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.

My heart pounded as I tried to catch my breath, the sharp scent of betrayal lingering in the

air. I hadn’t expected it—none of it.

Before I could steady myself, a growl erupted behind me, followed by a heavy force slamming into my side. I tumbled into the dirt, winded, and barely caught sight of Aria before she was swept into Kieran’s strong arms.

“Kieran…” I whispered, but my voice faltered.

His obsidian eyes, once filled with warmth, now glared at me with nothing but fury.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Selene? Aria came to the Obsidian Fang Pack lands to offer peace, and you attack her like some feral rogue?”

I scrambled to my feet, my body aching from the fall, but the pain in my chest was worse. His

words cut deeper than claws.

“She provoked me! She spoke of my mother… called her weak for dying during the pack raid—like it was my fault!”

For a fleeting moment, I saw something flicker in his eyes—guilt? Panic? But it vanished as quickly as it came.

“Selene, your mother’s death was a tragedy, but that’s no excuse for what you did.”

“No excuse?” My voice trembled with rage.

“You told me the raid was unavoidable. That her

death was… an accident. But now I’m starting to wonder what really happened.”

Kieran’s jaw tightened.

“This isn’t the time.”

“Of course not,” Aria cut in sweetly, though her eyes gleamed with satisfaction. Blood stained

her temple where my claws had grazed her, but her expression was victorious.

“I understand if Selene still resents me. After all, Dorian broke off their mate bond to choose me. Maybe I deserved her wrath.”

I flinched at her words. Kieran’s arm around her tightened, protective. I had nothing left to say.

“Selene,” Kieran’s tone dropped, colder now, “you will apologize to Aria. Now.”

The final thread snapped. I bit down my wolf’s urge to shift and attack, but the fire inside me

was consuming.

“No,” I hissed before turning away.

But I didn’t miss Aria’s whisper to Kieran as they walked away.

“If she hates me this much,

perhaps it’s best I don’t visit the pack anymore. I wouldn’t want to strain your… relationship.”

A deep growl rumbled from my chest, but I forced it down. Enough. I wouldn’t let this break

me any further.

Later that night, alone in my den, I shifted back to human form, my fur matted with dirt and blood. My hands trembled as I reached for my pack’s insignia—a silver pendant—and yanked it off. The bond I once cherished was meaningless now.

A sharp knock echoed through the den. I didn’t answer, but the door creaked open regardless.

It was Rowan, one of the Obsidian Fang warriors.

“Selene, Alpha Kieran wanted me to deliver this.” He held out a scroll, his eyes flickering with unease.

I unrolled it, my stomach turning as I read Kieran’s words:

"I know you’re angry. But Aria is vital to the alliance with the Crescent Claw Pack. The survival of the Obsidian Fang depends on this. I’ll make it up to you. I’ll even grant you that gift you’ve been wanting. Just don’t make this harder than it has to be."

I crushed the scroll in my hands. Gift? Was I nothing more than a pawn in his political games?

I packed a small satchel with what little I needed—daggers, a cloak, and the letter I had written weeks ago but never had the courage to send.

Tonight, I would leave the Obsidian Fang Pack… and Kieran.

The forest was eerily silent as I navigated through the moonlit paths, heading toward the old

outpost at the pack’s borders. I had planned everything—my escape, my disappearance.

Even my fake death.

But just as I reached the ridge, my wolf hearing caught something—voices. I crouched low behind a boulder, focusing.

Kieran’s voice echoed through the night, speaking to Magnus.

“Prepare the healers. I don’t care what it costs—Aria needs the best treatment.”

“She only had a scratch,” Magnus replied hesitantly.

“Doesn’t matter. She’s the key to the Crescent Claw alliance.”

My blood boiled. So that was it. Politics over loyalty. Over me.

I slipped away before they could sense my presence and headed straight to the witch’s cabin—my final stop.

The plan was simple. The witch owed me a favor. A spell that would fake my death—my scent would vanish, and the Obsidian Fang Pack would believe I was gone forever.

After hours of ritual and incantations, the deed was done. All that was left was the letter I had

asked Rowan to deliver after my “death.”

But just as I stepped out into the dawn-lit forest, my wolf senses tingled. Someone was near.

Then, I heard it—a panicked howl from the Obsidian Fang Pack’s lands.

“Kieran!” a voice shouted.

“It’s Selene—she’s dead!”

A satisfied smirk tugged at my lips.

But my heart shattered all over again.

And this time, there was no going back.