I found Ivey in the kitchens just after dawn, her hands deep in dishwater. The morning staff hadn't arrived yet. Perfect.

"Luna." She straightened immediately, wiping her hands on her apron. Her dark eyes flickered with concern. "Is something wrong?"

I glanced toward the hallway, then back at her. "Allie visited your quarters last night."

Ivey went still. "How did you—"

"Check under your mattress. Now."

She didn't question me. That was the thing about Ivey—she'd survived this pack by knowing when to trust her instincts. We moved quickly through the servants' wing, our footsteps silent on the worn carpet.

The room she shared with Nia was small but tidy. Two narrow beds, a shared dresser, a window that overlooked the training grounds. Ivey dropped to her knees beside her bed and reached underneath.

Her hand emerged holding a diamond bracelet. Then a ruby necklace. Then a pair of emerald earrings I recognized from the pack vault.

"Moon Goddess," Ivey breathed. Her face had gone pale. "She's framing us."

"She's terrified," I said quietly. "I showed her something yesterday. Something she wasn't supposed to see." I knelt beside her, gathering the jewelry. "Now she's trying to eliminate anyone loyal to me."

Ivey's jaw tightened. "What do we do?"

I smiled. In my previous life, I'd discovered the planted evidence too late. The guards had already found it. Nia and Ivey had been dragged before the pack council, and I'd been powerless to stop their exile.

Not this time.

"We give it back to her," I said.

Twenty minutes later, we stood in the underground garage. Allie's silver Mercedes gleamed under the fluorescent lights, parked in the spot marked "Pack Consultant." The vanity of it made my teeth ache.

Ivey pulled a thin piece of metal from her pocket—a lock pick she'd carried since her orphan days. Her fingers worked the car door with practiced ease. The lock clicked open.

"Trunk," I whispered.

She popped it from inside. I lifted the carpeted floor panel, revealing the spare tire well. Deep enough. Hidden enough.

I placed each piece of jewelry carefully inside, then covered them again. Closed the trunk. Locked the door.

*Your move, Allie.*

Isaac's voice boomed through the pack house at noon, amplified by his Alpha authority. "All pack members to the main hall. Immediately."

I arrived with the other Lunas and high-ranking females, my face carefully composed. Concerned but calm. Isaac stood on the raised platform, his jaw clenched. Allie hovered beside him, her expression a perfect mask of distress.

"Valuable items have been stolen from the pack vault," Isaac announced. His Alpha aura pressed down on the assembled wolves, making the lower-ranked members whimper. "Beta Cross will conduct a search of all quarters. Anyone found with stolen property will face exile."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. I felt Nia and Ivey's fear spike from where they stood among the other Omegas. I caught Ivey's eye and gave the smallest shake of my head.

*Trust me.*

Beta David Cross was thorough. I had to give him that. He started with the Omega quarters, his team of Deltas moving through each room with grim efficiency. When they found nothing in Nia and Ivey's room, I saw Allie's face tighten.

She'd expected them to find the jewelry. She'd been so certain.

David moved through the pack house systematically. Guest rooms. Storage areas. Even the Alpha's office, though Isaac's scowl could have melted steel.

Nothing.

"The garage," David said finally. "We should check the vehicles."

Allie's scent spiked—sharp with sudden panic. I caught it immediately. So did several other wolves with strong noses.

David's team moved through the garage. When they reached Allie's Mercedes, David paused. His nostrils flared.

"The scent trail leads here," he said, his voice carefully neutral.

Allie laughed. High and brittle. "That's ridiculous. Why would I steal from the pack vault? I'm the Pack Consultant."

"Open the trunk, please," David said.

Allie's hands shook as she pressed the button on her key fob. The trunk popped open. David lifted the floor panel.

The jewelry glittered in the fluorescent light.

The crowd erupted. Gasps. Whispers. Accusations flying like arrows.

"I didn't—" Allie's voice cracked. "Someone planted this! I would never—"

"The scent trail doesn't lie," David said quietly. He looked at Isaac. "Alpha, the evidence is clear."

Isaac's face had gone rigid. I could see the war happening behind his eyes. Believe his mistress, or believe his Beta.

I stepped forward before he could speak.

"Perhaps," I said softly, my voice carrying just enough to reach the crowd, "Allie has been under too much stress. Adjusting to a new pack, taking on such important responsibilities..." I let sympathy color my tone. "Sometimes the pressure can make us confused. Overwhelmed."

I met Allie's eyes. Saw the fury there. The humiliation.

"I'm sure she didn't mean any harm," I continued. "We should be understanding. Forgiving."

The crowd shifted. I felt it—the subtle change in their perception. The Luna, gracious and kind, making excuses for the mistress who'd tried to frame innocent Omegas.

Allie's face flushed red. "I am not confused—"

"Of course not," I said gently. "But perhaps you should rest. Take some time to settle in properly."

Isaac's jaw worked. He couldn't defend Allie without looking weak. Couldn't punish her without admitting he'd brought a thief into the pack.

"Return the items to the vault," he said finally, his voice tight. "We'll discuss this later."

