Lyra

The night air was cold against my skin as I roamed around the forest-not quite sure where my legs would take me, but I kept on running as if someone was chasing after me-as if I were sure about the track that I took.

Each step away from Moonfang territory that I had spent my three years, felt heavier. I would be lying if I say that I was about to turn my back easily as if those three years that I stayed there.didn't leave any lingering attachment to me.

It just that, they were the first to easily turn their back on me-or more like because of the incident three years ago-there was none in that pack who showed me warmth.

And for the first time in years, the weight of chains that bind my legs, arms, and neck-was finally broken free as soon as I turn my back without looking back and without regrets.

By the time dawn had appeared across the horizon, my legs were already trembling, my clothes were already torn from the branches along the way, and my hands were numb from the cold. Yet, it made me feel strangely.relief.

'I think I saw a light ahead. Just keep on going,' my wolf murmured softly in my mind.

I nodded weakly and didn't plan to stop walking despite the trembling of my legs.

Though, I feel helpless about my situation. I didn't bring anything with me. I forgot to take my phone either. I have no plan, no money.I don't know how to start from the start either.

After hours of walking, the trees finally thinned, and I finally saw a buzzling place.

Ravenfall City.

A neutral ground that lay between the territories of several packs. I took a deep breath, watching as the city was buzzingly even early in the morning. I could hear the roaring of the engines, the towering buildings that scraped at the clouds-totally different from what I imagined. It seemed that a lot had changed during these three years.

I never thought that I would end up reaching here.

All my life, I've been staying in Moonfang territory and never got the chance to properly see what the outside look like.

I adjusted the hood over my head, masking my scent with the herbal suppressant I carried for emergencies-and it was a good thing that I asked the healer about this before, otherwise, if every wolf within a mile would know who I was-the disgraced Luna of Moonfang-I don't know if I could start a peaceful life over.

Kyle's last words still hunt me.

I clenched my fist and took a deep breath.

I will never crawl back to him.even if I die.

I followed my instincts and also from what I remembered and it finally lead me to a familiar place.

The small apartment complex was exactly as I remembered-cracked walls, flickering hallway lights, and the faint scent of detergent. It seemed that this was the only one that remains even after three years.

I stared at the door, hesitating before knocking on the door.

It opened halfway. A familiar scent washed over me-comforting and laced with worry when her gaze fell on me.

"Lyra?"

A bitter smile appeared on my lips as I nodded my head. "Hm. I.I don't have a place to stay anymore."

I saw her paused for a brief second before her eyes widened. "Moon above, what the hell happened to you?!"

I was about to open my mouth to answer when she grabbed my wrist and pulled me inside. I stumbled into the warmth of her tiny apartment-the scent of bread and coffee lingering in the air-and finally let myself breathe and lower my guard down.

"You didn't tell me your sister was coming," Mira's husband, Damon, appeared from the kitchen and his eyes narrowing.

"She just arrived," I heard my sister said softly while her hand still hovering near me.

Damon crossed his arms. "I heard what happened, Lyra. You shouldn't be here. The Moonfang pack won't jus ignore your disappearance. If they track you-"

"She's my sister," Mira snapped, her voice were trembling. "Besides, this is a neutral city."

His lips curved into a bitter smirk. "Neutral doesn't mean safe. You know how big the connections of the Moonfang and if they knew, what would happen to us? And feeding another mouth isn't cheap. Especially one that used to live in luxury."

The sting of his words made my throat tighten. But, he was right. If I stayed with them, given at how the Moonfang hates me-I might implicate them.

Mira turned to me, her eyes gentle yet weary. "Don't listen to him, Lyra. You can stay. I'll take care of everything."

I smiled faintly, though it hurt. "Thank you, Mira. Please don't let me cause you to argue. I won't stay long. I just need time-to find work, maybe somewhere to live."

~

The next morning, I borrowed one of Mira's old coats and wandered through the city streets. Job boards flickered on digital screens-waitresses, cleaners, pack couriers.but it wasn't what I wanted to do.

I keep on walking until I reached a street lined with glass buildings and luxury cards. A music sign gleamed faintly on one window.

'We are hiring! Feel free to walked in and give your best shot!'

