The carriage ride back to the Alpha estate blurred past in a stream of city lights and restless thoughts. My crystal communicator lay on the seat beside me, vibrating again and again during the last twenty minutes.

Jareth: [Where are you?]

Jareth: [Celene said you came to the tower. Why did you not come to my office?]

Jareth: [Shara, answer me. You make me worried.]

Jareth: [Are you safe? Call me.]

I watched the messages pile up on the screen. Each one revealed his fear.

He was not worried about me. He was just afraid of being exposed.

He feared that I had stood outside his office door and heard everything. He was already calculating the damage, wondering if the careful life he built was about to fall apart.

I did not answer. Instead, I pressed the power button and watched the screen turn dark.

I leaned my head back against the seat and closed my eyes. I needed to think.

The pack lawyer had already begun the process, but for now I still had to act like the loving and clueless mate.

I needed him to feel safe. Only then would my final move destroy him completely.

When the carriage reached the estate, I noticed Jareth’s carriage parked carelessly near the entrance, as if he had returned in a hurry.

Luvena’s carriage was there too, parked quietly on the side.

Of course she was here. Like a parasite that refused to leave.

I paid the driver and walked up the stone steps. The front door was unlocked.

As soon as I stepped inside, voices drifted from the living room.

They were arguing. Their voices were low but tense.

“So what?” Luvena said sharply. “If she heard us, she would have burst into the office. She would have screamed. You know how emotional she is. She would never just walk away.”

“You cannot be sure,” Jareth answered nervously. “She has been acting strange since the pup died. She’s quiet and distant. What if she is planning something?”

“You are just overthinking, Jareth,” Luvena replied with a scoff. “Maybe she only dropped off the plans and left, or maybe she heard nothing at all. Why so panicked?”

“And what if she did hear?” Jareth’s voice rose with stress. “What if she demands a separation? Do you understand what happens then? The alliance with the northern packs depends on my stable mate bond. My grandfather will disown me if a scandal breaks now. I will lose everything.”

“So your wealth matters more than us?”

“I care about our future,” he snapped. “And our future requires power and money.”

I took a slow breath and forced a confused smile onto my face before walking into the room.

“Hey, why so noisy here? What’s happening?” I asked lightly.

Both of them jumped.

Jareth turned around quickly. His face looked pale and sweat covered his forehead. While Luvena looked furious, her arms folded tightly across her chest.

“Shara,” Jareth said as he rushed toward me. His expression held panic and relief at the same time. “Shara, thank the Moon Goddess. I thought something had happened to you.”

He grabbed my hands. His palms were damp.

“I have been calling you for an hour. Why was your crystal communicator off? Where did you go?”

I blinked at him with innocent surprise.

“My communicator?” I said softly. “It must have run out of energy. I forgot to charge it last night. I am sorry. Did I make you worry?”

“Worry?” he said. “I was losing my mind.”

His eyes searched my face carefully, looking for anger or suspicion.

“Celene told me you came to the tower. Why did you not come to my office? I was in a meeting but I would have ended it for you.”

“I did not want to interrupt,” I replied calmly. “Celene looked very stressed and she said you were busy. I only came to leave the blueprints.”

“But where did you go after that?” he asked, narrowing his eyes slightly. “You were gone for hours.”

I paused.

I allowed the silence to stretch just long enough for his heart to race.

“Oh, something important came up,” I said casually. “I went to visit a lawyer for unbinding decree.”

The room fell completely silent.

Jareth looked like someone had punched him in the stomach.

“What did you say?” he whispered weakly. “Unbinding decree? Shara, what do you mean? Are you leaving me?”

I watched him carefully. The fear in his eyes was not fear of losing me. It was fear of losing his inheritance.

Then I suddenly laughed.

“Oh, look at your expression,” I said, playfully tapping his arm. “Do you want a severance, Jareth? Is that what you are thinking?”

He blinked in confusion.

“What? No! Of course not. Shara, you are joking, right?”

“Of course I am joking,” I said as I stepped closer and wrapped my arms around his neck.

His body relaxed with relief.

“Why would I leave my wonderful mate? You are the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Then I kissed him. It was a perfect performance. My lips moved against his while my eyes looked directly at Luvena over his shoulder.

Her face burned with pure anger. Her hands were clenched so tightly her knuckles turned white.

I pulled away and smiled sweetly at Jareth.

“I visited the lawyer to update my will,” I explained. “After the accident with the pup it made me think about protecting our future.”

“Oh,” Jareth breathed out as a nervous laugh escaped him. “A will. That makes sense. Shara, please don’t scare me like that again. You nearly stopped my heart.”

