*Two weeks later*

The rain hammered against the windows of the tiny diner like angry fists, each drop echoing the chaos in my mind. I sat in the corner booth, nursing a cup of herbal tea that had long gone cold, staring at the classified ads spread across the cracked Formica table.

*Waitress wanted. No experience necessary.*

*Night shift cleaner. Must have own transportation.*

*Receptionist. Previous pack employment preferred.*

That last one made me laugh bitterly. Previous pack employment. As what-disgraced former Luna? Publicly rejected mate? Woman carrying her ex-husband's secret child?

I pressed my hand to my stomach, now subtly rounded at eight weeks. My secret was safe for now, hidden beneath loose clothing and careful positioning. But soon, very soon, I wouldn't be able to hide anymore.

"Rough day?"

I looked up to find a woman about my age sliding into the booth across from me. She had kind eyes the color of warm honey and auburn hair that caught the diner's fluorescent lighting. Something about her seemed familiar, but I couldn't place where I might have seen her before.

"You could say that." I started gathering the newspaper pages, suddenly self-conscious about my obvious desperation.

"I'm Sage Winters," she said, extending her hand. "And you're Ella Montgomery, former Luna of Crescent Moon pack."

My blood ran cold. If word had spread this far about my rejection, then my humiliation was truly complete. "I'm sorry, have we met?"

Sage shook her head, her expression gentle but serious. "No, but I know your story. My pack has been following the political fallout from your... situation."

"My situation," I repeated flatly. "Is that what they're calling it?"

"Among other things." Sage signaled the waitress for coffee. "Look, I'm going to be direct because I think you need someone to be honest with you right now. Your ex-husband made a mistake. A big one. And my Alpha thinks there might be a way to make him realize it."

I leaned back in the booth, suddenly wary. "Your Alpha?"

"Alpha Kane Winters of the Shadowmere pack. We're... let's call us Crescent Moon's friendly rivals. We've been watching Nathaniel's political maneuvering with interest."

Shadowmere. I'd heard whispers about them-a smaller pack, but fierce and independent. They'd been steadily gaining territory and influence while staying largely out of the Council's political games.

"What does your Alpha want with me?"

Sage smiled, and there was something almost predatory about it. "He wants to offer you a job. And maybe, if you're interested, a chance for revenge."

The word hung between us like a promise. Revenge. After two weeks of rejection, abandonment, and humiliation, the idea was intoxicating.

"I'm listening."

"Kane needs someone with inside knowledge of how the major packs operate. Someone who understands their weaknesses, their secrets. You spent five years as Luna of one of the most powerful packs in the region. You know where the bodies are buried."

She wasn't wrong. Five years of pack politics had taught me things I'd never wanted to know about corruption, deal-making, and the price of power. I'd kept my mouth shut out of loyalty to Nathaniel, but that loyalty had died the moment he rejected me in front of our entire pack.

"And in exchange?"

"A place to live. A steady income. Protection." Sage leaned forward conspiratorially. "And the satisfaction of watching your ex-husband realize he threw away the best thing that ever happened to him."

The offer was tempting-dangerously so. But I had to think about more than just myself now.

"I need time to consider-"

"Ella Montgomery?"

The voice cut through the diner's ambient noise like a blade. I turned to see a tall man in an expensive suit standing by our booth, his expression carefully neutral. Beta Harrison, Nathaniel's right-hand man and the person who'd escorted me off Crescent Moon territory like a common criminal.

"Harrison." I kept my voice level despite the way my heart had started racing. "What brings you to this charming establishment?"

His eyes flicked to Sage, then back to me. "The Alpha requests a meeting."

A laugh escaped me before I could stop it. "The Alpha requests? How formal. And why, exactly, would I want to meet with the man who publicly humiliated me and threw me out of his territory?"

Harrison's jaw tightened. "There have been... developments."

"What kind of developments?" Sage asked, her tone casual but her posture alert.

"Pack business," Harrison replied curtly. "Not your concern, Miss...?"

