I was the Luna candidate of the Silver Moon Pack.

During the mark ceremony, my sister Nicole barged in, her clothes disheveled. Tears streamed down her face as she accused me:

"Sister, if you wanted to become Luna, why did you have to hurt me like this?"

My mate-to-be, Malakai, also pointed at me, declaring me unworthy to serve the pack.

Then he turned and proposed to Nicole, nominating her as the new Luna.

I was thrown into the pack's punishment chamber, stripped of my rank, and branded an Omega. The pack despised me.

The day I was released, Malakai looked at me, covered in wounds, his eyes slightly moist:

"Madelyn, you've suffered."

"Just wait a little longer. Everything will be over soon."

"Once Nicole successfully takes over as Luna in ten days, I'll take you as my mate."

I'd heard this "wait a little longer" hundreds of times before.

I looked at the man before me, no longer the one I loved.

I clenched the note in my hand tighter.

It read: Ten days. Wait for me.

==============================

The lights in the punishment chamber flickered on and off, the sound of whips cracking through the air.

I was pulled out of the cold water and struck with several saltwater-soaked barbed whips.

Only when I was nearly unconscious, my flesh torn and bleeding, did the enforcer stop, cursing.

They threw a rough dress over me and dragged me outside.

"Bitch is tough. Even after being stripped of your rank, you're still alive."

"If it weren't for the Luna pleading for you, you'd have died in there."

Every step I took in the thin slippers sent sharp pain through my feet.

By the time I reached the main hall, the slippers were soaked in blood.

Malakai frowned when he saw my disheveled state.

"How dare you! Kneel before the Luna!"

I looked up and saw my sister, Nicole, sitting high on the throne, smug.

When our eyes met, she immediately shifted to trembling and pitiful.

"Smack!"

In the next moment, Malakai slapped me to the ground.

He stood above me, towering.

"How dare you look directly at the Luna."

I spat out the blood in my mouth, my ears ringing.

Nicole walked over with light steps, a handkerchief covering her tears.

She pressed hard on my wounds, hidden by her sleeve.

"Ah!"

I couldn't help but cry out in pain.

Nicole then fell backward, and Malakai caught her.

He kicked me away, and my wounds tore open.

I curled into a ball, trying to ease the pain.

Malakai instinctively took a step toward me.

But he stopped, his voice cold.

"Madelyn, who are you trying to fool with this act?"

In his eyes, I was faking it.

After all, as a Luna candidate, I had the ability to heal quickly.

But only those with the rank of Luna could heal so fast.

And now, I no longer had that rank.

Nicole glanced at me, cooing:

"Malakai, the smell of blood is so strong. I'm afraid it'll hurt the baby."

I looked up sharply.

She placed her hand on her stomach, and Malakai's face softened with adoration.

But when he looked at me, his expression turned cold:

"Get out!"

My numb heart was torn open again, bleeding fresh wounds.

I dragged myself out of the room, hearing their intimate whispers behind me.

As soon as I stepped outside, a thin willow branch struck me.

After several lashes, my face was covered in red welts.

"What bad luck."

They chased me into a drafty woodshed with the willow branch.

I huddled in a corner, trying to find some warmth.

The days passed, and no one remembered me.

The cold and hunger gnawed at me.

With what little consciousness I had left, I gripped the note in my hand, counting the remaining days.

Seven more.

Suddenly, a hard, cold roll was thrown at me, jolting my survival instincts.

I looked up to see a ragged Omega, Eden, pointing at the roll and then at his open mouth.

I understood and grabbed the roll, devouring it.

"Bang!"

The rickety door fell with a crash.

Malakai snatched the roll from my hand, his eyes red:

"How did you end up like this?"

I didn't answer, just crawled over and picked up the dirty roll, swallowing it.

He seemed shocked by my state.

Ignoring the filth, he held me tightly.

He whispered in my ear:

"Madelyn, just wait a little longer."

I murmured, "One hundred and eight times."

