Chapter 1

Avery POV

“MATE.”

One word.

That’s all it took for my world to split in half.

The bond snapped tight inside my chest like a chain yanked from the dark. My breath left me. My heart started to slam so hard I thought the room could hear it.

Ella, my wolf, whispered in my mind—steady, fierce.

Relax, Avery. We knew this day could come. We are Luna. We don’t break in public.

I forced my mental walls up. Hard. Cold. Perfect.

Then I looked at Alistair.

He was frozen.

Not looking at me.

Not even blinking.

His eyes were locked on the woman standing in front of him.

And she—she stared right back like she’d been born to take what was mine.

The room was full of Alphas. Powerful men. Dangerous men.

And not one of them spoke.

Because everyone knew what they were witnessing.

The Alpha finding his fated mate.

While his chosen Luna stood right there.

I stepped forward anyway.

My face didn’t change. My smile didn’t shake. Only my fingers betrayed me—digging into my palm until it hurt.

I placed my hand on Alistair’s lower back.

A gentle push.

Go on, I told him without words.

Do it.

Prove to everyone what kind of man you are.

He lurched forward like my touch released him.

And then he wrapped both arms around her waist and lifted her clean off the floor.

The woman laughed softly—like she’d won.

Then Alistair kissed her.

Not a polite greeting.

Not a respectful first touch.

A deep, hungry, public kiss.

Her hands tangled in his hair like she’d been waiting years for this moment.

My vision blurred for a second.

I swallowed it down.

If I cried, the pack would never forget.

If I broke, they would eat me alive.

Around us, whispers started like poison smoke.

“She’s still here.”

“Poor Luna.”

“Chosen mate means nothing against fate.”

I heard a small, sharp laugh.

A female voice.

I turned slightly.

One of the Alpha’s mates—someone who’d always smiled too sweetly at me—tilted her head and murmured loud enough for others to hear:

“Well… I guess the throne is opening up.”

My wolf snarled.

I didn’t.

I looked at her and smiled wider.

Then I said, clearly, for everyone:

“The throne doesn’t ‘open up’ because an Alpha loses control of his mouth.”

Silence slammed into the room.

The woman’s smile died.

Good.

I turned back to the gathering of Alphas, ignoring the kiss still happening behind me like it wasn’t ripping my soul apart.

“Conference room,” I said, voice calm. “Now.”

No “please.”

No softness.

Just authority.

A few Alphas moved immediately—because they recognized power when they heard it.

Others hesitated.

Then Alpha Ryker—big, arrogant, always waiting for weakness—crossed his arms.

“And why should we take orders from you?” he asked, eyes gleaming. “If Alistair has a fated mate now… what exactly are you, Avery?”

My heart clenched.

Not because he was right.

Because he said it out loud.

In front of everyone.

Trying to strip my title off my skin.

I took one slow step toward him.

My voice stayed quiet.

That made it worse.

“I’m the Luna who held this alliance together while you complained about border patrol schedules,” I said.

A few Alphas coughed to hide their laughs.

Ryker’s eyes flashed.

I didn’t stop.

“And until Alpha Alistair says otherwise,” I continued, “I’m the one keeping you all alive long enough to argue.”

Ryker bristled.

But he didn’t challenge me again.

Because even his wolf knew it.

I was not prey.

I turned and walked.

The Alphas followed.

Behind me, the kissing finally stopped.

I didn’t turn around to see what Alistair’s face looked like.

I didn’t want to know whether he felt guilt.

Because the truth was simple:

He didn’t even look at me.

Not once.

In the conference room, I took the seat at the head of the table.

My hands were steady.

My spine was straight.

My heart was bleeding in perfect silence.

Lily stood near the door, eyes wide with questions.

Not now, I mindlinked her. Refreshments. Then lock the doors.

Her eyes softened. She nodded and left without arguing.

Good girl.

I lifted my chin and addressed the room.

“Alpha Alistair is… occupied,” I said smoothly.

A snicker came from someone’s side.

I turned my head slowly.

The sound died.

“Until he returns,” I continued, “I will lead this meeting. Any objections?”

