noah," I pleaded.
Noah, our son, the future Alpha of the Crimson Fang Pack. He'd never turn his back on his mom, right?
"Noah Oates, they took my heart. Hurry over." I sent the thought, praying for a savior.
But the voice that came back was laced with annoyance. "Mom, give it a rest. You know Dad and I are with Ms. Dunne for her birthday. Can't you be a bit more grown-up about this?"
Silver Glow let out one last, heart-wrenching cry and then faded away, its form growing more and more translucent.
In my final moments, the truth hit me like a ton of bricks.
Alexander and Noah... just couldn't stand me.
I was the Luna who'd made a sacred pact with Alexander under the watchful eye of the Moon Goddess.
I was the one who'd almost died bringing Noah into this world.
I was the heir to the Silver Moon Pack, with Alpha blood coursing through my veins.
For love, I'd tamed my wild side and hidden my fangs and claws, all for a scrap of Alexander's affection.
But when I needed them most, they turned their backs.
Was it all for that delicate Omega, Alice Dunne?
I'd given up everything—my pride, my family. And in return, I was left to bleed out on the cold ground.
My soul rose up, looking down at my broken body.
Silver Glow, my loyal companion, vanished in a shower of stardust.
I couldn't accept it.
If I had a do-over, I'd never fall into this trap again. I'd never love them again.
*****
A soft voice broke through the haze of my thoughts. "Luna, Alpha's taking you to the 'Moon Goddess Ceremony' auction tonight. What dress are you fancying?"
It was Mary Gustin, her tone laced with a touch of eagerness.
I jolted awake as if from a nightmare.
The harsh sunlight streamed in, and along with it, that sickeningly familiar pheromone of the Crimson Fang Pack's Alpha filled the air.
Was I really back?
I glanced down at my hands, still pale and full of latent power.
Silver Glow, my wolf spirit, which had slumbered for so long, was rousing within me.
It let out triumphant howls and exuberant roars, like a warrior awakening from a long-term slumber.
I'd been reborn!
It was five years ago, just a month after I'd tied the knot with Alexander.
Noah hadn't even made his entrance into the world yet.
"Luna?" Mary prodded when I didn't answer right away.
"Alpha hasn't been coming home to sleep at night. This is your chance to reel him in," she said, pulling out a white dress. "How about this one?"
The sight of the white dress triggered a storm of loathing in me.
Oh, the white dress.
All because Alice was head-over-heels for white, and Alexander was smitten with her innocent act, I'd stupidly given up my vibrant colors and turned into a pale imitation of her.
I remembered that auction like it was yesterday.
Alexander had shown up with Alice on his arm, flaunting her as his date, without so much as a heads-up to me.
And there I was, in this stupid matching white dress, the butt of everyone's jokes in the whole town.
"Nah," I rasped, my voice rough but dripping with authority.
I casually motioned towards the back of the closet, at that fiery burgundy dress that had always been a forbidden dream. "I'll go with that one.
"Burn every single white dress. I'm done with them," I ordered, my eyes fixed on my revitalized reflection in the mirror.
Chapter 2 — Grand Entrance
Alexander's POV:
The air was saturated with the cloying scent of an Omega's pheromones, a smell that grated on my nerves. I was on edge.
Beside me, Alice clung to my arm, her voice meek. "Alex... I've never been to a fancy event like this. Maybe I should head back."
I said in a reassuring tone, "You gotta get used to it. I'll be bringing you to more of these shindigs from now on."
Meanwhile, Erebus, my wolf spirit, let out an irritated growl within me.
My assistant, Finn Sontag, spoke up, "Alpha, shouldn't we wait for Luna?"
I scowled. "Didn't I tell you to make sure she stays away tonight?"
Stephanie was a Beta who held the title of Silver Moon Pack heir, but she couldn't even awaken her wolf spirit—a total useless waste.
If it weren't for the alliance between our packs, I'd never have tied myself to that laughable mating pact.
She was always like a pathetic puppy, using those sickening looks to try to get my attention, even copying Alice's style.
The thought of her showing up and ruining my night with Alice made my blood boil.
Alice said, her head bowed, looking every bit the timid little thing, "Don't blame Finn. I... I asked Beta Finn to tell Luna. I was worried about the gossip..."
I ruffled her hair. "It's okay."
Then I ordered Finn, "Get to the door. If you see Stephanie, have the guards send her packing right away!"
Just then, a wave of surprised gasps swept through the crowd.
Finn's eyes bugged out, and he stared at the entrance like he'd seen a ghost.
"Looks like... she's already here," he muttered.
Stephanie's POV:
The moment I stepped into the venue, all eyes zeroed in on me.
The wine-red mermaid gown I wore hugged my reborn, powerful body to perfection. I'd stopped suppressing my pheromones.
