Victoria

I was still smiling from my night with Leo as I slipped back into the mansion, dawn just breaking across the pack house. The soreness between my thighs was a delicious reminder of what had happened-how I'd taken control of my own destiny for once. I'd done it. I'd given away what Enzo had been planning to sell. For once in my miserable life, I'd made my own choice.

My victorious mood lasted precisely three seconds after entering the living room.

"You worthless little bitch! You thief!" Enzo's voice thundered through the house as he grabbed my arm, spinning me around to face him. His eyes-normally a cool blue-had shifted to their wolf hazel, a clear sign of his rage. He gripped my chin roughly, tilting my face to examine the marks on my neck. "What the hell have you done? How am I supposed to negotiate with Alpha Moretti now?"

I couldn't suppress my smile, even as his fingers dug painfully into my jaw. Every single thing that made Enzo unhappy was a small victory for me.

"Let me go," I said, voice steadier than I expected. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He shoved me against the wall, his hand moving to my throat. "Don't play dumb. Five thousand dollars missing from my safe. And look at you-covered in another man's scent, bruises on your neck." He leaned closer, inhaling deeply. "You reek of sex. Did you really think I wouldn't notice?"

"Did you really think I wouldn't notice that you were selling me like cattle?" I shot back, finding courage in my anger. "Trading me to settle your pathetic gambling debts?"

Enzo's eyes widened slightly. "You don't understand pack politics," he sneered. "Alpha Moretti is offering you a position most she-wolves would kill for. You should be grateful-"

"Grateful?" I laughed, the sound bitter even to my own ears. "For being handed over to a thirty-two-year-old monster? A man known for breaking his partners during sex? I'd rather die."

His lips curled into a cruel smile. "You think being Luna to a powerful Alpha is worse than what you are now? A pathetic half-breed who can't even shift? Father may have bonded with your human mother, but that doesn't change what you are."

The mention of my parents sent a spike of pain through my heart. "At least my mother didn't abandon her mate and child," I hissed. "Unlike darling Aurora, who ran away when things got tough."

It was a low blow, and I knew it. Aurora, Enzo's mother, had betrayed our father and left the pack when Enzo was just a child. She only returned with eight-year-old Enzo after learning my human mother had died giving birth to me. By then, Father was devastated by grief, barely functioning as Alpha.

"Don't you dare speak of my mother," Enzo growled. "At least she came back. Yours just died and left you as a burden for everyone else."

The words stung more than they should have. I knew my mother hadn't chosen to die-childbirth complications from carrying a hybrid baby had weakened her human body beyond recovery. She'd held on until I was three, growing weaker each day, before finally succumbing.

"You weren't always like this," I said quietly. "Before Father died, you were different. You used to protect me, remember? You taught me how to ride a bike. You threatened to beat up the kids who called me half-breed."

Something flickered in Enzo's eyes-a shadow of the brother I'd once known. Before he became Alpha. Before the gambling and prostitutes and drugs had eaten away at whatever moral compass he once possessed.

"That was before I understood what a liability you are," he said, but his voice held less conviction. "Before I understood pack hierarchy."

"Before Luna Aurora poisoned you against me."

His expression hardened again. "Enough! You think you're so smart with your little rebellion? You've just made things worse for yourself. What do you think Moretti will do when he discovers you've given away what he paid for?"

I lifted my chin defiantly. "I don't belong to him. Or to you."

The slap came without warning, the force of it snapping my head to the side and sending me sprawling across the coffee table. Glass shattered as I crashed into it, cutting my arms and legs as I fell.

"You belong to whoever I say you belong to!" Enzo roared, standing over me. "You think I enjoy being in debt to Moretti? You think I enjoy having to hand over my own sister to settle it? This is your fault! If Father hadn't wasted so much of our fortune on your human mother's medical treatments-"

"Don't you dare blame her!" I screamed, tears streaming down my face now. "Don't you dare blame a dying woman who loved her family more than anything!"

Enzo grabbed a fistful of my hair, yanking me to my feet. "Clean this mess up," he hissed. "Then stay in your room until I figure out how to fix your stupidity."

