The full moon hung low in the crimson-streaked sky as I made my way through the dense forest, the crunch of leaves beneath my boots muffled by the pounding of my heart. Clutched tightly in my hand was the small wooden box, carved with ancient runes — a gift for my mate, Kieran. Inside it lay the pendant of the Blood Oath, a symbol of eternal loyalty among werewolves. I had it blessed by the elders, ready to present to him tonight as a mark of our bond.

But that wasn’t the only secret I carried.

Tucked inside my coat was the result from the healer — a delicate parchment that confirmed

what I’d suspected for weeks. I was pregnant. Kieran’s child. The future Alpha of the Obsidian Fang Pack growing inside me.

I’d spent the entire walk rehearsing how I’d tell him. Should I give him the pendant first and then reveal the news? Or should I just blurt it out, letting the joy spill freely?

The massive stone hall of the Alpha’s quarters loomed ahead, its towering spires reaching

toward the blood-streaked moon. As I neared, the faint echo of voices seeped through the

crack in the ancient oak doors. I paused, my hand hovering over the handle.

“You think Selene needs to know?” Kieran’s deep voice rumbled.

“It’s done, Magnus. There’s no undoing it.”

Selene. My name on his lips, but… what was he talking about?

I leaned closer, my wolf ears sharpening the sound.

Magnus, his Beta and oldest friend, let out a growl.

“You drained her mother’s life force to save Aria. You know what will happen if Selene finds out?”

My blood ran cold.

Aria. Kieran’s first love. The she-wolf he had once sworn to protect above all else. The same she-wolf my older mate, Dorian, had left me for before he was slaughtered by rogues.

“She was dying anyway,” Kieran replied, his voice flat. “Selene’s mother was too weak to survive the next full moon. I just… sped up the process.”

A tremor wracked my body, the parchment slipping from my hand and fluttering to the ground.

“You killed her!” Magnus hissed.

“I saved Aria,” Kieran snarled back, his canines elongating briefly. “And I mated Selene Voss. Isn’t that enough?”

“You’ve lied to her for three years. She worships you, Kieran.”

I gripped the wall to stay upright, bile rising in my throat.

“Selene was never the plan,” Kieran sneered.

“She was a means to an end. Her bloodline is

strong, pure. It secured my position. But if she finds out… so be it. I’ll cast her aside. Aria is

all that matters.”

Something inside me shattered. The pendant slipped from my fingers, clinking against the

stone.

I stumbled backward, my vision blurred with tears. The world around me twisted, the howls

of wolves echoing in my ears, but none of it felt real.

I ran.

Branches clawed at my skin as I tore through the forest, my heartbeat drowning out every thought. My mother’s last moments — stolen for Aria.

Every touch, every whispered promise from Kieran — all a lie.

I barely noticed when my foot snagged on a gnarled root. I flew forward, crashing hard into

the ground. Pain shot through my side, but I pushed myself up, gasping for air. And then the scent of iron hit me.

Blood.

My hand instinctively flew to my abdomen. No. No, no, no—

The pain intensified, hot and blinding.

The last thing I saw before darkness swallowed me was the bloodied parchment half-buried

in the dirt, its damning words mocking me.

'You are with child.'

When I woke, I was surrounded by the sterile scent of herbs and burning sage. The healer’s

den. The dull ache in my body was nothing compared to the sharp, raw wound in my chest.

Kieran was there.

His head bowed against the edge of my cot, his large hand gripping mine tightly. His shoulders trembled, silent tears staining the fur-lined blanket beneath me.

“Selene,” he choked out, his voice cracking.

“Moon Goddess, I thought I lost you.”

I swallowed the scream clawing up my throat.

His hand moved to my cheek, warm and tender, as if he hadn’t condemned my mother to death.

“Why were you out there alone?” His voice was full of fake concern. “The healer said… you

almost didn’t make it.”

I forced a fragile smile, feeling the burn of tears I refused to let fall.

“I tripped,” I whispered hoarsely. “The ground was slick. I wasn’t careful.”

Relief flooded his face. His hand gripped mine tighter, as if he couldn’t bear to let go.

“I thought I lost you,” he repeated, his voice trembling. “You’re my everything, Selene. I don’t

know what I’d do without you.”

I wanted to scream, to tear him apart with my claws, but instead, I squeezed his hand back.

“I’m fine,” I murmured.

He pulled me into his arms, his scent surrounding me, suffocating me.

“I’ll protect you. Always.”

Liar.

As he held me, I made a silent vow.

Kieran Blackthorn had taken my mother, my trust, my love — and almost my child.

I would take everything from him.

But first… I had to make him believe I was still his.

I closed my eyes, hiding the storm raging within, and planned my revenge.

The moon hung high above the forest, its silver glow casting shadows over the Obsidian Fang Pack’s place.

Kieran had left at dawn, mounted on his sleek black horse, claiming urgent business with a neighboring Alpha.

