Marked by Five Alphas: The Immortal Luna
Chapter 21: Evelyn: The Future Queen Was A Beggar

Chapter 21: Evelyn: The Future Queen Was A Beggar

Evelyn~

Just as Theron had predicted, the elders began bombarding me with so many questions at once.

"Where did you live before?"

"Why are you alone? Where is your pack?"

"I heard from the soldiers that you ended up here because the ocean waves carried you. What happened to you?"

"What is wrong with you?"

How could I possibly know what was wrong with me? It just happened to be my unlucky day, and unfortunately—or maybe a little fortunately—I ended up here and awakened my Luna side.

"Why are you not answering our questions?" one of the elders, who seemed to be named Balthor, asked. And when I didn’t say anything, he raised his voice slightly. "Are you ignoring me?"

Theron cleared his throat, pulling all their attention toward him. "Elders," he said firmly, "she is my Luna, the future Queen of Valedorn."

The room fell silent as Theron stared at them with his sharp gaze. "You will show her respect ... or should I teach you how to respect your future queen?"

Honestly, part of me was curious to see what he would actually do if the elders continued to be disrespectful.

But maybe it was better not to find out.

"We ... we only wanted to know more about her, Your Majesty," said Balthor, his voice less stern now.

But it didn’t feel like simple curiosity. It felt more like they were trying to dig into my past, hoping to find something they could use against me later.

After all, no one would be thrilled if their future queen turned out to be ... a beggar.

The elders looked at each other, as if they were silently daring one another to speak up again and break the awkward silence hanging in the air.

They seemed like they wanted to ask me more questions, but honestly, I had no intention of answering them.

What was the point, anyway?

There was nothing special about my past. It’s not something I’m proud of, and if I actually told them the truth, it would just convince them even more that I didn’t belong on the throne.

After what felt like forever, Theron finally spoke again.

"You may judge her after the Full-Moon Ceremony." His voice was calm but firm. "Until then, I will not allow anyone to question her worth."

One of the elders let out a soft sigh and said, "The full moon won’t appear for another two weeks, Your Majesty. If we don’t know the origin of ... Lady Evelyn, how can we be sure she’s not dangerous?"

That was fair.

If I were a noblewoman from another land, or even just a commoner who lived in this kingdom, it would be easier for them to figure out what kind of person I was.

More than that, they were probably worried I might be a spy from another kingdom, sent here to destroy the kingdom.

But honestly, I didn’t need to be a spy to destroy a place. My bad luck alone was more than enough to ruin anything, including myself.

"I can leave this palace if that’s what you all want," I said. "As long as you clear my debt."

"No. You will not leave this palace," Theron said firmly, letting out a quiet sigh. "And your debt will not be cleared, either."

I sighed as well, but much harsher than him. Well, at least I tried to ask politely.

"My Luna stays under my protection," Theron continued, this time addressing the elders. "No one touches her, no one questions her, and most importantly, no one drives her away."

His eyes were sharp and unwavering as he looked at them, and I could feel his Alpha aura pressing down on everyone in the room. It was heavy, and truly commanding, the kind of presence that made it hard to breathe, let alone argue.

Even the most stubborn among them, like Balthor, flinched slightly under the weight of his gaze.

I didn’t know Theron very well yet, but I often overheard the maids and soldiers whispering about him. They always spoke in hushed voices, like even the walls might betray them.

They said Theron could become a real monster when consumed by rage and hatred.

I used to think they were just being dramatic.

But now, watching the elders shrink in front of him without a single threat spoken aloud, maybe they weren’t exaggerating at all.

Theron hadn’t raised his voice. He didn’t threaten anyone, and yet, he managed to silence the room and scare them without lifting a finger.

His presence alone was enough, like a storm waiting to be unleashed, one that could destroy everything in its path if he simply chose to let it.

"W-we understand, Your Majesty," Balthor finally stammered. "We won’t interfere with Lady Evelyn until the full-moon ceremony."

I wasn’t sure I believed them at first.

It felt like they were just saying what Theron wanted to hear so they wouldn’t get on his bad side. I half-expected them to start whispering behind his back or digging into my past the moment he walked away.

But strangely ... they didn’t.

Days went by, then a week, then nearly two.

During that time, not a single elder approached me or caused any trouble. In fact, if I’m being honest, they seemed to go out of their way to avoid me entirely.

One day, I even ran into Balthor in the corridor, but the moment he saw me, he spun around and ran off like he’d seen a ghost.

Honestly? I didn’t know whether to be offended or laugh.

Was I really that terrifying?

Or had Theron’s warning left such a strong impression on them that they’d rather flee than risk crossing me again?

Either way, I wasn’t going to complain.

"Milady," Mirelda, one of the palace maids, said with a stern smile, "I’ve brought the gown you’ll wear for tomorrow’s full-moon ceremony."

Her voice was overly polite, but there was something cold beneath her words, like she was holding back a sneer with every sentence.

"This design was chosen by the royal council," she added while brushing off an invisible speck of dust from the fabric. "They thought it might help distract from your ... humble background."