Music. That word alone made my heart tremble. I hadn't sung since the night everything was taken from me, but the thought of making a living using my voice still made me hesitate. Music alone left a lot of nightmares for me, and I'm not sure if I could perform well in that area I used to love.

Beside that poster was another hiring sign.

'Howl Entertainment Corporation is recruiting assistants and staff. Discretion required.'

My fingers trembled as I read the description. It wasn't just an ordinary company-it was owned by Alpha Zane of the Silvercrest Pack, one of the most powerful in the Council.

An assistant position didn't sound so bad. Maybe I should give it a try.

I skimmed through the rest of the description, then decided to head straight to their building.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside. As soon as I stepped my foot in, the receptionist looked up.

"Application?"

I nodded and accepted the fill-out form she handed me. I filled out everything carefully-address, age, qualifications-until my pen stilled at the line marked surname.

My fingers tightened around the pen.

Moonfang.

The surname felt heavy even in thought, as if writing it down would pull me back into a life I had already walked away from. That name no longer felt like mine-it was a brand, a reminder of chains I was still struggling to break.

I hesitated only for a moment before crossing the invisible line in my mind. I didn't need permission. I didn't need papers to tell me who I was becoming.

Slowly, deliberately, I wrote Lyra Vale.

The name looked unfamiliar. yet strangely right. Not officially recognized, not yet acknowledged by law or pack-but it was a quiet declaration. A promise to myself that I would no longer live as someone else's possession.

I handed the form back before doubt could creep in. Anyway, everything would be over this afternoon. Once Kyle signed the document, I'd reclaim my own name.

"Mr. Zane's secretary will call you," the receptionist said. "If you're chosen."

"Thank you," I sofly whispered before I turned to leave and I could even hear the loud thump of my heart.

For the first time again in years, I felt a spark of purpose.

~

And later that afternoon while waiting for the call, I went to the Pack Council Bureau to file a bond-severance request.

While waiting for the officer who was scanning the file, I saw him frown.

"Is there something wrong, officer? Did he sign it?" I asked, hopeful.

He look up at me and shook his head. "Alpha Kyle of Moonfang hasn't signed the approval. Without it, the bond between you remains active."

I froze. "He.refused to sign?"

"I called and according to his assistant, he's away on an international pack alliance mission. You'll have to wait for his return to request the bond-severance again."

My nails dug into my palm. Did he plan this? The question echoed relentlessly in my mind. Kyle knew-he had to know-that I wanted the bond broken. And yet, instead of refusing outright, he vanished.

A bitter chuckle escaped my lips. Of course. This was his answer.

I couldn't understand his motives at first, but the more I thought about it, the clearer it became. This wasn't negligence or coincidence-it was revenge.

Kyle would never trust me again, nor would he ever pass up such a legitimate opportunity to punish me.

As long as the bond remained, he could keep his hold on me without saying a word.

The thought made my chest ache. He intended to consume my entire life, little by little, never granting me freedom-only reminding me that I was still his.

"A. Are you okay?"

I snapped back to reality and hurriedly thanked the officer before I left. When I stepped outside, the rain had already poured down.

It soaked my coat within seconds, but I didn't move.

Or rather, I couldn't move at all-none of this was up to me.

Lyra

As soon as I arrived back at my sister's place, drenched from head to toe, Mira hurried toward me with a towel.

"Where have you been? You're going to catch a cold at this rate!" she exclaimed, gently wiping my hair.

"I'm fine," I said, forcing a smile onto my lips. "I just. needed some air."

Her hands paused for a fraction of a second. Mira looked at me closely, her eyes searching my face. I knew she saw it-the stiffness in my smile, the way my gaze wavered-but she didn't push. She never did.

"I already applied for a job," I added quickly, as if that alone could erase the heaviness pressing on my chest.

She hesitated, guilt flickering across her expression. "I'm sorry."

I shook my head and gave a small chuckle. "Don't be. If anything, I should be the one apologizing for troubling you and Damon."

The words sounded light, but she knew better.

Mira always did. Though she didn't know the details-didn't know about Kyle's refusal, about the bond still tying me down-she stepped closer and squeezed my hand anyway.

Family never needed explanations. They simply stayed.

"I'll take a bath," I said softly, changing the subject before my voice could betray me.

