Cassandra couldn't believe what she was seeing. 

Her world crumbled before her. She looked around, disbelief in her eyes as she looked at everyone's wide eyes.

The look of sympathy in their eyes for her, the same sympathy she was shown when her father had died... 

No. How could this be? Caleb loved her. He was her husband for two years, and had been together for four years. 

This has to be some classified nonsense. How could he find a mate? And why didn't he tell her anything about it? What the hell was going on? 

Tears streamed down Cassandra's face. She looked at the couple on the stage, her gaze wavering when she saw Caleb placing his hand around Harmony's waist. 

This was supposed to be her day. This was supposed to be the day when her father's long dream of seeing her as the Luna of the pack was supposed to come true. 

She won the trophy for the best Gamma in the tournament just for its sake. 

Then how come the girl given the title of the Luna of the pack was someone else? 

This wasn't right. 

"You can't do this to me," Cassandra finally said after some time, her voice resolute, hiding the atrocious pain she felt in her heart. 

Her body trembled. She could barely hold herself up. 

She blinked her eyes repetitively to clear her vision, which blurred with her tears. 

Caleb looked at the woman and sighed pitifully. 

"I am sorry, Cassandra. I wanted to tell you about it a long time ago. However, Harmony had the lowest level of omega with no wolf. No one would've accepted her if I had introduced her just like that. Please understand," Caleb said. 

Cassandra looked at the man before her in disbelief. 

Understand? What was there to understand? This was the dream her entire life revolved around. This was her father’s only wish for her!

Was this the same man she loved for four years and even went against her father to marry? 

Not only did he remove Luna's position from her, but he also wanted her to be the understanding one.

"Miss Cassandra, you are angry now, but it's not Beta Caleb's fault. He did it all for me. His wolf can't stay without me and —" Harmony rushed forward, trying to hold Cassandra's hand. 

"Don't touch me!" Cassandra jerked her hand away. 

Harmony widened her eyes and fell backward, landing on her butt and twisting her foot. 

"Cassandra Eleanor!" Caleb rushed behind Harmony.

Seeing his mate in pain, Caleb's eyes turned dark, and he raised his hand before slapping Cassandra hard across the face. 

Everyone's eyes widened at the turn of events. 

They did not expect Caleb, who always appeared like a doting husband, to slap his wife in front of everyone. 

"Caleb, ahhh, please don't hurt Miss Cassandra. It's all my fault. I shouldn't have returned to this pack with you. It was better if I were dead," Harmony wept.

Caleb's gaze softened at his mate's words, and he crouched down. 

"Don't talk like that, Harmony. How can you even talk about dying when my wolf can't stay without you? Do you want me dead as well?" Caleb asked, pulling Harmony up bridal style.

"No. Please don't say that. I would rather die a hundred times than see you in misery," Harmony cupped Caleb's cheeks, and the man looked at Cassandra. 

"How can you attack such a good girl, Cassandra? Has the win of the tournament gotten to your head? You clearly know she is weaker than you," Caleb said. 

He shook his head. There was a look of disappointment in his eyes. 

Cassandra felt numb. She kept looking at the man before her, the stinging pain in her cheeks a glaring truth that she had been neglecting all this while. 

Around three months ago, Caleb went to the South Lakes. He went there to solve the issue with the Trinity circle packs and the rogues on behalf of their alpha. 

However, when he returned, he brought Harmony with him. She was one of a kind of Omega, the lowest level, since she couldn't turn into her wolf form. 

Since she looked innocent but was severely bruised, they gave her a space in their pack and accepted her when they learned she was an orphan, but...

Who would've thought that her pity would come back and bite her hand in a way she hadn't ever thought? 

"If she is your mate, what about me, Caleb?" Cassandra asked. 

She knew it was pathetic of her to ask that. 

After being thoroughly humiliated before the entire nation's alphas, lunas, betas, and gammas, it was pathetic to ask this question, but she still wanted to know. 

"Don't overreact, Cassandra. It's natural for Harmony to become Luna since she is my true mate. However, you are still my wife. She is here because my wolf can't stay without her. I still love you," Caleb said. 

