Liana’s POV

I had always enjoyed being the youngest child, the one everyone doted on, the one who could get away with almost anything. It felt like freedom—pure, uninhibited freedom. But that freedom had a way of vanishing when you least expected it. The day my father fell sick was the day everything changed. The elders, those stubborn old men who clung to their ancient traditions, immediately wanted my older brother, Murray, to take over. He was the natural choice, they said. The responsible one. The firstborn.

The problem was, Murray never had any interest in leading the pack. He was competent, sure, but he wasn't born to be a leader, and we both knew it. The night before he bailed on all of us, he came into my room. I still remember the way he looked. He was a bit unsteady on his feet, and his eyes were glassy that only comes from too many drinks.

“Li,” he slurred slightly, leaning against the doorframe, “I just want you to know, I'm proud of you. Don’t ever stop standing up for what you believe in. You hear me?”

I rolled my eyes, thinking it was the alcohol talking. “Murray, you’re drunk. Go to bed before you say something you’ll regret.”

He just smiled that infuriating, lazy grin of his and waved me off, disappearing into the shadows of the hallway. I didn’t think anything of it. Not until the next morning, when the news spread like wildfire.

Murray was gone.

He’d packed his things, left a note, and hightailed it out of the White Pack territory, leaving behind a mess that would take more than a broom to clean up.

The elders were in a frenzy. “Disgraceful,” they muttered, pacing back and forth. “What will the Silver Pack think? What about the truce?” It was scandalous, they said. Embarrassing.

And then, as if it was the most logical thing in the world, they turned to me.

I was shoved forward like a pawn in their game of ancient politics, forced to stand where Murray should have stood. It wasn’t fair, but nothing in life had ever been fair, had it?

The worst part? The truce. The ancient agreement that tied us to the Silver Pack. A peace treaty that dictated the future leaders of both packs would marry. I’d grown up knowing that one day I might have to wed Harvey Thornburn, the Silver Pack’s next Alpha—and my sworn nemesis since childhood.

If the name Harvey makes you think of someone cold, calculating, and ruthless, you’re not far off. We’d been at each other’s throats since we were pups. Where I challenged, he bulldozed. Where I questioned, he commanded. He was the absolute worst person I could imagine being forced to marry.

But none of that seemed to matter to the elders. They cared about one thing. The survival of the pack. The White Pack had been reliant on the Silver Pack for protection for as long as I could remember. And the idea of that protection slipping away terrified them.

The day Harvey arrived at our pack was the day my resentment boiled over. He strode into our meeting hall like he owned the place. His broad shoulders blocked out the sun as he stood in the doorway, assessing the room with those piercing eyes of his. He didn’t even bother with pleasantries. No, of course not. Instead, he demanded to see me, as if I was some possession he could claim on sight.

I waited as long as I could, letting him stew in his arrogance before stepping forward. When our eyes met, the tension between us sparked like lightning. He didn’t even blink before launching into a speech that would’ve made my blood boil, had I not already expected it.

“These are the rules,” he said coldly. “You will follow them to the letter if you are to be my wife.”

I scoffed openly, crossing my arms. “And who decided that you get to make the rules, Thornburn?”

He raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. “The truce. You know, the agreement that keeps your pack from being wiped out by rogues?”

Before I could reply, the elders chimed in, trying to placate him. “Liana, please, show some respect.”

“Respect?” I shot back, glaring at them. “Are we really going to pretend this truce is anything but a cage? Do you honestly think Harvey here,” I pointed at him with more disdain than I’d ever felt for anyone. “... is the epitome of a man who can protect us?”

The room went dead silent. I could feel their judgement and disapproval of what I’d said. But I didn’t care. I’d never cared about following their rules.

Harvey’s eyes narrowed dangerously. In one swift motion, he grabbed my arm and pulled me to the side, out of earshot from the elders. His grip was firm.

“Listen to me, Liana,” he hissed. “You think I want this any more than you do? I don’t. But we don’t have a choice. So instead of making this harder than it needs to be, why don’t you try being thankful that I’m even considering going through with it?”

I ripped my arm out of his grip. I could feel the anger I didn’t want to acknowledge. “Thankful? For what? For being trapped in a life I never asked for?”

He didn’t answer. He just stared at me with that infuriating, unreadable expression of his. It was the same look he’d given me a thousand times before, like he was daring me to challenge him, to fight him. And as much as I wanted to wipe that smug look off his face, I couldn’t.

They made me apologize to him. I could barely choke the words out without vomiting from the sheer humiliation of it.

Later, after the dust had settled and Harvey had left, I stormed into my father’s chambers, where he lay resting. His illness sapped the strength from him day by day. I couldn’t hold it in anymore.

“Why?” I demanded. “Why do I have to pay the price for this useless truce? Why me?”