I wanted to fight back. I wanted to claw at his face, to make him bleed the way he'd made me bleed countless times. But without my wolf, I was no match for an Alpha werewolf's strength. I'd learned that lesson through too many broken bones and bruises.

"I hate you," I whispered, my voice shaking with rage and pain.

"Feeling's mutual, little sister." He shoved me toward the shattered remains of the coffee table. "Clean it up. Now."

I dropped to my knees, carefully picking up shards of glass with trembling hands. Tears blurred my vision as I worked, the cuts on my palms stinging. How had my life come to this? I was the daughter of Alpha Howlthorne, once respected leader of our pack. Now I was nothing but property to be traded away.

Enzo watched me for a few minutes, his presence a looming threat, before finally stalking off to his study with a disgusted grunt. Only when I heard the door slam did I allow myself to really cry, silent sobs shaking my body as I continued cleaning.

By the time I finished, my knees were cramped and my hands were bleeding from several cuts. I dragged myself to my room, pulling the first-aid kit from under my bed where I kept it hidden. Enzo had "accidentally" thrown away my medical supplies too many times for me to keep them in the bathroom anymore.

The face that stared back at me from my vanity mirror was barely recognizable. A red handprint bloomed across my left cheek, my bottom lip was split, and the light in my eyes-what little remained-seemed dimmer than ever. The bruises Leo had left on my neck now looked less like badges of rebellion and more like markers of another failed attempt at freedom.

I dabbed antiseptic on my cuts, wincing at the sting. "Happy birthday to me," I whispered bitterly to my reflection.

My mother had been gone for fifteen years now. Sometimes I couldn't remember her face without looking at photographs. I missed her. I missed my father. I even missed the Enzo who used to sneak me extra dessert and teach me how to throw a proper punch.

The tears came again, hot and relentless. I'd turned eighteen yesterday-the age when most werewolves shift for the first time. But my wolf never emerged. Another sign of my unworthiness, according to Enzo. Another reason I'd never truly belong in the wolf world.

I'd considered running away to my human aunt Sarah's home several times, but I knew better. If I involved my human relatives, Enzo wouldn't hesitate to hurt them. Besides, what could humans do against an Alpha werewolf determined to get his property back?

I touched the necklace at my throat-the only thing I had left of my mother. A simple silver crescent moon pendant that had somehow survived Enzo's many attempts to pawn my possessions.

"What do I do now, Mom?" I whispered to the empty room. "I thought I was being so clever, giving away what Enzo was selling. But now..."

Was this really my fate? To be handed over to Alpha Moretti like some prized breeding mare? I'd heard the stories about him-how his sexual appetites were violent, even by werewolf standards. How he'd been cursed by the Moon Goddess for some ancient transgression, cursed to destroy anything he tried to love.

I curled up on my bed, ignoring the pain from my various injuries. Maybe I could run tonight. Take what little money I had saved and just disappear. It wouldn't be much of a life, constantly looking over my shoulder, but it would be mine.

Leo

For the past week, my mind has been utterly consumed by Victoria. Her scent, her voice, those big innocent brown eyes that had gazed up at me in ecstasy-I couldn't stop thinking about her. The memory of her soft curves beneath my hands haunted my waking hours and invaded my dreams. My wolf prowled restlessly inside me, demanding I find her, claim her, mark her as mine.

I growled low in my throat as I stared out the window of my office, watching the city lights flicker below. The skyline belonged to me-every casino, every club, every shadow-filled alley where my pack conducted business. I was the Alpha of the Shadow Moon Pack, feared and respected throughout the werewolf community. Yet here I was, obsessing over a half-breed she-wolf who'd played me for a fool.

"Alpha?" Tiny's voice broke through my thoughts. My Beta stood in the doorway, his massive frame nearly filling it. Despite his name, there was nothing small about him-six-foot-seven of pure muscle and unwavering loyalty.

"What is it?" I asked, not turning from the window.

"Enzo Howlthorne is in your office, Alpha. He's asking about your decision."

