Cold. Endless, penetrating cold.

I floated in darkness, disconnected from my body. Somewhere far away, I heard voices, felt hands lifting me. But the cold remained, embedded in my bones like ice crystals.

"Luna? Can you hear me?" The voice seemed to come from underwater.

I forced my eyes open, wincing at the light. A blurred face swam into focus – Elena, the pack healer.

"What..." My voice cracked, my throat raw and painful.

"Don't try to speak yet," Elena said, her eyes filled with concern. "You're suffering from severe hypothermia."

Memory flooded back – the blizzard, Charles's face as he locked me out, Sara's triumphant smile. I tried to sit up but fell back with a cry of pain.

"My wolf," I gasped. "I can't feel her."

Elena's expression tightened. "That's what we need to discuss." She placed a gentle hand on my arm. "The extreme cold has caused what we call Wolfsbane Joint Syndrome. Your wolf's essence has been damaged."

"Damaged?" I whispered. "What does that mean?"

"It means..." Elena hesitated, her eyes filling with tears. "You may never be able to shift again, Luna."

The words hit me like a physical blow. A werewolf who couldn't shift was barely a werewolf at all.

"No," I moaned, reaching inward for Luna. She was there, but faint, like a candle flame about to be extinguished. "No, please..."

"The damage is extensive," Elena continued softly. "Your joints were frozen for too long. When you tried to shift and couldn't..."

A commotion at the door interrupted her. Charles strode in, his face a mask of irritation rather than concern.

"How long will she be like this?" he demanded, standing at the foot of my bed rather than coming to my side.

Elena straightened. "Alpha, Luna Brooke needs rest and care. Her wolf has been severely damaged."

Charles's eyes narrowed as he looked at me. "Her constitution has always been weak. I expected better from an Alpha's daughter."

His words cut deeper than the cold ever could. Not once did he apologize or show remorse.

---

Three days later, Charles called a pack meeting. I sat in a wheelchair, my body still weak and painful, as he addressed the gathered wolves.

"Due to Luna Brooke's unfortunate illness," he announced, his voice carrying across the great hall, "she will be stepping back from her Luna duties."

Murmurs rippled through the crowd. I stared at him in disbelief.

"Sara will be taking over household management and event planning temporarily," Charles continued, gesturing to Sara, who stepped forward with a practiced look of sympathy.

The pack members shifted uncomfortably, but none dared speak against their Alpha.

"Until Luna Brooke recovers," Charles added, though his tone suggested he didn't expect that to happen.

That evening at dinner, Sara made her move. She had the servants rearrange the seating, moving me away from the Alpha's table to a small chair against the wall.

"We wouldn't want you to strain yourself," she said loudly enough for everyone to hear. "In your condition."

I watched as she took my place beside Charles, her hand resting possessively on his arm. When she thought no one was looking, she turned to me and smiled – a cold, triumphant smirk that told me everything.

This wasn't temporary. This was her plan all along.

---

Two weeks passed in a blur of pain and humiliation. I spent most days in my room – no longer the Luna suite, but a small chamber near the servants' quarters. My body remained weak, my wolf barely a whisper within me.

But then something changed.

One morning, I woke feeling different. Nauseous, yes, but also... aware. Luna stirred within me, her presence stronger than it had been since the blizzard.

*Brooke,* she whispered. *Something's happening.*

I placed a hand on my stomach, sensing what she meant. A new life was growing inside me – our pup.

Tears sprang to my eyes as Luna purred for the first time since the freezing. The sound was faint but unmistakable.

"A pup," I whispered, hope blooming in my chest. "Our pup."

I found Charles in his office, my heart pounding with nervous anticipation. Perhaps this would change everything. Perhaps seeing his child growing inside me would remind him of our bond.

"Charles," I said from the doorway. "I need to tell you something important."

He looked up, annoyed at the interruption. "What is it?"

"I'm pregnant," I said softly. "We're going to have a pup."

Something flickered in his eyes – surprise, perhaps even a moment of pleasure. "You're certain?"

"Yes." I stepped closer, my hand still protectively covering my stomach. "Luna can sense it."

Charles nodded slowly. "Good. The pack needs an heir." His eyes met mine. "My brother would have wanted his legacy continued."

Not our child, but his brother's legacy. Even this couldn't bridge the gap between us.

As I turned to leave, I caught a glimpse of movement in the hallway. Sara stood there, her face contorted with rage as she overheard the news. Her eyes met mine, and in them I saw something that sent ice through my veins – not just jealousy, but deadly intent.