No one spoke.

Because even the ones who wanted me gone knew better than to say it first.

“Good,” I said.

Then I opened the folder in front of me.

“Five years of peace,” I began. “And now we have rogues acting like they own our borders.”

I watched faces sharpen with interest.

War talk always wakes wolves up.

“A month ago,” I continued, “five rogues attacked our patrol. We captured two.”

I slid photos across the table.

Blood. Bite marks. Broken bones.

A few Alphas leaned in.

I didn’t flinch.

“They admitted they follow a new rogue leader,” I said. “Ellang.”

The name landed heavy.

“His purpose?” I asked, then answered myself. “To ‘take back what was his.’”

Chairs creaked. Wolves stirred.

Alpha Phoenix’s eyes narrowed. “What does he want back?”

I held his gaze.

“That’s what we’re finding out.”

I gestured toward Alpha Ryker and Alpha Phoenix.

“Shadow Falls. Black Mist. You’ve both had contact with them.”

Ryker spoke first, voice stiff.

“We’ve had scouting groups. Small. Three to six. They stayed in neutral territory.”

He paused, eyes flicking to me like he didn’t want to give me more power by speaking.

Then he forced himself to continue.

“Last Thursday, a rogue came forward. He called himself Beta Ellangsley.”

The room tightened at the title.

A Beta with manners? That wasn’t a random pack of animals.

“He asked if we had a she-wolf,” Ryker said. “Name of Sloane Mitchell.”

Every muscle in my body went cold.

Ella went silent.

Then, a second later, she whispered—faint, shocked:

Avery…

My fingers froze on the table.

The air in the room felt too thin.

I forced my voice to stay calm.

“Say the name again,” I said.

Ryker frowned. “Sloane Mitchell.”

A sound slipped out of me before I could stop it.

A sharp inhale.

Alpha Phoenix noticed immediately. His eyes pinned to me like nails.

“Avery,” he said slowly, “do you know that name?”

The room turned.

Every Alpha stared.

Every wolf listened.

I could feel the weight of their curiosity like hands on my throat.

I smiled.

It was the most dangerous smile I’d ever worn.

“I don’t know her,” I lied.

But Ella whispered again, voice shaking:

That’s not a stranger. That’s a ghost.

My stomach dropped.

Because if rogues were searching for Sloane Mitchell…

And if they were willing to start a war to “take back what was his”…

Then this wasn’t just about borders.

It was personal.

And I had a terrible feeling the fated mate Alistair just kissed…

Wasn’t the only thing fate planned to steal from me.

Chapter 2

“Thank you,” I said, voice steady. “We have no she-wolf under the name Sloane Mitchell sworn into our pack. No guest. No hidden rogue. Nothing.”

The room stayed quiet.

Too quiet.

Because everyone heard the unspoken part:

Then why are rogues circling your borders like they own them?

I didn’t flinch.

“I want a meeting with Beta Ellangsley,” I continued. “And I want it to look like unity, not weakness. Shadow Falls and Black Mist will send representatives with me.”

A few Alphas nodded. Some looked relieved. Some looked annoyed.

I could feel the ones who wanted me to stumble.

I didn’t.

“My plan was to release one of the captured rogues with a message,” I added. “But this morning… both rogues were found dead in their cells.”

Chairs shifted.

Eyes narrowed.

I slid two photos across the table.

Two bodies. Twisted. Still.

“No broken bones,” I said. “No bruises. They were cuffed with silver to prevent shifting. They were injected with wolfsbane for interrogation, nothing more.”

I let my gaze sweep the room.

“That means someone killed them to shut them up,” I said. “And the cleanest way to do that is witchcraft.”

The word witch hit the table like a blade.

Alpha Phoenix’s aura rolled out in warning.

Alpha Ryker’s jaw tightened.

Then—right as I opened my mouth to continue—

a white-hot pain ripped through my abdomen.

I sucked in a sharp breath.

It felt like someone shoved a knife into my stomach and twisted.

Once.

Twice.

Again.

My fingers clenched around the table edge.

