The world came back to me in fragments—the scent of healing herbs, the soft rustle of leaves outside the window, and the dull throb of pain radiating from my temple. I kept my eyes closed, clinging to the darkness as Ethan's words echoed in my mind.

"My wolf recognizes you as my true mate."

Not me. Lily.

My sister. My replacement.

The betrayal cut deeper than the injuries from the crash. All this time, while I'd been dutifully preparing to bind myself to a man I didn't love for the sake of our packs, he'd been secretly pining for her. And she—the orphan my family had taken in, the girl who had stolen my place—had been plotting behind my back.

And Brandon knew. My own brother.

*They think we're weak,* Nova growled again within me. *We'll show them how wrong they are.*

I heard footsteps approaching—the light, measured steps of Healer Maeve. Making my decision in an instant, I parted my lips and let out a soft, confused moan.

"Autumn?" Maeve's voice was gentle as she approached the bed. "Can you hear me?"

I fluttered my eyelids, deliberately unfocused, letting fear seep into my expression. "Where..." I whispered, my voice cracking. "Who am I?"

Maeve's eyes widened, her hand freezing midair where she'd been reaching to check my bandages. "Autumn? Do you not remember?"

I let my gaze wander the room in feigned confusion, allowing tears to well in my eyes. "I don't—I don't know this place. I don't know you."

"Goddess above," Maeve whispered, her professional composure slipping for just a moment. She quickly recovered, taking my hand in hers. "You're Autumn Hayes, daughter of Alpha Hayes of the Silver Moon Pack. You were in an accident last night."

I stared at her blankly, letting her words wash over me as if they meant nothing.

"I need to inform your family," she said, rising quickly. "And..." She hesitated, concern etching deeper lines around her eyes. "This changes things."

As she hurried from the room, I allowed myself a brief moment of grim satisfaction. Yes, this changed everything indeed.

---

The next few hours passed in a blur of concerned faces and hushed conversations just outside my door. I maintained my vacant stare, responding with confusion to every question. When Brandon entered, his face tight with worry that didn't quite reach his eyes, I felt Nova bristling beneath my skin.

"She needs stability," Maeve was explaining to him. "The ceremony must be postponed, of course. But more than that, she needs someone to ground her, to help her remember."

"What are you suggesting?" Brandon asked, his voice carrying the authoritative edge he'd practiced since childhood.

"Her mate," Maeve said simply. "Or rather, the one her wolf recognizes."

I kept my expression neutral, though inside, Nova howled with rage. *We have no mate! They're trying to force their plan on us!*

*Wait,* I cautioned her. *Let's see what game they're playing.*

"Jackson Rivers," Brandon declared after a moment of consideration. "He's been... close to Autumn. My Beta-in-training. He'll help her through this."

Jackson Rivers? I'd barely exchanged more than formal greetings with the stoic wolf who shadowed my brother. What new deception was this?

"Very well," Maeve nodded. "I'll release her to his care at dawn. Her physical injuries are healing well, but her mind..." She shook her head. "Only time will tell."

---

Dawn painted the sky in shades of pink and gold when Jackson arrived at my den. I sat on the edge of my bed, dressed in loose clothing Maeve had provided, staring out the window with deliberate emptiness in my gaze.

He entered without knocking, his tall frame filling the doorway. "Autumn," he said, his voice deep and steady.

I turned slowly, studying him as if seeing him for the first time. He was handsome in a rugged way—dark hair falling across his forehead, strong jaw set in determination, eyes a piercing blue that seemed to look straight through my charade.

"They tell me you're Jackson," I said softly. "That you're... important to me."

Something flickered across his face—too quick to identify. "Yes," he replied simply, moving into the room with careful steps. "I'm here to help you remember."

He began unpacking a small bag, placing items around the room with practiced efficiency. I watched him through lowered lashes, noting how he moved with purpose, how his eyes constantly returned to me as if checking I was still there.

"The pack is talking," he said after a while, his back to me as he arranged some clothes in a drawer. "They're curious about us."

"What are they saying?" I asked, genuinely curious despite myself.

"They wonder if I'm really your mate," he replied, turning to face me. "If I'm worthy of the Alpha's daughter."

I tilted my head, studying him. "And are you?"

His lips curved in a small, enigmatic smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "That's not for me to decide."

---

Three days later, I found myself seated at a formal pack dinner, Jackson at my side. My father had insisted on the gathering—"to show the pack that Autumn is recovering well," he'd said, though I knew it was more about damage control than concern for my wellbeing.

Lily sat across from me, radiant in a pale blue dress that complemented her golden hair. Her smile was sympathetic, her eyes watchful. Beside her, Ethan maintained a respectful distance, though I caught the way his gaze lingered on her when he thought no one was looking.

"More wine, sister?" Lily asked, reaching for the crystal decanter.

Before I could respond, her hand "slipped," sending the deep red liquid cascading across the table and onto my cream-colored dress.

"Oh!" she gasped, eyes wide with false horror. "I'm so clumsy! Your beautiful dress!"

The table erupted in movement—servants rushing with cloths, pack members murmuring in concern. I remained still, staring down at the spreading stain with the blank confusion I'd perfected.

Then I felt Jackson's hand on my arm, steady and warm. "Come," he said quietly. "I have something for you."

He led me from the dining hall, ignoring the curious stares that followed us. In the corridor, he produced a package from a nearby alcove.

"I thought something might happen," he explained, offering me the parcel. "Lily has always been... predictable in her cruelty."

I froze, my fingers hovering over the package. Had he just admitted he knew about Lily's true nature? I searched his face, but his expression revealed nothing.

