You Had Me Once, Never Again

They say death brings peace, but Alpha Draven’s passing brought chaos. At first, mourners filled the air with whispers and weeping, but all of that shattered when the lawyer arrived.

Right in front of the grieving pack, he unrolled the Alpha’s will, his voice cutting like a blade:

“All holdings, properties, and wealth are to be transferred to one person… Mirielle.”

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Not to me—his Luna. Not to the Silver Hollow warriors who bled for him. But to her. The omega he once called his “sister.”

I always knew. From the moment he brought her into our home, soft-spoken and wide-eyed, I saw through the lie. That was never brotherly affection. And now, he’d left everything to her.

With our coffers empty and hope extinguished, the Silver Hollow Pack fell apart. Warriors who once protected these lands turned feral from despair. Starving. Furious.

“If we perish from hunger,” they cried, “then let her burn with us!”

And they did.

They set fire to the estate, to the homes, to the halls I once ruled beside him. They came for me too—their Luna. I didn’t run. I stood in the heart of the inferno as the flames devoured all we’d built. I felt the fire reach for my skin, smoke clawing down my throat.

Then—nothing.

When I opened my eyes again, the world had changed. Or perhaps… rewound.

I was no longer choking on smoke or standing among the wreckage. I was in my bed. My room, untouched. The morning sun poured through familiar windows. Everything was intact.

A week before the mating ceremony.

It was real. I had returned.

But not as the same woman.

Not as the naive girl waiting to be claimed by a man who’d betray her. This time, I knew better. This time, I’d rewrite my fate.

I wasn’t going to marry Draven. And I had a plan.

—

The towering structure of the Shadowcrest Pack’s luxury hotel stood like a monument to ambition. Sleek. Modern. Ruthless. Much like the man who ruled it.

I marched past the entrance without hesitation. The guards stiffened as I approached, but I met their suspicion with icy confidence. One spoke into a radio. Moments later, I was being escorted to the top floor.

A quiet ding signaled our arrival.

The doors opened to reveal a lavish lounge—glass walls, leather furnishings, the scent of power. And there he was.

Alpha Damon.

He sat at a table of polished obsidian, slowly swirling whiskey in a glass. His steel eyes lifted to meet mine, cool and unreadable. His dark hair was tousled just enough to seem effortless, but nothing about him was ever unintentional.

A predator waiting.

I stepped into the room without flinching. “I want you to stop my wedding.”

The glass paused halfway to his lips. His brow arched with amusement. “Pardon?”

“You heard me,” I said. “Crash the ceremony. Ruin it.”

He leaned back, interest flickering across his face. “And what’s in it for me?”

I took a breath, calm and direct. “I know your elders are pushing you to find a Luna. Soon. You’re cornered into mating with someone you don’t want.”

His expression didn’t shift, but I noticed the subtle flicker in his jaw. I had struck a nerve.

I pressed on. “Claim me instead. At the ceremony. Publicly. I’m of noble lineage—your pack won’t object. You get your Luna. I get my freedom.”

He was silent for a long moment. Then a dark laugh slipped from his lips. “You’re mad.”

“Probably,” I said. “But I’m also serious.”

Another pause. Then he nodded once. Slowly. “Alright, Rhea. You have my attention.”

—

Preparations for the wedding were in full swing.

Inside the grand hall of the Silver Hollow Pack, omegas rushed about with ribbons, silk, and trays of flowers. The scent of fresh blossoms mingled with candle wax, and somewhere in the center of it all stood the dress—a dazzling creation of lace and ivory.

Beautiful. Delicate. Pointless.

I stared at it like one might stare at a casket.

A voice cut through the flurry of movement. “Nervous?”

I turned.

Draven stood at the staircase, arms folded, an arrogant smirk pulling at his lips.

“You must be thrilled,” he said mockingly. “Getting everything you always wanted.”

I smiled, slow and measured. “Oh, I am.” I took a step closer. “And I have quite the surprise waiting for you.”

His smile faltered just slightly. But I walked away before he could reply.

My gaze drifted across the room—and landed on her.

Mirielle.

Dressed in soft pastel silk, hands folded primly in front of her, watching the scene unfold with polite curiosity. But what caught my eye was the gleam on her finger.

A ruby ring.

A gift from Draven. Costlier than my entire gown.

I felt the bitterness rise, but I swallowed it back, sealing my expression into calm indifference.

Just one week.

One more week… and I would never be his Luna.

One more week, and I would vanish from his world—forever.