My smile stayed on my face for half a second longer than it should have.

Then it cracked.

A sound escaped me.

“Ah—”

I bent forward.

Not a lot.

Not enough to look weak.

But enough that everyone saw.

Ella’s voice rushed through my mind, urgent.

Breathe, Avery. I’m here. Breathe.

I gritted my teeth.

What is this? I hissed inwardly.

Ella’s growl rumbled through my skull.

It’s the bond. He’s… he’s with her. He’s feeding it. And we’re paying for it.

My mate mark burned like acid down my neck.

The pain pulsed again, brutal.

I forced air into my lungs and lifted my head.

A few Alphas looked genuinely concerned.

Most looked curious.

And then—like a vulture sensing blood—someone spoke.

A male voice, young and smug.

“With respect,” he said, “shouldn’t Alpha Alistair be leading this meeting? Unless… he’s too busy with his new mate.”

A few quiet laughs.

My vision sharpened.

I turned slowly toward the speaker.

A Beta. Not even an Alpha.

I memorized his face.

Then I smiled.

It was a cold smile.

“Say that again,” I said softly.

The room went dead silent.

The Beta swallowed. “I just meant—”

“I know what you meant,” I cut in. “You meant to test if I still have authority.”

My stomach stabbed again.

I didn’t show it.

I leaned back in my chair and let my aura press outward just enough.

Not Alpha-level.

But Luna-level.

Enough to make him sit up straight.

“Here’s the rule,” I said calmly. “In my pack, we don’t bark when the Alpha is busy. We act. We protect borders. We keep people alive.”

I tilted my head.

“And if you interrupt me again,” I added, still polite, “I’ll send you home with your tongue in your pocket.”

A few Alphas coughed into their hands.

Ryker’s mouth twitched like he was fighting a smile.

Phoenix’s eyes gleamed with approval.

Good.

Let them see me.

Let them remember.

The pain flared again, harder.

Ella snarled.

He’s not even thinking about us, she growled. He’s lost in her.

Anger rose—hot, ugly, clean.

The fucker, I thought.

Not out loud.

Not yet.

Alpha Ryker finally spoke, tone controlled but not unkind.

“Would you like to postpone, Luna Avery?” he asked. “We can consult our Betas and continue this evening. A witch may be involved—our packs’ safety matters.”

For one second, I wanted to say yes.

I wanted to curl up somewhere dark and rip my own mate mark off with my teeth.

But I didn’t.

Because they were watching.

And Luna’s didn’t collapse when it got hard.

I offered Ryker a small smile.

“Dinner,” I said. “Seven pm. Dining hall.”

I pushed back my chair and stood.

The movement sent another wave of pain through my abdomen so sharp my knees threatened to fold.

I locked them.

“Lily is outside,” I said, voice clipped. “She’ll show you to your rooms.”

My tone said the meeting was over.

No debate.

No permission needed.

Chairs scraped back. Alphas rose.

Sympathetic looks followed me like knives.

I ignored them.

I walked out like I was made of steel.

The moment the door shut behind them, my breath shook.

Tears blurred my vision.

Ella’s voice softened, devastated.

He was never ours.

“I know,” I whispered. “I always knew.”

Another stab of pain.

This time, my vision went white at the edges.

I forced myself forward anyway.

Because the hallways were full of pack members.

And they didn’t deserve to see their Luna crumble.

I pasted on a smile and nodded at servants as I passed.

My body screamed.

My pride stayed quiet.

Then I reached the entrance hall.

And my abdomen exploded with pain.

I couldn’t hide it.

A cry ripped out of me.

I doubled over.

The world tilted.

My knees hit the floor.

I clutched my stomach like I could physically hold my insides together.

Tears flooded my eyes.

It wasn’t just pain.

It was loss.

Wave after wave after wave of it.

Like the bond was tearing—slowly, cruelly—while my mate didn’t even notice.

Ella growled, furious.

He’s with her. He’s feeding the bond with her. And we’re being ripped apart like we’re disposable.

I tasted blood where my teeth bit my lip.

I couldn’t scream.

Not here.

Not where anyone could hear.

