Chapter 1

Mornings in the Moonshadow Forest were always unnervingly still.

Wet fog drifted down from the treetops, curling around the spires of Blackthorn Keep. The measured footsteps of the changing guard echoed from the outer courtyard—restrained and precise.

This was daily life for the Blackthorn Pack. It was also the order I had painstakingly built over the years.

As I left the council hall, several young she-wolves bowed their heads in greeting. "Luna."

I nodded, fingers pressing briefly against my brow. Patrol schedules, storehouse allocations, the herb inventory... I used to think these tedious tasks were burdens.

I came to understand they were my true foothold in this keep.

At least in Blackthorn, no one dared call me an outsider.

Kade's scent drifted from the far end of the corridor—pine and metal, carrying the chill of the night patrol.

He was back.

He pushed through the door, his cloak damp with dew, radiating the innate pressure of an Alpha. But when his eyes found mine, they always softened.

"You've worked hard," I said.

He walked over, bent down to press a kiss to my forehead, and rested his hand at the small of my back—not forceful, but unmistakably possessive.

"You're the one who's worked hard." His voice dropped low. "While I'm away, you're the one holding everything together."

Once, those words would have warmed my chest.

Now I only looked up calmly, offering a faint smile. "That's what a Luna should do."

He didn't seem to catch the distance in my tone. He ruffled my hair and turned toward the bathroom.

"I'm going to shower."

The sound of water started almost immediately.

I had been on my way to the study to organize the moon ceremony roster, but I paused as I passed the vanity.

Kade's oath ring lay there—the silver band he'd removed. It wasn't ornate; the inside was etched with the sacred moon runes, symbolizing the bond between fated mates. He never took it off except to bathe or after battle.

I reached out and touched it. The invisible thread in my chest gave a soft tug.

That was how the mate bond worked—like a raw nerve, reacting to the slightest contact.

I told myself not to overthink it.

But I still picked up the ring and held it to the morning light.

The silver surface caught a cold gleam, the oath runes sharp and clear. I examined it inch by inch, until I reached the most hidden groove on the inside—where there was an additional mark, faint and fine, that didn't belong to the moon goddess's sacred script.

It looked like some kind of... intimate inscription.

My breath caught.

My fingertip traced that mark, and my blood seemed to freeze.

It wasn't my name.

It wasn't the date of our vows.

It was three letters—

Ari.

Ariella.

The nickname of my "delicate" Omega sister.

The world went terrifyingly quiet. Only the rush of water from the bathroom remained.

I didn't think I was falling apart.

But my stomach began to cramp.

I brought the ring to my nose.

Kade's scent clung to it, naturally.

But beneath the pine and metal, there wound a lighter, sweeter fragrance—honey and petals, cloying enough to turn my stomach.

An Omega's scent.

Ariella's scent.

The water stopped.

The bathroom door cracked open, steam and the scent of cedar body wash spilling out.

"Serena?" His voice floated through the mist, still so gentle. "Could you grab me a towel? I forgot to bring one in."

I looked at the ring in my hand, my fingertips cold, but I placed it back where it had been. As though nothing had happened.

I pulled a towel from the cabinet and walked over, pushing the door open.

Steam rushed against my face. Kade stood inside, water droplets sliding down his chest. He reached for the towel, but his fingers closed around my wrist instead, drawing me a step closer.

"You stayed up too late last night," he murmured, his breath warm against my ear. "Remember to eat today."

He was too close.

That familiar Alpha scent wrapped around me—once, it had meant safety, belonging, a fated bond.

Now I only felt suffocated.

I lifted my gaze. It landed on the side of his neck.

A faint red mark, like the press of fingernails, or the graze of teeth. The steam made it more visible, like evidence displayed for my benefit.

My fingertips trembled beyond my control.

I stepped back, my voice steady as ever. "I'll get your clothes."

Kade didn't seem to notice my momentary rigidity. He smiled. "You're always so thoughtful."

Thoughtful.

The word nearly made me laugh out loud.

Back in the bedroom, my fingers found the communication stone on the nightstand first. The gray stone was only used for emergencies; I rarely touched it.

I pressed it and spoke quietly. "Proceed as planned."

No name came from the other end. Only a brief: "Understood."

Confirmed.

From this moment on, I was no longer a passive Luna.

I set the stone back down. When I turned, Kade was already emerging from the bathroom, toweling his hair, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. His body was still magnificent—the kind of physique any warrior would envy.

I had once been stirred by that strength.

Now I knew only this: that man's heart had never been mine.

He walked over and dropped a kiss at the corner of my mouth. "Don't go out today. The moon ceremony is approaching. You should rest."

I looked up. "I still have a lot to arrange."

"I've already handled everything," Kade said, his tone gentle but brooking no argument. "Ariella will oversee the offering details. The elders trust her completely—don't exhaust yourself lately."

Ariella.

When he said that name, his gaze softened without him realizing.

I used to lie to myself: He only sees her as a sister.

Now I recognized it for what it was—the most glaring confession.

I slowly curved my lips into a smile, flawless and obedient. "Alright."

Kade seemed pleased by my compliance. He gave my fingers a light squeeze. "After the ceremony, I'll take you to the lake in the Northern Reaches. You'll love the moonlight there."

Every future he painted was a sweet trap.

I didn't expose him. I buried my face against his chest and nodded.

The lights went out. Kade's breathing soon steadied.

In the darkness, I raised my hand, my fingertip slowly tracing the oath ring on my own finger.

I looked toward the window.

The fog over Moonshadow Forest hadn't lifted. In the distance, moonlight was sliced into fragments by the branches, like some silent vigil.

I made a vow to the moon goddess in my heart.

Not begging for her pity.

I was telling her—

I would end this lie with my own hands.