DONOVAN'S POV

Something cold and vicious had taken root inside me, twisting around my heart like thorned vines, squeezing the air from my lungs.

Just two days ago, my world had been whole. Two days ago, I'd been counting the hours until Amanda's eighteenth birthday, anticipating the moment the Moon Goddess would irrevocably tie her fate to mine. Two days ago, she was still the girl with the pure smile whose eyes had always followed only me.

Then it happened. The thing that shattered everything, the thing we could never come back from.

I was supposed to hate her. This girl who had shattered something inside me. But I hated myself more for the way my blood still heated at the feel of her warm skin beneath my grip. I had turned 18 two months before her, and from the moment my wolf awoke, I'd known. She was mine.

And then she had ruined it.

"Mark her! She is our Mate!" my wolf roared, a primal demand I had to forcefully shove down.

"Donovan..." The way my name fell from her lips, trembling and tear-laced, was a cheat. If things were different, I would have crushed my mouth to hers, carried her to my bed, and made her moan my name until dawn.

But fate is cruel. I had learned the truth. I would not claim a female destined to be my ruin.

"Listen," I snarled, my gaze hard and unyielding. "I will never acknowledge you as my mate. And you will not dare breathe a word of this to anyone."

I saw the light in her eyes gutter and die. A part of me, the part that remembered, ached at the sight. I buried it deep.

"You," I hissed, "are an Omega now. A traitor's daughter. The very thought of you near me makes me sick. Don't forget my warning."

"So... this is really what you think of me..." Her lips trembled, but she stubbornly held the tears at bay. Damn her. A part of me was still captivated by the act. I clenched my jaw so hard I thought my teeth would crack, just to stop myself from closing the distance between us.

I released her arm as if burned, putting cold, deliberate space between us. "Yes. You were never worthy of me. Now, get out of my sight."

I felt her flinch. The wave of despair that rolled off her was palpable. My wolf thrashed inside, howling to comfort our mate. I strangled the impulse.

I expected her to break. To beg. To weep and plead for me not to cast her aside. We were mates. She was mine. Instead, she just wrapped her arms around herself, as if holding her body together, as if building a wall between us.

"Donovan, whatever is between us... that's one thing. But my family is innocent. My mother is sick; she can't survive in that place. For the sake of our past, I'm begging you. Just this once."

I shouldn't have let her words sting. This was the real her. Cold. Manipulative.

I let out a cold, derisive laugh. "Our past? What past? You didn't actually take all those childhood promises seriously, did you? If I could do it over, I would have never wasted a single moment on you."

She stared at me, stunned for a moment. Her hands curled into fists at her sides, and a familiar, stubborn fire flashed in her eyes. "But you said-"

"I don't care what I said!" I roared, the sound tearing from my throat. "You are dead to me, Amanda. Do not seek me out again. Or I swear, I will destroy what's left of your life."

I turned and strode away without another look. If I stayed a second longer, I couldn't trust myself not to fall for her lies all over again.

---

AMANDA'S POV

Watching Donovan walk away, I had never felt the cruelty of fate more sharply.

His retreating form was both familiar and alien. The bond between us still throbbed, a silent, aching wound, but it seemed I was the only one bleeding.

Donovan.

My best friend.

My mate.

The one person I told everything.

Had truly abandoned me.

That truth cut deeper than any blade. I could feel the newly awakened wolf inside me whimper in agony. Today was supposed to be the happiest of our lives. Instead, it had become a living nightmare.

I don't remember the walk back to the tenement. It felt like someone had ripped my chest open and left me to bleed out on the street. By the time I stumbled into our tiny living area, my whole body was shaking, my teeth chattering.

Mom looked up the moment I entered.

"Amanda? Sweetheart, you look terrible. What happened?"

The fragile dam of my composure shattered. A torrent of tears spilled over.

"He. he doesn't want me, Mom."

"What?" Her expression was confused, but her arms were already reaching out, pulling me into her embrace.

I inhaled her familiar, comforting scent, but it did nothing to thaw the icy void inside me. "Donovan." My voice was a choked whisper. "He said he would never acknowledge me as his mate. He said he would never claim me."

