I woke to the sound of shredding paper.

My eyes flew open, heart racing as I bolted upright in bed. The noise had come from my small bookshelf in the corner of the room—the one treasure I'd brought with me from Moonveil Pack.

"No, no, no..."

I scrambled across the floor, my fingers trembling as I gathered the remains of my favorite healing texts. The pages had been methodically torn from their bindings, some cut with surgical precision, others ripped with vicious force.

This was the third time this week.

"Cayden," I whispered, turning to find his side of the bed empty. He'd been gone since before dawn—another meeting with the pack council about Carolina's "recovery."

I carefully gathered the shredded pages, my throat tight with unshed tears. These books had been gifts from Elena, my former mentor at Moonveil. "Remember who you are," she'd told me when I left to join Cayden's pack. "A healer's knowledge is sacred."

Now they were ruined.

When Cayden finally returned that evening, I held up the tattered remains of my book.

"Someone's been in our quarters again," I said quietly. "These were the last of my healing texts from Moonveil."

He glanced at the book, his golden eyes distracted. "Probably just pups playing pranks. I'll have Beta Derek increase security patrols."

"It wasn't pups," I insisted, my wolf bristling inside me. "The cuts are too precise."

Cayden sighed, running his hands through his hair—a gesture I'd grown to hate. "What are you suggesting, Vera?"

"I don't know," I admitted. "But this is the third incident. First my clothes, then my healing supplies, now my books..."

"Carolina might be acting out unconsciously," he said, his voice softening. "Her trauma manifests in strange ways."

I stared at him, speechless. "You think she's sneaking into our quarters to destroy my possessions?"

"I think," he said carefully, "that we all need to be more understanding of her condition."

---

Three days later, I found Charlie convulsing on the floor of our quarters.

"Cayden!" I screamed, dropping to my knees beside my wolf companion. "Help me!"

Charlie's body jerked violently, foam bubbling from his mouth. His fur was matted with sweat, his eyes rolled back to show only whites.

Cayden appeared in the doorway, his expression shifting from annoyance to concern. "What happened?"

"He's been poisoned," I gasped, already reaching for my healing pouch—what little remained after the previous sabotage. "Wolfsbane. Someone fed him wolfsbane."

I worked frantically, channeling my healing energy into Charlie's trembling body. My hands glowed with a soft blue light as I fought to purge the poison from his system.

"Who would do this?" I whispered, tears streaming down my face as Charlie finally stilled, his breathing becoming shallow but steady.

Cayden knelt beside me, his Alpha aura pulsing with anger. "You're not suggesting..."

"Who else would want to hurt me?" I demanded, cradling Charlie's head in my lap. "First my things, now Charlie?"

"This is serious, Vera." Cayden's voice hardened. "Accusing a traumatized pack member of attempted murder—"

"She's not traumatized!" I snapped, my wolf surging forward with a growl. "She's manipulating you!"

Cayden's eyes flashed dangerously. "You're becoming paranoid. Jealous."

"Jealous?" I echoed in disbelief.

"Carolina needs our protection," he said coldly. "Not your accusations."

---

The alliance ceremony arrived with three neighboring packs gathering in our territory. I stood at the edge of the ceremonial circle, Charlie weakly at my side, still recovering from the poisoning.

Cayden stood tall in the center, his Alpha presence commanding attention from all gathered wolves.

"Tonight we strengthen the bonds between our packs," he announced, his voice carrying across the clearing.

I watched as he extended his hand to Carolina, who stepped forward in a dress of silver silk that matched his ceremonial robes.

"Many of you know Carolina Stone," Cayden continued. "She has returned to us after suffering great trauma."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd as Carolina lowered her eyes demurely.

"During her recovery," Cayden announced, "she will serve as my chosen companion and remain under the protection of the Silvermoon Pack."

My mate mark burned as he spoke the words that effectively demoted me from Luna-to-be to nothing.

"Our mating ceremony," he added, looking directly at me for the first time, "will be postponed until Carolina's condition improves."

The crowd's attention shifted to me, some eyes pitying, others gleeful at my public humiliation.

As the ceremony concluded, a tall figure approached me from the Crescent Moon Pack delegation.

"Beta Vance Price," he introduced himself quietly, his eyes kind but assessing. "I couldn't help noticing your... situation."

I stiffened, preparing for another sympathetic condolence.

Instead, he asked simply, "Are you being treated fairly, Vera Wright?"

The question caught me off guard—no one had asked what I wanted since Carolina's return.

Before I could answer, Cayden's Alpha aura surged across the clearing, his eyes locked on us with dangerous intensity.