He frowned, confused. "What?"

This was the one hundred and eighth time he'd told me to wait.

He was about to say more.

But then the pack's Beta, Aliyah, stepped forward and said slowly:

"Alpha, the Luna is waiting for you to choose your mark ceremony attire."

At her words, the pity on Malakai's face vanished, replaced by cold indifference.

He was always like this—one moment tender, the next cruel.

I couldn't tell which was the real him.

He kept repeating to me, "Just wait a little longer."

He shoved a bottle of healing ointment into my hand, then turned and left.

My fingers didn’t close around it. The bottle slipped from my palm and fell to the floor.

The cap came loose, and the powder inside scattered.

A gust of wind blew it away.

As I watched, tears began to fall.

Not long after, several strong women dragged me, struggling, to Nicole’s room.

The moment I entered, the heat from the fireplace made my scars itch.

They threw me to the ground, and I felt my wounds begin to split open.

Malakai grabbed my wrist and yanked me up.

"Madelyn," he said, his voice firm, "Nicole needs your blood to survive."

He pushed up my sleeve, revealing the crisscrossing scars on my wrist.

One old scar caught his attention.

His fingers brushed over it, and for a moment, his eyes softened with something like nostalgia.

It made me hesitate, as if we were still the couple we used to be.

Our pack has strict rules—no one leaves, and no outsiders are allowed.

But I often sneaked out to see the world beyond.

Three years ago, on the day I met Malakai, he was gravely injured.

His eyes were unfocused as he murmured, "Are you an angel?"

Then he passed out.

I endured torture and made a blood oath, leaving this scar behind, just to bring him and Aliyah back to our pack to heal.

During his recovery, he often followed me around, using the excuse of owing me his life.

Later, he saved my father, Alpha Michael, and used that as leverage to propose to me.

He told everyone, "This is my future mate, Madelyn Lynch."

But why?

Why did Nicole accuse me of plotting against her during the succession ceremony?

Why did my fiancé turn around and propose to her, crowning her as the new Luna of the Silver Moon Pack?

My confusion and resentment grew with every passing moment.

Aliyah, standing nearby, glared at me with venom as Malakai hesitated.

"Alpha," she said coldly, "Luna Nicole is waiting. We don’t have time to waste."

Malakai’s hesitation vanished. He took a sharp blade and sliced into my wrist.

Blood sprayed out, splattering his face.

His voice was colder and more cutting than the blade.

"Keep draining her until Nicole wakes up."

The blood dripped steadily into a ceramic bowl.

My heart grew numb.

Just as I was about to faint, Nicole stirred.

Malakai rushed to her side, helping her sit up.

She leaned into him, her voice soft and affectionate.

I slowly began to crawl toward the door when Nicole’s voice rang out.

"Malakai," she said weakly, "I’ve been too frail to try on my wedding dress."

Her eyes flicked to me. "Madelyn’s about my size. Why don’t we have her try it on for me?"

Her words sounded like a suggestion, but her tone left no room for refusal.

The women roughly stripped off my clothes, exposing the ugly scars that marred my body.

As I struggled, the wounds reopened, oozing blood and emitting a foul smell.

I endured the humiliation of their disgusted stares.

Nicole pretended to look horrified. "Madelyn, what happened to you?"

Malakai covered her eyes, murmuring soothing words.

Then he turned to me, his expression full of disdain.

"Put some clothes on," he snapped.

They shoved a red wedding dress over me.

But with my tangled hair and defeated expression, I looked like a mockery of a bride.

Nicole called me over like I was a dog.

"Madelyn, come closer. I can’t see you properly."

She picked up a candlestick and brought it near me.

Then she let go.

The candlestick tipped over, and flames instantly engulfed me.

Malakai’s voice rang out in panic. "Madelyn!"

But Nicole clung to him, sobbing, "Malakai, get me out of here! I’m scared!"

In the flickering light of the fire, I watched them rush out the door.