“I would only leave you if you betrayed me,” I said quietly. “Like what happened to Freya. Did you hear about her mate? He was sleeping with his assistant. Imagine destroying a bond for such a cheap affair. Disgusting!”

Jareth stiffened slightly.

“Yes,” he said awkwardly. “Disgusting. I would never do that to you, Shara. I swear.”

“I know,” I replied gently. “You are a good mate.”

I turned my head slightly and met Luvena’s burning gaze.

“Well,” I said while sliding my hand down Jareth’s chest. “If you love me that much, why don’t you prove it? Kiss me again.”

“Hmm… but we are not alone here, Shara,” Jareth murmured, though he did not move away.

“Why not? Luvena will not mind,” I said sweetly. “Besides, she’s also like a family for us. Right, Luvena?”

Luvena said nothing. She looked like she might explode.

I pulled Jareth down and kissed him again, longer this time, making sure she saw everything.

My hands moved over him, claiming what she believed she had taken.

“Let’s go upstairs,” I whispered loudly enough for her to hear. “I want to be close to you tonight.”

Jareth hesitated and glanced toward Luvena, but he had no escape.

“Alright,” he said finally. “Alright, my Luna.”

I pulled away and gently tapped his cheek.

“I will take a shower first,” I said. “The city dust makes me feel dirty. Stay here and finish whatever you were discussing with her.”

I gestured lightly toward Luvena.

“And Luvena,” I added with a bright poisonous smile. “Thank you for keeping my mate company while I was gone. You know the way out.”

Without waiting for her answer, I turned and walked toward the staircase, moving slowly. Halfway up the stairs I looked back.

Luvena was staring at Jareth with fury and humiliation.

Jareth rubbed his temples like a man trapped in deep water.

I entered our bedroom and closed the door. The smile disappeared instantly.

I rushed into the bathroom and rubbed my lips harshly with the back of my hand until they stung. Then I turned on the shower to cover any sound.

I sat on the edge of the bathtub while my heart pounded.

My crystal communicator vibrated on the counter. I picked it up. A message from Uncle Marcellus.

Uncle Marcellus: [Everything is ready. The private jet is prepared. Your transfer has been approved. You may leave whenever you wish.]

I stared at the screen.

“Soon,” I whispered softly to the empty room.

“Just one more performance.”

I stood before the tall mirror in my room, smoothing the soft silk of my emerald green gown. The dress had an open back and a graceful cut. It was elegant and costly.

Tonight was my armor.

Jareth had reserved a private dinner cruise across the harbor.

This was his way of strengthening the illusion. He wanted to prove to himself and to everyone watching that we were still the perfect bonded pair. The devoted Alpha and his Luna. Exactly what his grandfather expected to see.

I walked downstairs.

Jareth was already waiting in the entrance hall, glancing down at his watch. He looked handsome in his black suit, every inch the loyal mate.

“You look stunning,” he said as he lifted his head.

That admiration in his eyes was genuine.

But that only made it sad. He loved the beautiful Luna at his side, not the woman inside.

“Thank you,” I said as I stepped down the last stair. “Shall we leave?”

“The carriage is ready.”

He offered his arm and I placed my hand on it.

Just as we reached the door, the sharp sound of heels echoed through the hallway. We both turned.

Luvena stood there.

Her dress was barely worthy of the name. It was a shining silver slip that barely reached her thighs. The neckline fell dangerously low. Her makeup was dark and smoky, and her lips were painted a deep crimson.

Jareth stiffened beside me. His grip on my arm tightened.

“Where are you going?” he asked sharply.

Luvena smiled lazily as she adjusted the strap of her purse.

“Out. It is Friday night. I am heading to a club.”

“Dressed like that?” Jareth said harshly as he stepped away from me. “You are practically naked. Go upstairs and change.”

Luvena rolled her eyes.

“Why should I? You are not my boyfriend.”

Her words hung in the air with a hidden meaning.

“I am still your boss,” Jareth replied firmly. “And I am your brother’s closest friend. He asked me to look after you while you stayed here. What if something happens to you dressed like that? What message are you sending?”

“I can take care of myself,” Luvena shot back. “Nothing will happen. I am just going to have fun. Maybe I will meet a man. Someone who actually has time for me.”

She shot Jareth a pointed look filled with poison.

I watched them quietly.

This was not protective concern, but jealousy. Pure jealousy.

He could not bear the thought of another man touching what he believed belonged to him.

“You are not leaving dressed like that,” Jareth growled.

“Watch me.”

Luvena turned toward the door.

“Stop.”

Jareth rushed forward and grabbed her arm. His expression looked desperate.

He glanced at me, then back at her, his mind racing for a solution that would keep both of us satisfied.

