Chapter 5

ARIA.

“Before we get to the pack,” Alpha Dane spoke up, shattering the blessed silence, “let’s go over a few things. Remember this: you are here as the Luna of this pack in name only. You don’t hold the power of a Luna. You will smile at the pack members, check in with new mothers, and do all the caring shit you’re supposed to do.”

Caring shit I was supposed to do. Wow. What a charming Alpha.

Did he even know what Luna duties entailed? A Luna wasn’t a glorified babysitter. They were the heart and soul of a pack. Where the Alpha stood as the wall of steel, the Luna was the lifeline within it – the one who ensured families thrived instead of merely survived. She nurtured morale, unity, and strength. Packs didn’t fall apart because of weak warriors; they fractured when their bonds to each other snapped.

The chain was only as strong as its weakest link There was truth behind that adage. Many people mistakenly thought that it was the Alpha and warriors that showcased how strong their pack was. It was the entirety of a pack that made it weak or strong. Did he miss that part of his Alpha training?

“As stated in the contract, nobody is to know about it. Your father should have told you what’s at stake,” he continued, his voice cool, commanding.

At stake. My sweet little sister. My stomach tightened, but I gave a curt nod.

The car itself reminded me of a cage: black leather seats, a tinted barrier separating us from the driver, soundproofed just enough that Dane could speak freely without Jerome overhearing. Even the air felt stifled, heavy with his scent.

“You will act like a good Luna who is happy with her position. Fake it if you have to, but make sure my pack doesn’t question it. You will dress appropriately, to my standards. My Gamma female will take you shopping tomorrow.”

Good thing I’d spent years perfecting the art of masks. When life gave you abuse, you learned to survive by playing roles.

Tomorrow, I’d find out what his standards were. Something told me comfort wasn’t going to make the cut.

“Lastly,” he said, his voice dropping to something darker, “you will not mention your connection to Lana Morgan. I refuse to publicize that Shadow Vale’s Luna is related to a traitor. And I won’t have anyone wondering if their new Luna is as cowardly as the bitch who went AWOL instead of facing the consequences of her betrayal.”

Hell no. Anger shot through me like lightning.

“You know nothing about her,” I snapped, before I could stop myself. “Think whatever you want, but don’t ever talk about her like that.”

The air thickened instantly, danger radiating from him like a second skin. My pulse jumped, but I couldn’t take the words back—and I wouldn’t.

I could never reconcile the story they painted of her. My mother, a traitor? The woman I knew had been full of warmth, love, and unwavering devotion. She gave every piece of herself to us. She taught me kindness, strength, resilience. If I carried any good qualities at all, they were hers.

The loud snarl that ripped from Dane’s chest froze me. My blood went cold. In an instant, his hand clamped around my jaw, fingers digging in hard enough to bruise. He forced me to face him, his blue eyes blazing.

“I do not tolerate disrespect. From anyone,” he snarled, his lips peeling back to bare his teeth. “Your title—granted by contract—doesn’t make you different from the rest. I’ll punish you the same. Perhaps you’d like to learn what it feels like to be cuffed to a pole and whipped with silver and wolfsbane until you can’t scream anymore. Maybe that’ll drive the lesson through your thick fucking skull. And don’t delude yourself with fantasies about your coward of a mother. She turned on her pack. She got people killed. And I will not allow that stain to reflect on me.”

His words dripped menace. Every syllable was a blade.

My anger disintegrated, leaving fear in its place. Sharp. Suffocating. I had no doubt he meant every threat. Some might have looked at him and seen a strong leader. A darkly attractive Alpha. To me, he was nothing but a villain carved out of shadow. Black-hearted, cruel, merciless.

I swallowed hard, forcing my voice steady. “I understand.”

“Good.” He released me with a scoff, shoving my face away. Then, with calculated disdain, he wiped his hand on his pants, as though touching me had left him filthy.

A jagged ache tugged at the bond between us. The connection wanted to recoil, to curl up in pain because my mate had dismissed me like I was something unworthy. But I silenced it. Why should I want someone like him to want me? If disgust was all he had to give, then I would not crave his affection.

“While we’re at it,” he added, eyes narrowing, “you don’t pull this shit in front of the pack. Don’t challenge me. Don’t show me attitude. Present yourself as the perfect Luna, the one who supports her Alpha. Make sure you appear shy, modest—so no one expects me to touch you. Because I won’t.”

Good. Because I didn’t want him anywhere near me.

The car sank back into silence, though it wasn’t peaceful. It was the kind of silence that pressed down on the lungs, thick and suffocating, as if the very air had weight. When his phone buzzed and pulled his attention away, I released a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. My chest ached with the relief of it, like surfacing from water too long.

I turned my face to the window, searching for anything that could ground me. The world outside rolled by in dusky shades of green and fading gold. Towering pines swayed like sentinels, shadows stretching long across winding roads. Valleys dipped low and caught the last light, gilded like brushstrokes on a canvas. Even with dread twisting tight in my stomach, it was impossible not to notice the beauty of it. For a fleeting moment, I let myself imagine the scene in winter—blanketed in snow, the world glittering white, silent and pure.

Winter had always been my favorite season. Thea’s too. She became more wolf than ever then—bounding through the drifts with reckless joy, her silver fur vanishing against the frozen backdrop as if she belonged to it. She made even the coldest season feel alive.

The tires crunched to a slower rhythm, dragging my heart with them. Ahead, the walls of Shadow Vale loomed, massive and unyielding, stone and steel woven together in an unbroken line. Cameras glinted from their perches, and sniper posts jutted like jagged crowns along the top. Not just protection. A statement. A warning.

‘Paranoid as hell,’ Thea muttered dryly.

‘Smart,’ I countered automatically, though the word tasted hollow.

‘Nope. Paranoid,’ she shot back, warmth lacing her sarcasm.

I couldn’t stop the quiet chuckle that escaped me, a small bubble of air breaking through the heaviness. Goddess, I didn’t know what I’d do without her. She was my tether when everything else felt like it was slipping away. My reminder that I wasn’t entirely alone.

The gates creaked open, and the pack’s world unfolded before me. It was not the cold fortress I expected but something almost idyllic. Brightly painted buildings lined bustling streets, laughter spilling into the air like music. Families carried bags brimming with goods, their pups darting between legs, giggling as parents called after them. Couples walked hand in hand, faces lit with ease and contentment.

They looked so safe. So happy. So blissfully untouched by the shadows gnawing at me. And still—it soothed something raw inside me. They deserved this peace. Even if I couldn’t feel it myself, I was glad it was theirs.

The car rolled to a halt before the packhouse, a sprawling structure that dominated the space with its grand design. My pulse quickened, sharp and fast, as if my body already knew the performance that was about to begin.

“Remember what I said,” Dane murmured, his tone edged with steel.

“Will do,” I replied, my voice steady even as I slid the mask into place, piece by practiced piece.

He stepped out first, the crowd’s cheer rising on cue, then circled the car to open my door. His hand landed on the small of my back—firm, possessive. Every instinct in me screamed to flinch away, but I locked myself still.

The cheers swelled when he introduced me as their Luna. Smiles stretched wide, eyes shone with joy. They didn’t see the cracks beneath the surface. They weren’t meant to.

I smiled back, lifting my hand to wave, radiating warmth and grace, giving them exactly what they wanted to see.

The mask was secure. Perfect. Unyielding.

And it would stay, no matter how heavy it grew.