My hand instinctively tightened over my stomach. Our pup had given me hope, but it had also made me a target.

The morning sun filtered through the trees as Charles assembled the pack in the courtyard. His voice carried across the gathered wolves, strong and commanding.

"Today we will have a mandatory Pack Run," he announced, his eyes sweeping over the crowd. "It's been too long since we've shown our unity as a pack."

My heart sank as I stood at the back, my body still aching from the Wolfsbane Joint Syndrome. Luna stirred weakly within me.

*Brooke, we can't shift fully,* she whimpered. *It hurts too much.*

I raised my hand tentatively. "Charles, I don't think I can participate. My wolf is still damaged, and I'm pregnant."

A ripple of whispers spread through the pack. Charles's jaw tightened as he stared at me.

"Every member of this pack will participate," he said coldly. "Your pregnancy is no excuse."

From beside him, Mrs. Wright spoke up, her voice carrying deliberately. "If she can't even keep up with a simple pack run, how will she serve as Luna?"

Sara nodded in agreement, her eyes gleaming with malice. "A Luna must be strong enough to lead alongside her Alpha. Perhaps Brooke needs to prove her worth."

Charles's expression hardened further. "You will shift partially or run in human form," he commanded, his Alpha tone pressing down on me. "There will be no exceptions."

I felt the weight of his command like a physical force. Luna cried out in pain as we attempted to shift, but only my nails elongated into claws, my teeth sharpened slightly. Not enough to run with the wolves.

"Let's begin," Charles ordered, already stripping off his shirt.

One by one, the pack members shifted into their wolf forms, powerful muscles rippling beneath fur as they howled in unison. Charles's wolf was massive, silver-gray with amber eyes that didn't even glance in my direction.

Sara's wolf pranced beside him, her russet fur gleaming in the sunlight. She looked back at me, her wolf's mouth pulling into what looked disturbingly like a smile before they bounded into the forest.

I followed on foot, my human legs no match for their powerful strides. The pack disappeared into the trees, leaving me alone to struggle over the rocky terrain. Sharp stones cut into my bare feet as I ran, my lungs burning with exertion.

"Please," I whispered to Luna, "just a little more strength."

But she could give no more. The damage from the blizzard had weakened her too severely.

By the time I reached the steep ridge where the pack had gathered, I was exhausted, sweat soaking my clothes despite the cool morning air. The wolves waited above me, their forms silhouetted against the sky.

Charles's wolf growled impatiently as I struggled up the incline. "Hurry up," he snapped through our weakened mind-link.

I pushed myself harder, my hand protectively covering my stomach. "I'm trying," I gasped.

That's when I saw Sara's wolf moving toward me, her amber eyes fixed on my midsection. Something in her gaze sent ice through my veins.

"Sara, no," I pleaded, backing away.

But she was already lunging forward, her powerful body slamming into mine with calculated precision. I felt myself falling backward, my arms windmilling frantically as I lost my balance.

"No!" I screamed as I tumbled down the rocky embankment.

My body bounced against sharp stones, each impact sending shockwaves of pain through me. I tried to curl protectively around my stomach, but a particularly vicious rock caught me squarely in the abdomen.

The pain was blinding, white-hot and all-consuming. I lay at the bottom of the slope, mud and blood mingling beneath me as I screamed Charles's name.

Through tear-blurred vision, I saw the pack above me, watching impassively as I writhed in agony. Charles's wolf disappeared from view, and moments later he appeared at my side in human form.

"Charles," I sobbed, reaching for him. "The baby... please help me..."

His face was a mask of irritation rather than concern. "What have you done now?" he demanded, looking at the disruption to the pack run rather than my injuries.

"I didn't—" I gasped, another wave of pain cutting off my words.

"It's just a run," he snapped. "How could you be so clumsy?"

Only then did his eyes register the blood pooling beneath me. His expression shifted, confusion replacing anger.

"The pup," I whispered, tears streaming down my face. "Charles, our pup..."

In the medical room, Elena's face confirmed my worst fears before she could speak. "I'm sorry, Luna," she said softly, her eyes filled with tears. "The pup is lost."

Charles stood at the foot of the bed, his face unreadable. When he finally spoke, his words cut deeper than any physical wound.

"This is your fault," he said flatly. "Your weak body couldn't sustain our heir."

I stared at him in disbelief, too shocked to speak.

"If you had been stronger," he continued, his voice devoid of emotion, "this wouldn't have happened."