She nodded. "Come eat later. I cooked your favorite."

The corner of my lips lifted, and I nodded gratefully before heading upstairs.

After finishing my bath, I went downstairs and found Mira pacing back and forth in the living room, her phone clutched tightly in her hand.

I was about to ask what was wrong when she noticed me. Her eyes lit up instantly, and she rushed over, pressing the phone into my palm.

"It's for you," she whispered, excitement barely contained.

Before I could ask anything, a composed, professional voice came through the line.

"Good afternoon. This is Mr. Zane's secretary from Howl Entertainment Corporation. May I speak with Lyra Vale?"

My heart skipped.

"Yes-this is Lyra Vale," I replied, suddenly aware of how fast my pulse was racing.

"We've reviewed your application earlier today," she continued. "Mr. Zane would like to invite you for a personal interview."

An interview.

The word echoed in my mind.

"The interview will be conducted by Mr. Zane himself," she added calmly. "Please arrive tomorrow at six o'clock sharp."

I swallowed.

Alpha Zane-someone who rarely involved himself personally-was willing to meet me.

"Yes," I said quickly. "Thank you. I'll be there."

After the call ended, I stared at the phone for a moment, barely breathing.

Then Mira let out a squeal.

"You did it!" she cried, pulling me into her arms.

"I-It's just an interview," I said, though my voice trembled.

"Lyra," she said, her voice breaking as she held me tighter, "do you know how rare that is?"

I did. And that was what made my chest ache.

We laughed and cried at the same time, clinging to each other as joy finally spilled over. Mira wept openly, and I felt my own eyes burn.

In that moment, everything Kyle had taken from me-every cold word, every silent punishment-felt distant.

This was love.

Grieving for your sorrow. Rejoicing in your happiness.

And as my sister held me, all the heartache he left behind was softened-if only a little-by the warmth of family.

~

Early in the morning, I left Mira's apartment wearing the neat formal clothes I had borrowed from her.

The fabric felt stiff against my skin, unfamiliar-like I was stepping into a role I hadn't fully accepted yet.

The moment I entered Howl Entertainment's building, the receptionist from yesterday looked up. Recognition flickered across her face.

"Interview?" she asked, her smile polite but distant.

"Yes."

She tapped something on her screen, then gestured toward the elevator bank. "Top floor. Elevator D."

My heart thundered with each passing floor.

By the time the doors slid open, I could already feel it-the pressure in the air, heavy and unmistakable. Alpha territory.

The top floor was all glass and steel, the city stretching endlessly beyond the windows.

Power lingered here, not loud but absolute, vibrating through my bones. Every instinct I had recoiled and bowed at the same time.

A tall man stood waiting outside the office doors. When our eyes met, his gaze flicked briefly to his watch, then back to me with pointed precision.

"Lyra Vale?"

"Yes."

"You're early." There was no warmth in his tone-just assessment.

"I prefer it that way."

Something shifted in his expression. Not quite approval, but acknowledgment. "Alpha Zane will see you now."

The doors opened before I could steady my breathing.

The office was nothing like Kyle's-no clutter, no lingering musk of dominance meant to overwhelm. It was minimal, composed. Controlled.

Every surface gleamed. Every angle deliberate.

Zane stood by the window, a cup of black coffee in hand, his back turned to me. Sunlight carved sharp lines across his shoulders, but he didn't move.

"Miss... Vale," he said without looking. His voice was quiet, cutting.

That brief pause when he addressed me seemed to signify something, but before I could dwell on it, his reproach followed swiftly: "You're late."

I blinked, glancing at the time on the wall. Early by three minutes. "The elevator stopped on every floor."

"Excuses." He still didn't turn. "How very omega of you."

The word landed like a blade between my ribs. I forced myself to breathe evenly, to keep my voice level.

"Good thing I'm not one, then."

That earned his attention.

He turned slowly, gray eyes settling on me with an intensity that made my skin prickle.

It wasn't just appraisal-it felt as though he was peeling layers away, seeing far more than I had offered. His gaze lingered on my face, my posture, the borrowed clothes that didn't quite fit.

"Interesting," he murmured, setting his coffee down with deliberate care. He took a step closer. Then another. "Do you know why you're here?"