My father was dying. The healers couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him, no matter how many herbs, potions, or spells they tried. Every day, I watched him grow weaker. It felt like life was slipping out of him piece by piece. And there was nothing anyone could do to stop it.

Murray and I had agreed on a simple rule. No bad news in Dad’s room. We’d promised ourselves that, at the very least, he deserved peace in his final days. No arguments, no panic, no mention of the mess Murray had left me to clean up. Only smiles, laughter, and the pretense that everything was fine. But even with all the pretending, it didn’t feel fine. None of it did.

“I’m worried about the truce,” I said, adjusting the blanket over my father’s frail form. His chest rose and fell slowly. I hadn’t meant to bring it up, but I couldn’t help myself. It weighed too heavily on my mind. And I needed him to understand why I couldn’t accept things as they were.

“Don’t,” he whispered. “Not now.”

I bit my lip, hesitating. It was always the same when I entered his room. I’d come in with every intention of keeping things light, of holding my tongue about all the responsibilities crushing me under their weight, but it never lasted. I couldn’t stop myself from seeking his guidance, hoping he’d offer me a way out. Hoping he’d pull the strings I needed to avoid the disaster that was looming over me.

“They expect me to marry him, Dad,” I continued, pacing at the foot of his bed. “Harvey Thornburn. Of all people. How can they expect me to go through with that? You know he’s impossible.”

He closed his eyes. And I thought he’d fallen asleep again. His moments of wakefulness were so brief these days. But then he stirred. His hand trembled as he reached for the glass of water by his bedside. I quickly handed it to him, holding it steady as he took a small sip.

“You’re strong, Liana,” he said, his voice weak but sharp. “Stronger than you think. But strength isn’t enough. You have to be wise. You have to do what’s best for the pack.”

“And marrying Harvey is best?” I asked, incredulous. “You really believe that?”

He let out a slow, tired breath and nodded. “Without the Silver Pack’s protection, we’re vulnerable. The truce has kept us safe for decades. And it will keep you safe long after I’m gone.”

His words struck me like a blow. I knew he was dying. We all did. But hearing him talk about it so openly, it made it real in a way I wasn’t prepared for.

“But there has to be another way,” I insisted, frustrated. “I don’t want to live my life shackled to someone like him. I want to lead the pack on my terms, not as someone’s wife.”

“And you think the elders will just let you?” My father’s voice rose, sharp and cutting despite his weakened state. “You think you can challenge the traditions that have held this pack together for generations and come out unscathed? Grow up, Liana!”

The words stung. I hadn’t expected him to side with the elders after everything. I blinked, trying to swallow the anger and hurt rising in my chest. “I thought you’d understand. I thought you—”

“I understand that you don’t have a choice,” he interrupted. “But the pack comes first. Always. You want to lead? Then prove you’re worthy of it. But don’t expect me to coddle you when the entire pack’s future is at stake.”

“Dad—” I began, but he cut me off again. His face twisted with anger. It was the first time I’d seen him so animated in weeks, but it wasn’t the kind of energy I’d hoped for.

“Enough!” he barked. “Do you think I want this? To leave you and your brother with this burden? To die knowing the pack could fall apart at any moment? No, I don’t! But I’m not going to let you destroy everything I’ve built because you don’t like the way things are.”

I flinched at his words as I felt my eyes burn. This was the man who had always supported me, who had taught me how to stand tall, who had made me believe I could be more than just the youngest child of the White Pack. And now he was tearing that belief apart, telling me to fall in line like everyone else.

“I need you to talk to the elders,” I whispered. “Please. You can convince them to—”

“No. I won’t. This pack needs Harvey’s protection. Without him, without the Silver Pack, we’ll be overrun. You think you can fight them all on your own? You’ll get us all killed.”

It felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me. I stared at him, speechless. My heart broke. He was supposed to be on my side. He was supposed to understand.

I stood abruptly. “I can’t do this,” I muttered, barely able to keep my voice steady. “I can’t—”

Without waiting for his response, I fled the room. My feet carried me through the halls of our home without any real destination. The walls felt like they were closing in on me. The tradition, expectation, and duty was crushing me with every step.

I didn’t stop until I reached the top of the hill, where my mother’s grave overlooked the entire White Pack’s territory. It had always been my sanctuary, the one place where I could escape everything and everyone.

I knelt by her grave with my hands shaking. “Mom,” I whispered, choking back tears. “I don’t know what to do.”

The wind picked up around me, rustling the leaves of the trees nearby. I stared out at the territory below, the land my family had protected for generations. And now it was my turn. I was supposed to protect it, to lead it, but how could I do that when the world was set against me?

"Do they even care what I want?" I fumed, pacing the length of Scarlet’s room. My cousin sat cross-legged on her bed, watching me. I needed her to agree with me, to tell me I wasn’t crazy. But instead, she was just sitting there, waiting.

