I spent weeks weaving the blue silk bracelet for Ryan. My fingers bled twice, and I had to start over three times to get the intricate pattern just right. The silk threads were expensive—I'd saved for months to buy them—but Ryan was worth it. He was always worth it.

The Moonstone Pack's great hall buzzed with activity as I clutched the small velvet pouch containing my gift. At sixteen, I was already an oddity—a she-wolf who hadn't shifted yet. The sideways glances from pack members had become routine, but Ryan's presence beside me always made them easier to bear.

"What's got you so nervous?" Ryan asked, his dark hair falling over one eye as he nudged my shoulder.

I clutched the pouch tighter. "Nothing. Just... I have something for you."

We found a quiet corner away from the training preparations. My heart hammered against my ribs as I pulled out the bracelet, the blue silk threads catching the light from the high windows.

"I made this for you," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Each knot represents a year we've known each other."

Ryan's expression softened as he took the bracelet, turning it over in his hands. "It's... nice, Luna. Thank you." He slipped it into his pocket with a quick smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Later that night, I watched him place it in his drawer, where it disappeared beneath a pile of training schedules and notes. He never wore it.

* * *

Two years passed. The whispers about my wolfless state grew louder, and Ryan grew more distant. Madison Walsh arrived from the neighboring pack six months ago, and suddenly Ryan was always busy with "pack duties."

I stood at the edge of the training field, watching Ryan demonstrate combat techniques to younger wolves. Madison hovered nearby, her red friendship bracelet—a cheap thing she'd bought at the human mall—prominently displayed on her wrist. Ryan's eyes kept drifting to her, his smile widening whenever she clapped at his demonstrations.

The accident happened quickly. One of the young soldiers, trying to impress Ryan, executed a complex maneuver and crashed into Madison. She stumbled backward with a dramatic cry, and when she regained her footing, her red bracelet hung broken from her wrist.

"My bracelet!" she wailed, holding up the torn threads.

What happened next burned itself into my memory forever. Ryan's face transformed, his features contorting with rage as he grabbed the young wolf by the throat.

"You clumsy idiot!" he snarled, his voice dropping to the threatening timbre that preceded a shift. "Do you have any idea what you've done?"

The training ground fell silent. The young wolf whimpered, his eyes wide with fear.

"Ryan," I said, stepping forward. "It was an accident."

He didn't even look at me. His focus remained on Madison, who was now dabbing at non-existent tears.

"I'll buy you another one," Ryan told her, his voice gentling instantly. "A better one."

My hand moved to my pocket where I kept the blue silk bracelet—the one I'd retrieved from his drawer last week after finding it buried beneath months of accumulated junk. I'd been carrying it, waiting for the right moment to remind him of what we once meant to each other.

"Ryan," I said again, louder this time. I pulled out the bracelet, the blue silk now slightly faded but still beautiful. "Remember this?"

He glanced at it, his expression blank. "Not now, Luna." He turned back to Madison, placing his arm around her shoulders. "Let's get you some water."

Something inside me shattered. Two years of hoping, of making excuses for his growing indifference—all of it crumbled in that moment. The contrast couldn't have been clearer: his rage over her cheap trinket versus his complete dismissal of my heartfelt gift.

I walked home alone, the blue bracelet clutched in my fist, tears streaming down my face. By the time I reached our pack house, I had no more tears left to shed.

My father, Alpha Marcus, was waiting at the dining table. His stern face looked even more severe than usual.

"Luna," he said, gesturing to the chair across from him. "We need to talk."

I sat down, feeling hollow.

"The Silverfang Pack has accepted our proposal," he said without preamble. "You will be mated to Alexander Sterling, their Alpha heir."

I stared at him, momentarily forgetting my heartbreak. "Alexander Sterling? The one who's been in a coma for five years?"

My father nodded grimly. "It's the best arrangement I could make for you. Without a wolf, your options are limited. This way, you'll have status as a Luna, even if your... mate... never wakes."

I looked down at the blue silk bracelet still clutched in my hand. The symbol of a love that had never truly existed. With sudden clarity, I realized I had nothing left to lose.

"When?" I asked, my voice surprisingly steady.

"Next week. Pack your things. You're moving to the Silverfang territory."