“I won’t be gone long, Selene,” he had said, brushing a soft kiss on my temple. His voice had

been warm, almost tender, but I knew better now.

“I’ll miss you.”

I’d forced a smile, swallowing the disgust that threatened to rise. “Be careful.”

But the moment his silhouette disappeared into the dense trees, I sprang into action.

For weeks, I’d watched him—studied his patterns, his movements, the way he handled his most guarded secrets. Kieran, the all-powerful Alpha of the Obsidian Fang Pack, thought himself invincible. But tonight, I would prove him wrong.

I padded silently through the grand estate, my wolf senses heightened. His office door creaked open under my touch. I slipped inside, heart racing.

The room smelled of cedarwood and old parchment, with towering shelves filled with ancient tomes and artifacts from long-forgotten werewolf clans. But I wasn’t here for relics.

I crossed to the far wall, where a massive painting of the first Obsidian Fang Alpha hung.

The air around it felt off—too cold.

I slid the canvas aside. A steel safe sat embedded into the wall.

I exhaled slowly. The code was the next hurdle, but I had learned Kieran’s weakness. Aria’s birthday. The woman he truly loved—the one I had always been second to.

I punched in the date. The safe clicked open on the first try.

Inside, rows of documents and scrolls were meticulously arranged.

I scanned through them, my claws itching to shred every paper to pieces.

There they were—binding oaths from the Elders, records of the life-for-life ritual that had stolen my mother’s heart… literally. Her death hadn’t been the result of a rogue attack like Kieran had claimed. No, he had offered her heart to Aria in a twisted show of devotion.

Tears burned my eyes, but I swallowed them down.

My hand trembled as I uncovered another pile—scrolls tied with black ribbons, the mark of secrecy in our world. I unfurled one. It detailed Kieran’s financial trades, but more than that,

it outlined “gifts” sent to Aria: enchanted jewelry, spell-forged gowns, even a charmed dagger meant to protect her.

And then I found another stack. These were for me—the minor trinkets he’d paraded around

as grand gestures. Compared to what Aria received, they were nothing but scraps.

I knelt on the cold stone floor, the weight of betrayal crashing over me. I’d been nothing more

than a placeholder, a political pawn—his “Luna” in name only.

But the grief quickly hardened into rage.

I pulled out a small enchanted crystal orb from my satchel—a recorder. I passed it over every scroll, every paper, documenting it all.

Then, buried beneath the documents, I found a leather-bound book marked Future Bonds.

Inside, there were plans. Horrific ones. Kieran was negotiating a blood pact with the Elder

Council to ensure his lineage would continue—with Aria as his true Luna. I was merely a

stepping stone, an obligation until the deal was sealed.

I snapped the book shut and tucked it into my cloak. I resealed the safe and left everything else untouched.

I had what I needed.

I shifted into my wolf form—a sleek silver-coated wolf with piercing blue eyes—and darted

into the woods, my paws thundering against the earth.

My destination?

The oldest warlock in the realm and Kieran’s personal legal advisor.

I shifted back into my human form at the edge of his hollow, pulling my cloak tighter around me. The twisted roots of his treehouse curled like skeletal fingers, and eerie blue lights flickered from within.

I knocked.

The door creaked open, revealing a man—his long white beard flowing down to his waist, his

amber eyes sharp despite his age.

“You’re late,” he grunted, stepping aside to let me in.

“I had… complications,” I muttered.

He studied me for a moment, his gaze lingering on the satchel before gesturing to a table scattered with maps and documents.

“Name’s Ronan. You know how this works?”

“Make me disappear,” I said firmly. “And hide my scent. I don’t want him finding me. Ever.”

Ronan raised a brow but didn’t ask questions.

“It’ll cost you.”

I pulled out the satchel, placing it on the table.

“This is worth more than gold. Evidence

against the future Alpha.”

His eyes flickered with interest as he opened the bag, flipping through the documents.

“Damn… you really pissed off the wrong wolf.”

I didn’t respond.

He set the satchel down.

“We’ll fake your death. Make it look like a rogue ambush. Burnedremains, claw marks—everything to make them believe you didn’t make it.”

“And my scent?”

“We’ll cleanse it. No wolf will track you after this.”

I nodded, but a hollow ache settled in my chest. Fake my death. The thought alone felt like I was erasing every part of who I was—who I had been before Kieran’s betrayal. There would be no grave, no closure, no proof I had ever existed. Just ash and blood left behind to fool the pack.

Is this what freedom feels like?

The answer was suffocating. It didn’t feel like freedom at all—it felt like defeat. Like running away instead of fighting. But I had no choice. Not now. Not with the fragile life growing inside me.

I placed a hand over my stomach, the thrum of a heartbeat faint beneath my palm.

For you, I promised silently. I’ll survive this. We both will.

The scent hit me first—sweet and steady.

