A Shadow

Chapter One

The scent of garlic and rosemary filled the kitchen of the Alpha’s estate. Nora moved with a practiced grace, her eyes focused on the searing pan. She had been standing for four hours, making sure every detail of the dinner was perfect. It wasn't just any dinner. It was the night of the Blood Moon Feast, the one night a year where the Alpha and Luna were supposed to reaffirm their bond in front of the high-ranking members of the pack.

She adjusted the silk apron over her dress. Her heart hammered against her rib. She just wanted one smile from him. Just one look that didn't feel like a condemnation.

"You're still trying? It's almost pathetic at this point."

Nora didn't have to turn around to know who it was. River, Kashton’s younger sister, stood in the doorway. She leaned against the frame, her arms crossed over her chest. Her eyes were full of the same disdain that most of the Blackwood family carried for Nora.

"The Alpha needs to eat before the ceremony, River," Nora said softly. She kept her voice steady, though her hands trembled slightly as she plated the meat.

River laughed. The sound was mocking. 

"The Alpha will eat at the feast. He doesn't need your cheap meals, Nora. Do you really think a few herbs and a medium-rare steak are going to make him forget who you are?"

Nora bit her lip. "I'm his wife."

"You're a replica," River snapped. She walked into the kitchen, her expensive heels clicking loudly on the marble floor. She reached out and deliberately knocked a glass of red wine over. 

The liquid bled across the white counter, splashing onto the hem of Nora’s pale dress.

 "You're the woman who was available when he was grieving. Don't mistake a marriage certificate for a mate bond. We all know you’re nothing to him."

Nora looked down at the stain on her dress. A lump formed in her throat. 

"I have the mark, River. The Moon Goddess chose me."

"The Moon Goddess made a mistake," River hissed. "And my brother spends every night regretting that he has to wake up next to a mistake."

The front door of groaned open. The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. The air grew heavy, thick with the scent of dark cedar and winter. It was the scent of an Alpha. It was the scent of Kashton.

Nora stood taller, trying to hide the stain on her dress. She watched as he walked into the kitchen. Kashton was breathtaking in a way that felt dangerous. 

His black hair was pushed back, his jawline sharp enough to draw blood. He didn't look at his sister and the mess on the floor. He looked directly at Nora, his eyes cold and unyielding.

"Why is the house smelling like a restaurant?" Kashton asked. 

"I made dinner, Kash," Nora said, stepping toward him. 

"I thought we could have a moment together before the feast. Just us."

Kashton’s gaze dropped to the plate on the counter. He didn't look hungry. He looked insulted. 

"I told you I had meetings with the Beta. I don't have time for your domestic fantasies."

"It’s the Blood Moon, Kash," she whispered. "We haven't spent a single night together in three weeks. I just wanted to talk."

He stepped closer, invading her space. He didn't do it to be romantic. He did it to loom over her, to remind her of the power imbalance between them. 

"There is nothing to talk about. You are the Luna of this pack. Your job is to stand by my side and look the part. It is not to cook like a servant and beg for my attention."

River let out a soft snort from the corner. "I told her, Kash. She doesn't listen."

Nora felt a tear slip down her cheek. She didn't wipe it away. 

"Am I really that repulsive to you? After five years, you still can't stand to be in a room with me?"

Kashton reached out. For a second, Nora thought he might wipe the tear away. Instead, his fingers gripped her chin, forcing her to look up at him. His touch was firm, devoid of any warmth. 

"You want the truth? Every time I look at you, I’m reminded of what I lost. You are a constant reminder of a life I didn't choose."

"You chose to mark me," she choked out.

"I chose to survive," he countered. "The pack needed an Alpha with a Luna. I did what was necessary. Don't confuse my necessity for desire, Nora. It’s insulting to both of us."

He released her chin so abruptly her head snapped back slightly. He turned to River. "Get the car ready. We’re leaving in ten minutes."

"What about the dinner?" Nora asked, her voice cracking.

Kashton looked at the steak she had spent all afternoon preparing. He picked up the plate. Nora’s heart soared for a fleeting second, thinking he might take a bite.

He walked over to the trash can and dumped the entire contents inside. The porcelain clattered against the plastic rim.

"I’m not hungry," he said. He didn't even look back as he walked out of the kitchen.

River smirked at Nora, a look of pure triumph on her face. 

"Better get changed, Nora. You wouldn't want to embarrass him more than you already do."

Nora stood in the empty kitchen. She looked at the trash can, at the meal she had poured her heart into. She felt like she was disappearing. She felt like a ghost haunting her own life.

She walked upstairs to their bedroom. It was a massive room, beautiful and cold. Kashton never slept on her side of the bed. There was always a literal gap between them, a no-man's land that she was never allowed to cross.

She moved to the closet to find a new dress, but something caught her eye. Kashton’s heavy leather jacket was tossed over the armchair. It was unusual for him to be so messy. He was a man of strict discipline.

As she picked it up to hang it, a small, cream-colored envelope fell out of the inner pocket.

Nora hesitated. She knew she shouldn't look. She knew that privacy was the only thing keeping their marriage from imploding. But her hands moved on their own.

There was no name on the front. No address.

She opened the flap and pulled out a single piece of paper. It wasn't a letter. It was a photograph.

It was a picture of a woman standing in front of a train station. She was beautiful, with long blonde hair and a smile that seemed to light up the grainy image. She was wearing a necklace that Nora recognized. It was the Blackwood crest, the one given only to the true mates of the Alpha line.

Nora’s breath hitched. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed by a cold hand.

On the back of the photo, there were four words written in a delicate, familiar script.

I’m coming home, Kash.

The date at the bottom was from two days ago.

Nora stared at the woman in the photo. It was Maeve. The woman who was supposed to have died in the Great Shift. The woman Kashton had mourned for half a decade.

The woman he truly loved.

"Nora! The car is waiting!" River’s voice screamed from downstairs.

Nora quickly shoved the photo back into the pocket. Her head was spinning. If Maeve was alive, what did that mean for her? What did that mean for the marriage she had spent five years trying to save?

She looked at her reflection in the mirror. She looked like a woman on the edge of a cliff.

Kashton has been waiting for this moment.

She walked toward the door, her legs feeling like lead. As she reached the top of the stairs, she saw Kashton waiting by the front door. He was looking at his watch, his expression impatient.

He looked up and saw her. For a split second, Nora thought she saw a flash of something in his eyes. Guilt? Anticipation?

"Hurry up," he said, his voice flat. "We have a long night ahead of us."

Nora didn't move. She gripped the railing, her knuckles white. "Kash? Did you get any news today? Anything... important?"

Kashton’s eyes narrowed. His wolf was close to the surface, a low growl humming in the back of his throat.

"I don't discuss pack business with you, Nora. You know that. Now get in the car."

He turned and walked out, leaving her in the shadows of the hallway.

Nora followed him, but as she stepped into the night air, she knew one thing for certain.

The Blood Moon Feast wasn't going to be a celebration. It was going to be a nightmare.