"Winters. Sage Winters." She extended her hand with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Shadowmere pack."

Recognition flickered across Harrison's face, followed quickly by suspicion. Of course he'd know about the rival pack that had been steadily encroaching on traditional power structures.

"I see you're making new friends," he said to me, disapproval clear in his voice.

"I'm making my own choices for the first time in my life," I replied. "It's remarkably liberating."

"Ella." His tone turned almost pleading. "Please. Just come back with me. Talk to him. Things have... changed."

Changed. What could have possibly changed in two weeks? Had Vivian already started causing problems? Had the Council questioned his hasty rejection? Or-and this thought made my blood run cold-had someone discovered my secret?

I pressed my hand protectively to my stomach, praying my growing panic didn't show on my face.

"Give me one good reason why I should subject myself to more of Nathaniel's emotional manipulation."

Harrison glanced around the diner nervously, clearly uncomfortable having this conversation in public. "He's realized he made a mistake."

The words I'd dreamed of hearing for two weeks now felt hollow, meaningless. Too little, too late.

"What kind of mistake?" Sage asked, her journalist's instincts clearly engaged.

"A mistake that could cost him everything," Harrison said quietly. "The engagement to Vivian Ashworth... there have been complications."

My heart stuttered. "Complications?"

"She's not who we thought she was. Her father's been using her to gather intelligence about our pack defenses, our territories. She was a spy, Ella. The whole thing was a setup."

The revelation hit me like a physical blow. All those months of watching Nathaniel grow distant, of feeling like I was losing him to someone better, smarter, more politically valuable-and it had all been a lie. Vivian had been playing them both.

But even through my shock, I couldn't ignore the obvious question: "And he only figured this out now?"

Harrison's silence was telling.

"Let me guess," I continued, standing up from the booth. "He found out after he'd already rejected me. After he'd already humiliated me in front of the entire pack. After he'd already filed the divorce papers and thrown me out of his territory."

"Ella-"

"No." My voice carried more authority than I'd felt in months. "You don't get to 'Ella' me. You don't get to act like this is some minor misunderstanding that can be fixed with an apology and flowers."

Other diners were starting to stare, but I didn't care. Two weeks of pain and anger were pouring out of me like a dam had burst.

"He chose her over me. He chose politics over love. He chose his ambition over his mate." Each word was a dagger thrown with precision. "Those were his choices, Harrison. And choices have consequences."

"He wants to fix this."

"Some things can't be fixed."

I turned back to Sage, who'd been watching the entire exchange with fascination. "When can I meet your Alpha?"

"How about now?" She stood, tossing money on the table for her untouched coffee. "He's waiting outside."

Through the rain-streaked window, I could see a black SUV parked across the street. Even from a distance, I could make out the silhouette of someone in the driver's seat, watching.

"Ella, don't do this," Harrison said urgently. "Don't let anger make you do something you'll regret."

"The only thing I regret," I said, looking him directly in the eye, "is wasting five years of my life on someone who never deserved me."

I followed Sage toward the door, leaving Harrison standing alone by our abandoned booth. But just as I reached for the handle, he called out one last time.

"He loves you, Ella. He's always loved you."

I paused, my hand frozen on the door handle. For just a moment, the words threatened to undo all my resolve. But then I thought about the pregnancy test hidden in my purse, about the child growing inside me that its father would never know existed, about the family I'd have to build alone.

"Then he should have thought of that before he destroyed us," I said without turning around.

The rain hit me like a baptism as I stepped out into the storm, washing away the last traces of the woman I used to be. The woman who'd believed in love and loyalty and happy endings.

That woman was gone.

In her place stood someone harder, someone angrier, someone with nothing left to lose.

And as I walked toward the SUV that would take me to my new life, I felt something I hadn't experienced since the moment Nathaniel had rejected me:

Kane Winters, Shadowmere's Alpha, wasn't who I figured he'd be. We were driving to his territory on winding mountain roads in the back of his SUV, and I was rethinking everything I thought I knew about rival pack leaders. Nathaniel was all about sharp edges and barely controlled power, but Kane had this quiet, dangerous vibe.