I thought to myself,

Maybe it’s better if I just die here.

Maybe it’s better this way.

I wasn’t dead.

Malakai had saved me.

After setting Nicole down, he came back for me, pulling me out of the wreckage.

Half-conscious, I faintly heard him talking to Aliyah.

“The plan ends here,” he said. “We’ll find another way to make Nicole the Luna.”

Aliyah was frantic. “We’re so close. Once Nicole becomes Luna, we can bring her back to the Lycan King and secure your position as the next in line. And Madelyn—she’ll still be by your side.”

“This pain is temporary. I’ll make sure Madelyn is safe.”

Malakai didn’t respond, but I felt the soft brush of his lips against my forehead.

“Madelyn, just wait a little longer.”

A single tear slipped down my cheek.

So this was why he hurt me, why he kept telling me to wait.

When I woke, Malakai was gone.

Instead, Nicole stood before me, draped in the ceremonial robes of the Luna, my pack insignia clutched in her hand.

She looked down at me, broken and helpless on the bed, and smiled.

“Sister, the Luna title belongs to me now.”

I closed my eyes, refusing to acknowledge her.

Her voice turned sharp, and she pressed hard against my wounds, making me gasp.

“Why won’t you scream? I hate how calm you always are.”

I opened my eyes, meeting her furious gaze.

“You hate me for this?”

“For more than that!”

Her expression twisted with madness.

“We’re both daughters of the Alpha, yet he always favored you, grooming you to be Luna. I’ll prove to him—to everyone—that I’m the true Luna.”

She calmed herself, her voice dripping with disdain.

“It doesn’t matter. In four days, I’ll be crowned Luna.”

I laughed—softly at first, then louder.

“You really think you can be Luna?”

Nicole grabbed my chin, her nails digging into my skin. “I will!”

I stared into her eyes. “You won’t.”

She stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

Outside, the packhouse was decorated with banners and lights, the air buzzing with anticipation.

Servants whispered as they passed by, their voices carrying through the halls.

“Nicole hasn’t left her room in three days.”

“Watch your tongue, she’s the Luna now.”

“She’s preparing for the coronation ceremony tomorrow.”

“It’s a shame—Madelyn was the true heir.”

A scream cut through the chatter.

They dragged me out into the snow, where a pool of blood stained the ground.

“Disrespect the Luna, and this is your fate,” they said, their voices cold.

It was a warning—to the servants, and to me.

They hauled me into Nicole’s room, where Alpha Michael sat at the head of the table, Malakai standing beside him. Elders filled the room, their eyes boring into me like I was a traitor.

A woven doll was thrown at my feet.

Alpha Michael’s voice was furious. “Wretch! How dare you curse your sister?”

I picked up the doll, my vision blurring with tears.

It was a charm I’d made for Nicole when we were children—one for every member of the family.

But Alpha Michael didn’t remember.

The pack healer rushed in from the adjoining room.

“The Luna is in critical condition. The Alpha’s blood transfusion failed. She might not survive.”

Alpha Michael’s voice was urgent. “Is there no way to save her?”

“If we use the Alpha’s blood, we can stabilize her.”

Without hesitation, Alpha Michael ordered the ritual to begin.

I was dragged to the altar, my wrists bound.

The first cut severed the tendons in my arm, blood pooling beneath me.

Malakai’s face turned pale. “Stop!”

Alpha Michael glared at him.

Malakai quickly composed himself, taking the knife. “I’ll do it.”

He knelt beside me, his hand covering my eyes as I writhed in pain.

“Bring her some sedative,” he said, his voice trembling.

They forced the liquid down my throat, but I didn’t lose consciousness.

I felt every cut as Malakai severed my other arm’s tendons, rendering me powerless.

When it was over, his hands shook as he cupped my face.

A tear fell onto my lips, bitter and hot.

“Madelyn, tomorrow will be better.”

But Malakai, tomorrow might be better—but we would never be.