So I did the only thing I could do.

I mindlinked.

Lily… help. Hurt…

My voice in her head came out broken.

Footsteps thundered.

A shout echoed down the hall.

“LUNA—LUNAA!”

Hands grabbed me.

Strong arms lifted me off the floor.

My mind started to slip.

But right before the darkness took me, I caught a scent.

Not Alistair.

Not my pack.

Something… unfamiliar.

Something sharp and metallic.

Like storm air before lightning.

A voice murmured close to my ear—low, cold, not panicked at all.

“She’s reacting to the bond.”

My heart stuttered.

Who said that?

Another voice answered, urgent.

“Send for the healer!”

The first voice didn’t change.

“No,” it said. “Send for the witch-detection team.”

My blood went cold.

Because that meant…

This wasn’t just heartbreak.

This wasn’t just a broken bond.

Someone had done something to me.

On purpose.

My last clear thought hit like a hammer:

This pain is a message.

Then the world went black.

Chapter 3

Ryker POV.

“Lily,” I said, voice hard. “Show me where the Luna can rest. And mindlink your pack doctor. Now.”

I didn’t wait for permission.

Avery lay limp in my arms, tears streaking her face, her body trembling like she was fighting an invisible war.

Lily rushed ahead, panic sharp in her eyes. “Doctor Jordan is already on his way, Alpha. This way.”

I tightened my hold around Avery without thinking.

She was light. Too light for a Luna who carried an entire pack on her spine.

I’d watched her in that meeting.

Watched her swallow heartbreak like poison and still lead like she owned the room.

No tears.

No weakness.

Just duty.

A true Luna.

And while Alistair was upstairs drowning in lust… she was downstairs holding the alliance together.

The thought made my wolf, Ace, snarl in my head.

That Alpha has lost my respect.

Mine too.

We turned down the main corridor.

Avery moaned, sudden and raw, her fingers clawing at her stomach like she could tear the pain out.

Fresh tears spilled from her eyes.

Lily froze mid-step.

Because we heard it.

From behind a door.

Moans.

Grunts.

A bed creaking.

The sound of two bodies colliding without shame.

Lily’s eyes went wide—then her face went white with rage.

“HOW COULD THEY?” she shouted, voice shaking.

My jaw clenched so tight it hurt.

“Unbelievable,” I muttered.

Avery’s head rolled against my chest. She whimpered again.

That sound snapped something inside me.

“Lily,” I said, sharp. “Where’s my room?”

She pointed without looking away from the door, hatred burning through her.

“Two floors up. Left.”

“Good,” I said. “I’ll put her there. We can argue about rooms later.”

Because if I stayed in that hallway one more second, I’d kick that door in.

And I came here under peace treaties, not bloodlust.

We moved fast.

Up stairs. Down another corridor.

Lily threw open a door.

The room smelled warm—fresh flowers, clean sheets, soft blankets. Too gentle for what Avery was suffering.

I laid Avery on the bed carefully.

Her lashes fluttered. Her lips parted on a broken breath.

Lily sat beside her immediately and stroked her hair with shaking hands.

“I’m here,” Lily whispered. “I’ve got you, Luna.”

Ace paced in my skull like a caged beast.

Go rip him apart.

Not yet, I told him.

A knock came.

“Come in,” I ordered.

Doctor Jordan entered with a bag and a grim face. He didn’t waste time. He checked her pulse, her temperature, her eyes.

Then he sighed.

“You already know what this is,” he said.

“Say it,” Lily snapped.

Jordan’s mouth tightened. “Mateship betrayal. Marked partners. Infidelity causes extreme physical pain to the one left behind.”

Lily’s hands curled into fists.

I stared at Avery’s face. The tear tracks dried on her skin like evidence.

“And if it continues?” I asked.

Jordan didn’t hesitate.

“If the Alpha keeps sleeping with the new mate at this intensity… the Luna could die within months.”

The room went still.

Ace’s growl rolled through my bones.

Jordan glanced at me, then back to Lily.

“I can’t stop it,” he admitted. “I can only support her. Fluids. Rest. Medication to help her body cope.”

