Chapter 4: The Pack Watches Me Fall

The Thornridge Pack territory is beautiful.

I can admit that, even as my stomach churns with anxiety. As we drive through the entrance gates, I see rolling hills covered in forest, a crystal-clear lake in the distance, and pack houses that look more like small mansions than the cramped quarters I'm used to.

Everything here screams wealth and power. The Thornridge Pack isn't just strong—they're rich. And I'm about to live among them as their unwanted Luna.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Elder Thorne says from the front seat, catching me staring out the window. "Alpha Kade's father built most of this. He believed pack members should live well, with dignity."

"It's beautiful," I admit quietly.

Beta Catherine glances back at me, her expression skeptical. "Don't get too comfortable. You're only here temporarily."

Her words are like a slap, but I suppose she's just being honest. No one here wants me. I'm a legal obligation, nothing more.

The SUV pulls up to the largest building I've ever seen—the main pack house. It's three stories tall, made of stone and dark wood, with huge windows that probably let in amazing light. It looks like something from a magazine, not like the worn, cramped building I just left.

As we get out of the car, I notice wolves stopping to stare. Word has clearly spread. They know who I am and why I'm here. I can feel their eyes on me, judging, curious, hostile.

A young woman with blonde hair whispers something to her companion, and they both laugh while looking directly at me. A male warrior shakes his head in disgust. An older woman just looks sad, like she's sorry for me.

I keep my head down and follow Elder Thorne toward the entrance, clutching my small bag like it's a shield.

"Ignore them," Elder Thorne says softly. "They'll come around."

I seriously doubt that, but I don't say anything.

The inside of the pack house is even more impressive than the outside. Hardwood floors, high ceilings, artwork on the walls. Everything is clean and well-maintained. It smells like pine and something else—something that makes my wolf perk up with interest.

Kade's scent. This whole place is saturated with it.

"Alpha Kade is in a meeting right now," Beta Catherine says, her heels clicking on the floor as she walks. "He'll address you when he's ready. In the meantime, I'll show you to your room."

We climb a grand staircase to the second floor, then walk down a long hallway. I notice that the doors we pass have names on them—pack members live in this building, like a huge shared home.

Finally, Beta Catherine stops at a door near the end of the hall. She opens it and steps aside. "This is yours."

I walk in and try not to show my shock. The room is huge—at least four times the size of my old room. There's a real bed with a thick mattress and soft-looking blankets. A desk by the window. A dresser. An attached bathroom that I can see through an open door.

It's the nicest room I've ever had.

"Alpha Kade's quarters are in the east wing," Beta Catherine says, pointing vaguely in the opposite direction. "You won't be sharing a room with him. He insisted on that."

Of course he did. The idea of sharing a room with me probably makes him sick.

"The Luna's traditional quarters are next to the Alpha's," Beta Catherine continues, her voice taking on a sharp edge. "But Alpha Kade has made it clear you're not to be treated as a real Luna. You'll stay here, out of the way."

"I understand," I say quietly, setting my bag on the bed.

"Dinner is at seven in the main dining hall. You're expected to attend, since the pack needs to see you making an effort." She looks me up and down, her lip curling slightly. "Try to look presentable."

She leaves without another word, closing the door behind her.

I stand in the middle of this beautiful room, feeling completely out of place. Everything here is too nice for someone like me. I don't belong.

My wolf whimpers softly, and I feel her anxiety mixing with my own. She doesn't understand why our mate hasn't come to see us, why we're being kept away from him. To her, it's simple—we found our mate, so we should be together.

If only it were that simple.

I spend the next few hours unpacking my few belongings and trying to calm my nerves. My clothes look shabby hanging in the expensive closet. My old books look out of place on the beautiful desk. Even my photo of my mother seems wrong here, like a reminder that I don't fit into this world.