Mom gasped. I felt a tremor of anger run through her, but it settled into a weary calm. Her voice softened, taking on the same tone she used to sing me lullabies. "Oh, my baby. Come, sit down. It's alright. Everything will be alright."

"No, it won't," I sobbed, another wave of tears shaking me. "Everything is ruined. Everything is broken. He hates me now. And I don't even know what I did."

She rubbed slow, soothing circles on my back, just like she did when I was scared of thunderstorms as a child.

"He doesn't hate you," she murmured. "He's confused, fed lies about our family. He's young, and he's under pressure. Fear makes people do foolish things."

I pulled back, wiping my wet face.

"Really?" A flicker of hope sparked, only to be extinguished by the memory of his eyes-looking at me like I was garbage. My voice turned raw again. "No, Mom. He hates me. My mate hates me."

Her eyes dimmed. She placed her hands on my shoulders. "You're too young to understand the ways of fate," she said gently. "The Moon Goddess paired you for a reason. But if. if Donovan truly cannot see your worth, then perhaps the Goddess has a different, greater plan for you. You have always been a good girl. She sees that."

I didn't answer. After the cataclysm of this day, I didn't know if I could believe in a fate this cruel.

"Rest tonight, my love. Cry if you need to. But don't let this break you."

I cried until my throat was raw and my eyes burned, but it did nothing to ease the ache in my soul. I tried everything to fall asleep, but each time I closed my eyes, I saw Donovan shoving me away, heard his cruel rejection. I pressed a pillow over my face to muffle the sound, but it was useless.

I had a math test tomorrow. With my father branded a traitor and everything taken from us, school was my only lifeline now. If I wanted any chance at a scholarship, any chance at a future, I needed perfect grades.

So I sat at the small, rickety desk, wiping tears from my practice test as I reviewed quadratic equations. Fate might be cruel, but I refused to just lie down and take it.

My grandmother used to tell me that time was the greatest healer. Given enough of it, maybe I would get through this. Maybe.

---

The morning light did me no favors. My eyes burned, and a dull throb pounded behind my temples. Still, I forced myself through a shower, dressed, and made my way to the bus stop.

I had just stepped into the school hallway when I spotted my two best friends, Lila and Brinley, ahead. I tried to straighten my posture, hoping to mask the mess I felt inside.

"Hey, good morning!" I called out, forcing a bright tone as I quickened my pace toward them.

They sidestepped my approach in unison. The looks they gave me were ones of pure disgust, as if I'd rolled in mud and then waded through a sewer.

Brinley crossed her arms. "Don't talk to us."

A cold dread trickled down my spine.

Lila snorted, tossing her hair. "Are you really that clueless? Your dad's a traitor, Amanda. Everyone knows."

My stomach churned.

"Please. don't. You both knew my dad. He wasn't like that."

"Who knows?" Brinley rolled her eyes. "He faked his own death. Maybe the 'devoted Beta' was an act, too."

"Exactly," Lila chimed in. "The daughter of a traitor needs to keep her distance. We don't want any of that filth rubbing off on us."

Anger, sharp and hot, finally overrode my hurt.

I stepped forward, glaring at them with fution, "Really? That's it? After everything? Lila, when your little brother fell into the ravine during the winter hunt, who was it that rappelled down and carried him back up, risking his own life? My father! And Brinley, when your family's house caught fire, who organized the bucket line and ran inside twice to save your grandparents? My father! I considered you my closest friends, and you turn on me like this?"

Their faces flickered with a hint of shame, but their resolve held. "We can't afford to be associated with you," Lila retorted, though her voice had lost some of its edge. "Weren't you always boasting about being Donovan's best friend? Where is he now that your family's in trouble? Too scared to confront him, so you take it out on us? Pathetic."

The blow landed with brutal precision, draining the color from my face and silencing my retort.

As they drew breath for another verbal strike, a calm, steady voice cut through the tension. "The final bell for the exam rang twice already. If we don't hurry, we'll all be dealing with the proctor's wrath."