The mention of Victoria's pathetic excuse for a stepbrother made my lip curl. Enzo - that disgrace of an Alpha who had the nerve to offer up his own sister as payment for his gambling debts. When he first approached me with the proposal, I'd been mildly intrigued. The Howlthorne territory held strategic value, and taking his sister as my mistress had seemed like a small, convenient price.

But that was before I'd met her. Before I'd tasted her. Before I knew what she truly was.

"Let him wait," I said, finally turning to face Tiny. "And get me everything we have on Victoria Howlthorne's inheritance. Her father must have left her something substantial."

Tiny nodded, his expression carefully neutral. "You think Enzo is after her money?"

"I know he is." I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated. "What kind of Alpha trades his own blood? Even in our world, family bonds are sacred."

"Not everyone follows the old ways anymore, Alpha," Tiny said quietly. "Especially not degenerate gamblers like Enzo."

I moved to my desk, pulling out the file we'd compiled on Victoria Howlthorne. Photos, background checks, financial records-I'd gathered it all after Enzo first proposed the arrangement, but I hadn't looked closely enough. Now I did.

Her father, Alpha Dominic Howlthorne, had been respected among the packs-a rare leader who managed to maintain peace with humans and werewolves alike. He'd fallen in love with a human woman, Elizabeth, causing considerable scandal. But he'd chosen her as his mate nonetheless, defying tradition. When Elizabeth died giving birth to Victoria, Dominic had never fully recovered. He died when Victoria was just twelve, leaving Enzo-his son from a previous marriage-to take over as Alpha.

What caught my eye now was the trust fund. Dominic had set aside a substantial fortune for Victoria-enough that she could live comfortably among humans for the rest of her life once she turned twenty-one.

"That bastard," I muttered. "He's trying to get control of her inheritance before she can claim it."

My anger dissipated as understanding dawned. Victoria's desperate act at the nightclub suddenly made perfect sense. She wasn't playing games; she was fighting for survival in the only way she knew how.

"Alpha?" Tiny was watching me carefully. "You're not still upset about the money, are you? Five grand is nothing to us."

I waved my hand dismissively. "The money is irrelevant. It was never about that."

"Then what was it about?"

I looked at the photograph of Victoria in the file-a candid shot taken without her knowledge. She was smiling at something off-camera, her brown eyes bright with rare happiness. So innocent. So pure, despite everything she'd endured.

"She doesn't belong in Enzo's house, being treated like property," I said finally. "She doesn't belong as anyone's mistress either."

Tiny raised an eyebrow. "What are you saying, Alpha?"

"I'm saying she deserves better than what her brother offered her." I closed the file with a decisive snap. "Tell Enzo to come find me. And get the car ready-I'm heading to Devil's Lair."

As my Beta left to carry out my orders, I found myself staring at Victoria's picture again. The memory of her body beneath mine, her soft moans in my ear, the way she'd looked at me with such honest desire-it all stirred something primal in me. Something possessive.

She wasn't meant to be a temporary plaything. She wasn't just another warm body to satisfy my needs. No, Victoria Howlthorne was meant for something else entirely.

She was meant to be my Luna.

---

The drive to Devil's Lair gave me time to think, to plan our future together. I'd never seriously considered marriage before. As Alpha, I had responsibilities, duties to my pack that superseded personal desires. I had women when I wanted them-willing she-wolves who understood their place in my bed was temporary.

But Victoria... she was different. She was rare in my world-an untouched jewel amidst the grime and darkness. I wanted her to be mine. Completely.

"You're unusually quiet tonight," Carson, my Gamma, remarked from the driver's seat. "Still thinking about that girl from the club?"

I shot him a warning glance. Even my most trusted lieutenants knew better than to pry into my personal affairs.

Carson wisely changed the subject. "We've got the monthly reports ready for review. Profits are up twenty percent across all venues."

"Good." I nodded absently, my mind still on Victoria. "Any news on the Monroe Pack's movements along our northern border?"

"Nothing concerning. Their Alpha sent an envoy requesting a meeting next month."

"Schedule it," I replied automatically, gazing out the window as we pulled up to Devil's Lair.

The club was in full swing, music pulsing through the walls as we entered through the private entrance. Upstairs in my office, I went through the motions of checking the books, discussing security matters with Carson and Tiny, and approving new shipments. But my mind kept drifting to Victoria-to the future I was planning for us.