He seemed younger than I thought-maybe early thirties, with messy dark hair and these sharp green eyes that just seemed to *see* right through you. He almost seemed like a scholar, someone more suited for a library than a boardroom. But the way he moved, that easy confidence, that was all Alpha.

"So..." he said, his voice low, breaking the heavy silence since we left the diner, "Sage says you want a *fresh start*."

"Among other things," I said, my voice tight, trying to sound professional. I might be desperate, but I wasn't about to spill my guts to a guy I just met.

"And what else is on your mind?" His eyes flicked to mine, searching.

I met his gaze, my heart pounding. "Depends on what you're *really* offering."

He smirked, but it was sharp, like he felt the weight of my words. "I like that. You're direct. It's a nice change from the Council's BS."

"I've had enough politics to last me a lifetime," I snapped, my voice betraying a flicker of exhaustion.

"Yeah, but everything's political when you're talking about packs," he said, his tone hardening. "Especially when you're talking about taking on someone as strong as Nathaniel Blackthorne."

The way he said it made me shiver, his words slicing through me. "Taking *down*?"

"Bad choice of words," Kane said quickly, but his eyes glinted, unapologetic. "Let's just say... evening the odds. Your ex has been grabbing power for years, taking over smaller packs, forcing others into deals they don't want. Shadowmere's stayed independent, but it's been *tough*."

I thought about Nathaniel's late-night calls, the papers on his desk when I brought him dinner. He was building something big-a network of loyalty that would make him impossible to touch in the next Council election.

"And you think I can help you stop him?" My voice wavered, a mix of doubt and defiance.

"I think you know his weaknesses better than anyone," Kane said, leaning in, his voice intense. "You were his Luna for five years. You saw how he works, his patterns, his plans. You know *everything* about our biggest threat."

"Threat?" The word stung, cutting deeper than I expected, even though I knew he was right. Nathaniel's ambition always came first, even if it hurt others.

"Tell me, Ella-" he paused, softer now, "can I call you Ella?-did you ever *question* what he did? Ever wonder if he was willing to hurt others to get what he wanted?"

I thought about the packs that had been swallowed up by Crescent Moon, their Alphas pushed aside. I thought about the secret deals, the favors traded, the way anyone who disagreed was shut down. My chest tightened.

"Sometimes," I whispered, the admission heavy.

"And did you ever say anything?" His voice was gentle but pressing, like he needed to know.

That hit hard. I was his Luna. My job was to back him up, not question him.

"Even when you *knew* he was wrong?" Kane's words were a quiet challenge, his eyes locked on mine.

"Yeah," I said, my voice breaking. "Even when I knew he was wrong." How many times had I kept my mouth shut, played the supportive wife, while he made choices that hurt people? I told myself it was loyalty, but maybe I was just *scared*.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked, my voice raw, searching his face.

Kane leaned back, those green eyes holding mine with fierce conviction. "I want you to help me protect the packs that can't protect themselves. I want you to use what you know to stop Nathaniel from becoming a *dictator*."

"And what do I get?" I shot back, my voice trembling with hope and fear.

"A home. A reason to be here. A chance to *matter* again," he said, his words steady, like a promise.

The offer hung there between us, tempting and scary at the same time. But there was something else I needed to know.

"Why *me*?" I demanded, my voice rising. "You could find anyone from his old pack who would talk about him. Why me?"

Kane's face grew serious, his jaw tight. "Because you're the only one who really *knows* him. The only one who's seen him when he's vulnerable, when he's human. And because..." He trailed off, his hesitation heavy, and I knew he wasn't telling me everything.

"Because *what*?" I pressed, my heart racing.

"Because Nathaniel Blackthorne's biggest mistake has always been not knowing what he has until it's gone," he said, his voice low, almost pained.

That gave me a weird feeling, part pain and part something I didn't want to name, twisting in my chest.