I turned to see Steven, a transfer student from last semester. He offered me a small, gentle smile-the first person today who didn't look at me as if I carried a plague.

I returned a grateful, if wobbly, smile and hurried toward the exam hall.

What I was missing was the sight of Donovan around the corner, his hand clenched white-knuckled around a steel handrail, bending it out of shape.

AMANDA'S POV:

The exam room wasn't much better than the hallway. The same people who had once laughed at my jokes now acted as if I carried a plague. They gave me a wide berth, their whispers trailing behind me like a poisoned shadow.

"She has no shame," I heard a girl say to her friend. "She should be in the dungeons, not walking around like a free wolf."

"She should just end it," the second girl replied, her voice dripping with casual cruelty.

"I'm surprised they're still letting her attend this school," another chimed in. "She should be banished. Sent to join her rogue father."

My throat tightened. I blinked rapidly, refusing-refusing-to let them see me cry. Crying would be a victory for them. And I would not give them that satisfaction. I would stand tall until my family was cleared.

I walked to my desk and sat down, staring straight ahead. No eye contact. But I could still feel the weight of their stares-mocking, pitying, loathing. I curled my hands into fists under the desk. Hold on, Amanda. Don't let them break you.

I pulled out my supplies with as much composure as I could muster. That's when two boys, shoving each other in some roughhousing game, slammed into my desk. My bag toppled to the floor. One of them stomped directly onto my pencil case, the plastic cracking audibly beneath his heel.

"I didn't see it," the boy said, shrugging. There wasn't an ounce of remorse on his face. "Maybe you shouldn't leave your stuff where people walk."

He broke my things and now he's blaming me. The heat of real anger began to simmer beneath my skin. "You should apologize."

"Give me a break." The second boy sneered. "A traitor's daughter doesn't get to demand apologies."

"He crushed my pencil case," I said, my voice rising despite myself. "The exam is about to start. What am I supposed to do?"

"Quit making a scene, Omega," someone called out from the back. "Isn't the 'honor student' supposed to be so smart? Can't take a test without supplies? Or were all your grades just cheating?"

Laughter erupted. A few students snickered behind their hands. I tried to ignore them, but my heart was pounding. This exam mattered-for college, for scholarships, for any future I had left.

I turned to the student beside me. "Can I borrow-"

"No." She didn't even look at me. "I'm not getting involved with a traitor."

I tried the next desk. And the next. Each rejection landed like a slap. No one would meet my eyes. No one would help.

I'm going to fail. I'm going to fail and lose everything, all because of a cracked pencil case and a name I never chose.

Then, a hand appeared in my peripheral vision.

"Here. Use mine." Steven extended a spare pencil case toward me. "I always keep an extra set."

I looked up at him, this boy I barely knew. He wasn't looking at me like I was garbage. He wasn't whispering behind his hand. He was just... offering.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice cracking.

"Don't mention it." He gave a small, easy smile, as if lending a pencil to a pariah was the most normal thing in the world.

I didn't know why he was helping me. But right now, I didn't care. For the first time all day, someone had treated me like a person instead of a plague.

I took a shaky breath and turned back to my desk, gripping the borrowed pencil case like a lifeline.

Fortunately, studying always grounded me. As the minutes ticked by, I poured myself into the exam paper. Numbers were easier than people. Equations didn't judge. They didn't sneer. Like always, I finished first. But I took my time double-checking every answer.

When the bell finally rang and I walked to the front to submit my paper, Mr. Donald-my teacher-didn't even look at me. He just snatched the sheet from my hand, as if touching me was a crime.

This was the same man who used to brag about me to other teachers.

"Amanda Porter is one of my brightest students," he used to say. "I have no doubt she'll be our top graduate."

Now, Mr. Donald couldn't even meet my eyes.

I swallowed the pain. I wouldn't let them see me break.

I walked out of the classroom and headed toward the cafeteria. My stomach growled the entire way. I'd skipped breakfast, and the small dinner we'd shared last night hadn't done much to fill me. I knew the cafeteria would be crowded, but I'd hoped to at least sit quietly and eat alone.