He lowered his voice.

“Her wolf is… unusually strong,” he added. “I’ve rarely seen a bond resistance like this.”

Lily swallowed hard. “So she’s just supposed to… endure?”

Jordan’s eyes flicked away. “For now.”

Then he left like a man who hated his own helplessness.

Lily stared at the door after him, tears bright but refusing to fall.

“Fuck,” she said simply.

I exhaled once, slow.

“I’ll get food and water,” I said.

“I can do it,” Lily snapped automatically.

“No,” I cut in. “You stay with her.”

I walked out before my temper made choices for me.

The kitchen was warm. Busy. Smelled like bread and herbs.

An older woman—hands strong, face kind—looked up as I entered.

“Alpha,” she greeted, respectful.

“I need food brought to my room,” I said. “For me, Lily, and the Luna when she wakes. Also… dinner is still at seven. The Luna planned it.”

The woman’s eyes softened. “Of course. And her pills?”

I paused. “Her pills?”

The woman nodded like it was normal. “Luna Avery’s medication. Lily will know.”

Something tightened in my chest.

Medication. Regular.

Not just for pain.

For something else.

I didn’t ask. It wasn’t my right.

But I didn’t forget it either.

“Bring everything,” I said.

I returned upstairs.

Quiet knock.

I opened the door and stepped in.

Lily was wiping Avery’s forehead with a damp cloth, whispering soft promises.

Avery looked calmer… but too pale. Too still.

Then Lily turned to me with eyes full of fire.

“I’m going to march up there and rip his throat out,” she hissed. “In their bed—their bed, Alpha. The bed he shared with her for three years!”

My mouth tightened.

“I know,” I said. “And he’ll pay for it. Later.”

Lily’s voice shook. “He didn’t even warn her. Didn’t even move her to another room. He just—he just replaced her like she was furniture.”

Avery’s body suddenly jerked.

A sharp cry tore from her throat.

She curled in on herself, hands clawing at her stomach.

My instincts moved before my mind did.

I sat on the bed and pulled her into my lap, cradling her against my chest.

Her pain hit her in waves.

I felt her shaking through me.

And—strangely—she calmed when I held her.

Not fully.

But enough.

Lily blinked, startled, then quickly nodded like she understood.

Ace’s voice went low, fierce.

Keep her safe.

I stroked Avery’s back slowly, steady, like rhythm could anchor her.

Her wolf whined faintly inside her mind—raw and wounded.

Then Lily’s head snapped up.

“Alpha—her neck!” she shouted. “Something’s wrong. It’s burning!”

I looked.

And my blood went cold.

Avery’s mate mark area wasn’t just red.

It was flaring.

Heat shimmered across her skin like fire under flesh.

The scent changed.

A sharp, new thread cut through the air.

Not Avery.

Not Alistair.

Not this pack.

A new mate scent.

My eyes flashed, Ace slamming forward.

“No,” I snarled.

Lily’s voice cracked. “He didn’t… he wouldn’t—”

“He did,” I growled, voice turning savage. “He marked her.”

Lily’s hand flew to her mouth.

“That bastard,” she whispered. “He completed the mating while his Luna was dying.”

Rage boiled.

Because there were laws.

Old laws.

Pack laws.

Even fated mates had rules.

You didn’t claim a new mate while your Luna was still marked and bonded.

You didn’t ignite a new bond while the old one was still tearing.

You didn’t do it in the same damn house.

The door flew open.

A tall, built man stormed in, aura spilling fury across the room like smoke.

Lily dropped her head instantly in submission.

His eyes went to Avery—then to me holding her.

“Avery?” he choked. “Avery, what’s wrong?”

He rushed forward, reaching for her.

I tightened my hold. “Who the hell are you?” I snapped.

His eyes flicked to mine, wild.

“I’m her Beta,” he bit out.

“And where have you been?” I growled. “While she was collapsing in the hall?”

He flinched like my words struck him.

“I was looking for the Alpha,” he said, voice raw. “I couldn’t find—”

“Because he was upstairs,” Lily cut in, shaking with rage, “screwing his fated mate.”