"You think he'll want me back," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I think he *already* does," Kane said, his gaze piercing. "The question is, can you resist him when he comes for you?"

The SUV slowed as we passed through this fancy iron gate with Shadowmere's symbol-a silver wolf howling at a crescent moon. The land inside was amazing: rolling hills covered in forest, a clear lake that looked like a mirror, and this big set of buildings that looked both new and old.

"Welcome to Shadowmere," Kane said, his voice warm as we parked in front of what had to be the pack house-a huge place made of stone and wood that felt more like a home than a fortress.

"It's beautiful," I said, my voice soft with awe, and I meant it.

"We believe in living with nature, not controlling it," he said, a hint of criticism in his tone, like he was jabbing at Crescent Moon's aggressive moves.

As we got out, I noticed the difference in the air. Crescent Moon always felt tense, like there was anger just below the surface. Shadowmere felt... peaceful. Balanced.

"Ella?" Kane stopped at the entrance to the pack house, his voice serious. "Before we go in, are you *sure* about this? Once you're in, there's no going back. Nathaniel will see this as a betrayal."

I thought about the pregnancy test in my purse, about the baby growing inside me that needed a safe place. I thought about Harrison's words: *He loves you. He's always loved you.* My throat tightened.

Maybe that was true. Maybe Nathaniel did love me, in his messed-up way. But love without trust, without respect, without putting you first-what was the point?

"I'm sure," I said, my voice steady despite the storm inside me.

Kane nodded, his eyes softening, and opened the big wooden doors. "Then welcome to your new life."

The inside of the pack house was as impressive as the outside: high ceilings with wooden beams, walls covered in books and art, comfortable chairs that made you want to talk.

It was the opposite of Nathaniel's cold mansion.

"Kane?" a woman called out, her voice curious yet warm. I turned and saw this elegant woman walking toward us, her eyes bright with interest. "Is this our mystery guest?"

"Ella Montgomery, meet my sister and Beta, Luna Winters," Kane said, his tone proud. "Luna, this is Ella."

"Luna," I said, the name hitting me hard. "Nice to meet you."

"You too," she said, her smile warm but strong. "We've been hearing a lot about you. We've heard you were the best thing that ever happened to Crescent Moon. Too bad their Alpha couldn't see it."

That kindness caught me off guard, a lump rising in my throat. I was so used to being criticized that it felt weird to be supported.

"Come on," Kane said, his voice gentle, sensing my emotions. "Let's get you settled in, and then we can talk about the future."

He led me up a wide staircase to the second floor, down a hall with windows that showed off the mountains. We stopped at a door halfway down the hall.

"This will be yours, if you decide to stay," he said, opening the door to this big suite that was way better than the room I had at my dad's pack. Big windows, comfortable stuff, a little sitting area, and a sense of peace that felt like it was coming from the walls.

"It's *perfect*," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.

"Bathroom's through there, and there's a little kitchenette if you want to eat alone sometimes," Kane said, walking to the windows, his gaze distant as he looked out at the forest. "Ella, I want you to know-you're *safe* here, no matter what. Nathaniel can't reach you in Shadowmere."

Safe. When was the last time I felt that? My eyes burned.

"Thank you," I said, my voice trembling as I joined him at the window. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," he said, turning to me, his voice soft but earnest.

"Why are you *really* doing this?" I asked, my voice cracking. "Don't tell me it's just about stopping Nathaniel's political ambitions. There's something else."

Kane was quiet for a minute, his jaw tight, thinking. "Have you ever watched someone you care about make choices that you *know* will destroy them?"

That hit close to home, a stab of pain in my chest. "Yes," I said, my voice barely audible.

"My brother," Kane said, his voice low and raw, "my older brother, James. He was supposed to be Alpha of Shadowmere, but he got obsessed with power, with being stronger than everyone. He made choices that hurt innocent people, even our own pack."

"What happened to him?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"I had to challenge him. For the pack," Kane said, his voice steady but heavy with pain. "I *killed* him, Ella. I killed my own brother because he couldn't stop himself from becoming a monster."