I nodded, slipping the bracelet back into my pocket. Little did I know that this broken token of a failed love would soon connect to a destiny far beyond anything I could imagine.

The sleek black car sent by the Silverfang Pack pulled up to their sprawling estate as twilight descended. I clutched my single suitcase tighter, the blue silk bracelet burning a hole in my pocket. One week had passed since my father's announcement—one week since I'd given up fighting for a love that had never truly been mine.

"Welcome to your new home, Luna Harper." A tall, elegant woman with Alexander's same striking silver eyes approached as I stepped out. "I'm Seraphina Sterling, Alexander's sister and the pack's Beta."

Her smile seemed genuine, but I couldn't return it. What kind of welcome was this—to be mated to a man who might never wake, never know my name?

"The ceremony will begin shortly," Seraphina continued, gently taking my arm. "I'll show you to Alexander's chambers."

We walked through marble hallways adorned with paintings of fierce wolves and proud Alphas. Pack members stopped and stared as we passed, their expressions a mix of curiosity and pity. The wolfless bride for their comatose Alpha heir—what a tragic pair we made.

"He's been stable," Seraphina said softly as we approached a large oak door. "Elara, our healer, has kept constant watch. Sometimes... sometimes I swear his wolf responds when we speak to him."

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. My heart hammered against my ribs as she pushed open the door.

The room was unexpectedly bright, with large windows overlooking a forest that seemed to stretch forever. Medical equipment hummed quietly beside a large bed where he lay—Alexander Sterling, the Alpha heir who had been frozen in time for five years.

He was beautiful. That was my first, traitorous thought. Even in his stillness, power radiated from him—broad shoulders, strong jawline, thick dark hair that someone had kept neatly trimmed. He didn't look like a man who'd been asleep for five years. He looked like he might open his eyes at any moment.

"We've prepared everything," Seraphina whispered, gesturing to where several pack elders had already gathered. An older woman—Elara, I presumed—stood closest to Alexander, checking something on one of the machines.

"Luna," my father's voice came from behind me. I hadn't even noticed him enter. "It's time."

The ceremony was brief and surreal. I stood beside Alexander's bed, reciting words that felt hollow, promising forever to a man who couldn't hear me. When the elder placed my hand on Alexander's and wrapped the ceremonial silver cord around our wrists, I felt nothing but emptiness.

"With this binding, you are now—" the elder began.

A gasp from Elara interrupted him. Alexander's fingers twitched beneath mine.

"It's just a reflex," someone whispered. "It happens sometimes."

But then his eyelids fluttered. The room fell silent, the air suddenly thick with tension. I tried to pull my hand away, but his fingers tightened around mine.

And then, impossibly, his eyes opened.

Deep silver eyes, clear and alert, locked onto mine with an intensity that stole my breath. Before anyone could react, he sat up with fluid grace, as if he hadn't spent the last five years motionless.

"Alpha!" Seraphina cried, rushing forward.

Alexander didn't look at her. His gaze remained fixed on me, his expression a mixture of wonder and profound relief. He reached out, his hand steady as it moved toward my face.

"Alexander," Elara cautioned. "You've been unconscious for—"

"Five years, two months, and sixteen days," he finished, his voice deep and smooth, showing no signs of disuse. "I heard everything."

His hand gently covered my eyes, the touch sending electric shivers down my spine. When he spoke again, his voice dropped to a rich, commanding Alpha tone that seemed to vibrate through my very bones.

"I finally found you, my mate."

I stumbled backward when he removed his hand, my mind reeling. This couldn't be happening. This man couldn't possibly know me. Couldn't possibly want me.

"You look confused," he said softly, a small smile playing on his lips. "Don't you recognize me, Luna?"

"We've never met," I managed to say, my voice barely audible.

Alexander's smile widened. "In this life, perhaps." He reached beneath his pillow and pulled out something that made my blood freeze in my veins.

A blue silk bracelet. Identical to the one in my pocket. Down to the very last knot.

"You wove this for me," he said, holding it up so the fading light caught the intricate pattern. "In our past life, before we were torn apart. You said each knot represented a year we'd known each other."

The room spun around me as I stared at the impossible bracelet in his hand. How could he know? How could he possibly have the same bracelet with the same words I'd spoken to Ryan?