As the crowd dispersed, I caught Allie's gaze one more time. Her eyes promised murder.

I smiled.

*Let her try.*

The training grounds smelled like sweat and dirt. I stood at the edge of the field, watching Forest practice his defensive stances with the other young wolves. He was small for his age, but his movements were precise. Focused.

My son.

In my previous life, I'd lost him to Allie's poison. She'd whispered lies until he couldn't look at me without disgust. This time, I'd make sure he saw the truth.

"Again!" Gamma Reed barked at the line of youngsters. "Faster!"

Forest dropped into a crouch, his muscles coiling. He was getting stronger. Soon his wolf would awaken, and he'd need to understand what real leadership looked like.

Not Isaac's brutality. Not Allie's manipulation.

Something better.

"Luna Vera." One of the Deltas approached, dipping his head respectfully. "The Alpha asked if you'd observe the afternoon drills."

I smiled. "Of course."

Twenty minutes later, Allie's voice cut across the field like a whip.

"You clumsy idiot!"

I turned. A young Omega—barely sixteen, with mousy brown hair—had dropped a stack of towels near the water station. They lay scattered in the dust. The girl's face had gone white, her shoulders hunched as Allie loomed over her.

"Do you have any idea how expensive these are?" Allie's voice dripped venom. "Of course you don't. Omegas like you wouldn't know quality if it bit you."

The girl's eyes filled with tears. Around us, the warriors had stopped training. Watching. Waiting to see what would happen.

Forest stood frozen, his gaze locked on Allie's face.

I moved before I could think.

"It's just towels, Allie." My voice was soft. Calm. I knelt beside the trembling Omega, gathering the fallen fabric. "Accidents happen."

Allie's eyes narrowed. "She needs to learn—"

"She's learning." I met her gaze, still smiling. Still gentle. "We all make mistakes when we're nervous. Don't we?"

The emphasis was slight. Just enough for Allie to remember the jewelry in her trunk. The humiliation in front of the pack.

Her jaw tightened.

I turned to the Omega, pressing the towels into her shaking hands. "What's your name?"

"M-Mara, Luna."

"Mara." I squeezed her shoulder. "Thank you for helping today. The warriors appreciate your service."

Her eyes went wide. Like she'd never heard those words before.

Maybe she hadn't.

I stood, brushing dust from my jeans. Around us, the warriors had started moving again. Training. But I felt their attention. Their approval.

Allie's face had gone red. She spun on her heel and stalked away.

I glanced at Forest. He was staring at me, something shifting behind his eyes. Understanding, maybe. Or the beginning of it.

*Good,* Sasha whispered. *Let him see.*

The pack barbecue that evening was loud and crowded. Families gathered around picnic tables, the smell of grilled meat thick in the air. Isaac stood near the main grill, laughing with Beta Cross. Playing the perfect Alpha.

I spotted Ramon near the dessert table, his plate piled high with cake. Allie's precious son. The supposed heir.

I picked up a glass of lemonade and moved through the crowd. Casual. Unhurried.

Ramon was bragging to a group of younger wolves about his "Alpha strength," flexing his arms like he was already grown. The other kids looked impressed.

Fools.

I stumbled—just slightly—and the lemonade sloshed over the rim of my glass. It splashed across the grass, droplets hitting Ramon's expensive sneakers.

"Oh!" I gasped, setting the glass down. "I'm so sorry!"

I dropped to my knees, pulling a napkin from my pocket. Ramon stepped back, annoyed, and I leaned closer. Wiping at the grass. Breathing in.

His scent hit me like a fist.

Beneath the designer cologne and the arrogance, I smelled it. Earth and pine. The distinct, unmistakable odor of Beta blood. Not just any Beta—Bloodmoon Pack. I'd know that scent anywhere. Isaac's rival pack.

Allie's lover.

*Gotcha.*

I kept my face neutral as I stood, still apologizing. Ramon waved me off, already turning back to his audience. As I moved away, my fingers brushed his jacket. A single dark hair came away in my hand.

I palmed it carefully. DNA evidence. Proof that would destroy Allie's lies forever.

*Soon,* Sasha purred. *Very soon.*

The next morning, I woke to chaos.

Shouts echoed from outside. I threw on clothes and ran downstairs, following the sound to the forest trail where the pack did their morning runs.

Isaac lay on the ground, surrounded by warriors. His face was twisted in pain, one hand pressed to his temple. His Alpha aura flickered like a dying lightbulb—weak, unstable.

"Alpha!" Beta Cross knelt beside him. "What happened?"

"My head..." Isaac's voice was strained. "I can't—my wolf won't—"

I pushed through the crowd, my face a mask of panic. "Isaac!"

I dropped to my knees beside him, reaching for his hand. Playing the terrified mate. Inside, Sasha was howling with triumph.

The Silver-Dust was working.

Isaac's eyes found mine, confused and afraid. "Vera, something's wrong. I tried to shift, but—"

His aura flickered again. I felt it—the fracture in his connection to his wolf. The bond between human and beast cracking like ice.