As he turned to leave, something inside me hardened – a small spark of rage amid the ocean of grief. This wasn't just the loss of our pup. This was the death of whatever remained of our bond.

A week passed in a haze of grief. I moved through the pack house like a ghost, hollow-eyed and empty. The loss of my pup had carved a void inside me that could never be filled. Luna, my wolf, had grown so faint I could barely feel her presence anymore.

I stood at the window of my small room, watching rain streak down the glass. Each drop seemed to mirror the tears I could no longer shed. My body had gone numb, my mind disconnected from the world around me.

*We need to leave,* Luna whispered, her voice barely audible. *Before they destroy us completely.*

"We will," I promised aloud, my fingers tracing patterns on the cold window pane. "Today."

I pulled my suitcase from beneath the bed and began packing the few belongings I still had. My hands trembled as I folded the clothes Sara hadn't yet "requisitioned" for herself. The door burst open without warning.

Charles stood there, his imposing frame filling the doorway. "What are you doing?"

I didn't look up from my task. "What does it look like? I'm leaving."

"You're not going anywhere." His voice was cold, controlled. "You're my mate."

The word 'mate' from his lips made me flinch. How could he call himself that after everything?

"Reject me," I said, finally meeting his gaze. "I want you to reject our bond."

Something flickered across his face—surprise, perhaps even panic. "You don't know what you're saying. You're still grieving."

"I know exactly what I'm saying." I straightened my spine, finding strength in my desperation. "Reject me, Charles, or I swear I'll tell my father everything."

His face paled. We both knew what would happen if Alpha Andrew discovered how his daughter had been treated. The Moonriver Pack would descend upon Silverclaw like a vengeful storm.

"You're mentally unstable," Charles said, his voice suddenly smooth, reasonable. "The grief has affected your judgment. I won't enable this behavior."

"Then let me go," I pleaded. "Just let me go home."

"No." His eyes hardened. "You're staying here where you belong."

Before I could respond, he turned and called for the guards. Two burly Deltas appeared instantly, as if they'd been waiting just outside.

"Take her to the Omega quarters," Charles ordered. "She needs rest and isolation for her own safety."

"Charles, no!" I backed away as the guards approached. "You can't do this!"

But he could. And he did.

The guards dragged me down winding stone stairs to the basement level of the pack house. The air grew damp and cold as we descended, the walls closing in around us. Finally, we reached a heavy metal door with a small window barred with silver.

"Inside," one guard grunted, shoving me forward.

I stumbled into the cell, my eyes adjusting slowly to the dim light. The walls were lined with silver—a precaution for containing rogue wolves or those who had committed crimes against the pack. Never had I imagined I would find myself imprisoned here.

Charles appeared in the doorway, his face impassive. From his pocket, he withdrew a thin silver collar.

"This is for your protection," he said, stepping into the cell. Before I could react, he clasped it around my neck. The silver burned against my skin, sending waves of nausea through me.

The collar tightened slightly, then settled into place. Immediately, I felt the effect—a heavy fog descending over my mind, cutting off the mental links that connected me to other wolves.

"You'll stay here until you're... stable again," Charles said, his voice distant through the fog. "No one can hear you now. No one can help you."

The door slammed shut behind him, the sound echoing through my prison.

Days blurred into weeks. The cell remained damp and cold, the only light filtering through the tiny window set high in the wall. My meals consisted of scraps brought by a silent guard who wouldn't meet my eyes.

My body weakened rapidly. The Wolfsbane Joint Syndrome, combined with the silver collar and poor nutrition, left me barely able to stand. Luna had gone completely silent within me—not dead, but dormant, conserving what little strength remained.

"Brooke, darling," a voice cooed from outside my cell. "How are you enjoying your accommodations?"

Sara stood at the door, her face pressed against the bars, eyes gleaming with triumph.

"Come to gloat?" I managed, my voice raspy from disuse.

"I came to check on our future," she replied, gesturing to herself. "Charles has been quite attentive since your... confinement. The pack is already accepting me as their true Luna."

I leaned against the wall for support. "He'll never mark you."

"He doesn't need to." Sara smiled cruelly. "Once you're gone, I'll be all he has left. A tragic illness, so sad—the Luna couldn't recover from losing her pup."

The realization hit me like a physical blow. They weren't just imprisoning me—they were letting me die slowly, quietly, where no one would question it.

"You won't get away with this," I whispered.

Sara's laughter echoed down the corridor as she walked away. "I already have, little Alpha's daughter. I already have."