Around six-thirty, I force myself to get ready for dinner. I take a shower in the attached bathroom—which has better water pressure than anywhere I've ever lived—and put on my nicest dress. It's not very nice, just a simple navy blue dress that's a few years old, but it's the best I have.

I look at myself in the mirror and barely recognize the girl staring back. My eyes are still puffy from crying. My skin is pale with stress. I look exactly like what I am—someone who's been rejected and is trying to survive.

Too soon, it's time to go downstairs.

The dining hall is easy to find—I just follow the sound of voices and laughter. When I reach the doorway, I pause, taking in the scene.

There must be fifty people in the room, sitting at long tables, eating and talking. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, like a big family dinner. It's nothing like the tense, quiet meals at my old pack.

Then I step into the room, and everything stops.

Conversations cut off mid-sentence. Laughter dies. Every single person turns to stare at me.

The silence is deafening.

I freeze in the doorway, wanting to run but knowing I can't. Elder Thorne said I needed to be seen making an effort. So I force myself to walk further into the room, my footsteps echoing too loudly in the sudden quiet.

I'm looking for an empty seat when I see him.

Kade is sitting at the head of the main table, and the sight of him steals my breath. He's wearing a simple black shirt that shows off his muscular frame, and his dark hair is slightly damp like he recently showered. He looks powerful and dangerous and absolutely furious.

His golden eyes lock onto me, and the hatred in them is like a physical blow. The mate bond, damaged as it is, flares with pain in my chest.

Next to him sits a beautiful woman I don't recognize. She has long auburn hair, perfect makeup, and a designer dress that probably costs more than everything I own. She's leaning close to Kade, her hand on his arm, whispering something in his ear.

He doesn't pull away from her. Doesn't tell her to move. He just keeps staring at me with those cold eyes while this woman touches him possessively.

"Well, well," the woman says loudly, making sure everyone can hear. "This must be the new arrival. The one who looks like Elena."

The way she says Elena's name—with pity and condescension—makes my skin crawl.

"Vivienne," Elder Thorne says warningly, appearing at my side. "That's enough."

So this is Vivienne. Based on how comfortable she is touching Kade, I'm guessing she's the mistress Maya mentioned. The woman who's been in Kade's life for years.

"I'm just making an observation," Vivienne says innocently. "The resemblance really is striking. No wonder Alpha Kade is so upset."

"Sit down, Sera," Elder Thorne says gently, guiding me toward an empty seat at a side table, far from where Kade is sitting.

I sit, keeping my eyes down, trying to ignore the whispers starting up around me.

"She does look like Elena."

"Poor Alpha Kade."

"What was the Moon Goddess thinking?"

"She's the traitor's daughter too. Double curse."

"I heard she forced the mate bond somehow."

That last one makes my head snap up. "I didn't force anything," I say before I can stop myself.

The woman who spoke—a middle-aged she-wolf with cruel eyes—smirks. "Then why would the Moon Goddess pair our Alpha with someone so... unsuitable?"

"That's enough!" Elder Thorne's voice cracks like a whip. "Sera is here under pack law, and she will be treated with basic respect. Anyone who can't manage that can leave my dining hall."

The room goes quiet again, but the damage is done. Everyone's thinking the same thing that woman said out loud: I don't belong here. I'm unsuitable. I'm a mistake.

Food is served, but I can barely eat. My throat is too tight with unshed tears. My hands shake as I try to lift my fork. All around me, pack members eat and talk, but no one speaks to me. No one even looks at me directly. I'm like a ghost at the table.

I risk a glance toward Kade and immediately wish I hadn't. He's leaning back in his chair, his arm draped casually around Vivienne's shoulders, whispering something that makes her laugh. They look comfortable together. Natural. Like a real couple.

And why wouldn't they? They've been together for years. They have history, connection, ease with each other.

I'm just the unwanted mate he's being forced to tolerate for three months.

The mate bond twists painfully in my chest, and I have to close my eyes and breathe through it. My wolf is whining, distressed by seeing our mate with another woman. She doesn't understand why he's not sitting with us, not claiming us, not even acknowledging us.

