The morning air carried a crisp bite as I stood at the edge of the training grounds, watching Victor lead the pack warriors through their drills. My notebook was open in my hands—the dutiful Luna taking notes for pack records—but my attention was fixed on my husband's left hand.

His Alpha signet ring glinted in the early light. Every few minutes, his eyes would flick down to it, pupils dilating slightly at the soft chime only he could hear through his private mind-link. Each time, the corner of his mouth would twitch upward before he resumed barking commands at the warriors.

Three days had passed since my discovery in the bathroom. Three days of smiling, of pretending, of watching. My inner wolf, dormant for so long, now prowled restlessly beneath my skin, heightening my senses. Things I'd overlooked for years suddenly came into sharp focus.

Like the way Victor's ring finger tapped against his thigh when a notification came through. The way his nostrils flared slightly, a predator savoring a scent. The way his eyes lingered on me when he thought I wasn't looking—not with love or desire, but with calculation.

"Luna Grace," Delta Reeves approached, his head slightly bowed in respect. "The Alpha requested these reports be delivered to you."

"Thank you," I said, accepting the folder with a smile that felt like cracking glass.

As Reeves walked away, Victor's gaze caught mine across the field. He winked, a gesture that once made my heart flutter. Now it made my stomach turn. I waved back, the perfect, adoring Luna.

His attention returned to the training session, but not before I caught him glancing at his ring again. This time, his pupils didn't just dilate—they darkened with hunger.

Merchandise. The word from that vile chat group echoed in my mind.

I clutched the folder tighter, my knuckles white. "We need to be patient," I whispered to my wolf. "We need to see everything first."

---

Dusk painted the forest in shades of amber and violet as I took my usual evening walk around the pack grounds. These walks had been my small escape, moments of solitude away from the weight of being Luna. Now, they were reconnaissance.

I followed the familiar path toward the eastern boundary, my footsteps deliberately casual. Something new caught my eye—a silver glint among the trees that hadn't been there yesterday.

I veered off the path, approaching what appeared to be a new boundary marker. Unlike our standard wooden posts carved with the Moonstone Pack symbol, this was sleek silver metal, etched with runes I didn't recognize. I reached out, my fingers hovering just above the surface.

"Admiring my handiwork?"

I startled, my heart leaping into my throat as Victor materialized beside me. How had he approached without me hearing? Had he been watching me all along?

"They're beautiful," I said, forcing warmth into my voice. "New boundary markers?"

"Enhanced security," he replied, sliding an arm around my waist. His touch, once comforting, now made my skin crawl. "I've installed them around the entire pack house perimeter. They'll alert me to any... unwanted visitors."

Or track movements within. I leaned into him, playing my part. "Always keeping us safe."

"Always," he agreed, kissing the top of my head. "Especially you, my precious Luna."

My precious merchandise, I thought bitterly.

"There are twelve markers in total," he continued, his voice taking on that lecturing tone he used when he wanted to impress me with his Alpha prowess. "Each linked directly to my signet ring. Nothing happens on our territory without my knowledge now."

I nodded, appropriately impressed, while my mind raced. Twelve markers. A complete surveillance network. No wonder he always seemed to know my whereabouts.

"It's getting dark," he said, steering me back toward the path. "Let's get you inside. I've prepared a special dinner tonight."

---

The dining room glowed with candlelight, a romantic setting that would have once made me melt with gratitude. Now I saw it for what it was—a stage, carefully set.

Victor poured wine into my glass, then his own. "To us," he toasted, his eyes never leaving mine.

"To us," I echoed, taking a small sip.

He served the meal himself, another 'thoughtful' gesture that now seemed sinister. When he placed my plate before me, I noticed the steaming cup beside it—a fragrant herbal tea.

"Your special blend," he said, smiling. "You've seemed tense lately. This will help you relax."

I lifted the cup to my lips, pretending to sip while watching him over the rim. His eyes tracked the movement, that same hungry anticipation I'd seen during training.

"Drink up," he encouraged, his tone light but insistent. "It's best when it's hot."

I nodded, making a show of taking another fake sip. "It's lovely. Thank you for always taking such good care of me."

We ate in companionable silence, the perfect Alpha and Luna. When he turned to fetch dessert, I quickly poured half the tea into the potted plant beside me. By the time he returned, I was cradling an almost-empty cup.

"Feeling better?" he asked, his eyes searching my face for signs of the drug taking effect.

I let my eyelids droop slightly. "Mmm, yes. Much more relaxed."

His smile widened, satisfied. "Good. I thought we might take a walk in the greenhouse after dinner. It's been a while since you showed me your new plantings."

The greenhouse. My sanctuary. The one place I'd thought was still mine alone.

"I'd like that," I said, fighting to keep my voice steady.

As I followed him from the dining room, my wolf growled a warning. The greenhouse had an alcove, hidden behind the tall ferns, where I sometimes retreated to read. The perfect place to discard the rest of this poisoned tea before he could see.

Perfect for him, too, I realized with a chill. Private. Secluded. Where no one would hear if I suddenly felt... unwell.

I squared my shoulders, my steps matching his. Whatever game he was playing tonight, I would not be his willing prey.

The greenhouse air hung thick with moisture and the heady scent of night-blooming jasmine. Victor's hand rested at the small of my back, guiding me between rows of plants I had tenderly cultivated. Each touch of his fingers felt like a brand on my skin.

