Chapter 1

RORY’S POV    

“Well, well, well look what we found,” the man on me growled. “The high and mighty Luna, all alone.”  

I struggled to push him off me, but he pressed a forearm across my throat. Then another set of hands grabbed my wrists and forced them above my head. While a third wolf stood watch, laughing still as he did so.  

These weren't wolves from our faction. They were rogues.

“Hold her still.”  

I kicked against them and I think my boot hit something soft, causing one of them to curse out. The pressure on my throat increased until I started seeing patches of black and lines around the edges of my vision.  

I reached for the mate bond, trying to call out to Lucian.

‘Lucian…please.’  

The mind link opened for a second, but it was just long enough for him to feel my panic through the bond.  

I tried calling out to him. ‘Lucian, I’m at the southern border. They’re attacking me. Please—’  

Nothing, no answer. And then the mind link slammed shut, it felt like a door being locked in my face.  

He had blocked me out on purpose.

The scarred one tore at the front of my jacket, letting the buttons scatter around. The inner part of my top was left exposed.  

“She’s got spirit,” he said, grinning. “I like that.”  

Then he ripped off a part of my trousers, licking his lips as he tried to get everything off me. But I wouldn’t go down without a fight.

I twisted hard, managed to free one hand, and scratched at his face. He backhanded me and my head snapped sideways. The impact caused a bleed in my mouth.  

“Hold the bitch down properly!”  

Two of them pinned my arms down and the third one on watch started working on my belt. I stopped struggling for a second and let them think I was done, but my right boot still had a small silver knife strapped inside.  

I forced my body to go limp. The scarred one laughed and leaned closer.  

“That’s better. Give up, you’re not getting out alive.”  

My free hand moved quickly. I yanked the knife free and drove it upward into the open flesh under his ribs.  

He screamed and let go of me. The others jerked back in shock, but I didn’t waste the opportunity. I rolled, kicked the one on my left in the knee, and scrambled to my feet.  

I felt pain at my side, but I didn’t stop. I shifted immediately, taking on my wolf form. The partial change was disorganized and agonizing because of the silver still in my system, but my wolf form was stronger than my human one.  

I lunged at the nearest attacker taking him down, and then I ripped a strip of his jacket free between my jaws and bolted.  

They chased me for a while, but I was faster.  

By the time I reached the outer patrol line of the pack, my wolf form was limping badly. I shifted back behind a cluster of trees, gasping, pressing one hand to the bleeding wound on my side. The piece of jacket was still held tightly in my fist.  

I shoved it into my pocket and staggered toward the main gates.  

Silas, Lucian’s Beta found me first, he was coming out of the warriors’ barracks when he saw me. He looked at me in pure shock. “Your Grace, what happened?”  

He caught me under the arm before I could fall and I leaned on him more than I wanted to.  

“Happened at the Southern border,” I said roughly. “They were unknown wolves, I suspect them to be rogues. At least three of them and they were waiting.”  

Silas looked at me in horror. “You’re bleeding everywhere.”  

“I’m aware.”  

He started guiding me toward the pack hospital. “I’m taking you to the healers.”  

“No.” I pulled back slightly. “Just…get me to the residence. I’ll handle it myself.”  

He looked like he wanted to argue with me, but the expression on my face clearly stopped him.  

“I’ll report to Lucian,” he said after a moment. “He’s at the east entrance right now….welcoming a guest.”  

I frowned. “What guest?”  

Silas hesitated a bit before responding “Trixie, she arrived about an hour ago.”  

Hearing that name suddenly hurt more than my injuries. Trixie.  

She was Lucian’s childhood sweetheart. The girl who lost her wolf three years ago saving Lucian’s life, the same one everyone still spoke about with pity towards her.  

Silas kept talking, oblivious to my change in mood. “He told me to make sure the guest wing is ready. He also said to tell you to treat your wounds first if you came back looking like this.”  

I didn’t answer him and kept moving. We turned the corner of the main path just as two figures appeared under the lanterns.  

Lucian….and her.  

He had one arm around her waist, supporting her like she might collapse at any second. Her head was tilted toward him and he was looking down at her, speaking gently. 

Even from this distance I could see the expression on his face. He was being gentle, careful and showing her the kind of tenderness I hadn’t seen directed at me in a very long time.  

Me, who was his wife and Luna.

My black coat was thick enough to hide most of the blood, the dirt and dust from the forest had settled onto it and in these low lights I probably looked more dishevelled than dying.  

