The Moonstone Pack's grand hall glittered with crystal chandeliers and silver decorations. I smoothed down my midnight blue gown, still hardly believing the appointment was real. Lead Strategist for the Lycan King's Council—me, Vivian Ferguson, the girl who'd spent seven years organizing pack schedules and managing territories from the shadows.

"Luna Vivian!" Another pack member approached with a glass of champagne. "You've made us all so proud!"

I smiled graciously, accepting the drink. "Thank you. I'm still processing it myself."

From across the room, Scott caught my eye. My mate, my Alpha, my everything for the past seven years. He looked handsome in his tailored suit, his dark hair perfectly styled, his commanding presence drawing everyone's attention. He made his way toward me, weaving through the crowd with practiced ease.

"There's my brilliant Luna," he said loudly enough for nearby guests to hear. He took my hand, raising it to his lips. "The Moonstone Pack couldn't be prouder."

The room erupted in applause. I basked in the moment, in his pride, in the public acknowledgment of our partnership.

"To new beginnings," Scott announced, raising his glass. "To my incredible mate and her remarkable achievement."

Everyone cheered. I smiled, leaning into his embrace—but something made me glance past his shoulder.

That's when I saw her.

Rebecca Daniels stood in the shadows near the back of the hall, her lavender dress almost blending with the darkness. Our eyes met for just a moment before Scott turned, his gaze immediately finding hers across the room.

Something passed between them—a look, a feeling, something I couldn't quite name but that made my wolf stir uneasily within me.

"Scott?" I whispered.

"Hmm?" He turned back to me, but his eyes were already scanning the crowd again. "Just making sure everything's running smoothly."

Later that night, I slipped into our bedroom, still buzzing with excitement. "This calls for a proper celebration," I said, approaching Scott as he loosened his tie.

I reached for him, my fingers tracing the buttons of his shirt. "I want to thank you properly for all your support."

"Vivian." He gently caught my wrists. "Not tonight, love."

"Is everything okay?"

"Just tired." He kissed my forehead. "The relocation logistics have been... complicated. Let's save our celebration for when we're settled in the West."

I nodded, swallowing the disappointment. "Of course."

---

Three days later, I was organizing files in Scott's office when the courier arrived.

"Package for Alpha Webb," the young wolf said, placing a small box on the desk. "Marked urgent."

"He's in a meeting with the Beta," I replied. "I'll make sure he gets it."

The courier nodded and left. I glanced at the package: "Urgent - Alpha Eyes Only" stamped in red ink.

My heart skipped. Was this about our relocation? The Council had been sending documents for weeks, but Scott insisted on handling all the arrangements himself.

"Just a peek," I murmured to my wolf, who whined anxiously.

I carefully opened the box. Inside lay a small velvet pouch containing a silver pendant on a delicate chain—a Scent-Masking Amulet, high-grade and illegal in most territories. These were used to hide one's true scent from other wolves.

A folded note sat beneath it. I recognized Scott's handwriting immediately:

"So we can still be close in the West without the Council sniffing around. I can't leave you behind."

My fingers trembled as I read the words again. The amulet wasn't for me. It wasn't for our relocation.

It was for someone he planned to sneak into the Western Territory.

---

The address on the package led me to a small cottage on the edge of pack lands. I parked my car down the road and approached on foot, the amulet burning a hole in my pocket.

I didn't knock. I simply pushed open the door.

Rebecca looked up from her tea, unsurprised. "I wondered when you'd find out."

I slammed the amulet on the table between us. "What is this?"

"A gift," she said calmly. "From Scott."

"You know what I mean," I hissed.

Rebecca's lips curved into a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Did you really think he was moving to the West for you? For your career?"

"Stop playing games."

"We're the ones who were meant to be together," she said, leaning forward. "Scott and I. We've been chosen mates in our hearts for years."

I froze. "What?"

"The Moon Goddess may have paired you with him, but she made a mistake." Rebecca's voice dripped with false sympathy. "You're just a biological placeholder, Vivian. A safe choice while he waited for me."

My wolf howled in anguish inside me. "You're lying."

"Am I?" She leaned back, examining her nails. "Ask him about the safe house he's arranged for us in the Western Territory. Ask him about the private communication channels he's established. Ask him why he bought me this—" she touched the amulet, "—when he told you it was for 'pack logistics.'"

I clutched the amulet in my palm as I waited for Scott to return from his meeting. My heart hammered against my ribs, each beat echoing the doubt that had taken root since my conversation with Rebecca. When the door finally opened, I didn't waste time with pleasantries.