"Your sanctuary," he murmured, his breath warm against my ear. "I've always admired how you nurture these fragile things."

Fragile. The word echoed in my mind. Is that how he saw me? A fragile thing to be manipulated, exploited?

My wolf stirred restlessly beneath my skin, no longer dormant but alert, watchful. The tea I'd pretended to drink would have dulled her senses by now, made me pliable and unaware. Instead, I remained hyperconscious of every movement, every subtle shift in Victor's demeanor.

"The moonflowers are particularly beautiful tonight," I said, moving toward the alcove hidden behind tall ferns—my private reading nook where I planned to dispose of the remaining tea.

Victor's grip tightened, stopping me. "Not there. I want to show you something special."

He led me to the center of the greenhouse where a small stone table stood beneath the glass ceiling. Moonlight streamed down, illuminating an ancient ceremonial bowl—a relic from the early days of our pack.

"Do you know what night it is?" he asked, his voice taking on that reverent quality he used when performing Alpha rituals.

I calculated quickly. "The quarter moon."

"The perfect time for renewal." Victor lifted a crystal decanter and poured a familiar amber liquid into the bowl. The same tea he'd served at dinner, but stronger, more concentrated. The scent made my nostrils flare—herbs, yes, but underneath, something chemical and sharp.

"I've prepared a special blessing for you," he continued, taking my hands in his. "To strengthen our bond."

My heart hammered against my ribs. This wasn't part of any pack ritual I knew. This was something else entirely.

"Drink," he said, lifting the bowl toward me. His eyes glittered in the moonlight, no longer the warm amber I'd fallen in love with but hard, predatory gold. "Directly from the bowl. It's more potent that way."

Time seemed to slow. I could feel my wolf rising, her presence stronger than ever before, a growl building deep in my chest.

No.

The word formed in my mind with crystal clarity. If I drank from that bowl, I wouldn't wake until he wanted me to. Until he was finished using me for whatever "content" he planned to sell tonight.

I shook my head, a small movement but unmistakable. "I—I can't."

Victor's expression shifted, surprise flashing across his features before settling into something harder, colder. "Grace." My name became a command, laced with Alpha tone. "Drink."

The pressure of his will pressed against me, a weight designed to force submission. For three years, I had yielded to that pressure without question.

Not tonight.

"I'm not feeling well," I said, stepping back. "Perhaps tomorrow."

His nostrils flared, irritation crackling in his aura. "You're being ridiculous. This is for your own good."

"Please, Victor." I injected a tremor into my voice, playing the role of the weak, uncertain Luna he expected me to be. "I just need some air."

Before he could respond, I turned and fled from the greenhouse, my heart pounding in my ears. The cool night air hit my face as I ran toward the forest edge, away from the pack house, away from him.

I heard him call my name once, the Alpha command in his voice sending a shudder down my spine, but I didn't stop. Couldn't stop.

The forest welcomed me with shadows and silence. I ran blindly, branches whipping past my face, my lungs burning. I needed to think, to plan. I needed—

A wave of dizziness crashed over me without warning. My legs buckled, sending me sprawling onto the forest floor. The world tilted and spun around me.

How? I hadn't drunk the tea. I'd been so careful.

As darkness crept in from the edges of my vision, a terrible realization dawned. Dinner. The wine. He'd had a backup plan.

The last thing I saw before consciousness slipped away was the quarter moon watching impassively through the canopy of trees.

* * *

Pain greeted me first—a dull ache that seemed to radiate from every limb. Then awareness: the familiar scent of our private den, the soft fur beneath my naked body, the sound of a fire crackling nearby.

I kept my eyes closed, taking inventory. Bruises bloomed on my arms, tender spots on my thighs and hips. My wolf whimpered, our shared body used in ways we couldn't remember.

"I know you're awake."

Victor's voice, soft and solicitous, came from somewhere to my right. I opened my eyes slowly, finding him seated in a chair beside the bed, his expression a perfect mask of concern.

"What happened?" I whispered, though I already knew. The question was: what lie would he tell?

"You were attacked," he said, reaching out to brush hair from my face. I fought the urge to flinch away from his touch. "A rogue wolf followed you into the forest. If I hadn't tracked you through our bond..."

He let the implication hang in the air between us. My savior. My protector.

My abuser.

"I don't remember," I said, the words tasting like ash in my mouth.

"The shock," he explained smoothly. "Your body shifted to protect you, but the rogue was stronger. I got there just in time."

I glanced down at my body, noting the matted fur still clinging to patches of my skin. So I had shifted. Or had he forced the change while I was unconscious?

"Thank you," I murmured, playing my part. "For saving me."

His smile didn't reach his eyes. "Always, my love. I'll always protect what's mine."

As he turned to stoke the fire, I let my gaze drift to the den entrance. Fresh tracks marked the dirt floor—not the chaotic signs of a struggle, but the methodical coming and going of multiple wolves.

No rogue had attacked me last night. The only predator in this den was sitting three feet away, planning his next lie.

My wolf growled low in my chest, too quiet for him to hear. Soon, I promised her. Soon we would be free of him. But first, we needed proof no Alpha could deny.

I closed my eyes again, feigning exhaustion, while my mind raced with plans. Victor might be the Alpha, the hunter, but he had made one critical mistake.

He had forgotten that even prey can have teeth.