That confession hung there, raw and honest, stealing my breath.

"I see something like that happening with Nathaniel," Kane went on, his voice fierce now. "He's so focused on getting power that he's forgetting what's important. And someone's going to have to stop him."

"And you think that someone is you," I said, my voice thick with emotion.

"I think that someone might be *us*," he said, turning to face me, his eyes burning with resolve. "But only if you're ready to fight back against the man who threw away the best thing in his life."

I put my hand on my stomach, feeling the little bump that would soon be obvious. Nathaniel had thrown away the best thing in his life, but he'd also thrown away something he didn't even know existed. My heart ached.

Our kid would grow up in this world, surrounded by pack politics and power struggles. I could raise them to be weak, to just accept whatever they were given. Or I could raise them to be strong, to know what they were worth, to never settle for less.

The choice was mine.

"When do we start?" I asked, my voice firm, a spark of determination igniting inside me.

Kane's smile was sharp, his eyes gleaming with approval. "How about *now*?"

As if she'd heard us, Luna appeared in the doorway. "Kane, we have a *problem*," she said, her voice urgent. "A group from Crescent Moon is at the gates. They want to meet."

My blood ran cold, my heart racing. "Nathaniel?" I asked, my voice barely steady.

"No," Luna said, her face grim. "Beta Harrison and two guards. They want us to give back 'stolen pack property.'"

Kane looked at me, and I saw a challenge, a question, and a promise in his eyes, his gaze fierce.

"Well, Ella," he said softly, but with an edge of defiance, "looks like your new life is starting early. Ready to send a message to your ex?"

I thought about the scared woman who'd been sitting in that diner, reading ads and trying not to cry. She was gone. Now there was someone tougher, angrier, someone who had everything to lose and nothing left to fear. My hands clenched.

"Let's go show them what stolen property looks like," I said, my voice hard with resolve.

As we went back downstairs to face them, I felt something I hadn't felt in months: excitement, sharp and electric.

Nathaniel wanted a war?

He was about to get one.

Ella POV

Harrison stood in Shadowmere's hall like he owned the place, his two goons right behind him, hands on their weapons. The nerve of the guy!

"Ella Montgomery," he said, using that formal Beta voice I'd heard a million times for pack stuff. "You need to get back to Crescent Moon, now."

*I need to.* Not a request. Not an invite.

"I don't exactly take orders from you anymore," I said as I walked down the stairs, Kane right beside me. Everyone in the hall watched us-Shadowmere pack members gathering to see what was going to happen.

Harrison's jaw tightened. "Technically, you're still part of Crescent Moon. The Alpha can demand you come back."

"The Alpha rejected me." I got to the bottom of the stairs, looking Harrison straight in the eye. "In front of everyone. He broke our mate's bond and kicked me out. You were there, Harrison. You took me to the border yourself."

For a second, I saw something on his face. Maybe guilt, maybe shame. But it was gone fast, and he put his professional face back on.

"That rejection was a mistake, based on wrong info." He pulled out a piece of paper from his jacket. "Alpha Blackthorne sent a formal retraction to the Council. The rejection is now null and void."

Those words hit me hard. *Void.* Like the worst moment of my life could be erased with some paperwork and politics.

"That's not how mate bonds work," Kane said quietly, but with total authority. "You can't undo that, Harrison. Too much has happened."

"Stay out of this, Winters. This is a Crescent Moon thing."

"It became a Shadowmere thing when you showed up here making demands." Kane moved a bit, standing between Harrison and me. He was being protective, and everyone saw it. "Ella Montgomery is under my pack's protection now."

"She's stolen goods," one of the goons growled.

That shut everyone up quickly.

"Goods?" I stepped around Kane, my voice shaking with anger. "Did you just call me *goods*?"

The goon looked uncomfortable, but Harrison was still stone-faced.

"Bad choice of words," Harrison said. "But the point is, you left Crescent Moon with pack secrets: defenses, alliances, how things work. The Alpha's worried about who you might tell."

