Chapter three

Morning came like a pale, indifferent ghost over Silverfang Pack. The first light seeped through high windows, barely warming the cold stone floors. Emily rose, muscles stiff from yesterday’s labors, and prepared for another day of chores. The bucket of water she carried burned her arms, but she ignored it.

Her wolf, Lisa prowled beneath her skin, restless and irritable, reacting to the cold, the stone, and the oppressive quiet of the pack’s halls. Around her, the Silverfang omegas moved like shadows, whispering among themselves or avoiding her altogether. Some glanced with pity; others with subtle amusement. But Emily didn’t care. She had learned long ago that trust here was dangerous.

Behind her, the laughter of two omegas echoed.

“Look at her,” one snickered. “ The great Alpha Maxwell's mate. Scrubbing floors like a dog.”

The other one cackled. “Mate? Please. if the Moon Goddess really paired her with him, she must've been drunk. No Alpha would want that weakling.”

The words sank into Emily's skin like Knives. She gritted her teeth, refusing to cry in front of them. They'd only laugh harder. Instead, she scrubbed harder, her arm burning with the effort,as if she could wash away not just the stain but her entire existence in this cursed pack.

“Move faster, Emily,” a voice snapped. One of the older omegas, a woman named Karla, scowled from the corner of the hall. “We don’t have all day.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Emily replied softly, head bowed, voice steady. Her hands shook just slightly as she scrubbed the floor, but no one noticed. No one ever did.

By midday, the sun had climbed higher, casting harsh light across the courtyard. Emily carried a tray of food to the upper dormitories, careful not to spill a single crumb. Her wolf growled softly in frustration, sensing the tension in the air, the cruel eyes that followed her every move.

The whip cracked across her back. Emily bit down on her lip so hard it bled, refusing to give her tormentors the satisfaction of hearing her scream. The punishment was for spilling a tray of food in the kitchen, though it hadn’t been her fault. Another omega had tripped her, laughing when the stew splashed across the floor.

“Clumsy,” one of the guards spat, yanking her to her feet. “No wonder Alpha rejected you.”

They shoved her into the cold stone corridor. Emily staggered, clutching her ribs. Every day brought fresh pain, fresh humiliation. The once-proud daughter of two respected warriors was now nothing more than a slave.

And when her parents died—an ambush on patrol, the story went—she lost the only shield she had left. Maxwell stripped her of any dignity, declaring her an omega before the entire pack.

Her mother’s words haunted her then, cruel in their innocence. He will love you. Protect you.

What a lie.

She paused at the edge of the courtyard, staring out toward the forest. The distant trees swayed in the wind, whispering promises she could barely reach. She clenched her fists, nails digging into her palms. One day… one day I’ll leave this place.

A young omega peeked from behind a column, eyes wide and cautious. Emily gave her the faintest nod. Small gestures like that were precious here—a reminder that she wasn’t entirely invisible.

But even as she forced herself to keep moving, the thought of escape had begun to grow. At first, it was a fleeting idea, a fantasy to make the days bearable. Now, it was a plan, detailed and dangerous, forming piece by piece in her mind.

The afternoon brought more chores: fetching water, carrying firewood, cleaning the kitchens. Emily’s body ached, but her mind worked furiously, memorizing guard rotations, patrol routes, and gaps in the watch. Every misstep could mean punishment—or worse. Every shadow held the potential for discovery.

Her wolf trembled with anticipation, sensing the air differently, alerting her to unseen dangers. Yet, beneath the fear, excitement coiled like a live wire. For the first time in years, she felt a spark of urgency.

Night fell, bringing with it the veil of darkness Emily had been waiting for. The main hall quieted, and the Silverfang guards retired to their posts along predictable paths. She moved silently, heart hammering, as she crept through the corridors. Each step was measured, every breath controlled.

Reaching the outer wall, she paused, listening. The forest stretched beyond, silent but full of life. The air smelled of pine, damp earth, and freedom—a scent she hadn’t experienced in too long.

Her wolf surged, restless and eager. Emily pressed a hand against the stone wall, taking one last deep breath before attempting the impossible: escape.

The night was her only ally.

Emily sprinted through the dark forest with her small satchel_ nothing more than a loaf of bread and a water flask she was able to steal from the kitchen, lungs burning, legs screaming with every stride. She clutched her mother’s pendant so tightly it dug into her palm, but the pain kept her focused. Each breath of pine-scented air felt like freedom, like she was finally outrunning the chains that bound her.

Keep going. Don’t stop. Don’t look back.

Her wolf pushed her forward, though weak and trembling after years of neglect. We’re almost there, Emily. Just a little farther.

She had studied the patrols for weeks, memorizing the gaps. Tonight, the northern border was thinnest, a sliver of opportunity. The taste of freedom was so close she could almost feel it on her tongue.

But freedom was never so easily given.

A sharp crack split the silence—the unmistakable sound of a branch breaking under a heavy boot. Emily froze, chest heaving, ears straining. Too late.

“Stop right there!” a voice barked.

Panic exploded in her chest. She bolted forward, weaving through the trees. Snarls erupted behind her. The pounding of paws closed in. Rogues. No—these weren’t rogues. Their scent was wrong. Different. Stronger.

Another pack.

A heavy body slammed into her from the side, knocking the air from her lungs. Emily screamed as she hit the ground, the impact rattling her bones. She clawed at the dirt, trying to scramble away, but rough hands seized her wrists and wrenched them behind her back.

“Got her,” one man growled. His grip was cruel, digging into her skin. “The Silverfang Alpha will pay well to have his runaway omega returned—or maybe someone else will pay more to keep her.”

Emily thrashed desperately. “Let me go!”

Her words only made them laugh.

“Feisty little thing, isn’t she?” another sneered, grabbing her chin to force her face upward. “Pretty too. Some Alphas might pay a fortune just to break her.”

Hot tears stung her eyes as she struggled, but their strength was overwhelming. A gag was shoved between her teeth, ropes tightening around her wrists until her skin burned.

They dragged her through the forest like prey, ignoring her muffled cries. The moonlight above felt cold and distant, her mother’s pendant slipping against her collarbone like a useless charm.

When they finally stopped, torches burned in the distance. A foreign banner fluttered above the gates of a pack she did not recognize. Its wolves watched from the shadows with sharp, hungry eyes as the men shoved her forward.

Emily’s stomach turned to stone.

This wasn’t freedom. This was another cage.

And as the gates slammed shut behind her, sealing her fate, she realized the Moon Goddess’s test was far from over.