Cold. So cold. The ocean's embrace pulled me under, darkness creeping at the edges of my vision. My lungs burned as water filled them, each wave carrying me further from shore. Further from him.

Knox's face flashed before me—not the cold Alpha who'd rejected me, but the boy who'd once shared his last piece of bread. The one who'd promised to protect me forever.

A lie.

"My pack," I whispered into the salty darkness. "My home."

Gone.

I didn't fight as the current dragged me deeper. What was there to fight for? My wolfless body had failed me, my mate had rejected me, and even the Moon Goddess seemed to have turned her back.

Something large brushed against my leg—a shark, perhaps, drawn by the blood from my cuts. I didn't flinch. What was one more predator in a world that had already taken everything?

The ocean spun around me, time losing meaning as consciousness slipped away. This was how it would end. Not with the dignity of a warrior, but as discarded waste, floating in the vast nothingness.

Then, strong arms wrapped around me.

"Stay with me," a deep voice commanded, vibrating through the water with impossible clarity. "I won't let you die."

Who would bother saving a rejected, wolfless nobody? I tried to open my eyes, to see who dared defy death itself, but darkness claimed me completely.

---

"Her pulse is stabilizing."

The first voice I heard was female, clinical and detached. I struggled to open my eyes, but my lids felt weighted with lead.

"Remarkable," came another voice—male, rich and powerful. "She's been in the water for hours, yet her body fights."

I recognized that voice. It had pulled me from the darkness, commanded life back into my broken form.

"Alpha King," the woman said deferentially. "Should we move her to the medical wing?"

"No." The voice moved closer, and suddenly I felt it—a presence so powerful it made the air vibrate. "She stays here, in the Royal Suite. I'll tend to her personally."

Strong hands lifted me, cradling me against a broad chest. Through my lashes, I glimpsed golden eyes watching me with intense focus.

"Rest now," he murmured, his voice resonating with an aura that seemed to wrap around me like a protective blanket. "You're safe in the Royal Lycan Territory."

Lycan. Not just any werewolf, but royalty among our kind.

---

Months passed in a haze of half-consciousness. Sometimes I heard voices—the deep one that had saved me, others who came and went. Occasionally, I felt gentle hands changing my bandages, adjusting my position.

"You're healing well," the deep voice would say daily. "Your wolf is still dormant, but I sense her stirring."

My wolf. Luna. The part of me that had never awakened.

One day, something changed. I felt a presence beside me—strong, warm, alive with power that made the air crackle.

"Hello, Averie," the voice said softly. "I'm Griffin Thomas."

I forced my eyes open, finally meeting the gaze of my savior. He was magnificent—tall and broad-shouldered, with dark hair and eyes that seemed to shift between gold and amber. His aura filled the room, powerful but not oppressive.

"Why?" I managed to whisper, my voice hoarse from disuse.

His expression softened. "Because no one deserves to die like that."

As he spoke, something stirred deep within me—a spark of warmth where there had only been cold emptiness. My hand flew to my chest in shock.

"Your wolf," Griffin said, his eyes widening slightly. "She's awakening."

The spark grew stronger, spreading through my limbs like liquid fire. I gasped as images flooded my mind—memories of a silver wolf with eyes like mine.

"Luna," I whispered.

---

Two years later, I stood before the mirror in my chambers at the Royal Palace, barely recognizing the woman who stared back. Gone was the hollow-cheeked, broken creature Griffin had pulled from the sea. In her place stood someone stronger—someone who had survived.

"Are you ready?" Griffin asked from the doorway, his eyes warm with pride.

I nodded, turning to face him. "I think I've been ready for a while now."

The exhibition hall buzzed with anticipation as we entered. Display cases lined the walls, each containing pieces from my "New Dawn" collection—moonstone jewelry that seemed to capture the light and transform it into something magical.

"Your work is extraordinary," Griffin said softly. "Just like you."

As the crowd applauded, I caught sight of my reflection in the glass—silver eyes glowing with the power of my awakened wolf.

Later that night, as we stood on the balcony overlooking the Royal Territory, Griffin took my hand.

"I never believed in fate," he said, his voice low and intimate. "Until I found you in those waters."

He knelt before me, not as an Alpha King commanding obedience, but as a man asking for something precious.

"Averie Spencer," he said, "will you be my Queen?"

I looked down at him—this powerful man who had never once made me feel small or inadequate. Who had waited patiently as I healed, who had taught me to trust again.

"Yes," I whispered, feeling Luna stir within me, wholeheartedly agreeing.

As his lips met mine, I knew I had found not just survival, but a true home. And somewhere far away, I felt the faintest echo of a broken bond—a reminder that sometimes, rejection can lead to something better than what was lost.