She would make a beautiful Luna. With proper guidance, she could learn to navigate pack politics. She might be half-human, but that wouldn't matter once she carried my pups. My heir.

The thought of Victoria round with my child sent a surge of possessive satisfaction through me.

"Alpha," Tiny's voice interrupted my thoughts again. "Enzo Howlthorne is here."

I straightened in my chair, my wolf stirring with anticipation. "Bring him up."

Minutes later, Enzo was escorted in, looking considerably more haggard than when I'd seen him last week. His eyes darted nervously around the room, and I could smell the fear rolling off him in waves.

"Alpha Moretti," he said, attempting to sound confident but failing miserably. "Thank you for seeing me."

I gestured for him to sit, keeping my expression neutral. "I understand you have something urgent to discuss."

"Yes." He licked his lips nervously. "It's about my sister. There's been a... complication."

"I'm aware," I said coldly. "She came to my club and attempted to... circumvent our arrangement."

Enzo's eyes widened. "You knew? You were there?"

I leaned forward, letting my power fill the room. Even without shifting, an Alpha could project dominance that made lesser wolves cower. Enzo visibly shrank in his seat.

"Let me make something perfectly clear," I said, my voice deceptively soft. "I decide to take Victoria as my Luna,and you will step out of her life. Permanently."

"L-Luna?" Enzo stuttered, genuine shock on his face. "But she's a half-breed! She hasn't even shifted!"

My hand moved faster than he could track, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him partially out of his chair.

"Choose your next words very carefully," I growled, my eyes shifting to their wolf hazel. "That 'half-breed' you speak of so dismissively will potentially be the mother of my heirs."

I released him, and he fell back, gasping. "I... I didn't mean any disrespect," he wheezed. "I just didn't expect... Luna is such an honored position."

"And you thought I'd be satisfied with using your sister as a convenient body to warm my bed?" I asked, disgust evident in my voice. "You offered her to me to clear your debt, telling me I could do whatever I wanted with her, even signing a waiver absolving me if she happened to die in my care."

Enzo had the decency to look ashamed. "I was desperate. The debt-"

"The debt is still there," I cut him off. "You tried to use your sister's virginity as currency. I've decided not to accept those terms."

Fear flashed in his eyes. "But we had a deal-"

"The deal has changed," I said sharply. "Now, tell me about her inheritance."

His face paled. "What inheritance?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Enzo. I know Dominic Howlthorne set up a trust fund for Victoria. Money that becomes hers when she turns twenty-one."

Enzo shifted uncomfortably. "It's... complicated. There are conditions."

"Explain."

"If she marries before claiming it, control of the assets transfers to her husband." He swallowed hard. "That's why I approached you. I thought if she became your... lover, I could convince her to sign over her rights. We could split it."

My disgust for this man grew with every word he spoke. "And if she doesn't marry?"

"Then it's all hers. Father made sure the trust was ironclad. I can't touch it." His voice was bitter. "He always favored her, even though she's not even a real wolf."

I resisted the urge to snap his neck right then. "Tell me about Victoria," I said instead. "What does she want from life?"

Enzo looked confused by the question. "Want? Who cares what she wants?"

"I do," I said quietly. "Tell me."

He snorted derisively. "She has these pathetic human dreams. A little white-picket fence house, a gentle husband, children running in the yard. Ridiculous fantasy for a girl with wolf blood, even diluted as hers is."

But I didn't find it ridiculous at all. I found it endearing-her simple, innocent desires. I could give her all that and more.

"Listen to me very carefully, Enzo," I said, rising from my chair to tower over him. "I'm going to marry your sister. She will be my Luna, the mother of my heirs, and under my protection for the rest of her life. If you ever try to contact her after the wedding without my permission, I will tear your throat out myself. Do you understand?"

He nodded frantically. "Y-yes, Alpha Moretti."

"Good. Now get out of my sight."

As Enzo scrambled to leave, I turned to Tiny. "Have someone watch him. I don't trust him not to try something desperate."

"Consider it done, Alpha," Tiny replied. "What about the girl?"

