The great hall of the Silvermoon Pack House had been transformed for the monthly gathering. Silver banners hung from the rafters, and the scent of roasted venison filled the air. Once, I would have stood proudly beside Marcus, overseeing the celebration as his Luna. Now, I struggled under the weight of a heavy platter, my eight-month pregnant belly making each step a challenge.

Sophia's voice cut through the murmur of conversation. "Former Luna, the warriors haven't been served yet." Her emphasis on 'former' sent a ripple of whispers through the crowd. She lounged in my ceremonial chair, wearing my silver cloak like it had always been hers.

I steadied my trembling hands and moved toward the warriors' table. My wolf, Luna, whimpered inside me. *Stay strong. For our pup.*

The warriors watched my approach with a mixture of pity and derision. These wolves had once bowed their heads in respect when I passed. Now, they smirked openly as I struggled to balance the platter.

"Careful not to drop it, Omega," one sneered, loud enough for everyone to hear. "That's the only useful thing you can do now—serve your betters."

Laughter rippled through the crowd. My cheeks burned with humiliation as I set down the first portion. Seven more to go. Each step felt like walking through deep sand, my swollen ankles protesting.

"Look how useless she is," Sophia called out, her voice dripping with mock concern. "Can't even serve a simple meal with that belly weighing her down."

As I reached the fourth warrior, a sharp pain lanced through my abdomen. My pup kicked violently, sensing my distress. The platter wobbled dangerously in my hands.

"She's going to drop it," someone whispered.

"Pathetic," another voice added.

My knees buckled. The platter tilted, sending a piece of venison sliding toward the edge. Gasps and derisive snickers filled the hall as I struggled to regain my balance.

"Enough!" Liam Blackwood's voice cut through the cruel amusement. Marcus's Beta stepped forward, his face tight with barely controlled anger. "This is beneath us. She carries the pack heir—"

The Alpha's roar shook the foundations of the hall. Marcus rose from his throne, eyes flashing gold with fury. "You question my judgment, Beta?"

The force of his Alpha tone sent Liam skidding backward several steps. The room fell into shocked silence.

"The former Luna serves at the pleasure of her Alpha and the pack's new Luna-to-be," Marcus declared, his voice cold and unfamiliar. "Any who interfere will face consequences."

Liam's throat worked as he swallowed his protest. His eyes met mine briefly—a flash of helpless apology before he lowered his gaze in submission.

"Continue," Sophia purred, sliding her hand possessively over Marcus's arm.

I forced myself to move again, each step more difficult than the last. The remaining warriors accepted their portions with smirks and whispered insults. By the time I finished, black spots danced at the edges of my vision.

"You may return to your quarters now," Sophia dismissed me with a flick of her wrist. "We'll call if we need anything else."

I backed away, protocol demanding I not turn my back on the Alpha. The room spun around me as I reached the doorway. My wolf howled in despair as we caught one last glimpse of Marcus—his silver eyes vacant as they passed over me without recognition.

The corridor tilted dangerously. I stumbled, one hand braced against the cold stone wall, the other cradling my belly protectively.

"Luna!" A voice called from far away. Aris Thorne, our pack Healer. "Someone help her!"

I felt my legs give way as darkness claimed me.

When I opened my eyes again, the sterile scent of the pack hospital filled my nostrils. Aris hovered over me, his kind face creased with worry.

"The pup?" I whispered.

"Safe," he assured me, checking my pulse. "But you're severely dehydrated and your blood pressure is dangerously low."

The door burst open. Sophia swept in, her face a mask of concern that didn't reach her cold eyes.

"How unfortunate," she said loudly. "I've been feeling quite weak myself. Doctor, I believe I need a blood transfusion immediately."

Aris stiffened. "That's not possible right now. The Luna—Victoria needs rest and—"

"Get the Alpha," Sophia snapped at a nearby Delta.

Minutes later, Marcus strode into the room, his powerful presence filling the small space. His eyes swept over me without emotion before turning to Sophia.

"What's happening?" he demanded.

"I need a transfusion," Sophia said, her voice suddenly weak and breathy. "But they're refusing to help me."

"We don't have enough staff to perform two procedures," Aris protested. "And Victoria is in a delicate condition—"

"Take her blood," Marcus ordered, cutting him off. "Now."

Aris's face paled. "Alpha, she's carrying your heir. Taking blood in her condition could—"

"That was an order, Healer." Marcus's voice dropped to a dangerous growl.

As the nurses prepared the equipment, Aris leaned close to me, slipping something into my hand beneath the blanket. "Strengthening herbs," he whispered. "Hide them until they leave."

I closed my fingers around the small vial, tears burning behind my eyes as the needle slid into my arm. My blood—the blood that nourished my unborn pup—flowed through the tube toward the she-wolf who had stolen everything from me.

Sophia's triumphant smile was the last thing I saw before exhaustion pulled me under once more.

The stone floor beneath my knees was cold and unforgiving as I scrubbed at a stubborn stain. My swollen belly made the simple task nearly impossible, forcing me to lean awkwardly to one side. The damp Omega quarters beneath the keep had become my prison—a far cry from the luxurious Luna suite I once shared with Marcus.