The buzz of students hit me as I walked in. The place was packed, but I spotted a small empty spot at a table with some girls. I walked over and stood behind the chair.

"Um. excuse me. Can I sit-"

One of the girls didn't even let me finish. She pulled her tray away from the empty space.

"No. We don't want a traitor sitting with us."

Another girl added, loud enough for everyone around to hear, "Yeah, go sit with the rogues. That's where your family belongs."

My heart burned, but I kept my face blank. I moved to another table. A group of boys was eating there. The moment I pulled out a chair to sit, they shot up.

"I'm not sitting with her," one of them announced.

"Yeah, let's bounce," another muttered.

They left so fast you'd think I was holding a knife.

The humiliation struck me square in the chest. My hands trembled as I pushed the chair back into place. I didn't know where else to go.

I got in line for food. At least food couldn't talk back.

When it was finally my turn, the cook stopped cold, as if she'd just seen something disgusting crawl toward her.

She crossed her arms. "No. Move along."

I stared at her. "Ma'am. I just want my portion. Please."

She jutted her chin toward the back door. "Leftovers are in there. Eat that. It's what your kind deserves."

My breath caught. The entire line went silent. Some watched. Others whispered. Laughter hid behind their hands.

I wished the ground would crack open and swallow me whole. The heat spread across my face-shame, anger, hurt, all of it tangled together. I opened my mouth to speak, but nothing came out. In that moment, I felt like my father had died all over again. And this time, my life went with him.

My father had given everything to protect this Pack. He'd made the ultimate sacrifice-his life for the Alpha's. And now the very people he died to protect wanted me to feel ashamed of my own blood.

My hands shook.

I took a small step back.

And then I noticed a familiar presence.

Steven.

I turned slowly to find him walking toward me, a tray in his hands. I stood there, barely breathing, unsure of what was coming.

"Come join me, Amanda. Let's eat together," Steven said, stopping right in front of me.

I opened my mouth to accept-to thank him for being the only decent person in this entire building-

A shadow swept past my eyes. A crash exploded in my ears.

My heart leaped as I registered the sound of something shattering against the floor.

"Oh my Goddess," I whispered, staring down.

Steven's tray. the one he'd brought for both of us. was overturned on the tiles. Food splattered everywhere.

But that wasn't the worst part.

The food wasn't just on the floor.

It was on me.

Warm soup soaked through my clothes. I must have looked like someone had dumped an entire pot over my head.

A few gasps rippled through the crowd. Then came the laughter. It spread fast-loud, sharp, cruel. The entire room erupted. I felt the ground should crack open and swallow me whole.

"Look at her! Now she actually looks like trash!" someone called out.

My chest tightened so hard I thought I might pass out.

Slowly, as if waking from a nightmare, I lifted my eyes.

Donovan stood there.

His gaze was ice. No guilt. No hesitation. He wasn't even breathing hard. He didn't pretend it was an accident. He just glared at me as if everything he'd just done was perfectly justified.

As if humiliating me was normal.

My lips trembled. "D-Donovan. why.?"

The corner of his mouth curled. "A traitor's daughter doesn't deserve cafeteria food. You should be eating out of the garbage."

His voice carried across the room. Every single person was watching me now. Some sneered. Others kept laughing.

But that wasn't what hurt the most. What hurt most was the cold emptiness on Donovan's face.

As if being shunned by the entire school wasn't enough. The boy I once loved had become the one leading the charge against me.

I refused to accept this cruel reality. I gathered what courage I had left and stepped closer to him, trying to reach whatever humanity was still buried inside him.

"Why can't I eat here? Isn't the cafeteria for everyone?"

"No," Donovan shook his head, his voice flat and final. "It's a new rule. Traitors don't eat here. And anyone who breaks the rules pays the price."

He let the words hang in the air, his eyes boring into mine-daring me to argue, daring me to cry, daring me to break.

Around us, the laughter swelled again.

But I didn't cry. Not yet.