I froze in the middle of the marketplace, my claws itching beneath my skin as my wolf stirred restlessly. A group of wolves from the Obsidian Fang Pack milled about, but it wasn’t their presence that made my heart pound. It was the photograph plastered across a wooden notice board.

“Kieran Blackthorne and Aria Nightshade at the Solstice Auction—Reigniting Old Flames?”

The headline felt like a punch to the gut. My fingers trembled as I reached for the paper, ripping it down. There they were—Kieran and Aria, standing too close beneath the auction’s

crystal chandeliers, their smiles soft, intimate. His hand cupped her elbow, his gaze locked

on hers with a warmth I hadn’t seen in months.

He told me he was off securing a treaty with the neighboring pack.

I bit down hard, tasting blood as I fought the shift bubbling beneath my skin. Around me, the marketplace buzzed with life—wolves haggled over fresh meats, herbs, and enchanted

trinkets—but I felt trapped in a suffocating silence.

I turned away, clutching the paper, the image seared into my mind.

I couldn’t run. Not now. Not with the life growing inside me.

My hands instinctively covered my stomach, feeling the faintest pulse of energy there. A pup.

His pup. I wanted to scream, to tear the world apart, but instead, I inhaled deeply, focusing

on the tiny flicker of life.

I had to be strong.

I made my way to the healer’s den, pushing through the heavy furs that guarded the

entrance.

“Selene,” Elder Liora greeted, her silver hair cascading down her back, eyes glowing faintly.

“I didn’t expect you today.”

“I need to make sure…” My voice cracked before I could finish.

Liora nodded knowingly and guided me to the stone table. The ritual was simple. She pressed her hands over my belly, her magic seeping through my skin like a soft hum.

Moments later, she smiled. “The pup is strong. Healthy.”

Tears slipped down my cheeks, but they weren’t from sorrow this time. Relief, pure and sharp, coursed through me.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

But the calm didn’t last.

I left the den and headed straight to the Obsidian Fang Pack’s stronghold. Its black stone towers loomed like jagged teeth against the grey sky. Every step I took was filled with purpose.

I clutched a folded letter—my formal renunciation as Luna.

I’d made up my mind.

The guards at the entrance hesitated but allowed me through, probably sensing the rage simmering beneath my surface. The main hall bustled with wolves, but I ignored them, heading straight for Kieran’s war chamber.

I didn’t expect to be stopped.

“Selene,” Beta Magnus called from behind me.

I turned. His amber eyes were filled with something I couldn’t place—pity? “He’s inside. But… he’s not alone.”

The words hit me harder than I thought possible.

“I know,” I murmured before pushing past him.

The war chamber doors were slightly ajar. I peeked inside, and there they were—Kieran, my

mate, and Aria Nightshade, his former betrothed. She was wrapped around him, her hand resting on his chest, laughing at something he whispered.

Then it happened.

His lips brushed against hers.

It wasn’t aggressive or demanding. It was soft, tender, like he had been waiting for that

moment for years.

I backed away, my breath shallow. Rage burned through me, but I didn’t storm in. I did

something worse.

I snapped a quick photo with the enchanted communicator Beta Magnus had gifted me

months ago—a magical device that sent images instantly through pack networks.

I sent the photo to Aria’s current mate, Alpha Lucien of the Crimson Dawn Pack.

Let the world burn.

I stormed back to my quarters, gathered every gift Kieran had ever given me—wolfbane-dusted jewelry, enchanted cloaks, rare spellbooks—and threw them into the fire pit. Flames roared as the items cracked and twisted.

But before the flames could consume the last of it, a gust of cold wind blew through the open

balcony doors.

And there she was.

Aria.

Her golden hair whipped around her face, eyes glowing bright silver.

She kicked the fire pit with a force that sent embers flying, some landing on her face, but she

didn’t even flinch.

“Oops,” she sneered, her voice sickly sweet.

“Clumsy me.”

I growled, my wolf straining beneath my skin.

“What are you doing here?”

She tilted her head.

“Just thought I’d visit. You know, see how the soon-to-be-ex Luna is doing.”

I clenched my fists, but she stepped closer, her aura suffocating.

“Face it, Selene. You were never good enough. You couldn’t even protect your mother when

the rogues slaughtered your village. She died because of you.”

My vision blurred with rage. The memory of my mother’s death, the blood, the screams—it all came flooding back.

Before I knew it, my hand flew across her face, claws half-shifted.

But I didn’t expect what happened next.

Aria stumbled backward, her heel catching on the edge of the fire pit.

She fell straight into the flames.

I gasped, rushing forward, but she didn’t scream.

She stood amidst the roaring fire, her body untouched, her skin glowing brighter, almost

ethereal. Her eyes snapped open, no longer silver but molten gold.

A twisted smile curled her lips.

“You’ll regret this, Selene."

And with that, her expression shifted and she screamed Kieran’s name.