"That's not possible," I whispered, backing away until I hit the wall.

Alexander's eyes never left mine as he slipped the bracelet onto his wrist. "Everything is possible when true mates find each other again, Luna. Even waking from a five-year sleep."

I couldn't tear my eyes away from the blue silk bracelet on Alexander's wrist—identical to mine down to the last knot. My mind raced for a logical explanation, but found none. How could he possibly know about the bracelet? About me?

"You should eat something," Alexander said softly, his silver eyes never leaving my face as we sat in the Silverfang great hall. "The journey must have been exhausting."

The hall was magnificent—high vaulted ceilings with intricate wooden beams, massive stone fireplaces at either end, and long tables that could seat hundreds. Tonight, though, only a small group dined with us: Seraphina, Elara the healer, and a few pack elders who couldn't hide their astonishment at their Alpha's miraculous recovery.

I picked at my food, too unsettled to have an appetite. Alexander sat beside me, seemingly unbothered by the fact that he'd been unconscious for five years until an hour ago.

"You always twist that strand of hair when you're anxious," he observed, his voice low enough that only I could hear.

I froze, my fingers indeed wrapped around a loose strand. I dropped my hand immediately.

"And you've always preferred jasmine tea with a touch of honey, especially when you're upset," he continued, nodding toward the steaming cup Seraphina had placed before me moments ago. "You used to say it reminded you of your mother."

My breath caught. I'd never told anyone that—not even Ryan.

"How could you possibly know that?" I whispered.

A small smile played on his lips. "I told you. We've met before, in another life."

"That's impossible."

"Is it?" He leaned closer, his scent—pine and something wild—enveloping me. "Then how do I know that you sleep with your left hand under your pillow? Or that you hum to yourself when you think no one's listening?"

My heart hammered against my ribs. These weren't just lucky guesses—they were intimate details about habits I'd never shared with anyone.

"I don't understand," I admitted, my voice barely audible.

"You will," he promised. "Give it time."

A server appeared, replacing our plates with dessert—some kind of delicate pastry. As I reached for my fork, the edge of my finger caught on a tiny shard of broken china that had somehow remained on the table. A sharp sting, and a drop of blood welled up.

"Ouch," I muttered, more startled than hurt.

Before I could react, Alexander's hand shot out, capturing my wrist. In one fluid motion, he pressed the pad of his thumb against the small cut, his eyes darkening as they met mine. The touch sent a jolt of electricity up my arm, warming my entire body.

Then, never breaking eye contact, he lifted my finger to his mouth and gently licked the blood away.

A collective gasp rose from those watching. Even I knew what this meant in werewolf culture—an intimate gesture reserved for mates, the mingling of blood a sacred bond.

Heat rushed through me, pooling low in my belly. My wolf—the one I'd never felt, never heard—stirred somewhere deep inside, a faint whisper I couldn't quite grasp.

"I—" I pulled my hand back, overwhelmed. "I need some air."

I fled the hall, ignoring the concerned calls behind me. Outside, the cool night air cleared my head somewhat, but my finger still tingled where his lips had touched it.

I wandered aimlessly, eventually finding myself near what must be the pack's border gate—a large stone archway with the Silverfang emblem carved above it. Leaning against the cool stone, I closed my eyes, trying to make sense of everything that had happened.

"Well, well. The wolfless wonder herself."

My eyes snapped open. Madison Walsh stood before me, her lips curled in a sneer. She looked out of place here, her tight dress and excessive jewelry at odds with the Silverfang Pack's more understated elegance.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, instinctively backing away.

"Just checking on my... competition." She laughed, the sound brittle and cold. "Though I can hardly call you that, can I? A wolfless omega playing at being Luna."

I flinched. "How did you—"

"Everyone knows, Luna." She stepped closer, her perfume cloying and overwhelming. "The pathetic late bloomer who couldn't even keep her childhood sweetheart interested. And now you think you can just walk into one of the most powerful packs and become their Luna?"

She reached out, her red-painted nails tracing the air near my cheek. I jerked away.

"You don't belong here," she hissed. "And when I tell everyone in the realm about your... condition, they'll see what a joke this mating really is."

Before I could respond, a low growl rumbled through the night air. Madison's eyes widened, her face draining of color as she looked past me.

"Step away from my mate."