“Come with us,” he suddenly said.

I blinked.

“Excuse me?”

Jareth turned to me, forcing a strained smile.

“Let her join us on the cruise, Shara.”

“No,” I answered calmly. “Why would she come? This is our evening. A romantic dinner.”

“Come on, honey,” Jareth said anxiously. “You know how she is. She’s still young. If she goes alone to a club she might get into trouble. Her brother would blame me if something happened. It is safer if she stays with us.”

“She’s an adult,” I replied, folding my arms. “She can make her own choices. I do not want a third person on our date.”

“It’s fine,” Luvena said as she pulled her arm away. Her voice sounded full of false hurt. “She clearly does not want me there. I understand. I will just go find entertainment somewhere else.”

She turned again toward the door.

“Enough, Shara,” Jareth snapped suddenly. His calm mask completely vanished. His eyes burned with frustration. “Why are you being so difficult? It’s only dinner. Why can you not be more understanding?”

I looked at him quietly. The nerve of it was unbelievable.

“Why are you angry?” I asked calmly. “You are shouting at your mate simply because she wants to have dinner alone with you. Is that unreasonable?”

I stepped closer to him.

“Choose, Jareth,” I said softly. “Between me and her. Do you want an evening with your mate or do you want to take care of your assistant?”

Jareth looked from one of us to the other.

Luvena waited with a smug smile.

I stood firm.

He knew choosing her would destroy his carefully built image.

His jaw tightened.

“Fine,” he said stiffly. “I choose you. I always choose you, Shara.”

Then he looked at Luvena. “Stay home.”

“Whatever,” Luvena said with a cold laugh.

She turned and stormed up the stairs.

***

The cruise should have been beautiful.

The lights of the city sparkled across the dark water. The food was perfect. A violinist played gentle music nearby.

But Jareth was not truly there.

His body sat across from me at the table, but his mind was somewhere else. He barely touched his drink. His leg bounced nervously under the table.

Every few minutes he checked his crystal communicator, hiding the screen beneath the table.

“Is there something wrong?” I asked while cutting my steak.

“What? No. Everything is fine,” he muttered. “Just work messages.”

I knew exactly who he was talking to.

He was messaging Luvena. Tracking where she went. Begging her to behave. Probably promising her anything she wanted.

Suddenly, his crystal communicator buzzed loudly on the table.

He grabbed it immediately. In seconds, all color vanished from his face.

He stood so quickly that his chair scraped loudly against the floor.

“I need to leave,” he said.

“What?” I set down my fork. “Jareth, we have not even had dessert. What happened?”

“Luvena,” he said quickly. Panic filled his voice. “She went out anyway. She is at a bar in the city. She says some men are bothering her. She’s scared.”

“Just call the pack guards,” I said calmly as I sipped my wine.

“No. I must go myself. She’s terrified.”

He was already moving, pulling on his jacket with shaking hands.

“I am sorry, Shara. I will make it up to you. I promise. Just finish dinner. The driver will take you home.”

He did not wait for my reply. He did not even kiss me goodbye.

He simply turned and rushed off the ship, desperate to rescue his mistress, leaving his Luna alone in the middle of the ocean.

I watched him disappear. But I did not cry at all.

I felt nothing.

Slowly I finished my wine, enjoying the deep flavor. Then I raised my hand to call the waiter.

“The bill please,” I said calmly. “And pack the dessert for me.”

***

When I returned home later, the estate was empty.

They were probably together somewhere. He would be comforting her while she celebrated her victory.

But it did not matter. In two days, I would be gone. And he would receive the greatest anniversary gift of all.

The night before our anniversary, I finished packing the last of my important belongings.

Just as I closed my suitcase, I heard voices. They came from the guest room down the hallway.

Luvena’s room.

They must have believed I was already asleep.

I stepped quietly into the hallway. My crystal communicator was already in my hand with the camera open.

The door to her room was slightly open. A thin line of light stretched across the floor. I did not need to see them to understand what was happening.

The sounds were obvious. Two people moving together with desperate hunger.

Then the noises suddenly stopped. Luvena’s voice cut through the air sharply.

“I hate this,” she snapped. “I saw the box, Jareth. The necklace you bought for her. Real diamonds. Vintage design. You told me you were buying her something cheap.”

“Lower your voice, Luvena,” Jareth whispered quickly. “She might wake up.”

He sounded breathless.

“It’s only for show,” he continued. “Tomorrow is the pack alliance ceremony and our anniversary. The press will be there. I need to look like a loving Alpha mate. If I give her something cheap, the reporters will tear us apart.”

“But I want that necklace!” Luvena complained. “You promised me diamonds.”

