Business was booming. After my first successful transaction with Sienna, word spread through the Black Moon Pack like wildfire. Suddenly, I had a roster of clients eager to pay for premium gossip about their Alpha and his precious white moonlight. But I wasn't satisfied with just mind-link fees. There were other opportunities to exploit in this twisted love triangle, and I intended to maximize my profits.

The next morning, I sat in my private study, leather-bound ledger open on my desk as I drafted a carefully worded message to Haley. My fingers hovered over the screen of my phone before I typed: 'I know you want time alone with Atticus. His morning run schedule and routes. Complete access. 50,000 credits. Today only. No negotiations.'

I hit send and waited, my pen poised above my ledger. Silver, my wolf, purred with satisfaction in my mind. 'We're going to need a bigger book,' she murmured.

The response came within minutes—a terse 'I'll transfer now. Send the details.' No haggling, no hesitation. Haley's desperation was showing, and I intended to charge her for every moment of it.

As the confirmation pinged on my account, I meticulously recorded the transaction in my ledger. Fifty thousand credits. Not bad for five minutes' work. I sent her the detailed schedule—times, routes, even his usual rest stops—information I'd gathered over three years of watching my mate from a distance.

'Another satisfied customer,' I murmured to Silver, closing the ledger with a satisfied snap. 'And another step toward our freedom.'

Three days later, I found myself at the regional pack summit, representing the Black Moon Pack alongside Atticus. He'd barely spoken to me since Haley's arrival, his attention fixed on his chosen mate like a compass finding north. I didn't mind. It gave me freedom to observe, to plan, to build my escape fund.

As I navigated the grand hall of the Crescent Moon Hotel, I turned a corner and froze. Lycan Prince Douglas Matthews stood before me, his imposing frame blocking the corridor. My breath caught as his aura—powerful, ancient, and distinctly Lycan—washed over me like a physical force.

'Douglas,' I acknowledged, keeping my voice steady despite the sudden thundering of my heart. 'I didn't expect to see you here.'

His dark eyes studied me with an intensity that made my skin prickle. 'Luna Raelyn,' he replied, his deep voice carrying a weight that seemed to vibrate through my bones. 'Our paths cross again.'

Then it hit me—his scent. Earthy, rich, with notes of pine and something wild that I couldn't name. It crashed into me with the force of a physical blow, setting off alarm bells in my mind. This wasn't just any scent. This was the fated mate pull.

My fingers instinctively tapped against my wrist—two quick taps, a nervous habit that Julia had teased me about for years. I forced my face to remain impassive, though Silver was howling inside me, desperate to respond to the call.

'The summit is going well,' I said, taking a careful step back. 'If you'll excuse me, I should find my Alpha.'

Douglas's lips quirked in what might have been amusement. He gave me a highly respectful nod, his eyes never leaving mine. 'Of course, Luna. Until we meet again.'

As he walked away, his powerful aura receding, I leaned against the wall, my heart racing. 'Not now,' I whispered to Silver. 'We can't afford distractions.'

The next afternoon, I was organizing medical supplies in the pack infirmary when Haley cornered me. She blocked the doorway, her arms crossed and a triumphant smile playing on her lips.

'I just wanted to thank you,' she said sweetly, her voice dripping with false warmth. 'For the schedule. Atticus and I had such a beautiful run together yesterday.'

I continued sorting bottles, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing me rattled. 'I'm glad you found it useful.'

She stepped closer, pulling something from her pocket. 'He gave me this,' she said, dangling a silver necklace before me. 'Isn't it lovely? Said it reminded him of my eyes.'

I finally looked up, examining the piece with clinical detachment. 'It's nice,' I said flatly. 'Though the craftsmanship is a bit...cheap for an Alpha's gift, don't you think? The clasp is already showing signs of wear.'

Haley's smile faltered. 'It's the thought that counts.'

'Of course,' I agreed, turning back to my task. 'That'll be five thousand credits for my time, though. I don't discuss personal matters for free.'

Her face flushed with anger. 'You—'

'Pay up, Haley,' I interrupted, my tone pleasant but firm. 'Or I'll be forced to share some rather unflattering observations about your taste in jewelry with the rest of the pack.'

As I walked away, leaving her sputtering with rage, I felt a small, cold smile form on my lips. One more payment logged, one more piece of my freedom secured. And somewhere in the distance, I could feel Douglas Matthews watching, waiting, his fated mate scent calling to me like a siren's song.

I knew something was brewing when Haley started avoiding direct eye contact with me. For days, she'd been unusually quiet, her usual smug confidence replaced by a nervous energy that made my wolf, Silver, restless. I caught her whispering with pack members in hushed tones, their eyes darting toward me before quickly looking away. Whatever she was planning, it was big—and it was coming soon.

The announcement came during the weekly pack meeting. Atticus had just finished discussing border patrols when Haley stood up, her hand protectively cradling her still-flat stomach. The room fell silent as she took a deep breath.

'I have news,' she said, her voice trembling with what I instantly recognized as rehearsed emotion. 'I'm carrying Atticus's pup.'

The words hit the room like a thunderclap. Gasps echoed through the hall as pack members turned to stare at me, waiting for my reaction. I felt dozens of eyes on me, some pitying, others curious, all of them hungry for drama.

I kept my face carefully blank, even as Silver snarled inside me. 'Impossible,' she growled. 'She's not mated to him. The chances of—'

'I know,' I told her through our bond. 'It's a lie.'

Atticus, however, was completely taken in. He rushed to Haley's side, his face transformed by a joy I'd never seen directed at me in our three years together. 'This is... this is incredible,' he breathed, placing his hand over hers on her stomach. 'My pup.'

I watched the scene unfold with a detached fascination, as if I were observing characters in a particularly badly written play. The biological impossibility of an unmated pregnancy—especially with an Alpha who already had a Luna—was something any wolf with basic knowledge would question. But Atticus was too blinded by his obsession to see the obvious flaws in Haley's story.

The next day, Haley moved into the Luna quarters—my quarters—with Atticus's blessing. She walked past me in the hallway, her eyes gleaming with triumph. 'I hope you don't mind,' she said sweetly. 'The baby needs the best environment, and the Luna suite has the best light.'

I stepped aside, my fingers tapping two quick taps against my wrist. 'Of course,' I replied, my voice cool. 'Congratulations on your... miracle.'

That evening, as I sat in my study reviewing my ledger of payments, Elouise knocked on my door. She entered without waiting for a response, her usual composed demeanor tight with barely contained fury.

'This has gone too far,' she said, closing the door behind her. 'I've watched you handle this with remarkable grace, Raelyn, but I won't stand by while that girl destroys everything we've built.'

I raised an eyebrow. 'What do you have in mind?'

Elouise's lips curved into a smile that reminded me of a wolf baring its teeth. 'I've booked the Presidential Suite at the Moonlight Hotel for your mate bond anniversary next week. The most luxurious, most public venue possible.'

'And why would you do that?' I asked, though I already suspected her plan.

'Because,' she said, her eyes glinting with cunning, 'I'm going to announce to the entire pack that it's meant to mend the bond between the Alpha and Luna. And I'm going to make sure everyone knows exactly where you'll be.'

I leaned back in my chair, a slow smile spreading across my face. 'Including Haley?'

'Especially Haley,' Elouise confirmed. 'The trap is set, my dear. All you need to do is spring it.'

As she left, I opened my ledger again, adding a new entry. The stage was set for my final act as Luna of the Black Moon Pack, and I intended to make it a performance no one would forget.