A self-mocking smile appeared on Cassandra's face. 

This day was supposed to be the day of their glory. 

This wasn't just about her. It was about the honor of their Aberdeen pack. 

The alpha of the Aberdeen Pack, whose sole heir was murdered in a rogue attack a couple of years ago, promised Cassandra he would honor her and her husband as the new Luna and Alpha of the pack if she brought any prestigious award as the best Female warrior to the pack. And for her father, she wanted to achieve it. 

But who would've thought that even after trying so hard and getting what she aspired to all her life, had promised her father two years ago would be taken away from her within a few seconds? 

Seeing their pack becoming a joke before the entire nation, Thomas Maybach felt a weird ache in his heart as his sickness reacted, making it impossible for him to breathe.

He coughed loudly before falling to the ground. 

The pack members rushed to his aid and took him to the hospital. 

Cassandra watched everything unfold, but couldn't find herself moving for some reason. 

Thomas was like a father figure to her, but even after that, the pain in her body that was spreading and only increasing made it impossible for her to move. 

"Miss Cassandra, are you alright?" Betty rushed to Cassandra. 

Hearing the same 'Miss' word from Betty's mouth, Cassandra couldn't help but chuckle in sadness. 

"I am fine. Go with the alpha," Cassandra said. 

Everyone left one by one, leaving her on the ground as no one knew what to do to support her. 

As disgusting as the truth was, Caleb was their alpha now, and opposing him would mean opposing the alpha and embracing the chance to become a rogue. 

As soon as Cassandra noticed everyone had left, the emotions she had been bubbling inside her finally spilled. 

She cried. 

Pulling her knees close to her chest, she cried.

"I am sorry, Dad. I... I couldn't fulfill your promise. Even after trying everything, I couldn't. You just asked one thing of me, that you wanted to see me as the Luna, but I just couldn't," Cassandra hiccuped.

"You warned me against marrying Caleb, a man who didn't even belong to our pack, but I insisted. After that night, I thought he was the only one who could handle me, but... I am a failure, Dad."

Cassandra, the proud Gamma of the Aberdeen pack, honored as the strongest Gamma female, crumbled to the ground as she wailed in agony and misery. 

“I am so sorry…” She cried loudly.

The pain in her chest only seemed to increase as it became hard to breathe. 

She was all alone here. No one to place their hand on her back and tell her everything would be fine. 

Then again, what would be okay? 

It was common knowledge among werewolves that when a true mate shows up, all the previous relationships are nullified and considered void until the mate is rejected. 

However, Caleb made her the Luna of the pack. What did it make of her? 

She was now the second woman. The proud dignity she held, the image she had built by working hard all those years, and all the respect she had gained crumbled before her. 

Cassandra cried in frustration, scratching her arms helplessly, wanting to take out some pain because it was unbearable. 

The self-deprecating thoughts about what kind of a blind woman she was were starting to make space in her mind. 

After crying for what felt like an eternity, she finally stopped.

Cassandra tried to stand up from the ground, not wanting to stay here where she was humiliated like this. 

However, as soon as she stood, her body gave up, and she fell to her knees. 

The fatigue of the tournament was catching up to her with the pain, and she felt helpless. Her body didn't seem to want to move, and another trail of tears rolled down her face. However, this time, she didn't make a sound. 

Someone was watching her. She could feel it. But she had no heart to face anyone.

"Hey, let me help you," Cassandra heard a voice, and turned to Michelle, the woman she had fought in the end. 

"What a bastard husband you had? What are you going to do now?" Michelle asked. 

Cassandra looked at Michelle with a tear-stricken face. 

"What can I do in a situation like this? He is now the Alpha of the pack. Alpha Thomas can't do anything, either. The council won't step up because he was made an Alpha legally. She is his mate. I am all alone in this. I will just have to serve him or choose a rogue life," Cassandra said in self-mockery.

Michelle looked at the girl in pity before shaking her head. 