I just stood there, soaked in soup, and stared at the boy who had once promised to protect me from the world.

Now he was the world I needed protecting myself from.

DONOVAN'S POV

I watched Amanda's eyes-those eyes I had once loved more than anything-fill with tears she refused to let fall. For one unbearable moment, my chest seized with a pain I couldn't name. My wolf snarled inside me, clawing to get out, to reach our mate, to wipe the tears from her face and pull her into my arms.

I promised to protect her forever. I would have torn apart anyone who dared hurt her.

That was supposed to be my purpose. My destiny. And I would have embraced it gladly.

Then, just as I felt myself slipping-just as I almost stepped toward her-someone else got there first.

That damned Steven.

"Since when does this school make rules based on your mood?" His voice was calm, steady, dripping with defense for her. "Who gave you the right to decide who eats and who doesn't?"

I wanted to kill him.

I forced myself to turn, to face him. "New arrival," I said, each word slow and deliberate, "as the future Alpha, I have every right to make rules for the safety of this Pack."

"Oh, really?" He raised an eyebrow, and the look on his face made me want to rearrange his features. "I don't recall hearing that children have to starve just because their father committed a crime."

"If you're deaf, that's not my problem." I smiled-a cold, sharp thing. "I won't waste my energy repeating myself to someone so far beneath me."

Steven's hands curled into fists at his sides.

Good. Throw the first punch. Give me a reason.

I wanted him to swing. I wanted to tear that smug, righteous face apart. I wanted Amanda to see-to finally see-the ugly, hypocritical soul hiding behind that heroic mask.

But the coward didn't move.

Instead, she stepped in front of him.

"Leave Steven alone." Her voice was small but steady. "This has nothing to do with him."

The words hit me like a blade between the ribs.

I stared at her-my Amanda-standing between me and another male. Protecting him. Him.

My wolf howled in fury. My jaw tightened so hard I thought my teeth might crack.

"You're defending him now?" The question came out lower than I intended, rougher. I couldn't quite hide the edge beneath it.

She didn't flinch. Didn't back down. Just stood there, soaked in soup, looking at me like I was the monster.

"I'm just stating facts," she said, her jaw set with that stubborn resolve I knew too well. "You're targeting me. There's no need to drag innocent people into it."

"Innocent?" The word nearly made me laugh. "A traitor's daughter like you-do you even know what 'innocent' means?"

She flinched. The light in her eyes dimmed, just for a second. But instead of the satisfaction I'd expected, something else twisted in my gut.

She looked at me-really looked at me-with something I hadn't seen before.

"I misjudged you," she said quietly. "I was foolish to think we. at least we used to be friends."

The disappointment in her voice hit harder than I wanted to admit.

Before I could reach for her-before I could stop myself-she turned and ran out of the cafeteria. I should have gone after her. But my feet stayed nailed to the floor.

Because Amanda didn't look back. Not once.

---

AMANDA'S POV:

I ran. I ran like I could outrun the tears, like if I moved fast enough, no one would see me fall apart.

I never thought Donovan would become my worst bully. I could ignore the others-their sneers, their whispers, their cruel little jokes. But every time his eyes met mine with that look of disgust, it felt like my heart was being carved out piece by piece.

Could I really survive this? Finish school in this place? Maybe I should just disappear. Find a corner where no one would ever notice me.

"Hey, Amanda." Steven caught up to me, breathless. "Are you okay?"

I didn't understand why he kept following me. When the whole world had turned against me, this boy I barely knew kept showing up. Maybe he was just too good for his own sake.

"I'm fine." I wiped my tears quickly and turned to face him. "Thank you. But I just want to be alone right now."

His outstretched hand hesitated, then dropped to rub the back of his neck. "Okay. I get it. If you ever need anything, just call."

I nodded. We said goodbye.

The afternoon passed faster than I expected. Maybe because I'd started learning how to tune out the hate. I left before the final bell this time-I couldn't risk missing the early bus to the Omega tenement. I couldn't stomach another minute of their stares.

But luck wasn't on my side.