Oh. So that's what this was actually about. Not feelings or anything. Nathaniel was afraid I'd spill the beans and mess up his political games.

"You mean he's scared I'll tell people the truth about him." I laughed, but it sounded sad even to me. "About the shady deals, the way he bullies smaller packs, how he gets rid of anyone who disagrees."

"Ella." Harrison's voice was soft, almost begging. "Don't do this. Don't make this harder."

"Harder?" I exploded. "You wanna talk about hard? How about being rejected in front of your whole pack? How about being thrown out of your home with nothing? How about your own father telling you to disappear because you embarrass them?"

My voice broke on the last part, and I hated myself for showing weakness. But I was tired of having to be strong, tired of everyone else making decisions about my life without even asking me what I wanted.

"The Alpha wants to fix this," Harrison said, and I actually heard real emotion in his voice. "He knows he messed up. He wants you to come home."

*Home*. That word was a joke.

"Crescent Moon stopped being my home when Nathaniel put his ambition before us." I hugged myself, trying not to touch my stomach, where our baby was growing and didn't know about any of this. "I have nothing to go back to."

"You have your mate," Harrison said. "You'd be Luna. You'd have a life that a ton of other she-wolves would kill for."

"I'd have a title nobody respects. A mate who threw me away. A life built on lies." I looked him in the eye, and he could see I meant it-the pain, the anger, the fact that I would never go back. "That's not a life, Harrison. That's a gilded cage."

"Then what's this?" He gestured around Shadowmere's hall. "You think Kane Winters is just being nice? He's been trying to take down Nathaniel for years. You're just his latest weapon."

"At least he's honest about it."

Ouch. Kane didn't say anything, didn't pretend this wasn't about pack politics and power. Maybe that honesty meant something.

"Ella." Harrison stepped forward, and Kane blocked him right away. They stared each other down, the tension building.

"Too close, Beta," Kane said softly. "You're in my territory. My rules."

"Your rules don't overrule the Alpha's claim on his mate."

"His *rejected* mate," Kane corrected. "Or did you forget that part? The part where your Alpha publicly dumped her and humiliated her? Because the Council won't forget it when this goes to them."

Harrison clenched his fists. "The retraction changes things."

"The retraction doesn't mean anything if she doesn't accept it." Kane was calm, but he was serious. "And she doesn't want to go back to a guy who treated her like garbage when it was convenient."

"You can't keep her here if she doesn't want to."

"I'm not keeping her. I'm giving her a choice." Kane looked at me, and I saw calculation in his eyes, but maybe also some real concern. "Stay here, with Shadowmere, and help me build something better than the messed-up system your ex-mate represents. Or go back to Crescent Moon and wonder if he'll dump you again next time he feels like it."

It should have been impossible. Stay with a guy I barely knew, in a pack I didn't know, or go back to the mate who'd hurt me but was familiar.

But then I touched my stomach, feeling the tiny bump that would soon give away my secret, and my decision was clear.

My kid wasn't going to grow up watching their mom begging for affection from a dad who was too busy with politics to care. They weren't going to think that love was about putting up with betrayal. They weren't going to think they were only worth something if they were useful to someone else.

"I'm staying," I said, and it felt like jumping off a cliff. "Tell Nathaniel that some things can't be fixed with paperwork."

Harrison's face turned white. "Ella, please. You don't know what you're doing."

"I know exactly what I'm doing. For the first time in my life, I'm making my own choice." I stood up straight, finding strength I didn't know I had. "I'm done being a pawn."

"The Alpha won't accept this."

"Then he can take it to the Council." Kane's voice was final. "Along with explaining why he publicly rejected his mate and then tried to get her back when it was politically smart."

Harrison looked back and forth between us, looking frustrated and maybe a little impressed. Finally, he pulled out his phone and started typing.

"I need to call him. Now."

"Make your call," Kane said. "But do it outside my territory. You have five minutes to leave Shadowmere before I see you as a threat."