"What is this?" I asked, opening my hand to reveal the silver pendant.

Scott's expression flickered—surprise, then calculation. "Where did you get that?"

"It was delivered to your office. 'Alpha Eyes Only.'" My voice trembled despite my efforts to stay calm. "Rebecca seems to think it's a gift from you."

He took the amulet from my palm, his fingers brushing mine in a way that once would have comforted me. Now it felt like a manipulation.

"Vivian," he said, his voice dropping to that gentle tone he used when he thought I was being unreasonable. "This is a sensitive pack matter."

"Pack matter?" I repeated. "Rebecca says you're planning to sneak her into the Western Territory with me."

His eyes hardened slightly before he mastered his expression. "Rebecca is... unwell. She's been having delusions since we were young."

"Delusions?" I stepped closer, my wolf stirring restlessly. "She seemed very clear about your plans."

"Enough!" Scott's voice suddenly shifted, deepening with the unmistakable resonance of an Alpha command. The weight of his authority pressed against me like a physical force. "You're being paranoid, Vivian."

My knees weakened as his aura expanded, filling the room with his dominance. "I'm just trying to understand—"

"You should trust me," he continued, his Alpha tone vibrating through my bones. "After everything I've sacrificed for you—giving up our home, our pack, our life here—the least you can do is show some gratitude instead of these baseless accusations."

I struggled to breathe against the pressure of his command. My wolf whimpered, instinctively submitting to her Alpha even as confusion tore through us both.

"I—I'm sorry," I whispered, hating how easily he could make me doubt myself.

---

Three days later, Scott appeared in our bedroom with a wrapped package. "Peace offering," he said, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.

I accepted it cautiously, unwrapping the elegant box to find a set of luxurious bath oils. The bottles were beautiful—crystal with silver caps—but as I lifted them, a familiar scent wafted up.

Lavender.

My stomach clenched. My signature scent had always been vanilla and sandalwood—a combination Scott claimed to love. Yet here he was, offering me lavender-scented oils.

"You've always said how much you enjoy lavender," he said, watching me closely.

I forced a smile, though my wolf growled in recognition of the lie. "Thank you. It's... thoughtful."

He kissed my forehead, oblivious to the way I flinched. "Use it tonight. I have some calls to make about the relocation."

As he left, I held the bottle up to the light. The purple liquid caught the sunlight, beautiful and poisonous in its symbolism. Rebecca's scent. He'd bought her favorite fragrance for me.

---

The rain came down in sheets as we gathered for the mandatory pack run. As Luna, I stood beside Scott, both of us already stripped down for the shift.

"Remember," Scott addressed the pack, "we run as one tonight. No exceptions."

I nodded, though my skin prickled with unease. Rebecca stood at the edge of the clearing, wrapped in a hooded cloak despite the summer heat.

"Ready?" Scott squeezed my hand before shifting.

The transformation rippled through the pack—bones cracking, bodies contorting as human forms gave way to wolves. I welcomed the familiar burn of my own shift, my white fur emerging as my human form receded.

We ran as a pack through the forest, rain soaking our fur, mud splattering our paws. The freedom of the run usually brought me joy, but tonight I felt hollow, my paws heavy with doubt.

A cry cut through the pounding rain—human, not wolf.

Scott immediately broke formation, veering sharply toward the sound. The pack followed instinctively, but I held back, watching as he shifted back to human form in one fluid motion.

Rebecca lay crumpled on the ground, her ankle twisted at an awkward angle. Scott knelt beside her, rain plastering his dark hair to his forehead as he gently examined her injury.

"I'm fine," she protested weakly. "Just slipped in the mud."

"Nonsense," Scott said tenderly. "You could have broken it."

Without hesitation, he removed his expensive cloak—the one I'd given him for our fifth anniversary—and wrapped it around her shoulders. Then, still naked and vulnerable in the pouring rain, he knelt in the mud to cradle her ankle.

"Let me see," he murmured, his fingers tracing her skin with a gentleness I'd never experienced.

My wolf whined as we watched from the shadows, invisible in our white fur. Scott had never knelt for me, never tended to me with such raw, desperate tenderness.

"Can you stand?" he asked Rebecca.

She tried, wincing dramatically. Without hesitation, Scott swept her into his arms, carrying her toward the pack house as she nestled against his chest.

Not once did he look back for his Luna, still standing in the rain.