The dining hall fell silent as I pushed open the heavy oak doors. Conversations halted mid-sentence, forks paused halfway to mouths, and all eyes turned to me. I hesitated in the doorway, my wolf whimpering inside me.

"It's okay," I whispered to Charlie, my companion wolf who'd barely recovered from the poisoning. "We just need to eat quickly."

I took a step forward, then another, feeling the weight of dozens of stares pressing against my skin. Three tables away sat Cayden, his powerful frame commanding attention even in casual surroundings. Beside him, Carolina picked at her food, her posture perfect, her golden hair cascading over her shoulders.

The moment I reached for an empty plate, Carolina's fork clattered against her dish.

"Oh God," she gasped, her hand flying to her throat. "Her scent—it's triggering me!"

All heads turned toward her as she began to tremble violently, her eyes rolling back in her head.

"I see her!" Carolina screamed, pointing a shaking finger at me. "She's coming for me again!"

Cayden was on his feet instantly, his Alpha aura flooding the room with suffocating pressure. "Carolina, breathe," he commanded, but his eyes were fixed on me with cold accusation.

"I can't—I can't be near her," Carolina sobbed, collapsing against Cayden's chest. "Please make her leave!"

The pack members around us shifted uncomfortably, some looking away in embarrassment, others staring openly at my humiliation.

"Cayden," I started, my voice barely audible over Carolina's theatrical sobs. "I didn't—"

"Vera," Cayden cut me off, his Alpha tone vibrating through the air. "From now on, you will eat your meals separately. And you will avoid common areas when Carolina is present."

My wolf cowered under the weight of his command. "But I—"

"That's an order," he said, his golden eyes flashing dangerously.

I backed away, plate still empty, as whispers erupted around me.

"Poor thing," someone muttered. "Can't even eat with the rest of us."

"Carolina's so brave to even be in the same territory," another added.

---

Three months passed in lonely meals and isolated walks. I'd taken to eating in my quarters, but today I'd been called to a pack meeting—the first I'd attended since Carolina's return.

I slipped in quietly, standing at the back of the gathering space. Cayden stood at the front with Beta Derek and several visiting wolves from neighboring packs.

"Before we discuss territory matters," Cayden announced, "Carolina has something to share with the pack."

She stepped forward, and I gasped. Fresh silver claw marks ran down her arms and across her face, the wounds still weeping blood.

"I didn't want to say anything," she whispered, her voice breaking perfectly. "But last night, while I was walking alone..."

She pointed directly at me. "Vera attacked me. She said she was tired of waiting for me to leave."

Murmurs of shock rippled through the crowd. My heart hammered against my ribs.

"That's impossible," I protested, stepping forward. "I was helping Delta Liam with his injured pups all night. He can confirm I never left the healing den."

Cayden's eyes narrowed. "Liam?"

The injured warrior nodded slowly. "It's true, Alpha. Vera was with me until dawn."

For a moment, hope flickered in my chest.

Then Cayden's expression hardened. "Regardless of where you were physically," he said coldly, "your jealousy has created an unsafe environment for Carolina."

He stepped toward me, his Alpha aura pressing down until my knees nearly buckled. "Apologize to her. Now."

"I didn't do anything," I whispered, fighting against the command.

"Apologize!" His Alpha tone slammed into me like a physical blow.

My wolf howled in protest as I was forced to my knees. "I'm sorry," I choked out, the words burning my throat.

Carolina smiled—just for an instant, so quickly I might have imagined it—before melting into Cayden's protective embrace.

---

The cabin at the edge of our territory was small but private. I'd moved my remaining possessions there a week ago, hoping distance might ease the tension.

I was arranging my healing herbs when a familiar scent drifted through the open window. Cayden.

He appeared in the doorway, his tall frame blocking the afternoon light. "This is unnecessary, Vera."

I turned away, continuing to sort my dried wolfsbane. "It seemed best for everyone."

"What's best," he said, stepping inside uninvited, "is for you to support Carolina's healing process."

I set down my herbs carefully, fighting to keep my voice steady. "And what about our healing process, Cayden? Our mating ceremony?"

"This isn't about us right now." He ran his hands through his hair—that gesture I'd grown to hate. "Carolina needs our full attention until she's well."

"And when will that be?" I asked quietly.

His eyes flashed gold. "When she's ready."

I stared at him, this man who'd once promised me forever, now lecturing me about supporting the woman who'd stolen everything from me.

"Is there anything else?" I asked, turning back to my herbs.

Cayden hesitated in the doorway, his expression unreadable. "You need to be more supportive of her recovery, Vera."

As he left, I touched the mate mark on my neck—still warm, still connected to a man who no longer seemed to want me.