"When I fought with you in the ring, this wasn't the woman I met. I met a fierce Gamma who came with a plan and a dream, was hard to beat, and was ready to take down even the heavens if they came between her and her dream. You can't let go of it so easily. You have to find someone to help you."

Michelle said that before she helped her in the taxi, she had asked the driver to take her back to her pack. 

Cassandra leaned on the windowsill, Michelle's words echoing. 

Kianna, Cassandra's wolf, was thoroughly disappointed in her human counterpart. 

How could she let that other woman have what they worked so hard for? Why didn't Cassandra fight for it? Even though she didn't come out, she was present there all the time, and it was a humiliation to her. It didn't settle well with her, and as a result, she went numb. 

The pain in Cassandra's chest intensified as her wolf forbade her to help her through the pain. 

The girl closed her eyes to contain the humiliation as she walked towards the pack borders after getting out of the taxi. 

Walking inside the pack, she heard people whispering behind her. 

They were talking about how she was betrayed by her husband of two years and how he even hid his mate until he made her Luna, using her as a stepping stone for both of them. 

Cassandra clenched her fists.

Disappointment laced her heart, gripping it like a lock suffocating her. 

Seeing her in so much pain, Kianna looked at her human counterpart.

"Even if Thomas gave the alpha title to Caleb, as the former alpha, he can help you contact the council. He can vouch for you and speak about the misconduct. After all, Caleb got the alpha position not because of his skills but because of you," Kianna said. 

Cassandra stopped.

Right. Why didn't she think about that? 

She wiped her tears before rushing to the pack house, where they must've taken the alpha. 

It was solemn. The environment was too pessimistic, and it felt too heavy to breathe.

It almost felt like everyone was mourning some kind of ....

Cassandra's pupils dilated, and without delaying, she hurried inside, only to see Alpha Thomas taking his last breaths. 

"Cassandra," Thomas called for her weakly.

"Can I talk to you alone?" Thomas asked. 

With his weak condition, it was practically impossible to take him anywhere. Thus, Cassandra looked at everyone, and they nodded in understanding. 

They left them alone. 

Thomas took a deep, shaky breath before extending his hand to the girl he treated as his daughter. 

"What happened was unfortunate –" 

"You will be fine soon. Just focus on being healthy. You can vouch for me in the council and tell them everything –" Cassandra started, but Thomas shook his head. 

"I only have a few minutes left. The doctor gave me an injection to make me able to speak for this time," Thomas took another deep breath. 

His body shook with each second and word he spoke, and Cassandra noticed how aged he looked suddenly.

The Luna title and injustice didn't matter for a second. Her heart ached for the man on the couch.

"That can't be true. You can't –" Cassandra started, but stopped when she saw his weak eyes. 

"Promise me, Cass. Promise me that you won't leave this pack. You will take care of it like I did. I can't trust anyone else but you. Even your father wanted you to be loyal to this pack," Thomas said. 

Cassandra nodded to him. 

"I promise I will protect it from wherever I am," she said. 

Thomas shook his head. 

"You don't understand. There is a treasure inside the pack that needs to stay hidden. You will have to protect that, Cass. I can only trust you with this. Your bloodline is –" Thomas couldn't speak the following syllable.

Cassandra sat frozen in her place. 

The snap of the pack's bond with the former alpha made her stagger backward. 

The howls of pain echoed in her pack, and soon, everyone rushed inside the living room. 

Their former alpha, Thomas Maybach, was dead. 

"Miss Cassandra, you need to be strong." Betty placed her hand on her shoulders, but Cassandra didn't respond. 

It was as if someone had taken the roof from her head. 

She couldn't bear to see Alpha Thomas like this. 

Cassandra shook her head and stood from the carpet, dashing outside. 

Her gaze met Caleb and his mate Harmony, who smiled as they approached the pack house. Just by looking at them, she felt bile rise in her throat. 

The same man who used to make her heart flutter made her want to vomit in disgust. 

Cassandra didn't wait to talk to Caleb and ran towards the forest. 

She ran until she reached the lake, panting heavily, and sat there for some time. 