My raw, bleeding hands trembled as I dipped the brush back into the bucket of grimy water. The harsh cleaning solution stung my open wounds, but I bit back a whimper. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of hearing me cry.

'Just a little longer,' I whispered to my unborn pup, who kicked restlessly against my ribs. 'We'll find a way out of this.'

My wolf, Luna, paced anxiously within me. *We can't keep doing this, Victoria. The pup needs nourishment. We need rest.*

'I know,' I murmured, wincing as I shifted my weight. 'But what choice do we have?'

The sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor. I quickly sat up, wiping my hands on the tattered Omega garment that barely covered my pregnant form. Sophia had insisted I wear clothes two sizes too small—another calculated humiliation.

'Still not finished?' The Delta guard sneered from the doorway. 'Sophia wants this entire wing spotless before nightfall.'

'I'm working as fast as I can,' I replied, keeping my eyes downcast. Any show of defiance would only bring more punishment.

'Work faster,' he spat. 'Or you'll be scrubbing all night.'

After he left, I leaned against the wall, closing my eyes against a wave of exhaustion. My body ached from hours of labor, my knees bruised from the stone floor. The pup inside me shifted again, a painful reminder of what I was fighting for.

In a moment of desperate clarity, I reached for the one connection that should never have been broken. The mate bond—the sacred link that had once joined my soul to Marcus's.

*Marcus,* I called through the mind-link, focusing all my remaining strength on reaching him. *Please. If any part of you remembers me, remembers us...*

For a heartbeat, there was nothing but silence. Then, like a distant echo, I felt something—the faintest ripple across our severed bond. My heart leapt with desperate hope.

*Marcus?*

But the response that came wasn't words—it was a sensation. A cloying, artificial sweetness that seemed to cloud the connection, smothering any spark of recognition. Sophia's scent, amplified through the link, deliberately drowning out my call.

I recoiled, physically jerking away from the wall as if struck. My wolf howled in anguish, the sound echoing only in my mind. The rejection was worse than silence—it was proof that she had penetrated even this most sacred connection between mates.

Hours later, exhausted beyond measure, I dragged myself toward the infirmary. My mother had been moved there after her last episode, and visiting her was the only small mercy I'd been granted.

As I approached, I heard voices from within. I slowed my steps, pressing against the wall to listen.

'There, there, Eleanor,' Sophia's falsely sweet voice cooed. 'Drink this tea. It will help calm your nerves.'

'Victoria?' My mother's confused voice broke my heart. 'Where's my Victoria?'

'She'll visit soon,' Sophia lied smoothly. 'This will help you rest until then.'

I peered through the crack in the door. Sophia was holding a steaming cup to my mother's lips, her face a mask of concern that didn't reach her cold eyes. I recognized the faint herbal scent wafting from the cup—not a calming tea, but a powerful sedative laced with something else. Something that would trigger, not soothe.

I burst through the door. 'Mother, don't—'

Too late. Eleanor had already swallowed several mouthfuls. Sophia turned to me with a triumphant smile.

'How kind of you to visit,' she said loudly. 'I was just helping your poor, confused mother.'

She brushed past me, whispering as she went: 'Watch what happens to those who defy me.'

Within minutes, my mother's eyes dilated. She began to tremble, then shake violently. Suddenly, she leapt from the bed with unnatural strength, knocking over trays of medical instruments.

'Demons!' she screamed, clawing at invisible tormentors. 'They're everywhere!'

The commotion brought guards running. My mother, lost in her drug-induced hallucination, lashed out at them, her nails drawing blood from one Delta's face.

'Restrain her!' someone shouted.

I tried to reach her through the chaos. 'Mother, please! It's me, Victoria!'

But she was beyond hearing, beyond recognition. By the time Marcus arrived, the medical wing was in shambles. Broken glass littered the floor, and two nurses were being treated for scratches.

Marcus surveyed the destruction, his silver eyes cold and unfeeling. Then his gaze fell on my mother, now sedated and restrained on a bed.

'This is unacceptable,' he declared, his Alpha tone reverberating through the room. 'She's a liability to the pack.'

'Alpha,' I pleaded, 'she was drugged. This isn't her fault—'

'Silence!' His command hit me like a physical blow. 'Eleanor will be imprisoned until further notice. And you,' his eyes swept over me without a flicker of recognition, 'will return to your duties.'

As they carried my sedated mother away, Sophia appeared at Marcus's side, her hand possessively on his arm.

'Such a tragedy,' she murmured, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. 'Some minds are simply too fragile for our world.'

I watched them leave, my heart turning to stone in my chest. They had taken everything from me—my position, my dignity, my mate. And now, they had taken my mother.

My wolf, silent for so long in her despair, suddenly growled. Not a sound of submission, but of rage.

*We need to escape,* she said. *Before they destroy us completely.*

For the first time in months, I felt something other than despair. A tiny spark, flickering in the darkness.

Revenge.