Lucian’s eyes found me and he stopped walking.  His gaze moved over me once, doing a quick, assessing look and then he frowned.  

“As Luna,” he said in spite across the distance between us, “you should at least learn how to maintain the dignity of the pack.”  

His words felt like a slap to my face and I stared at him in disbelief.  Silas shifted uncomfortably beside me.  

I felt anger boiling up inside me. 

“Dignity?” My voice came out louder than I intended. “I was attacked at the border Lucian—”  

“You survived,” Lucian cut in, already looking tired of me. “That’s what matters. You’re supposed to be the stronger one for the sake of the pack. Consider it an experience.”  

I took a step forward. “Experience? They nearly—”  

Trixie made a whimper sound and pressed her hand to her chest. “Lucian….please. Don’t fight because of me. I’m sure the Luna didn’t mean to look so….unsettled.”  

Her voice was weak and fragile. But I saw straight through her flimsy act.  And just as expected Lucian’s attention shifted back to her instantly.  

“It’s fine,” he murmured. “You’re safe now.”  

Trixie then coughed twice, delicate, pitiful little sounds and swayed like she was about to pass out. Lucian’s arm tightened around her.  

“That’s enough for tonight,” he said without looking at me again. “She’s exhausted from the journey and I’m taking her to the healers. As for you….behave.”  

He turned and they walked away.  

I stood there in the middle of the path with Silas still holding my arm, watching their backs disappear into the darkness.  

Only then did I fully understand the situation. When I had been on the ground with the hands of filthy men on me, calling for him through the bond, he had been with her….and he didn’t care.  

I felt my eyes tear up, but I refused to let them fall in front of Silas.  

“I’ll handle the report your Grace,” Silas said quietly. “It would be best if you clean up and rest.”  

I nodded once and walked toward the Alpha residence alone.  

Our rooms had been separate for months. I didn’t even glance at his door. I went straight to mine, locked it, and took the ruined clothes off my body.  

The wounds looked worse under the bathroom light. There were deep scratches running across my ribs., the silver burn on my arm and bruises from their attempt to strangle me already darkening on my wrists and throat.  

I cleaned them myself, bandaged what I could, swallowed two painkillers and climbed into bed without turning off the light.  

It took a while before I could finally shut my eyes for some sleep. But as I difted off, I was drawn into a dream.

In the dream I was back on the forest floor. Those same pair of hands held me down, but this time I couldn’t move. I screamed Lucian’s name through the link but no one answered, it was completely silent.

I woke up soaked in sweat, with my heart going a mile a minute. The bed sheets had  twisted around my legs and morning light was already shining through the curtains.  

Lucian still hadn’t returned.  

I reached for my phone from the nightstand out of habit and the moment the screen came on, my stomach dropped.  

There were photos.  

Of Lucian and Trixie at the east entrance. Lucian helping her out of the car, Lucian’s hand on her lower back, Lucian smiling at her as she spoke. 

Comment after comment spoke in adoration of her.

“Finally together again.”  

“The real Luna.”  

“Poor Trixie, she’s been through so much.”  

“Lucian&Trixie. My favorite power couple.”

I locked the phone and threw it onto the bed, trying not to panic or overthink. A message notification popped up a minute later.  

I picked it up to see a message from Lucian. ‘I need you to go to the Alpha office. There’s a small wooden box in the bottom left drawer of the cabinet, bring it to the guest wing.’

That was all. No “are you okay.” No “what happened last night.” He was just ordering me.  

I got dressed slowly, because each time I moved, the bandages were being strained. I eventually finished and headed down.

The Alpha office was quiet when I entered and only Lucian and I had the codes. The air smelled like his cologne and dusty old paper.  

I found the drawer almost immediately. The box was exactly where he said. It was made of dark wood and unusually small. The family crest of Trixie’s family was carved into the lid.  

Seeing that insignia, curiosity got the best of me and I opened it. Which I shouldn’t have because inside, nestled on black velvet, was a ring.  

A simple elegant diamond ring, exactly the kind of ring a man gave when he meant forever.  

My knees gave out and I landed on the floor. How could he do this to me? After everything I had done for this pack and for him. I loved him with every fiber of my being, where could I have possibly gone wrong?

I sat on the floor with the open box in my lap and cried until my chest hurt and my eyes felt heavy and there was nothing left.  

When the tears finally slowed down, something else at the bottom of the cabinet caught my attention—the corner of a piece of paper sticking out from under a stack of files.  

I pulled it free and the heading at the top of the document made me lose the ability to breathe all over again.

Mate Bond Dissolution Application.