However, it wasn't enough to calm her heart. 

Ready to jump into the water to cool her body, Cassandra was about to take her jacket off when a card fell from her pocket. 

"Alpha Joaquin Callisto," the card said, and Cassandra picked it up and looked at it carefully. He gave this card to her when they met.

'You can't let him win like this. There has to be someone who could help you,' Michelle's voice echoed in her ears, and Cassandra gulped before pulling her phone out. 

She dialed the number on the card, waiting anxiously. 

However, no one picked. 

'It was a bad choice. Why would an Alpha like him–' 

Before she could finish her thoughts, her phone started ringing. 

Cassandra looked at it for a couple of seconds, contemplating things. 

'Pick it up, Cass. The worst thing that could happen is that the man would reject helping you. ' Cassandra told herself it couldn't be worse than being humiliated before the entire nation and picked up the call.

"Hello?" She spoke. 

There was silence on the other side, and thinking that the man was probably waiting for her to introduce herself, Cassandra licked her bottom lip. 

"I am Cass–" She started.

"Hello," the man's deep and hoarse voice caught Cassandra off guard, making her heart skip a beat. She gulped. 

"I am Cassandra Eleanor. We met in the competition... in your room," Cassandra said. 

"I know," The man hummed lazily. 

Cassandra wiped her sweaty hands on her clothes. 

"I need your help," She said, summoning her courage. 

"Let's schedule a meeting, Miss Cassandra," The alpha said. 

Cassandra wanted to correct him, but chose otherwise.

"Should I come to your Pack?" She asked. 

The man stayed silent for some time.

"Let's meet outside," He said and ended the call. 

Cassandra furrowed her brows. 

How was she supposed to know where to meet when– 

She looked at the incoming message with the time and venue they were supposed to meet. 

It was scheduled after two hours. 

Cassandra looked at her condition and quickly went to the outhouse to get changed. 

After attending the Alpha Thames cremation ceremony, Cassandra left the pack to meet the dangerous alpha.

Her heart was pounding loudly against her chest the entire path as she tried to reform the sentences she would use to persuade the alpha why he could trust her and should help her. 

Cassandra exited the taxi once they reached the restaurant where they were supposed to meet. She was dressed in a red dress that reached her knees. 

"Miss Cassandra?" The person standing near the door asked her, and she nodded hesitantly.

"We were informed you would be arriving," the man said, leading her to a private room on the first floor. 

Cassandra entered the empty room where a wine bottle and two glasses were kept and gulped. 

Was it alright to meet an Alpha at this time? 

She was having second thoughts, but she didn't want to offend the alpha, who was her last resort.

She looked at the door and stood to greet the person who arrived, but to her surprise, three girls and four men walked inside the room, standing at the corners. 

"The alpha is arriving," The girl said, and Cassandra nodded in understanding.

Her gaze first fell on the man's shining shoes before traveling to his fitted pants and a black shirt that hugged his figure. His biceps nearly bulged from the strain, and his sleeves rolled near his elbows, giving him a semi-formal look.

Due to the three undone buttons, his wheatish chest was visible, and Cassandra gulped before meeting his hazel-amber eyes. 

His aura was undefeated, and his power alone made her wolf calm down and relax, which was quite strange because there were only a few people around whom Kianna relaxed. 

Alpha Joaquin nodded at her briefly and sat on the couch before her, his sharp jaws almost appearing clenched while he relaxed a little. 

"Please speak," The man beside the alpha said.

She looked at the alpha, ready to speak, when Alpha Joaquin, who had been relaxing while observing her, leaned forward.

"Let's sign a contract," he said. 

Cassandra raised her brows, looking at the man beside the alpha, hoping he would interpret those words for her.

However, it looked like the man was surprised himself. 

"You want my help, and in return, you will come to my pack and train my female soldiers. It's a fair deal," Joaquin said, a lopsided smile on his face that didn't leave any room for negotiation.

"But you don't even know why I need your help and what for," Cassandra said. 

Alpha Joaquin smirked; his gaze was dark and unpredictable. 