The invitation arrived on a silver-embossed card, the crest of the Silver Moon Pack gleaming in the afternoon light. I traced the raised emblem with my fingertip, feeling Luna stir within me. My wolf had been silent for so long, but now she was alert, curious.

"The Grand Summit," Griffin said, his voice low as he stood behind me. "All pack leaders will be there to address the rogue threat."

I turned to face him, taking in his concerned expression. Two years had passed since he'd pulled me from the ocean—two years of healing, of finding strength I never knew I possessed.

"You don't have to go," he added softly. "No one would blame you."

I smiled, feeling Luna's confidence flowing through me. "I'm not the same person they broke two years ago."

Griffin's eyes warmed as he took my hand. "No, you're not. You're stronger."

"I want to go," I said firmly. "Not as a victim seeking revenge, but as your Queen."

His lips curved into a smile that still made my heart skip. "Then we'll show them exactly who you've become."

---

The Silver Moon Pack's grand ballroom glittered with crystal chandeliers and polished marble. As our car pulled up to the entrance, I caught my reflection in the window—shimmering silver dress, hair swept up to reveal the elegant curve of my neck, no longer bearing rejection marks.

"Ready?" Griffin asked, his hand warm against mine.

I nodded, Luna's presence steady within me. "Ready."

The moment we entered, the room fell silent. I felt it immediately—the collective intake of breath, the sudden stillness. Then came the whispers.

"Is that...?"

"It can't be..."

"The Omega who jumped..."

And then, the scent. I'd almost forgotten how distinct it was—moonstone and rain. My natural scent had returned with Luna's awakening, stronger than ever.

Across the room, I saw him—Knox. The Alpha who had once been my everything. He stood frozen, wine glass suspended halfway to his lips, his face draining of color.

The glass slipped from his fingers, shattering on the marble floor. Red wine spread like blood between the white tiles.

"Averie?" His voice cracked, barely audible across the distance.

I met his gaze steadily, feeling nothing but a cool detachment where once there had been love. Griffin's hand tightened protectively around mine, his presence a solid anchor beside me.

"Alpha Robinson," I acknowledged with a slight nod, my voice carrying clearly through the hushed room.

Knox took a step toward us, then another. His movements were jerky, almost feral. "You're dead," he whispered. "I felt you die."

"Clearly, I'm not," I replied, my tone even.

He reached out as if to touch me, his hand trembling. "Averie, please—"

A low growl rumbled from Griffin's chest, the sound vibrating through the air with unmistakable warning. Knox froze, his eyes darting between us.

I placed a calming hand on Griffin's chest. "It's alright," I murmured, before turning back to Knox. "Alpha King Griffin Thomas," I introduced formally. "My mate and soon-to-be husband."

Knox's face contorted with pain. "Mate? But we—"

"Are nothing to each other," I finished for him. "You made that perfectly clear two years ago."

---

The Summit meeting began with tense formality. I sat beside Griffin at the head table, aware of Knox's burning gaze from across the room. Izabella sat beside him, her fingers digging into his arm as if trying to anchor herself.

"These accusations are absurd," Izabella's voice cut through the discussion of rogue attacks. "We've been nothing but hospitable to all packs."

I watched her carefully. She was thinner than before, her eyes darting nervously around the room. Guilt looked good on her.

"Except to your own," I said quietly.

All eyes turned to me.

"What did you say?" Izabella hissed.

I rose slowly, feeling Luna's power surge through me. "I said 'except to your own.'"

"You have no right to speak here," she snapped. "You're nothing but an impostor pretending to be—"

"Enough." My voice carried a new authority that silenced her instantly. I let my eyes flash silver, allowing Luna to show herself for the first time.

Gasps echoed through the room as my wolf's presence became visible—a silver glow emanating from within.

"Impossible," Izabella whispered. "You were wolfless."

"I was suppressed," I corrected her. "By trauma. By rejection." I turned to address the Council directly. "But that's not all that was suppressed."

Griffin nodded to an aide, who distributed folders to each Council member.

"Evidence?" Izabella's voice rose shrilly. "What evidence could you possibly—"

"Communications between you and the rogues who tried to kill me," I said calmly. "Payment records. Meeting coordinates."

The Council members flipped through the documents, their expressions darkening as they read.

"This is treason," one of them said, looking up at Izabella with disgust.

She stood abruptly, knocking over her chair. "You can't believe this! She's lying!"

"Sit down," Knox commanded, his voice hollow as he stared at the evidence before him.

For the first time, I saw something like recognition in his eyes—not of me, but of his own failure.