"Get the healer," I said, my voice shaking. "Now!"

Warriors scattered. Beta Cross barked orders. And I stayed there, holding Isaac's hand, whispering soothing words.

While inside, I smiled.

The predator was closing in for the kill.

The envelope arrived on a Tuesday morning, delivered by a Harper Pack courier who didn't speak a word. Just handed me the unmarked package and disappeared back into the forest.

I waited until I was alone in my bedroom before opening it. My fingers trembled slightly as I broke the seal—not from fear, but anticipation.

The lab results were clinical. Cold. Beautiful.

*Subject: Ramon Jordan. Paternal Markers: Zero Alpha genotype. Conclusion: Beta-class werewolf, Bloodmoon Pack lineage (97.3% probability).*

I read it three times, letting each word sink in like a blessing from the Moon Goddess herself.

Proof. Undeniable, scientific proof that Allie's precious son was a bastard. That her entire claim to power was built on lies.

*Perfect,* Sasha purred.

I slipped the documents into a leather folder and made my way to Grandma Stevens' study. She was reading by the window, afternoon light catching the silver in her hair.

"Grandma," I said softly. "I need to use your safe."

She looked up, those sharp gray eyes studying my face. Then she nodded and stood, moving to the portrait of her late mate that hung above the fireplace. She pressed something behind the frame, and the painting swung outward, revealing a steel door.

The combination lock clicked under her gnarled fingers. The safe opened.

"Whatever you're planning," she said quietly, "make sure it's worth the cost."

I placed the folder inside, next to ancient pack documents and sealed wills. "It is."

She closed the safe. The portrait swung back into place, hiding our secrets behind oil paint and canvas.

"He's getting worse," Grandma Stevens said. Not a question.

I thought of Isaac this morning at breakfast, his hand shaking as he reached for his protein shake. The one laced with Silver-Dust. His aura had flickered twice during the meal, weak and unstable.

"Yes," I said. "He is."

She touched my cheek, her palm warm and papery. "The Moon Goddess sees all, child. Remember that."

I left her study feeling the weight of those documents like a weapon pressed against my heart.

That evening, Allie's voice drifted through Isaac's office door. I paused in the hallway, my enhanced hearing picking up every word.

"She's plotting something, Isaac. I can feel it." Allie's tone was urgent, desperate. "The way she looks at you. The way she's been talking to the Elders."

"Vera wouldn't—" Isaac's voice was weaker than I'd ever heard it. The Silver-Dust was eating away at his strength, day by day.

"Wouldn't she?" Allie's footsteps paced across the floor. "Her father is Alpha of the Harper Pack. One of the most powerful packs in the region. What if she's planning a coup? What if she wants to install Forest as Alpha and rule through him?"

Silence. I could almost hear Isaac's paranoia growing, fed by Allie's poison.

"We need to get away from here," Allie continued. "Just for a few days. Clear your head. I need to pick up Ramon from the youth training camp at the border anyway. We could make it a trip. You, me, Vera. Show the pack that we're united."

My blood went cold.

The border. The training camp. The isolated roads through rogue territory.

I knew this play. I'd lived it before.

In my previous life, this was where Allie had staged the ambush. Hired rogues to attack our convoy, making it look like a random assault. Isaac had survived. I hadn't been so lucky.

"That's... actually a good idea," Isaac said slowly. "Get out of the pack house. Away from all the whispers."

"Exactly." Allie's voice turned syrupy sweet. "We'll leave tomorrow morning. Just the three of us and a small security detail."

I moved away from the door, my mind racing.

She was making her move. Desperate and sloppy, but still dangerous.

I could refuse to go. Make an excuse. Stay safe within the pack house walls.

But that would only delay the inevitable. Allie would find another opportunity, another trap.

Better to face it head-on. On my terms.

I pulled out my burner phone—the one I'd bought with cash in a human town, untraceable—and typed a message to my father's private number.

*Border trip tomorrow. Allie planning ambush. Need Harper warriors shadowing convoy. Wait for my signal.*

The response came within seconds.

*Confirmed. We'll be ghosts until you need us. Stay safe, little moon.*

I deleted the messages and tucked the phone back into my pocket.

That night, I packed a small bag. Comfortable clothes. Sturdy boots. A silver knife that Grandma Stevens had given me, hidden in a sheath at the small of my back.

Isaac found me in the bedroom, his face drawn and pale. "Allie told you about tomorrow?"

"Yes." I folded a sweater, keeping my movements calm. Domestic. "It sounds nice. Getting away for a bit."

He studied me, suspicion flickering in his eyes. "You're not... you're okay with this?"

I crossed to him, placing my hand on his chest. Feeling his heartbeat, erratic and weak. The Silver-Dust was destroying him from the inside, and he had no idea.

"I'm your mate, Isaac," I said softly. "Where you go, I go."

He relaxed slightly, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. "Good. That's... good."

I smiled up at him, playing the devoted Luna one more time.

While inside, Sasha sharpened her claws.

Tomorrow, we'd walk into Allie's trap.

And tomorrow, I'd spring mine.