Even though I still passed myself off as a Beta, the innate allure of my top-notch Alpha blood was like the deadliest poison, making every werewolf in the room catch their breath.
There, in the middle of the crowd, was Alexander, my so-called mate, with his arm around Alice, that Omega.
His face registered shock and a hint of admiration.
Alice, on the other hand, turned as white as a sheet, her eyes filled with envious disbelief.
"Wow, Luna... looks stunning," she stammered.
I strode right up to them.
After going through death once, seeing this man whom I'd once loved so blindly didn't stir a single emotion in me.
Whispers started to spread like wildfire.
"Who's that Omega beside the Alpha of the Crimson Fang Pack? I thought his Luna was here."
"Shh... Heard she's the Alpha's secret lover..."
I ignored the chatter and stopped in front of Alexander. Under his intense Alpha presence, I stood my ground.
I didn't even spare him a glance.
Instead, I reached out my hand to Alice, flashing a confident smile. "You're Alice, the Omega Alex told me about, right? The one who wants to join our pack.
"Hi, I'm Stephanie Lansbury. But you can call me Luna," I emphasized.
Alice awkwardly let go of Alexander's arm and shook my hand, her voice trembling. "Luna."
"I heard from Alex that you're a bit of a scaredy-cat." I finally looked at Alexander. "So, Alex, you take good care of Ms. Dunne. I'm gonna head in."
I released her hand and, without waiting for his response, turned on my heel and walked away, leaving him in my dust.
Chapter 3 — Bid
Alexander's POV:
What on earth did she say? Unbelievably, she just walked off like that!
No more of her typical wailing and whining. No sign of jealousy. Not even a backward glance.
What was that look in her eyes? Weariness? Or perhaps contempt?
Erebus within me let out an angry snarl.
What new trick was this woman up to?
Stephanie's POV:
I brushed off the intense gaze that seemed to bore into my back.
I hadn't come here to be part of that silly love triangle drama. I was here to rewrite my destiny.
The auctioneer announced, "The Crescent Domain in Cosmalia City—an abandoned area. The starting bid is one thousand dollars!"
I recognized this plot of land.
In my past life, this so-called "cursed" wasteland turned out to have a massive gold vein underground six months later.
A small-time merchant struck it rich overnight.
This time, it was going to be mine.
"Two hundred thousand dollars," I declared, and the whole room gasped in shock.
Alexander's mind-link shot through like a bullet, "Stephanie, what the heck are you doing?"
I gave it a quick look and blocked it right away, just as he'd done to me before.
"Two hundred thousand dollars, once..." the auctioneer said.
"Three hundred thousand dollars," drawled a deep, lazy yet dangerous voice from the second-floor balcony.
I looked up. In the dimness, a man was swirling his wine glass, looking at me with a half-smirk.
It was Theodore Sullivan!
What was he doing here, and why was he bidding against me for this useless land?
In my past-life memories, he was the unspoken king of Cosmalia City's werewolf community, a true Lycan that even Alexander treaded carefully around.
All the rowdy rogues in the city listened to him. His influence was on par with any major pack.
I also knew that besides his Lycan heritage, he was the grandson of the Cosmalia City Werewolf Alliance's leader, though his identity was still under wraps at this point.
In three years, he'd step into the limelight and take over the Alliance, becoming the true ruler of Cosmalia City.
By then, he and Alexander, who was vying for the leadership, would be bitter enemies.
His presence added some pressure, but I wasn't backing down.
"Four hundred thousand dollars," I said sharply, raising the bid.
"Five hundred thousand dollars," he replied casually.
Downstairs, Alexander's face turned as gloomy as a storm cloud.
He figured I was probably trying to play games for his attention, and he snorted inwardly.
"One million dollars," I said firmly.
"Two million dollars," Theodore said, still calm as ever.
Damn it! I gritted my teeth.
"Ten million dollars!" I blurted out a figure that left everyone in the room stunned into silence.
"Damn it! This woman's lost it!" Samuel Bronte, Theodore's Beta, shouted from the balcony.
Alexander shot to his feet. His icy Alpha power tried to smother me through the crowd, but Silver Glow inside me flared up and nullified it.
Theodore looked at me and broke into a smile.
He then motioned for me to go on.
The auctioneer called out, "Ten million dollars, once... Ten million dollars, twice... Ten million dollars, three times! Sold!"
I got it, though I had to shell out an extra nine million eight hundred thousand.
I glared daggers at that man across the room.
Theodore, you were on my radar.
Finished the preview?
Unlock the full ebook now and continue the story right away. Get instant access after purchase — no shipping, no waiting. Delivered as PDF and EPUB for reading on phone, tablet, or desktop.
👉 Unlock the Full Story — The Silver Storm: Broken Luna's Return ($9.99)