Chapter 1

My father went still for a moment. "Our packs have been allied for generations. The mating ceremony is in days. Why would you want to cancel now?"

"He doesn't love me the way I thought he did. I'd rather never take a mate than spend my life caged with a man who doesn't love me."

He exhaled slowly. "All right. If you've made up your mind, I won't force you. Handle it your way. Whatever happens, I've got you."

I nodded, grateful. "One more thing. Once the alliance is off, I want every cent of our investment pulled out of their pack."

The alliance had always been about leverage. My father's money funded more than half of their pack's operations. Pulling out would gut them.

He didn't ask why. Just said yes.

I walked back into the hall.

It didn't feel like my engagement ceremony at all. Xavier never once looked my way. He spent the whole night circling Yvette.

I stood in an empty corner until it was over.

The next step, by tradition, was for the two of us to go to the altar together and pray to the Moon Goddess.

Then Xavier opened his mouth and froze the entire room.

"It's just a formality. It doesn't matter if we go or not. Yvette's upset right now—I'm staying with her. Claire, you can go on your own."

A ritual our kind had kept for generations. He'd just called it a formality. He was sending his own mate to pray alone while he stayed behind with another she-wolf.

Unheard of.

Every eye in the room turned to me. Some pitying. Some enjoying the show.

I looked at Xavier and held back the tears.

"You really want me to go alone?"

He didn't hear the hurt in my voice. He heard defiance.

"Yvette has depression. She's falling apart because you wouldn't give her the dress and the jewelry. I'm not making you apologize to her—that's already a favor, because you're my mate. Don't push your luck."

His words sank into me like knives.

The air turned glacial.

A friend noticed and rushed in to smooth things over, forcing a laugh. "Xavier, come on. You don't leave your own mate hanging at her engagement ceremony. Let's all head to Moon Forest to camp after the last part of the ritual, yeah?"

"I'm not going. You all go ahead."

He said it flat, no room for argument. Nobody dared push back.

Beside him, Yvette shot me a smug glance, then patted his arm with a perfectly rehearsed look of understanding.

"It's okay, Xavier. This is your engagement ceremony with Claire. Go with her. I'll be fine on my own."

She said it with tears welling in her eyes.

The pitiful look was enough to break him. He pulled her against him.

"What are you saying? I'd never leave you. I'm staying with you tonight. Just you."

The whole room could see how humiliated I was. A few people opened their mouths to speak up, then caught Xavier's glare and closed them again.

They were waiting for me to lose it.

I didn't.

"Understood. You've made your choice. I won't ask for anything more. I'll go. I won't get in your way."

He looked pleased. Walked over and patted my shoulder.

"That's my girl. As long as you keep being obedient, I'll still go through with the alliance. You'll still be the future Luna."

Then he slipped his arm around Yvette's and walked off without looking back.

I watched him go and let out a cold laugh.

"The Future Luna title. Who cares?"