“I’m serious, Scarlet. It’s like everyone’s forgotten that I’m an actual person with my own life and my own desires. No, instead, it’s all about the pack, the damn truce, and me marrying Harvey Thornburn.”

I stopped in front of her, expecting her to chime in. But nothing. She raised an eyebrow, silently inviting me to continue.

“I can’t do this,” I groaned, throwing myself into the chair by the window. “I won’t do this.”

Scarlet sighed softly, shaking her head. “You know how things work, Liana. It’s not about what we want.”

I glared at her. “And you’re okay with that? You’re just fine being a puppet for the elders, doing what they want, living a life they’ve planned out for you?”

“I’m not saying it’s fair. But you know what’s at stake. We all have to make sacrifices for the pack.”

I snorted. “Sacrifices? You mean like you married Kyle when he wasn’t even your mate?”

Scarlet’s face hardened at that. “That’s different.”

“Is it?” I pressed, leaning forward. “You gave up on finding your mate because the pack needed you to marry Kyle. Now you’re stuck in a loveless marriage, and for what?”

Scarlet’s jaw tightened. “I didn’t give up on anything, Liana. I made a choice. Kyle might not be my mate, but we’ve made it work. And maybe finding my mate isn’t the most important thing anymore. What matters is the pack.”

Her words hung heavy in the air. And I could tell she was trying to convince herself that she did.

“You’re not happy.”

Scarlet’s eyes flashed with something I couldn’t quite place, but she didn’t deny it. Instead, she bit her lip and looked away, staring at the far wall as if it held all the answers she was too afraid to say aloud.

“It’s not about happiness,” she muttered. “It’s about survival. You’re next in line, Liana. You know what’s expected of you.”

I clenched my fists. “Well, I don’t care about what’s expected of me. I’m not going to marry Harvey. I’m not going to let the pack control my life.”

Scarlet’s gaze snapped back to me with her brows furrowing. “What are you saying?”

I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should tell her. But if there was anyone I could trust with this insane idea, it was Scarlet. She wouldn’t turn me in, even if she didn’t agree.

“I’m running away.”

Her eyes widened in shock. “Liana, don’t be ridiculous.”

“I’m not joking. Four nights from now. During the Blood Moon festival, when everyone’s too busy celebrating, I’m leaving. I’ll slip away, and no one will notice until it’s too late.”

“Are you out of your mind?” Scarlet stood up. “You can’t just run away! Where will you go? What will you do? The other packs will hunt you down. And what about your father?”

I swallowed hard. The thought of my father tightened something in my chest. “He’ll be taken care of. The pack won’t abandon him. He’s loved, Scarlet. They’ll make sure he’s comfortable.”

“But what about the pack itself?” she pressed. “You’re supposed to be the next Luna, Liana. If you leave, it will fall apart. Do you really want to abandon them when they need you most?”

I stood up, facing her. “What about what I need, Scarlet? Has anyone even thought about that? Has anyone stopped to ask if I want to marry a man I hate? If I want to be Luna just because some old men in a room said I should?”

Scarlet shook her head. Exasperation was clear on her face. “You’re acting like a child.”

“No,” I snapped. “I’m acting like someone who refuses to be chained to a life she didn’t choose.”

She rubbed her temples, clearly frustrated. “There are other ways to deal with this. You could—”

“What?” I interrupted, laughing bitterly. “Run away to the city and live under a new identity? Fake my own death? Give me a break, Scarlet.”

“No. You could talk to the elders. Maybe negotiate something different. Maybe they’ll listen to reason.”

I laughed again, shaking my head. “Reason? They’ve already made up their minds. They won’t listen to me, Scarlet. They never have.”

Scarlet let out a long sigh, looking at me with something like pity. “You’re making a mistake.”

“Maybe. But it’s my mistake to make.”

There was a heavy silence between us. And I could tell Scarlet was biting back more arguments, but she didn’t say them. Instead, she just looked at me with that same sad, resigned expression she always had when she talked about her own life. A life I knew she wasn’t entirely happy with, no matter how much she tried to pretend otherwise.

“Fine,” she finally said. “But if you’re really going to do this, you’d better be smart about it. Don’t let them see it coming.”

I smiled faintly. “Oh, I’ve already got that covered.”

For the next few days, I played my role perfectly. I smiled when I was supposed to, nodded along when the elders talked about the upcoming wedding, and even managed to keep my temper in check around Harvey. The arrogant bastard actually seemed impressed by my sudden change of heart, which only made it easier to deceive him and his men. They hardly paid attention to me anymore, so convinced that I had accepted my fate. It was almost laughable.

And then, on the night of the Blood Moon festival, while the pack celebrated and danced under the crimson glow of the full moon, I slipped away. The noise and laughter drowned out the sound of my footsteps as I made my way to the hills, where the forest would offer me shelter and a path to freedom.