"For an interview."

"Among hundreds of applicants." Another step. He stopped just inside my personal space-not quite threatening, but close enough to test. "Most with credentials far exceeding yours."

My throat tightened, but I held his gaze. Refused to step back.

"Then I assume you're looking for something credentials can't provide."

His brow arched, faint amusement tugging at the corner of his mouth. "And what would that be?"

"Someone who won't waste your time pretending to be impressed."

The silence that followed felt charged, electric. His eyes narrowed slightly, reassessing.

"Do you know what I expect from my assistant?" he asked, voice dropping lower.

"To keep up."

"And can you?"

I tilted my chin up a fraction. "We'll find out."

The air shifted-subtle, dangerous. His gaze sharpened, something predatory flickering beneath his calm exterior.

For three heartbeats, he said nothing.

Just watched me with the focused stillness of a wolf deciding whether to chase.

Then, unexpectedly, he stepped back.

"You're hired," he said. "Trial basis."

Before I could process it, he continued. "Tonight, you'll accompany me to the Lunar Crest Banquet."

My breath caught.

Lunar Crest.

"Council members. Alphas. Investors." His tone remained even, clinical. "You'll observe, take notes, and speak only when necessary. Consider it your first test."

Lunar Crest. Moonfang's allied circle. The very people who would recognize my face-or worse, my name.

My chest tightened, but I forced my expression into calm resolve.

There's no way I'm going to let those people make me miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

"I understand."

"Good." He moved back toward his desk, dismissing me with the gesture. Then paused, glancing back over his shoulder. "You'll wear what's been prepared for you. Everything will be sent to your address."

Prepared? I opened my mouth to question it, but his expression stopped me.

"I expect you to represent Silvercrest appropriately," he added, each word precise as a scalpel. "Do not disappoint me."

"I won't."

The corner of his mouth lifted-not quite a smile, but something close. Something that suggested he found my confidence either admirable or amusing. Perhaps both.

Lyra

The Lunar Crest Hotel was a palace of glass and gold-even for someone like me who had been exposed to luxury during my stay in the Moonfang pack, I still couldn't help but be in awe of such a grand place.

Wolves of every pack filled the space-Alphas, Lunas, and Betas who attended the event, each carrying different scents that overlapped in the air like competing claims of dominance.

I followed a step behind Zane, and despite my awe, I made sure my facial expression revealed nothing.

The last thing I needed was to give anyone reason to gossip about Silvercrest accepting a country bumpkin assistant.

Every instinct screamed to lower my gaze, to bow my head, but I refused.

I was terrified I might tarnish Silvercrest's reputation if anyone discovered I was the disgraced Luna of Moonfang.

I locked down my pheromones, praying no one would recognize me by scent alone.

At the reception line, Zane nodded politely to the host, his aura effortlessly commanding.

"Alpha Zane Archer, Silvercrest Pack."

Then he turned to me. "This is my assistant."

The host bowed slightly. "Welcome, Alpha. Your table is ready."

As we moved through the crowd, my eyes caught glimpses of familiar faces-faces I would recognize even in death.

Moonfang wolves.

My pulse hammered the closer we came to the main venue.

I couldn't explain it-only that something felt wrong.

The bond stirred restlessly beneath my skin, tightening in a way it hadn't since I left Moonfang, as if it sensed something before I did.

No, I told myself. You're imagining things.

Kyle couldn't be here.

When I'd tried to request the bond severance, he hadn't signed it-he was supposedly away on an international pack mission.

So. There was no way he would be here.

Yet the unease wouldn't fade.

Zane slowed his steps slightly, glancing at me from the corner of his eye.

"You've gone quiet," he said casually. "Is something wrong?"

I looked up at him, startled.

For a brief moment, his expression was unreadable-too calm, too observant.

As if he were already waiting for my answer. or testing me.

Only now do I have time to ponder that question... He seems to know something, as if this opportunity isn't just a stroke of luck.

But all I can say is, "I'm fine."

Before I could dwell on the thought, we followed the host into the elevator. He pressed the button for the private suite floor. The doors slid shut, sealing us inside.

The elevator rose.

Then stopped.

My body froze before my mind could catch up.