The man froze.

His face drained of color.

He stared at Avery’s burning neck.

Then his voice broke.

“No,” he whispered. “He… he completed the mark?”

I didn’t answer.

I didn’t need to.

The man’s hands shook as he reached out again.

This time, I let him take her—carefully—because I saw the truth in his eyes.

This wasn’t a random Beta.

This was family.

He pulled Avery into his arms on the bed, rocking her like she was a child again.

“My sister,” he whispered, voice cracking. “How could he do this to my sister?”

The room went silent.

Ace went very still.

Because that changed everything.

Avery wasn’t just a Luna being replaced.

She was someone with blood ties.

Someone with protection.

Someone whose suffering could spark a war.

I leaned forward, voice low and lethal.

“What’s your name?” I asked him.

He lifted his head, eyes red.

“Kieran,” he said. “Beta Kieran. Jade Moon pack.”

My jaw clenched.

“Good,” I said.

Then I turned to Lily.

“Send someone,” I ordered. “Bring Doctor Jordan back. Now.”

Lily nodded and ran.

I looked back at Kieran holding Avery.

Then I looked at the door—toward the hallway, toward the room where the moans had come from earlier.

Ace’s voice slid through my mind like a promise.

We’re done being polite.

I stared at Avery’s burning mark and felt my decision settle like stone.

“Alistair,” I said quietly to the empty air.

“Enjoy your fated mate while you can.”

Because the consequences?

They were coming.

Chapter 4

Avery POV

Voices.

Low. Careful.

The sharp smell of medicine.

I dragged my eyes open like they weighed a hundred pounds. White walls. Bright lights. A steady beep somewhere near my head.

Hospital.

My stomach turned as memory hit me all at once.

The hallway.

The pain.

The moans behind the door.

The bond tearing like flesh.

My neck throbbed. Hot. Raw. Like something had been burned off.

I tried to lift my hand.

It fell back onto the bed with a dull thud.

Three heads snapped toward me.

Lily. Alpha Ryker. And Zane.

They crossed the room in two steps.

“Water…” I rasped.

Zane held a glass to my mouth with a straw, careful like I might break.

I sipped. Slow. Shaking.

Lily’s eyes were red. She’d been crying. Again.

Zane looked like he hadn’t slept in a week.

“I’m sorry,” he said, voice rough. “I was on patrol. I didn’t know. If I had—”

“It’s not your fault,” I whispered. My throat burned. “My neck… why does it feel like it’s on fire?”

Ryker’s green eyes met mine. Calm. Steady. But there was anger under it, controlled like a weapon.

“He marked her,” Ryker said.

Two words.

And my world snapped quiet.

He continued, slower, like he was forcing himself not to growl.

“After putting you through that pain, he completed the mating with his fated. Your body tried to survive the bond breaking. You were out for three days.”

Three days.

I swallowed.

“If your wolf wasn’t as strong as she is,” Ryker added, “you wouldn’t be here.”

Lily grabbed my hand tightly like she needed to anchor herself.

Zane’s jaw clenched. “He did it for that—”

“Careful,” I cut in, voice soft but sharp. “She is his Luna now.”

The words tasted like poison.

But I said them anyway.

Because it was worse for them to say it.

Zane’s eyes flashed. “Not officially.”

I blinked. “What?”

“She can’t perform Luna duties until the ceremony,” Zane said, voice tight. “She isn’t sworn in. The pack hasn’t accepted her.”

He exhaled, furious.

“And the agreement you had with Alistair—training her, easing the transition—he broke it. Which means it’s null. It’s your choice how you proceed now.”

My chest tightened.

Agreement.

Three years of planning for this exact day.

I thought we had respect.

I thought we had rules.

I scoffed, the sound bitter.

“To think I defended him,” I whispered.

Lily’s lip trembled. “Avery…”

“I expected a kiss,” I said, voice rising. “A hug. A moment. I even pushed him toward her.”

My nails dug into my palm.

“But to fuck her within an hour?” I spat. “In our home? In our bed?”

Silence.