I looked out the window again, to the city that bowed to my will. Soon, Victoria would be a part of that world-my world. She would warm my bed, bear my children, learn to navigate the dangerous waters of pack politics. And I would own her-completely, irrevocably.

"Prepare the Alpha suite at the main house," I said decisively. "We'll be bringing home my future Luna very soon."

Victoria

Every Tuesday felt like a small rebellion against my suffocating life. The Omega House stood at the edge of town, its weathered exterior hiding the warmth within. It wasn't much-peeling paint, creaky floorboards, and windows that whistled when the wind blew-but it was sanctuary for the lowest-ranking members of our pack hierarchy.

Today, as always, I took comfort in the simple rhythm of my chores. There was something soothing about sweeping the worn wooden floors, replacing the wilted flowers with fresh ones from the market, and scrubbing Uncle Alessio's kitchen until it gleamed. Here, nobody cared about my mixed blood or my failure to shift. Nobody watched me with contempt or pity. Here, I was just Victoria-not the half-breed daughter of a once-great Alpha.

"You missed a spot, piccola," Uncle Alessio's gravelly voice called from his favorite armchair. Despite his teasing, his eyes held nothing but kindness as he watched me work.

Uncle Alessio wasn't actually my uncle-he was an aging Beta wolf who had once served my father's pack before Enzo took over. Now he managed this shelter, caring for those who had nowhere else to go.

I smiled, wiping my forehead with the back of my hand. "You say that every week, Uncle. I'm starting to think you just enjoy watching me clean."

"An old wolf has to find his entertainment somewhere," he chuckled, then his smile faded as I turned to face him. "Victoria, those shadows under your eyes... you're not sleeping well?"

My hand instinctively went to my face, fingers gently touching the concealer I'd carefully applied this morning. Had it worn off? Could he see the bruise beneath?

"Just stayed up reading again," I lied, forcing a light tone. "I'll pay more attention to my beauty sleep next time."

The truth was far uglier. Enzo had been in a particularly foul mood last night. I'd accidentally dropped a glass in the kitchen, and his response had been swift and brutal-a kick to my ribs that had left me gasping on the floor. The bruises there were matched by the ones on my face where he'd backhanded me for "making too much noise."

Uncle Alessio didn't look convinced. His nostrils flared slightly-trying to catch the scent of my lie, no doubt. But I'd become skilled at masking my emotions, at least on the surface. What choice did I have?

"You know you can tell me anything, right?" he said softly. "If there's ever trouble at home..."

I turned away, busying myself with arranging flowers in a vase. "Everything's fine, Uncle. Really."

I busied myself washing dishes, scrubbing countertops, anything to avoid his searching gaze. I knew he cared. I knew he worried. But what good would telling him do? He couldn't protect me from Enzo. Nobody could. I was too afraid, too powerless, too... alone.

"I made your favorite cookies," Uncle Alessio said, changing the subject. "The lemon ones."

My heart squeezed. This was why I loved Tuesdays at the Omega House. These small kindnesses that reminded me what family should be.

"You spoil me," I said, genuinely smiling now.

As I worked in the kitchen, washing the last of the dishes, I mentally counted the money hidden in my backpack. Two thousand dollars-every cent I'd managed to save over the past three years. It wasn't much, but it would be enough for a one-way bus ticket far away from Northern Territory and enough to survive for a month or two until I found work.

This would be my last Tuesday with Uncle Alessio. The thought made my eyes sting with tears.

"Here," I said, placing a small package on the table beside him before I left. "Extra cookies for tomorrow. Just in case I'm... running late next week."

He looked at me strangely, as if sensing the finality in my voice. "Victoria-"

"I have to go," I cut him off, afraid I'd break down if he showed me any more kindness. "Emma's expecting me at the bakery."

He patted my back awkwardly. "You come back next Tuesday, hear? Those flowers won't arrange themselves."

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. As I walked down the cracked sidewalk away from the Omega House, I allowed myself one backward glance. Goodbye, I thought. I'll miss you more than you'll ever know.