"To throw your cheating husband off the pack. Though I would prefer killing and having a clean record, I know you wouldn't fancy that," Alpha Joaquin said as if killing someone wasn't a big deal, and Cassandra gulped. 

Right. What else could she expect from the named monster of the alpha world?

"Okay," Cassandra said after thinking about everything. Alpha Joaquin leaned backward before looking at one of the girls who walked forward and placed the contract on the table. 

Cassandra raised her brows. 

It looked like the man was prepared already. 

"It's a three-month contract. Once you fulfill your part of your deal, we will fulfill ours," the alpha said, and Cassandra nodded before she read the statement. 

She didn't know why, but it felt like she was signing something bigger than just taking her time to train the female soldiers, like signing a deal with the devil.

Cassandra walked inside the pack house and headed straight towards her room. Exhaustion tugged at her bones, but her resolution after meeting with Alpha Callisto strengthened. 

She saw hope that things would be alright in the long run. 

As she ascended the stairs, passing by the other pack members, she heard them whispering. 

For a moment, she thought they must be whispering about Caleb's betrayal or probably Alpha Thomas’s death, which had dealt her a heavy blow. However, to her surprise, they were different. 

This time, the whispers were about her husband's ‘preparations’ to arrange a room for his mistress beside their room.

Oh, she couldn't call Harmony his mistress. She was his mate, rightful lover, and deserving Luna of the pack. 

And who was she? A wife who had no identity anymore, just a Gamma warrior. 

Bile rose in her throat at the memories of that slap that Caleb made not to her face but to her ego. 

Cassandra gulped, refusing to let them see her bleed or cry anymore. They didn't deserve that after how they betrayed her trust. 

When Cassandra reached her room, she saw Caleb standing at the entrance. His arms were crossed against his chest, and his brows knitted as he ordered men to arrange things according to Harmony's liking. 

“Cassandra, I know it might put you at ease, but I have arranged for Harmony to live beside us. As the rightful Luna, she deserves the respect,” Caleb said sternly. 

Cassandra looked at the man before her, contemplating whether this was the same man she had been hopelessly in love with. 

The same sense of betrayal made her heart clench, but she maintained the serene smile on her face. 

“Of course, it's logical,” She said smoothly. 

Seeing her calm expression, Caleb's stern expression faltered a little. He had expected her to throw a tantrum, cry, make a scene, care for or hate him, just like she did at the field when he took Harmony's side. 

Cassandra's calm expression threw him off guard.

“Cassandra, you—” Caleb started, but before he could continue, he smelled her presence before hearing her soft footsteps. 

Harmony walked to them, dressed in an ivory silk dress. The fabric clung to her chest like a second skin as she blinked at them with innocent eyes. 

Cassandra looked at the girl, the dress making her want to scoff in their face. But she stopped herself in time. 

“Alpha Caleb —” She stopped, her voice delicate as she looked at Cassandra as if threatening her existence. 

Seeing the fake, pretentious acting, Cassandra felt a little irritated. 

“I was looking for you. I wanted to ask you if you would like to eat anything specific that I can cook for you,” Harmony said, a triumphant glint crossing her eyes as she leaned close to Caleb, her chest pressing on the man's biceps. 

This time, Cassandra's lips twitched in amusement that she barely hid. The little actress was truly something. 

Without indulging in their useless display of affection, Cassandra turned her attention to Caleb.

“Actually, I came to tell you something,” she said. 

Caleb dragged his mesmerized eyes from Harmony's cleavage reluctantly before furrowing his brows. 

“What?” 

The helplessness was evident in his voice before he cleared his throat. 

“I have decided to take up Alpha Callisto's offer. He wants me to train his Gamma females. I declined before because I thought I would take over Luna's duties after winning, but clearly…” Cassandra trailed off, noticing how Caleb stiffened. 

“Well, I have free time now,” She added. 

“You are leaving?” Caleb asked, not liking the sound. 

Cassandra scoffed inwardly. She would've believed his expressions if not for the betrayal and humiliation from earlier. 

