Chapter 1

"On the next full moon, Elena and I will hold the mating ceremony, and she will formally become the new Luna of the Silver Moon Pack."

Eric nuzzled into Elena's arms. "Aunt Elena, I can finally call you mommy."

I had just dragged my broken body into the central square when I saw it.

Elena. The liar who had poisoned my birthing tonic, who had nearly killed both me and my child, who had left me chained in that forest prison for five whole years. And now she stood beside my mate and my son, basking in the praise of the entire Silver Moon Pack.

She didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve to be Luna, and she didn't deserve to steal Killian and Eric from me!

The thought pushed me out of the shadows. "A new Luna? Killian, did you think I was dead?"

The moment the words left me, every eye in the square turned my way.

The instant Killian recognized me, his eyes flew wide, churning with emotion. His voice shook. "Lila, you're alive?"

He didn't care who was watching. He rushed toward me.

He gripped my shoulders, looked me over from head to toe, and once he was sure I was unhurt, pulled me into his arms.

His voice held that tenderness I knew so well. "Lila, after you had Eric, I brought in every healer in the pack, but they all said you were dead. How are you even..."

I pushed him away and pointed at Elena. "Why am I still alive? You should ask Healer Elena about that."

"What do you mean?"

"Five years ago, right after I drank the birthing tonic she gave me, my wolf started convulsing. I passed out the moment Eric was born. When I woke up, I was already chained in that forest prison. If it weren't for..."

"Enough!"

Killian cut me off. Something I couldn't read moved in his eyes. He frowned and stepped back. "Lila, as Luna you disappeared for five years without a word. Elena took on your responsibilities for you, and instead of being grateful, you make up some cheap lie to smear her?"

"Smear her?" A scoff broke out of me.

Before I could go on, Eric grabbed a berry pie off the table and hurled it at me.

"Daddy, throw this liar out!"

"Liar?" I looked at that little face, almost the mirror of Killian's, my voice trembling. "Eric, I'm your mother."

Eric backed away, his face full of disgust. "You are not! You're scaring my mother. Get out of the Silver Moon Pack!"

"Eric, you..."

"Lila, I know you hate me for taking your place." Elena spoke up suddenly, her eyes rimmed red, looking for all the world like the wronged party. "If you want it, I can give the Luna position back to you."

"But please, don't be angry with Alpha Killian and Eric. They just don't want to see me hurt."

Killian turned and patted Elena's shoulder to soothe her.

Then he looked at me, a warning in his eyes.

"That's enough." He lowered his voice. "It's the boy's birthday. Don't make a scene."

I looked at the man who had once sworn to protect me with his life, and suddenly I laughed. "Don't make a scene?"

"Killian, put yourself in my place. If I were the one marrying some bastard who'd poisoned you, and letting our son cuddle up and call him daddy, what would you do?"

"You!" Killian's voice caught in his throat. His lips trembled, but not a word came out.

"All right." Killian sighed, his voice clearly meant to placate. "She did raise the boy for five years, after all."

He stepped forward to hold me, but I dodged him.

He froze for a second. "Go home and rest for now. I'll come find you later."

I didn't argue anymore. I turned and went back to the home that had once been mine. The scent inside had already been changed to the one Elena liked.

I took out the little glass vial Alpha Caleb had given me and briefly blocked the connection between me and Killian.

The words Caleb had spoken before he left circled in my mind now.

"Alpha Killian has betrayed you. Even Eric, the son you nearly died to bring into the world, has taken another woman as his mother."

"This vial holds a potion that can break the mate bond. Your wolf is wounded, and it can't survive the shock of forcing the bond apart. Once you drink this, it takes half a month to take effect."

"If the Silver Moon Pack lets you down, drink it. I'll feel it, and when the potion takes hold, I'll come take you back to the Silver River Pack."

I pulled myself out of the memory. Looking at the pale, withered face in the mirror, I didn't hesitate. I pulled out the cork and drank it down in one gulp.

The bitter taste slid down my throat and into my stomach. The mark on my neck gave a faint, stinging ache.

The mind-link stirred. It was Alpha Caleb's voice. "Lila, half a month from now falls on the full moon. I'll come for you then."

I closed my eyes and let the tears fall. "Okay."