“I will buy you ten necklaces,” Jareth said. “Better ones. After everything is finished. Once the old Alpha signs the succession documents.”

I held my crystal communicator steady and pointed the camera through the narrow opening of the door.

I could see them clearly. Jareth sat at the edge of the bed with his shirt off. While Luvena knelt close to him, clutching the sheets.

“I am tired of waiting,” Luvena said. Her voice trembled with anger and desire. “I am tired of being hidden. I want something that binds you to me. Something she cannot take.”

She lifted her face to him. Her eyes looked wild.

“Give me a pup,” she demanded. “Right now. Make me pregnant.”

Jareth paused for a moment.

“Luvena, we already talked about this. The timing is not right.”

“Prove it,” she hissed. “Show me you love me more than her. Give me your pup, Jareth. Make me the mother of your heir.”

Jareth groaned softly. His resistance collapsed under her touch.

“Alright,” he said quietly. “Alright. Anything you want.”

Then he pulled her onto the bed.

I did not look away. I also did not feel sick. Instead, I felt calm. Cold and satisfied.

I pressed the record button and captured everything. Every word. Every promise. Every betrayal.

I let the recording continue for a full minute so their voices were clear and their faces easy to recognize. Then I stopped. I saved the file to my cloud storage. Then into a protected folder. After that, I sent a copy to my lawyer.

***

The following evening, the Grand Ballroom overflowed with nobles, Alphas, and powerful pack leaders. The hall shimmered with elegant suits and expensive gowns. It was the most important social gathering of the season.

I wore the necklace. The diamonds rested heavily against my throat like a chain I was ready to break.

Jareth stood beside me with his hand resting possessively on my back. He performed perfectly. He smiled for the flashing cameras, laughed at the correct moments, and leaned close to whisper sweet words that meant nothing.

“You look beautiful tonight, Shara,” he said as photographers surrounded us.

“Happy Mating Anniversary,” I replied with a bright smile.

Then we moved through the crowd while people offered congratulations.

Luvena was there too. Of course she was.

She wore a bright red dress that clashed with the elegant decorations. She stood near the tall tower of champagne glasses, watching us with sharp eyes like a hunting wolf.

Soon the music softened. A spotlight lit the stage.

Jareth’s grandfather slowly stepped toward the microcrystal communicator.

The Alpha King looked weak, but his eyes remained sharp.

“Tonight,” he said slowly, his voice echoing across the silent hall, “we celebrate more than a new alliance. We celebrate a legacy.”

“A legacy of family. Stability. Loyalty.”

He raised his glass toward us.

“To my grandson, Jareth Warhowl, and his wonderful Luna, Ashara Bloodwyn. Because of her strength and loyalty, I feel confident giving my empire to the next generation. A man who cannot protect his home cannot rule a pack. But Jareth has chosen wisely.”

The hall erupted in applause. Jareth squeezed my waist proudly. He believed he had won. He believed the Alpha throne already belonged to him.

“I love you,” he whispered.

“I know,” I replied quietly.

The celebration continued. Guests surrounded us.

For another twenty minutes I played the perfect Luna. Then I felt Jareth’s hand slip away from my back.

“I need to use the restroom,” he muttered as his crystal communicator vibrated in his pocket.

I watched him walk away. He did not go toward the restroom. He walked toward the service elevators.

I glanced toward the bar. Luvena was gone.

They could not stop themselves. Even on the most important night of his life, while his grandfather watched, they still needed their secret moment.

They probably believed they were untouchable.

Perfect.

I did not hesitate.

I did not say goodbye to anyone.

I simply turned and walked toward the main exit. I crossed the lobby, passed the guards, and stepped into the cool night where a black car waited.

“To the skyport,” I told the driver. “Please hurry.”

Later I stood at the boarding gate with my ticket in my hand.

My communicator suddenly vibrated. I looked down.

Jareth.

He must have returned to the ballroom and searched for his perfect Luna to stand beside him for the final toast.

But I was gone.

I let the communicator ring. Then it stopped. Then it rang again.

Messages quickly followed.

Jareth: [Shara, where are you?]

Jareth: [People are asking about you. Grandpa wants to see you.]

Jareth: [Stop joking. This is not funny. Come back to the ballroom.]

Jareth: [Shara, answer me.]

I could almost feel his panic.

Instead of answering, I typed a single message.

To: Jareth

[I am tired, so I went home early. Please come back, too. Your anniversary gift is waiting in our room. Happy Mating Anniversary, Jareth.]

I sent the message. Then I blocked his number.

I placed the communicator inside my bag, picked up my luggage, and walked down the boarding bridge.

I never looked back.