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[ALINA’S POV]

As I stood in front of the mirror, the reflection staring back at me was one I had long since accepted but still couldn't quite get used to. My face was scarred, the marks running across my skin a reminder of my past—of what I had endured and survived. I ran a finger lightly over the jagged edges, tracing them with a quiet reverence, because despite everything, I didn’t regret the incident that had caused them. The pain had led me to Rowan, my fated mate, and for that, I would never wish it away.

The dress he had gifted me last full moon hung on the back of my door. It was stunning—deep sapphire, with delicate lace trimming the neckline and flowing elegantly to just above my knees. It was simple yet stunning, and Rowan had always told me to keep my legs covered, away from other eyes. I couldn’t help but smile, remembering his kiss from days ago. It was thrilling and electrifying, and my heart raced with the anticipation of seeing him tonight, in that dress, at the mating ceremony that was now only hours away.

Already, the evening sun was beginning to set, and it was past 4 p.m. I was supposed to meet him in five hours, but I couldn't wait. I wanted to see him sooner, to feel the thrill of his compliments and the warmth of his gaze. With a quick breath, I began to comb through my tangled hair, trying to smooth it as best I could.

I walked out of my room, my steps echoing softly in the quiet hall. As I passed a few of the other female werewolves, I felt their eyes on me, their gazes cold and judgmental. They didn’t hide it. It didn’t surprise me anymore. I was from the great pack—Silverstone Pack—but to them, I was still an anomaly, something to be pitied and whispered about.

“Goodness, just look at her,” one of the girls muttered, her voice low but sharp. “I pity Alpha Rowan. How unfortunate for him to be stuck with this... thing.”

“She’s going to marry him tomorrow?” another voice scoffed. “Alpha Rowan is young and handsome, but he’s going to marry an ugly wretch. She’s what? Twenty? A late bloomer who can’t even shift.”

“Yeah,” the third one added, shaking her head. “She’ll never get her wolf. We’ll be doomed with a wolf-less Luna.”

I felt the sting of their words, but I didn’t let it show. I didn’t react. I just kept walking, head high, my pride in Rowan burning hotter than their insults. I could feel their eyes boring into my back, the sneers on their faces like daggers, but I refused to let them affect me. I wasn’t about to give them the satisfaction of seeing me crumble.

“Why don’t you all just shut up?” I muttered under my breath, my eyes narrowing as I passed them. They quickly averted their gazes, no longer meeting my eyes. But I could still feel their judgment, thick in the air, hanging over me like a cloud of venom. I wanted to go back and pull their heads off, to show them that I wasn’t as weak as they thought. But I stopped myself, reminding myself it wasn’t worth it.

No matter what they said, I was still going to marry Rowan tomorrow. And he loved me. That was all that mattered.

I continued down the hallway toward the packhouse, my steps sure and steady. But as I walked, my mind drifted to the conversation I’d had with the sorceress a few weeks ago. Her words echoed in my head:

“You’re going to get your wolf soon, child,” she had said, her eyes glowing with ancient wisdom. “And when that happens, a man will change your life.”

I had been so uncertain at the time, unsure of how things would unfold. But now, looking forward to tomorrow, it all made sense. It was Rowan. Rowan had always been the one to bloom my life. He was the one who had sparked the fire inside me, who had made me feel like I was something more than the scars on my face. 

He had always been the one to make me feel alive, to give me hope. He had been my light in the darkness, my reason to keep going. And I believed in him.

I could feel my heart flutter at the thought of him, and the weight of the world seemed to lift off my shoulders. Tomorrow, everything will change. Tomorrow, I would finally be the Luna of Silverstone Pack, no longer the girl with the scars and the whispers behind her back. 

I reached the door of the packhouse, the familiar sounds of the bustling wolves inside, and my heart skipped a beat. Rowan was waiting for me. I could feel it. I had no idea what the future held for me, no idea when I would finally shift into my wolf, but I knew one thing for sure. I had him. And that was all I needed.

The courtroom was empty, its echoing silence unsettling. I closed the door behind me, hoping to find Rowan here, as he often sought solitude in this space to think. But to my dismay, he wasn’t. My heart sank slightly as I turned around, only to jump when I saw someone standing there.