Thick and ugly.

My wolf, Ella, stirred faintly. Not weak. Not broken.

Just… furious.

We will not beg, she whispered. We will not stay where we are disrespected.

Ryker’s brow furrowed. “You said ‘agreement’ like it was formal.”

“It was,” I said.

I took a careful breath.

“We mated because he didn’t find his fated by twenty-five,” I explained. “The council needed stability. The pack needed a Luna. I was trained for the role. He needed a mate. It made sense.”

I swallowed down the burn in my throat.

“We agreed that if his fated ever appeared, I would step aside,” I continued. “I would not stand in the way.”

Lily’s eyes squeezed shut.

“But we also agreed we would follow the laws to end it safely,” I finished, voice turning cold. “He didn’t.”

Zane’s hands curled into fists. “He didn’t just break a promise. He broke law.”

I nodded.

“And because he chose to do it the cruel way,” I said quietly, “I owe him nothing.”

Lily’s voice cracked. “You mean… you won’t train her?”

“No,” I said.

Simple.

Final.

“I will not teach the woman he dragged into my life how to replace me,” I added, calm as ice. “If she wants to be Luna, she can learn it the hard way. Like the rest of us.”

Ryker’s gaze sharpened, almost approving.

“As for the pack,” I continued, “I won’t punish innocent people for his stupidity. I’ll recommend someone competent to keep systems running until they sort themselves out.”

My voice dropped lower.

“But Alistair?” I said. “He is no longer my Alpha.”

Zane’s face twisted with pain.

“You’re leaving,” he whispered.

Lily sucked in a breath like she’d been punched.

I stared at the ceiling for a second, because if I looked at Lily, I might break.

“Of course I’m leaving,” I said.

I turned my head slowly.

“I came here to be Luna,” I continued. “I did my job. I strengthened the pack. I built alliances. I gave him stability.”

My throat tightened.

“I will not stay and watch them parade around my pain like a victory,” I said softly. “They don’t deserve my grace.”

Lily’s tears finally spilled.

“No…” she whispered.

Zane’s voice shook. “Where will you go?”

Before I could answer—

Ryker stepped closer.

“With me,” he said.

All three of us looked at him.

Ryker didn’t blink.

“Come to Shadow Falls,” he said, voice calm like it was the most natural offer in the world. “We’re strong. Stable. Comfortable. You’ll be near your brother. Lily can visit. You can heal without being forced to watch them.”

I stared at him.

“You would do that?” I breathed.

Ryker nodded once.

“I know what that pain does to a person,” he said quietly. “I slept for two weeks when it happened to me.”

My heart stuttered.

So he understood.

Not from books.

From blood.

“And,” he added, eyes steady, “you held a room full of Alphas together while your mate was ripping you apart. That is rare.”

My cheeks burned, not from shame this time.

From being seen.

“We would be lucky to have you,” Ryker finished.

For a second, I couldn’t speak.

Then my mind snapped back to duty.

“The meeting,” I croaked. “Dinner. The rogues—”

“It’s handled,” Ryker said immediately. “I’ll request a meeting with Beta Ellangsley once I return. Black Mist will join. Cold Fang too. We’ll present a united front.”

He leaned slightly closer.

“And Avery,” he added, voice lowering, “you were right about one thing.”

I swallowed. “What?”

“A witch is involved,” he said.

My blood chilled.

“How do you know?”

Ryker’s eyes hardened.

“Because the rogues weren’t just killed,” he said. “Their bodies were… emptied. Like someone burned information out of them.”

Ella’s growl rolled through my head.

Message.

My skin prickled.

Before I could speak again—

the door to my hospital room swung open.

Hard.

A nurse jumped.

Lily turned like she was ready to bite.

And there she was.

A young woman stepped in wearing expensive clothes and the scent of a fresh mark like perfume.

Alistair’s new fated mate.

She didn’t look guilty.

She didn’t look nervous.

She looked… proud.

Her gaze landed on me—on my bandaged neck—and her lips curved.

“Oh,” she said softly, eyes sparkling with victory.

“So you’re awake.”