"Don't let them get to you," someone whispers.

I look up to see a young man sitting across from me. He has kind eyes and a gentle smile. "I'm James. I'm one of the pack teachers."

"Sera," I say quietly, grateful that someone is actually speaking to me.

"I know. Everyone knows." He glances around the room, then lowers his voice. "Look, I know this situation is awful for you. But Elder Thorne is right—some of us will come around. Not everyone here believes you're unsuitable."

"Just most people," I say bitterly.

"Give it time," James says. "Thornridge Pack isn't usually like this. We're good people, mostly. But Alpha Kade... he's been through a lot. When Elena died, it broke something in him. The pack loves him, so they're protective. They see you as a threat to his memory of her."

"I'm not trying to replace her," I say desperately. "I didn't ask for any of this."

"I know. And I think deep down, most of them know it too. They're just scared."

"Scared of what?"

James hesitates. "Scared that if Alpha Kade accepts the mate bond, he'll forget Elena. That he'll move on. Some people think grief is a form of loyalty."

That's the saddest thing I've ever heard.

Dinner drags on forever. I manage to eat a few bites, mostly because Elder Thorne keeps giving me encouraging looks, and I don't want to disappoint the one person who's been kind to me.

Finally, mercifully, people start leaving. I stand to go back to my room, eager to escape the hostile stares and whispered insults.

"Sera Blackwood."

Kade's voice stops me in my tracks. I turn slowly to face him.

He's standing now, and the entire room has gone silent again, everyone watching to see what happens. Vivienne is still at his side, her hand possessively on his arm.

"Yes, Alpha?" I say, proud that my voice doesn't shake.

He walks toward me, and I have to fight every instinct not to back away. Up close, the mate bond is stronger, more insistent. My wolf is begging me to reach out, to touch him, to try to connect.

But the look in his eyes keeps me frozen in place.

"Let's make something very clear," he says, his voice cold and controlled. "You're here because pack law requires it. Nothing more. For the next three months, you'll live here, you'll attend pack functions, and you'll play the role of my mate in public. But that's all it is—a role. Don't mistake it for anything real."

Each word is like a knife to my heart, but I keep my face blank. I won't give him or anyone else the satisfaction of seeing me break.

"I understand, Alpha," I say.

"Good." He steps back, and Vivienne immediately presses closer to him, marking her territory. "You'll meet with Beta Catherine tomorrow to discuss your duties. She'll explain what's expected of you."

"Yes, Alpha."

He turns away, dismissing me like I'm a servant, not his fated mate. Vivienne shoots me a triumphant look as they walk away together, his arm around her waist.

The room erupts into whispers the moment they're gone.

"Did you see how he looked at her?"

"Like she was nothing."

"Three months of that? I almost feel sorry for her."

"Almost."

Elder Thorne appears at my side again. "Come. I'll walk you back to your room."

We leave the dining hall together, and I manage to hold myself together until we're in the hallway. Then the tears start falling, and I can't stop them.

"I can't do this," I whisper. "Three months of being treated like garbage. Three months of watching him with her. I can't."

Elder Thorne stops walking and turns to face me. His eyes are sad but firm. "You can, and you will. Not because you want to, but because you have to. And Sera—" He waits until I meet his eyes. "I've lived a long time. I've seen a lot of mate bonds. And I'm telling you—something about this doesn't feel right."

"What do you mean?"

"The way Alpha Kade looks at you... there's hatred, yes. But there's something else underneath. Something he's fighting very hard to hide." Elder Thorne squeezes my shoulder gently. "Don't give up yet. Three months is a long time. Things can change."

But as I lie in bed that night, staring at the ceiling of my beautiful prison, I don't believe him.

Things won't change. Kade made that perfectly clear.

I'm unwanted. Unsuitable. A mistake.

And I have to survive three months of being reminded of that every single day.