“I am not leaving,” Cassandra smiled and looked at Harmony provocatively before adding, “I am just sharpening my skills and trying to expand our network.” 

Caleb clenched his fists.

“You can't divorce me,” He said. 

Cassandra smiled softly. 

“Oh, Caleb, you wound me. I wouldn't think of a divorce even in my dreams. I promised my dad and Alpha Thames that I would always think about the pack’s welfare, and that's what I am doing,” Cassandra said. 

The lies tasted bitter on her tongue, and she wasn't used to this kind of act, but she was ready to do it for her people and her father. 

Caleb panicked a little. Cassandra was the kind of asset to the pack that he couldn't afford to lose, no matter what. 

He wanted to object, but Harmony looped her arms around his biceps and blinked at him. 

“You would need this time to make your wolf healthier and stronger. And honestly, I need a rest too. I have been training for too long. I'll travel a little,” Cassandra said. 

Seeing Harmony pressing herself against Caleb, Cassandra felt a detached amusement in her body before she looked at Caleb's wavering resolution.

After a sigh, he finally spoke, “Okay, fine. You can go. But you need to keep me updated. You are still my wife.”

Caleb's words made Cassandra want to chuckle.

“Of course, Alpha,” She said with suppressed mockery before nodding with a fake smile and closing the room. 

That night, Cassandra packed her stuff lightly. Other than Betty, she didn't tell anyone about her destination. And about her plan of colluding with Alpha Callisto, even Betty didn't know. 

“Must you leave?” Betty asked anxiously, not liking Cassandra's departure. 

“I'll be back. Don't worry,” Cassandra squeezed her friend's hand. 

“Watch out for our loved ones, Betty. I’ll contact you to stay updated with pack’s whereabouts. We can't trust anyone anymore,” Cassandra said, hinting at a deeper conspiracy in the pack. 

And why not? She never had imagined Caleb would betray her, but he did. 

“Be careful, Miss Cassandra,” Betty said, and Cassandra nodded at her. 

~~~~~~

The journey to the Divine Bloodlust pack was long and grueling, mostly because her mind was full of memories of betrayal and humiliation that didn't seem to leave her head. 

The forests blurred past her, and the wind bit her cheeks as she rolled down the window to feel the cold air and stop her mind from thinking useless, self-deprecating things. 

When Cassandra reached the Bloodlust pack, dawn had already broken, and she stopped at the pack borders with a stern expression. 

The guards walked to her car.

“Yes?” 

“Cassandra Eleanor. Your alpha has invited me,” Cassandra said. 

The guards looked at each other before they probably got the green signal from the leading security force, and they opened the large gates of the fencing. 

Cassandra drove her car inside the Pack, visibly impressed by its magnanimous beauty. 

Everything was so beautiful, clean, and well-arranged that it made the pack look like a dreamland. It was nothing like what she expected from the most dangerous pack in the world. 

As she reached the pack house, she couldn't help but feel her breath getting caught in her throat. 

There before her stood Alpha Callisto. 

Stripped to nothing but black khaki pants, his body glistening with sweat and muscles rippling with every movement that screamed danger. 

He stood before another man and seemed to be talking about something important. She stopped the car at the entrance of the pack house, and the man turned to look at her as soon as she got out. 

His brown hair looked damp while his hazel amber eyes burned with focus. 

Cassandra froze in her place when his lips stretched into that familiar smirk, her heart fastening at the sight. 

He looked dangerous. 

He walked to her, long and slow strides, asserting his dominance. Standing before her, invading her personal space, he looked down at her. 

“You are here,” He said before he leaned and placed his face in the crook of her neck, their chests almost touching. 

“In our pack, you smell like us, or nothing at all,” The man said before he licked her neck, making her gasp. 

In that moment, one thing became clear. The chilling realization dawned on Cassandra. This would be no easy alliance, no comfortable partnership, and if she lost, she might be losing more than just that pack. 

She looked into his eyes before taking a deep breath.

“Hello, Alpha Callisto,”

“Hello to you, too, Miss Cassandra. Let's test your ability,” He smirked.