The moment I reached the bus stop, three male wolves stepped out from the shadows, blocking my path.

"Where do you think you're going, traitor girl?" one of them sneered.

I tried to step around them. Another one moved to block me.

"Get out of my way," I said, my voice sharp. "You don't want to find out what I'll do to you."

"Ooh, feisty," another mocked. "Maybe that's why her dad ran off. Couldn't handle all that heat."

Rage coiled in my stomach, hot and sick. "Don't talk about my father."

They laughed like I'd told a joke. "What are you gonna do about it, Omega?"

One of them stepped closer, his breath hot and foul. "Tell me, why beg for scraps in the cafeteria when you could just. be nice to us? We might take care of you. Real good."

My body went rigid. I understood exactly what he was suggesting. "Stay away from me. I'm warning you."

One of them grabbed my wrist. "Relax. We're trying to help you. No one else will touch you. You should be grateful."

"Let go of me!" I yelled, louder this time.

"No," he grinned, his other hand moving toward my chest. "Not until we've had our-"

"Hey!"

A voice rang out from across the street. Familiar. The boys froze.

I turned.

Steven.

He walked straight toward us, and I'd never seen that look on his face before. Hard. Dangerous.

"Let her go. Now," he said.

The leader scoffed. "What's it to you? Who made you the knight in shining armor?"

"I said let her go," Steven repeated. "Unless you want trouble."

For a moment, I thought they might swing at him. But something in Steven's eyes made them hesitate. The one holding my wrist let go like my skin had burned him.

"Whatever. Not worth it," he muttered, backing away. "She's just a worthless Omega anyway. Her whole family is trash. I wouldn't want her stink on me."

They slunk off without another glance.

I let out a shaky breath.

"You okay?" Steven asked.

I nodded, even though my hands were still trembling. "Yeah. Thank you."

He told me to wait, jogged back to the school lot, and pulled his car around in under a minute. Twenty minutes later, he dropped me at the tenement.

I turned to him with a warm smile. "Thank you, Steven. I don't know why you keep doing this, but. I really appreciate it."

"It's nothing," he said. "If you want, I could pick you up every morning. Drop you off after school."

The offer felt. big. Like something I shouldn't accept without thinking.

"I'll. think about it," I said softly.

He nodded and drove off. But I stood there longer than I should have, watching his car disappear down the road. I couldn't say why. Something heavy settled in my chest.

I sighed and turned toward the stairwell.

And walked straight into a solid wall of muscle.

I looked up.

My blood went cold.

Donovan Reed stood right in front of me.

His eyes snapped to mine-then widened. A sharp inhale cut through the silence. Before I could step back, his hand shot out and closed around my throat.

"What the hell is this scent?" he snarled.

I clawed at his wrist. "D-Donovan-wait-"

"You smell like you've been rolling around with a dozen men," he growled, his grip tightening. "I knew it. The moment you stepped in front of that bastard in the cafeteria, I knew. You're sleeping with him. And not just him?" His lip curled. "You're pathetic, Amanda. Spreading your legs for anyone who says hello."

I tried to speak, but no sound came out. My vision blurred at the edges.

He didn't stop.

"A traitor's daughter whoring herself out like some cheap slut," he hissed.

My knees buckled. Still, he didn't let go. Spots danced in front of my eyes. A ringing filled my ears.

Then-his grip loosened.

He let go completely. I slumped against the wall, coughing, gasping, dragging air into my burning lungs.

He stood there, breathing hard, his jaw clenched like stone.

"Stop running around like a stray," he bit out. "If you get hurt, the Pack will blame me. I'm not your babysitter."

I wiped my eyes and steadied my voice. "I wasn't running around. Some guys tried to-"

"I don't care," he cut me off.

His gaze dragged over me-taking in my wrinkled, soaked clothes, the dirt, the red marks blooming on my throat.

"From now on," Donovan said, his voice flat and sharp as a blade, "you're my personal servant. A small way for you to atone for your father's crimes. You come when I call. You do what I say."

My heart dropped, a cold, heavy stone sinking in my chest.

"What?"