Chapter 1

The night before my mating ceremony with Alpha Garrett Northwood of the Silverpine Pack, he held a grand Luna ceremony for my silver-poisoned stepsister behind my back.

The sound of cheering voices carried through the forest wind, making me stop in my tracks.

I ran toward the noise and found them on the ceremonial grounds. My heart stopped.?

There was Garrett, placing a shining ring on Serena's hand. The ring sparkled under the moonlight - that expensive healing stone he bought last week. I thought it was for our ceremony tomorrow.

Serena looked up at him with shy eyes, her cheeks pink.

Garrett didn't wait. He grabbed her face and pressed his lips to hers.

The pack members around them started clapping and shouting. Some wolves howled in celebration.

I watched them kiss. It went on and on. Serena's hands gripped his shirt, and her knees started shaking.

When they finally broke apart, both were breathing hard.

The torches around the ceremony circle lit up their faces. That's when I saw who else was there.

My brother Max stood at the front of the crowd. He was the one leading the ceremony.

Max, who I saved from rogues when we were kids. Max, who promised he would always protect me.

Now he was smiling as he watched Serena and Garrett together.

He had forgotten how Serena and her mother tried to sell us to those rogue wolves years ago.

"I declare Alpha Garrett and Luna Serena bonded for life!" Max shouted.

The Gamma next to him set off fireworks. They exploded above us in bright colors.

Garrett picked up Serena and spun her around.

Max threw his hands up in the air. "The ceremony is done! Serena is now our pack's Luna!"

I stood there alone, watching. The rain started falling on my face, but I couldn't move.

I raised my hand and dialed Max's number.

I could see him look at his phone screen. He saw my name and just put it back in his pocket.

He didn't answer.

My hands shook as I called Garrett next.

Garrett saw my name on his phone. His happy face turned angry. He almost hung up, but Serena whispered something to him.

He answered with a cold voice.

I kept my voice quiet. "Where are you?"

Garrett laughed in a mean way. Everyone around him could hear.

Garrett laughed in a mean way. Everyone around him could hear.

"Why are you calling me again? Didn't you get what you wanted by registering with the Alpha Council? You're already pregnant and still won't behave? Maya, are you really that desperate for attention?"

"Can't you live without chasing after men?"

"I already told you—Serena and I came to the border territory to scout new mineral veins for our pack. This is about the pack's development!"

"Only a sick female like you would think everything is about romance!"

His words hit me like slaps to the face.

But I still had to try one more time. My voice cracked as I said:

"But Garrett, today is my birthday..."

You once promised me that no matter what happened, you'd spend my birthday with me.

That's why I shifted into my wolf form and ran all the way here. I slept outside and crossed rivers and mountains to find you, even though you said you were a thousand miles away on business.

Until the border wolves told me there were no mineral veins here at all.

The Alpha had been planning this Luna ceremony for Serena for three whole months.