A familiar scent flooded the space-sharp, unmistakable. The bond snapped taut, roaring awake like a beast waking from sleep.

Even before the doors fully opened, I knew.

Musk. Cedarwood. Dominance.

Kyle. He IS HERE.

He stepped in with his Beta, Darren, mid-conversation.

His voice cut off the instant his eyes landed on me, and in that moment, the world seemed to shrink to the four glass walls surrounding us.

Fuck. There were countless elevators in this place-so why did I have to end up trapped in the same one as him?

His brows furrowed the moment he looked at me, gaze locking on with unsettling intensity.

The bond reacted instantly, tightening like a leash around my chest.

I hated that it still responded to him. Hated that some part of me still remembered.

Before he could speak, Zane moved.

"Alpha Moonfang," Zane greeted smoothly, inclining his head with perfect politeness.

Kyle's eyes narrowed. "Archer."

His tone was cold, clipped. His gaze flicked to Zane only briefly before returning to me, sharp and probing, as if trying to strip away every layer I'd carefully built.

"Didn't expect to see you here."

"Neither did I," Zane replied easily.

But Kyle wasn't looking at him. His attention bore into me, and I felt the weight of it like a hand around my throat.

I kept my eyes on the glowing elevator panel, grounding myself in the numbers.

"Small world."

The silence that followed was suffocating. I replayed my words in my head, wondering if I'd slipped, if I'd revealed too much.

Then Zane chuckled softly, as though amused by something only he understood.

Kyle's jaw tightened.

"Working again, I see." His voice dropped, edged with something darker-mockery, possession, disdain. "How... industrious of you."

"That's how people survive," I replied evenly.

His lips curled. "Running errands for another Alpha counts as survival now?"

The air shifted.

Zane's laughter faded. When he spoke, his voice was quiet-dangerously so.

"Careful, Moonfang."

Kyle's gaze snapped to him, Alpha energy flaring.

"She's MY assistant now, not anyone's Luna" Zane continued, his tone still calm, still controlled.

The word struck like a declaration.

I was right. Zane knew. About the bond. About Moonfang. About me.

No wonder. No wonder his gaze always felt so strange. No wonder he chose me from among a thousand outstanding candidates!

I looked up, only to see Kyle stiffen, his shoulders squaring.

The air between them thinned, pressure mounting as Alpha energy collided-two apex predators locked in silent challenge.

Instinctively, I stepped back until cold steel pressed against my spine, my wolf recoiling at the clash.

"I wasn't talking to you, Archer," Kyle snapped, his voice low and threatening.

Zane shifted-just enough to place himself between us. The movement was subtle, deliberate. Unmistakable.

"Then learn how to speak properly," Zane said, his voice dropping to match Kyle's, "Especially when you're talking to MY people."

The temperature in the elevator seemed to plummet.

Kyle's eyes flashed-gold bleeding into the edges, wolf rising to the surface.

The elevator chimed-a sharp, clean sound that cut through the tension like a blade.

The doors opened.

Relief flooded me. I stepped out first, desperate to put space between us before the tension shattered into violence.

But Kyle's voice followed, low and venomous.

"Don't come crawling back when you realize this was a mistake."

The bond tugged again-harder this time, demanding, insistent.

I stopped. Turned slightly, just enough to meet his gaze one last time.

"I won't..." I said quietly.

Before I finish, Zane spoke,

"As long as I'm here," he said, stepping out beside me without looking back, "that day will never come."

I didn't turn around.

And for the first time since leaving Moonfang, the bond fell silent.

~

The banquet hall glittered with gold. Laughter and the scent of expensive wines floated in the air-that even for a non-alcoholic like me felt like drinking by how sweet and tempting the scent is.

However, as soon as I walked in, every of their gazes they held toward me felt like a blade against my skin. It was the same eyes that used to look at me filled with mockery, disgust, and contempt. I instinctively kept close to Zane while clutching the tablet like its my armor.

"Raise your head," he murmured quietly. "You're mine now-not that Luna who looks like she's attending her own execution every time she enters a hall like this."

I paused, then let out a small, self-deprecating chuckle. "I suppose I've just. gotten used to it."

"Then unlearn it," he replied without hesitation. "There will be many more occasions like this."