“Goodness, Kiara!” I exclaimed, clutching my chest and glaring at my best friend. “You scared me!”

“Sorry,” she said, shrugging nonchalantly. “Didn’t mean to. I just saw you walk in.”

I rolled my eyes. “Did you happen to see Rowan?”

Her expression darkened. “I saw your so-called great cousin Lydia with him earlier.”

I sighed, already sensing where this was going. “Come on, Kiara. I don’t get why you dislike Lydia so much. She’s sweet.”

“She doesn’t seem so to me,” Kiara replied, her gaze dropping to my dress. “This dress…”

“It’s lovely, right?” I said, spinning around to show it off. “Rowan gifted it to me.”

Kiara wrinkled her nose. “It looks… tacky,” she muttered, though her tone suggested she wasn’t trying to upset me.

I shook my head. “You mean the opposite.”

“No, Alina,” she began, but I cut her off with a huff. “Whatever. I need to go see Rowan.”

With that, I left, brushing aside her unlikely dislike for Lydia and her occasional snide remarks about Rowan. Kiara had her opinions, but I loved her regardless. Still, I couldn’t let her negativity taint my excitement.

Three years ago, during the pack's annual Great Fight, I’d risked my life for Rowan. I saved him from a fire incident that occurred in the cottage by the training ground, but at a great cost—my face, now permanently scarred. I didn’t regret it. It was that moment that brought us closer, securing a bond that had grown deeper with time. Since then, Rowan had been nothing but kind, defending me from torment and coaching me privately to build my confidence. Despite the hardships, I was grateful. The Moon Goddess might have taken my parents, but she’d given me Rowan, my fated mate.

I reached his quarters and smiled, anticipation bubbling within me. I couldn’t wait to tell him how much I loved and appreciated him. As I approached his room, the silence of the hallway was interrupted by faint noises.

Groans. Then moans.

I froze, my hand hovering over the doorknob. My heart raced as I leaned closer, straining to hear.

“Ah, faster, Rowan, ahhh,” a feminine’s voice cried out.

I stiffened, my blood turning cold. The voice was disturbingly familiar.

“You want more,” Rowan groaned, his voice low and rough. “You’re such a beautiful mess.”

“Aw, harder, Rowan. I’m close!”

The voice hit me like a punch. Lydia.

My breath caught in my throat as my trembling hand gripped the doorknob. No. It couldn’t be.

Their laughter broke through the haze of disbelief.

“I can’t believe you’re fucking me now whereas you’re performing your mating ceremony with Alina tomorrow,” Lydia said, her tone mocking.

“What?” I whispered to myself, shaking my head in denial.

Rowan chuckled darkly. “You think I’m really going to make that forsaken, ugly-dumdum cousin of yours my Luna?”

“Yes,” Lydia replied, almost amused.

“Never,” he spat with obvious derision.

“Really? She's your fated mate though.”

“Oh, yeah,” Rowan said firmly. “She’s my fated mate, but so what? I’m never spending my life with her. It’d be torture having a wolfless, ugly, and scarred Luna.”

His words hit me like shards of glass piercing my chest. Tears blurred my vision as I clung to the door for support.

“So there’s not going to be a mating ceremony?” Lydia asked, her voice dripping with satisfaction.

“No, Lydia. I’m going to reject her before it happens. I can’t curse myself by waking up to that face every morning or sharing a bed with her.”

Lydia laughed, the sound cruel and vindictive. “Good. She doesn’t deserve you, Rowan. Not even a little bit.”

“Exactly,” he agreed. “Whatever I’ve done with her was just a show—a way to look honorable. I never cared about her. Not for a second.”

Tears spilled down my cheeks as his words tore through me. The man I loved, the one who promised me forever, had been deceiving me all along.

“You’re incredible, Rowan,” Lydia purred.

“And you’re going to be my Luna,” he said. “Now, let’s continue.”

The sound of their bodies slapping together, their moans, and their gasps filled the air, each noise like a hammer to my heart. My hand fell from the doorknob, and the door creaked open slightly.