Elisa Ferguson and Ray Schmidt had shared everything—from their days in the Shadowfang Pack’s training grounds to the moment they began planning their mate ceremony.

But on the eve of their marking, Ray was pronounced dead.

Elisa wept until her body trembled, her wolf whining softly in the back of her mind. Yet, before her eyes, a bizarre stream of comments appeared, as if the Moon Goddess herself were mocking her grief.

"Can someone tell the devastated Luna-to-be that he’s only pretending to be dead?"

"Ray’s favorite influencer from the Moonclaw Pack ran off when she heard he was getting marked, so he faked his death to chase her around the globe. Elisa’s crying at his grave, while Gabriela’s sobbing in bed. It’s infuriating."

"What a pity. When he returns from his fake demise, Elisa will be none the wiser and will happily mark him..."

Two weeks later.

News of Elisa’s arranged mate pairing with Westin Phillips, the Alpha of the Shadowfang Pack, spread through the territory like wildfire.

Ray’s friends, who were in on his deceit, hurried over to confront her. Jones Daniels, the pack’s Gamma, and Shawn Anderson, a Delta, stood at her door, their expressions a mix of guilt and accusation.

"Alpha Ray has just passed away, and you’re already looking to move on?" Jones asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Elisa’s eyes narrowed, her wolf bristling at the audacity. "He’s gone; am I supposed to mourn forever?"

==============================

When the stream of comments first appeared, Elisa thought it was a hallucination brought on by her grief. But they kept coming, relentless and taunting.

"If the Luna-to-be goes to the rooftop now, she’d discover that her Alpha isn’t really dead."

"She’s barely eaten in two days because of him; now she’s struggling to walk, and you expect her to go to the rooftop?"

With heavy legs, Elisa forced herself toward the rooftop. Just a few steps from the top, she heard a voice she knew all too well, laced with its usual mischief. "Is my funeral still ongoing?"

The voice was coming from Jones’ phone.

"Not over yet, Alpha," Jones replied.

"And Elisa? She hasn’t figured it out, has she?"

Jones hesitated, then said, "No chance. She’s been running herself ragged, almost fainted yesterday from too much crying. She’s probably still in her room sobbing."

Ray’s tone was casual, almost dismissive. "Make sure to comfort her for me."

Then Shawn chimed in, his voice cautious. "But Alpha, you’re really smitten with that influencer, aren’t you? Faking your death to chase her to England and dragging us into this act."

The comments were right.

Elisa gripped the stair railing tightly, her whole body trembling. Her wolf growled low in her mind, a mix of anger and heartbreak.

She heard Ray say:

"Whether I’m smitten isn’t your worry. Just keep it under wraps."

Jones asked, "So you’re still getting marked?"

"Absolutely. When I return, the marking ceremony will proceed as planned. But before then, can’t an Alpha have some wild fun for love?"

"Of course."

"Once I’m marked, I’ll have to focus on one person, and there won’t be another chance like this, haha."

The three of them laughed knowingly.

But Elisa’s blood ran cold.

She had hoped countless times that Ray might still be alive. But she never imagined it would be like this.

[The heroine has seen the truth, oh my god, I hope she wakes up soon.]

[Hurry up and confront that jerk!!!]

But Elisa didn’t rush out to expose him.

She turned away.

Calmly descended the stairs.

After a bout of nausea over the toilet, she stared at herself in the mirror.

Her reflection was a stark contrast to the strong, composed Luna she was expected to be. She hadn’t slept for days; her eyes were bloodshot, and her face was drained of its usual vitality. The aura that should have radiated from her as the Luna of the Shadowfang Pack was dimmed, overshadowed by the weight of betrayal.

She splashed cold water on her face, the droplets running down her cheeks like the tears she refused to shed. With a towel, she wiped away the evidence of her pain, steeling herself for what was to come.

[Sure enough, the heroine knows the truth but chooses to silently endure it. So frustrating, ahhh!]

[Of course, she loves him too much. She probably heard him say he’ll mark her when he gets back, so she’s choosing to grit her teeth and bear it.]

[I think the heroine doesn’t want to reveal her hand too soon; she’s probably planning something big.]

Elisa stepped out of the room, her posture straight despite the turmoil within.

Jones, the Gamma of the Shadowfang Pack, was waiting for her. He handed her two tissues, his face a mask of concern. “Luna,” he said, his tone respectful yet laced with a feigned somberness. “Don’t be too upset. Ray wouldn’t want to see you like this.”

She looked up at him, her piercing gaze cutting through his pretense. Her wolf stirred faintly in the back of her mind, a quiet growl of distrust.

“Gamma Jones,” she said, her voice steady despite the storm inside her. “Do you think Ray might not actually be dead?”

The question hung in the air, heavy and loaded. Jones’s expression faltered for a moment, a flicker of unease crossing his face before he quickly composed himself.

“Luna, why would you think that?” he asked, his voice careful, almost too careful.

Elisa didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she studied him, her instincts as a Luna sharpened by the situation. The pack hierarchy was clear, and as the Luna, she held a position of power even over a Gamma like Jones. But power didn’t shield her from the whispers and the hidden truths swirling around her.

She turned away, her mind racing. The weight of her mate’s betrayal pressed down on her, but she refused to let it break her. The Shadowfang Pack needed a strong Luna, and Elisa was determined to be just that—no matter what it cost her.