He meant it. Harrison nodded and told his goons to follow him. They left, but at the door, Harrison stopped.

"He loves you, Ella. He's always loved you. This isn't about politics. He's a mess without you."

Those words should have meant something. They should have made me think twice. Instead, they just made me angry.

"If he loved me, he would have chosen me when it mattered," I said quietly. "Tell him I hope Vivian was worth it."

Harrison flinched. Then he was gone, taking his goons and their demands with them.

The hall was silent for a moment. I could feel everyone staring at me, wondering what kind of woman would turn down her mate and Alpha for some uncertain protection from a rival pack.

"That was brave," Kane said, and I heard real approval in his voice.

"That was terrifying," I said, my hands shaking now that it was over.

"Come on." He touched my arm and led me to a smaller room. "Let's talk about what's next."

It was his office, with books and maps of the territory. He closed the door, blocking out the whispers.

"You need to know what you just signed up for," Kane said, pouring two glasses of water. He gave me one, and I saw he didn't offer wine. Did he know? "Nathaniel won't let this go. He'll see this as a declaration of war."

"Maybe it is."

"War needs weapons. Strategy. What do you bring to this besides knowing Crescent Moon's business?" Kane leaned against his desk, looking at me hard.

He was being blunt, almost mean. But I liked the honesty.

"I know his weaknesses," I said slowly. "Not just the pack stuff, but his personal weaknesses. What he's afraid of. What he'll never admit."

"Like?"

I thought about those times when Nathaniel had let his guard down and showed me who he really was. The guy who'd held me during storms and said he was scared of failing his pack.

"He's afraid of being weak," I said. "Of showing anything that people can use against him. That's why he dumped me. That's why he'll team up with anyone to look stronger."

Kane nodded. "And if we wanted to use that?"

"We'd make him look weak. Make him question himself. Force him to choose between his pride and his pack."

"And you'd do that? Work against your mate?"

I touched my stomach again, thinking about my baby, who deserved better than a dad who cared more about politics than people.

"He stopped being my mate when he put his ambition before us," I said. "Now he's just another Alpha who needs to know that people aren't chess pieces."

Kane smiled, and it was almost scary. "Then let's talk terms. Shadowmere will give you safety, a place to live, and resources. You'll be my advisor on Crescent Moon and help me with politics."

"That's it? That's all you want?"

"That's all I'm asking *now*." He moved closer. "But you need to know something. When Nathaniel realizes you're really not coming back, he's coming for you himself. Not Harrison with papers. Him. With everything he's got."

"Let him come."

"You say that now. But when he's standing in front of you, using that mate bond to make you feel everything you used to feel..." Kane stopped. "Can you handle that?"

That hit me hard. Because I didn't know. The bond was broken, but not gone. And even after everything, part of me still felt something for him.

"I'll do what I have to do to protect myself," I said, hoping I sounded sure.

Kane looked at me, and I felt like he could see right through me.

"Alright," he said. "Welcome to Shadowmere, Ella Montgomery. Your new life starts now."

He put out his hand, and I knew what it meant. A partnership. A choice that would change everything.

I thought about Harrison's words. *"He loves you. He's always loved you."*

I thought about Nathaniel's cold words. *"You were fun, nothing more."*

I thought about my kid, who deserved a parent who would choose them.

I took Kane's hand, sealing the deal.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"Don't thank me yet," Kane said, holding my hand tight. "You have one hour to decide if you're really staying. Because when Nathaniel gets Harrison's call, he's going to do anything to get you back."

He let go of my hand and went to the door.

"And Ella? When he comes, you have to choose. Really choose. Not between him and me, but between who you were and who you're becoming."

He left, and I was alone with my thoughts.

I sat down in his chair, touching my stomach.

"We're going to be okay," I whispered. "I promise. I'll keep you safe no matter what."

But I still remembered Kane's warning.

*When he comes, you have to choose.*

And I had no idea what I would do when I saw the man who'd hurt me but still had a piece of my heart.