The words made me falter.

Many more?

I glanced at him, puzzled. Such occasions-banquets, political gatherings, displays of status-were meant to be shared with one's mate. I had known that long before I ever joined his organization. Zane had his own mate. This was not my place.

So what did he mean?

Before I could question him, he was already moving forward, his presence steady beside me. And somehow, without realizing it, I followed.

We moved from table to table-introductions, handshakes, carefully chosen words that meant nothing and everything all at once. I repeated names, recorded alliances, kept pace with him exactly as expected.

And somewhere along the way, something dangerous happened.

The stares faded into the background. The tension loosened its grip on my shoulders. Wrapped in Zane's calm authority, I felt-if only briefly-safe.

Too safe.

For a fleeting moment, I forgot the realities of the world I stood in. Forgot that power always watched for weakness. Forgot that solitude, even when borrowed, could be mistaken for protection.

And that moment-small and fragile-was all it would take for those waiting in the shadows to notice my vulnerability.

Until one Alpha-Renn, a bulky wolf from the Ironhide Pack and cornered me near the drink bar. His breath reeked of liquor that made me step back and frown but immediately hid the displeased expression on my face and keep it neutral.

It was also the one who had tried to pounced on me at Kyle's birthday banquet and if it wasn't because he was there to stopped this drunk Alpha, I don't know how much more my tarnished reputation could get worse.

"Well, well," he drawled with a smirk on his lips. "Didn't think I'd see the Moonfang Luna out in public again."

I stiffened. "You're mistaken."

"Am I?" He stepped closer. "But how could I forget this familiar scent of you despite trying to hide it? Once a Luna, always a Luna."

"Please respect yourself, Alpha."

He laughed and directly grabbed my wrist. "Respect? Did you even do that while spreading your legs to any Alpha?"

My gaze darkened, my whole body was trembling from anger that made me want to punch the shit out of this man.

However, before I could react, a hand had already patted Renn's hand that grasp my wrist. "I believe my assistant said to step back."

Renn finally looked at him and released my wrist, making me sigh in relief as he sneered.

"Since when do Alphas let their toys speak for them?"

The word cut deeper than his grip ever had.

Before I could react, Zane stepped forward.

The air shifted-heavy, suffocating. His voice dropped into a low growl that rattled the glasses on the nearby table. "And since when do you think you have the right to touch my people under my watch, Renn?"

Renn scoffed, clearly unimpressed. "Your people?" He laughed, alcohol sharp on his breath. "Don't make me laugh. Who do you think you are to-"

He never finished the sentence.

Zane moved.

In a blink, Renn was slammed onto the marble floor, the sound of impact echoing through the hall. A collective gasp followed. Renn groaned, scrambling to push himself up, fury flashing across his face as his aura flared.

"You bastard-!" He planted a hand on the floor, preparing to strike back.

"Enough," Zane said.

It wasn't loud.

It didn't need to be.

The pressure crashed down instantly-pure Alpha dominance. Renn froze mid-motion, his body betraying him before his pride could recover.

Zane straightened, his gaze cold and absolute.

"Zane Archer," he said calmly. "Alpha of the Silvercrest Pack."

The name rippled through the room.

Color drained from Renn's face.

His aura collapsed completely as realization struck. "A-Alpha Zane?" His voice broke as he scrambled upright, panic replacing arrogance. "I-I didn't know. Please forgive me. I was drunk-I meant no disrespect."

The room remained deathly silent.

Zane regarded him with faint disinterest. "You laid your hands on what was under my protection," he said evenly. "Be grateful your apology is all I'm demanding."

The entire room fell silent for a heartbeat. Renn paled and I watched him retreating quickly while mumbling apologies and blamed it to the alcohol.

Zane ignored it and look at me. "Are you hurt?"

"No." My voice trembled despite the effort. "And thank you for defending me."

He leaned slightly closer, his tone lower. "Next time, don't wait for someone to save you. If anyone dares to touch you, bite it."

I paused and chuckled. "Understood. I'll do it next time."

When I finally dared to glance across the all, I found Kyle who was watching us from a distance with a drink on his hands-his expression were unreadable.

As our eyes meet for a briefest second, his grip on the glass tightened until it cracked.

I looked away first.