The afternoon sun beat down mercilessly as I made my way down the dusty road. I pulled at the long sleeves of my shirt, wishing I could wear something cooler but unwilling to expose the bruises that mottled my arms.

I'd gone barely half a mile when a sleek black SUV pulled alongside me, moving at a crawl to match my pace. The tinted window rolled down, and my heart nearly stopped.

Leo.

His dark eyes locked onto mine, his expression inscrutable. The memory of our night together flashed through my mind-his hands on my body, his mouth against mine, the way he'd made me feel both terrified and exhilarated. I'd spent the week trying to forget him, and here he was, materializing like a phantom from my most secret dreams.

"Get in," he commanded, his deep voice brooking no argument.

I froze, my feet suddenly rooted to the ground. "I-I'm walking to the bakery."

"It's ninety-five degrees out here," he said impatiently. "Get in the car, Victoria."

The way he said my name-like he owned it, owned me-sent shivers down my spine despite the heat.

"The bakery is just on Maple Street," I said, pointing ahead weakly. "Emma's Sweet Shop. I can walk."

"Victoria." His tone hardened, becoming something no wolf-even a half-breed like me-could ignore. "Get. In."

My body responded before my brain could process the command. I found myself sliding into the cool leather interior of the SUV, pressing myself against the door to maintain as much distance between us as possible.

The air conditioning blasted cold air against my flushed skin, but it did nothing to ease the heat that spread through me at his proximity. He smelled like cedar and spice and something wild that made my pulse quicken.

"Why are you wearing long sleeves in this heat?" he asked, his gaze traveling over me with disturbing intensity.

I tugged self-consciously at my sleeves. "I burn easily."

His eyes narrowed. "You're lying."

"I'm not-"

"I can smell it," he cut me off.

I looked away, staring out the window at the passing scenery. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Leo shifted closer, and I tensed. His hand reached out, and I flinched instinctively, expecting a blow. Instead, his fingers gently brushed my cheek, right where Enzo had hit me. Even through the concealer, he seemed to know exactly where the bruise was.

"Who did this to you?" His voice had dropped to a dangerous whisper.

"Nobody," I insisted. "I-I walked into a door."

He laughed, but there was no humor in it. "A door named Enzo, perhaps?"

My eyes widened in shock. How did he know my brother's name?

"You seem surprised," Leo said, leaning back against his seat. "Did you think I wouldn't investigate the beautiful half-breed who tried to pay me for sex?"

My cheeks flamed. "I didn't-that's not what-"

"Wasn't it?" His lips curved into a mocking smile. "You came to my club, threw money at me, and asked me to take you to bed. What would you call it?"

"A mistake," I said miserably. "I was desperate."

"Desperate enough to offer your virginity to a complete stranger?" His eyes darkened. "What were you running from, little wolf?"

The endearment made my breath catch. Nobody had ever called me that before-most people went out of their way to remind me I wasn't a proper wolf at all.

"It doesn't matter anymore," I said softly. "Nothing does."

Leo studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "You're planning to leave, aren't you? That's why you were so desperate to lose your virginity."

I stiffened. How could he possibly know that?

"Your backpack," he explained, nodding toward it. "Too heavy for a simple trip to the bakery. And there's something final in your scent today-like you're saying goodbye."

I clutched my backpack closer. "It's none of your business."

"On the contrary," he said, his voice silky and dangerous. "I'm making it my business."

The car pulled to a stop in front of Emma's Sweet Shop, and I practically lunged for the door handle. "Thank you for the ride," I said hurriedly. "I have to go now."

Before I could escape, Leo's hand shot out, closing around my wrist. His touch was gentle but inescapable. "This isn't over, Victoria. You and I have unfinished business."

My heart hammered against my ribs. "There is no 'you and I'-there was one night, a mistake."

"A mistake I intend to rectify," he said, his eyes burning into mine. "Soon."

He released me, and I scrambled out of the car, my legs feeling like jelly. Emma was behind the counter, kneading dough, but she looked up when I entered. Her jaw literally dropped as she watched Leo's SUV pull away from the curb.

"Holy moon goddess," she breathed, flour dusting her cheeks as she stared at me. "Victoria Howlthorne, was that who I think it was?"