The Moon Festival had always been my favorite celebration—a time when the pack came together under the full moon's blessing. Tonight, though, as I adjusted the silver circlet on my head, I felt hollow. The image of Scott kneeling in the mud for Rebecca played on repeat in my mind.

"Are you ready, Luna?" Elena, one of our senior Deltas, asked as she approached.

I straightened my shoulders. "Yes. Let's review the security positions one more time."

The festival grounds glowed with hundreds of lanterns, pack members dancing and laughing. Scott stood at the center, commanding attention as always. Rebecca hovered nearby, her lavender dress flowing around her like smoke.

Then the alarms blared.

"Rogues! East perimeter breached!" Someone shouted.

Chaos erupted. Screams pierced the night as wolves shifted frantically. Parents grabbed their pups, elders scattered toward the safe houses.

"Delta unit, form up!" I called, my voice cutting through the panic. "Protect the civilians!"

My tactical training kicked in as I directed our warriors. "Elena, take your team north. Marcus, secure the west exit. The rest of you, defensive formation around the central grounds."

Scott was nowhere to be seen. Neither was Rebecca.

A massive rogue—at least seven feet tall in human form—smashed through our line. His eyes glowed with feral hunger as he charged toward the group of civilians where I had taken shelter with several pups and their mothers.

"Stay down!" I ordered, preparing to shift.

Then Scott appeared, his Alpha aura radiating power. Relief flooded through me—until I realized his gaze was fixed solely on Rebecca, who cowered behind me.

"Scott!" I cried. "The rogue—"

He didn't hesitate. With a flick of his wrist, he threw a protective barrier around Rebecca and tackled her attacker to the ground.

But I was exposed.

A second rogue emerged from the shadows, claws extended. I tried to dodge, but there was nowhere to go with civilians behind me.

Pain seared across my ribs as his claws tore through my flesh. I heard someone scream—maybe it was me—as I fell backward into the grass.

Blood pooled beneath me, warm and sticky against the cool earth. Through blurring vision, I watched Scott pin Rebecca's attacker, his movements precise and desperate.

"Rebecca!" he shouted. "Are you hurt?"

She shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "I'm okay. Just shaken."

Scott pulled her into his arms, checking her for injuries with trembling hands. "Thank the Moon Goddess."

Not once did he turn to look at me.

"Alpha," someone called. "Luna Vivian is down!"

But Scott's back remained turned as he cradled Rebecca's face in his hands. "You could have been killed," he whispered to her.

Darkness crept in from the edges of my vision. My wolf howled in agony—not from the physical wound, but from the realization that our mate had chosen another.

---

I woke to sterile white walls and the faint scent of healing herbs. The Healer's ward. How long had I been here?

"Easy now," Healer Morris said as she checked my bandages. "The wound was deep."

"Why isn't it healing faster?" I asked, my voice raspy.

She hesitated. "Your mate bond... it's weakened significantly. That affects your healing abilities."

I closed my eyes, remembering Scott's choice. "Of course it has."

The door opened, and Beta Connor entered, his expression troubled. "Luna. I'm glad you're awake."

"Where's Scott?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

Connor shifted uncomfortably. "He's... handling some matters."

"Is he with her?"

"Luna, please understand. The Alpha was confused in the heat of battle. He thought—"

"That she needed protection more than I did?" My voice broke. "That his Luna could fend for herself?"

Connor looked away. "The bond—you can't feel him anymore, can you?"

I tested the connection that had always pulsed between us. For seven years, I'd felt Scott's emotions—his pride, his anger, even his lies disguised as love.

Now there was nothing but silence.

"My wolf has gone quiet," I whispered. "To protect us both."

---

My phone buzzed on the bedside table. With trembling fingers, I reached for it.

A text from Rebecca: "Hope you're feeling better soon!"

Attached was a photo that shattered whatever remnants of hope I'd been clinging to.

Scott sat slumped in a chair beside Rebecca's bed in the guest quarters. His head rested against her shoulder as he slept, one hand still wrapped around hers. She looked peaceful, unharmed—while I lay in the hospital with claw marks across my ribs.

"He hasn't left my side since the attack," her message continued. "So worried I might have internal injuries. Isn't he sweet?"

I stared at the screen until it went dark, then at my reflection in the black glass. The woman looking back at me was a stranger—pale, wounded, but somehow stronger.

Seven years I had given him. Seven years of devotion, sacrifice, and love.

And I had never been his priority at all.