Slowly, I unwrapped the package to find a simple but elegant dress in deep forest green.

"How did you know?" I asked, genuinely surprised by his foresight.

Jackson's eyes met mine, something unreadable in their depths. "There's much I know about you, Autumn Hayes," he said softly. "Perhaps more than you realize."

As he turned to give me privacy to change, I felt a strange flutter in my chest—not quite trust, but something dangerously close to curiosity. What game was Jackson Rivers playing? And whose side was he really on?

Moonlight spilled through the window of my bedroom as I sat on the edge of the bed, running my fingers over the bandage at my temple. Three days of pretending, of vacant stares and confused questions. Three days of watching their lies unfold before me while I played the helpless, broken Alpha's daughter they all expected me to be.

Jackson had left an hour ago, claiming he needed to attend to some pack duties. His constant presence was both comforting and unsettling—the way his eyes followed me when he thought I wasn't looking, how he anticipated my needs before I voiced them.

Nova paced restlessly within me. *He knows something. I can feel it.*

*Or he's playing his part too well,* I countered, though doubt gnawed at me.

A soft knock interrupted my thoughts. I quickly composed my expression into one of mild confusion before calling out, "Yes?"

Jackson entered, carrying a package wrapped in simple brown paper. His scent—pine and something earthy, like the forest after rain—filled the room. Without the audience of others, his shoulders seemed less tense, his movements more fluid.

"I brought you something," he said, his deep voice quiet in the stillness of the night.

I tilted my head, maintaining my role. "A gift?"

He placed the package on the bed beside me, careful not to touch me. "Open it."

Slowly, I unwrapped the paper, revealing a pool of fabric that caught the moonlight like liquid silver. As I lifted it, the dress unfurled—midnight blue silk embroidered with delicate silver phases of the moon along the hem and neckline.

My breath caught. It was exquisite.

"It's yours," Jackson said softly, "if you ever remember."

Something in his tone made me look up sharply. His blue eyes held mine, and for a moment—just a fleeting moment—I wondered if he could see through my charade.

"Why would you give me something so beautiful?" I asked, my fingers tracing the silver embroidery.

Jackson's gaze dropped to the dress, a hint of color touching his cheeks. "Because you deserve beautiful things, Autumn Hayes. Even if you don't remember who you are."

The sincerity in his voice pierced something deep within me. Nova whined, pushing against my consciousness. *He means it.*

I swallowed hard, fighting to maintain my facade. "Thank you," I whispered, and for once, the gratitude was genuine.

He nodded once, then turned to leave. At the doorway, he paused. "Tomorrow, I'll take you to the training grounds. Perhaps something there will help you remember."

After he left, I held the dress against my body, staring at my reflection in the mirror. The silver moons seemed to glow against the dark fabric, like secrets waiting to be revealed.

---

The training grounds were empty when we arrived the next morning. Jackson had insisted on coming early, before the daily sessions began.

"You used to train here," he explained, leading me across the packed dirt clearing surrounded by wooden practice dummies and weapon racks. "You were one of the best fighters in the pack."

I let my gaze wander, pretending to search for any spark of recognition. In truth, I knew every inch of this place—had spent countless hours here trying to prove myself worthy of my bloodline after my return.

"Nothing seems familiar," I said, infusing my voice with disappointment.

Jackson gestured toward a rack of practice weapons. "Try holding something. Sometimes muscle memory works when other memories fail."

I approached the rack, my hand hovering over the various training weapons. My fingers closed around a short staff, the wood smooth from years of use.

A scent caught my attention—faint but distinct. Lily's perfume, mixed with something else. Pride. Triumph.

Memory crashed through me like a physical blow. Three months ago. The pack's quarterly skills assessment. I had bested three opponents in succession with this very staff, only to find Lily later, surrounded by admirers, demonstrating "her" technique with my weapon.

"She took credit for my victory," I whispered, forgetting myself for a moment.

Jackson's head snapped toward me, his eyes narrowing. "What did you say?"

I froze, heart pounding as Nova murmured within me. *Remember who we're pretending to be.*

"I—I don't know," I stammered, dropping the staff as if it had burned me. "Something just came to me, but it's gone now."

Jackson studied me intently, his expression unreadable. After a long moment, he nodded. "That's enough for today. Let's get you back."

As we walked back toward the main den, I noticed him adjusting the satchel at his hip. The flap fell open slightly, revealing several small glass vials filled with what looked like dried herbs—not the common varieties found in our territory, but something rarer, with a distinctive alpine scent.

"What are those?" I asked, pointing to the vials.

Jackson quickly secured the flap, but not before I recognized the contents. Alpine moonflower and silver thistle—rare healing herbs that grew only in the high mountains of Switzerland, near the European Lycan Council's headquarters.

"Nothing important," he said too quickly.

I stopped walking, fixing him with a stare. "Those are healing herbs. From Switzerland."

Something shifted in his expression—surprise, then resignation. He glanced around to ensure we were alone before speaking.

"They're for your mother," he admitted quietly. "I've been sending them to her for years."

"My mother?" I echoed, genuine confusion replacing my feigned one. "But Brandon handles all communication with her healers."

Jackson's jaw tightened. "Brandon decided the pack's resources were better spent elsewhere. He reduced the shipments to your mother six months after she left." His voice dropped even lower. "I've been supplementing them. Against his orders."

I stared at him, Nova suddenly alert and watchful within me. "Why would you risk defying the future Alpha?"

His eyes met mine, something fierce and protective flashing in their blue depths. "Some things are worth the risk, Autumn."

And in that moment, I wondered if perhaps I wasn't the only one playing a dangerous game of deception.