Chapter 1

LILY’S POV

Even though my arms throbbed painfully and I felt exceedingly weak, I continued to scrub the floor for hours. 

Stopping for a break was not an option; if I tried to rest, I would suffer further punishment and torment. 

Well, this was not a big deal for me because I was already used to living this way. 

I was an omega and likely never would be part of the lives of Alphas and lunas.

“Lily, come here right now!” Martha’s voice cut through, bringing me back to reality. She was the head maid and one of my abusers. “The prince is going to get engaged today and you are making me late with your slowness.”

“I’m so sorry. I will work faster,” I said with a slight nod, hoping she would make an issue out of this, which she didn’t.

My biggest fear had finally come to pass. By midnight, Alpha Darius would be getting engaged to Selena, an influential Alpha’s daughter, and it broke my heart a great deal.

At the same time, I would be turning eighteen.

My fingers trembled as I turned to see my stepsister, Maya, dressed in an elegant gown, with her blonde hair curled to perfection. She wrinkled her nose at me like I was something disgusting.

"Sorry," I muttered, taking a step back.

Maya had always hated me. Ever since my father, a disgraced Beta, had been executed for treason, my stepmother had ensured I was treated like an outsider in my own home.

"I don't know why they let you serve here," she sneered. "You should be grateful we didn’t throw you out like the trash you are."

I folded my fingers into a fist, forcing myself to remain silent.

"Come, Maya," a feminine voice cooed. "Don’t waste your breath on someone so beneath us."

That was Selena’s voice.

She walked into the room, looking all beautiful, regal, and powerful, she was the perfect match that was chosen for Darius.

There was always disdain in her eyes when she looked at me, she hated me and knew it. I wanted to return the hate, but I couldn’t. Not when she had everything I never would.

"Are you ready for tonight?" Maya asked her excitedly.

"Of course," Selena smirked. "After all, I will be Luna soon. The rightful Luna."

Her words made me feel a pain that I thought I could control.

I bent my head, trying to get out of there, but just as I turned to leave, I felt a strong grip on my wrist and my breath hitched at the contact.

"You better be careful, Lily. I have been hearing rumors that you have a crush on my man," she whispered. "A girl like you shouldn’t be caught staring at the future Alpha because you can never fit into the position of standing next to him as Luna.” 

I swallowed hard, yanking my wrist from her grasp.

"I wouldn’t dream of it," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Selena tilted her head, studying me. Then, slowly, she smirked. "We’ll see about that."

“There’s nothing to see. Go and be with your man, no need for insecurity.”

My breath hitched.

A delicate, glowing mark had appeared on my skin—a swirling pattern of silver and moonlight, intricate and breathtaking.

My fingers trembled as I traced the design.

“The mark…” I whispered.

It was the mark of an unborn Luna. The symbol of a destined mate.

Darius’s mate.

A choked laugh bubbled from my throat, my heart pounding wildly. Fate had chosen me. Me. Not the noble daughters who vied for his attention. Not the polished princesses who fluttered around him at court.

Me.

Excitement surged through my veins. I needed to tell him.

I threw on a cloak and rushed out, the chill of the morning barely registering as I ran. The palace grounds were still quiet, save for a few early risers. My feet barely touched the ground, my mind already painting the moment I’d show him.

I could see it now, his sharp features softening with realization, his lips curling into that rare, breathtaking smile. “Lily,” he’d say, voice thick with emotion. “It’s you. It’s always been you.”

And then he’d pull me into his arms, and kiss me.

I reached the palace courtyard, breathlessly. The festival banners fluttered in the morning breeze, the golden fabric catching the sunlight. My eyes darted across the grand yard, searching for him—

And then I saw him. He was dressed in an ornate royal suit, standing at the altar.

Beside Selene.

The world tilted.

No.

No, no, no.

I took a step back, the stone path cold beneath my bare feet.

"Darius…" His name slipped past my lips, barely a breath, drowned by the hum of the crowd.

He was holding her hand. His fingers curled around hers with quiet possession.

The priest spoke words I couldn't hear. The audience watched in reverent silence.

And then Darius opened his mouth to speak but I quickly rushed in, trying to stop him, to reveal to everyone that I was his rightful mate.

“This marriage cannot happen!” I screamed at the top of my voice and immediately cornered all the attention on me.

Everybody’s eyes were now on me and it made me shake in fear. I hadn’t thought about this part.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” Maya said from behind me. “You better come up with a sick joke to wrap this shit up and get out of here, Selene is mad already!”

I scoffed, of course, this was the only thing she was good at, dismissing me, treating me like trash, and standing for her friend, instead of me, her flesh and blood.

I ignored it and looked back at the crowd, then at Darius. “Selene cannot marry Darius, she is not the destined Luna, I can pro…”

Before I could continue, Selene charged at me. I wanted to open my mouth and speak but she dragged me by my sleeve and in the process, my top yanked it down, exposing my upper arm. 

My stomach dropped as the tattoo of the future Luna glowed before the eyes of everyone.

Gasps filled the hall and the room seemed to freeze.

"What is that?" Maya shrieked.

Selena's eyes darkened. "It seems we have a problem."

From people curious to know how I had the Luna mark to rumors of me being a crook and a cheat like my father, filled the hall. 

It all happened so quickly and the next thing I knew, guards seized me, yanking me backward as Selena turned toward the double doors leading to the throne room.

"Darius," she called sweetly. "There’s something you need to see."

I was panicking so badly. This couldn’t be happening.

Before I could protest, the guards dragged me forward, forcing me through the doors of the royal court. 

Darius was standing at the center, next to his father, the Alpha King. I couldn’t tell if I was sure but he looked scared and concerned.

"What's going on?" he asked. “Why did you pull off such a stunt?”

Selena stepped forward, pretending to be concerned. "No need to keep asking her questions, we already found the truth." She motioned for the guards, and one of them grabbed my arm, yanking my sleeve down again.

Darius stared at the tattoo for a while, and his entire body became still. I waited for him to say something, just anything and soon, he finally spoke with a cold voice.

"What truth?"

Selena sighed dramatically. "It seems this low-life maid has been planning on how to scam her way into the family and enjoy royalty. The tattoo is fake and we were able to find out from the details, look closely and you will see that it is not healed. She recently got the mark from a tattoo artist, to use and deceive us. And before she can think of denying it, we found the artist.”

The words came like a heavy blow. None of it was true, she was lying.

Darius's expression was hard to read but he kept looking between me and the mark. "That can't be right."

My throat became tight. “Selene is lying, trust me."

I tried to defend myself but Selena let out a smile. "How about we call the artist who drew the tattoo on her.”

I didn't know what I expected him to do, maybe try to defend me, question the truth, or anything. He did none of them, instead he decided to shatter me completely with his next words. 

“There is no need for that. I can never even make her Luna. Her father was a traitor and she is just an omega, a servant. So I, Darius of the Moonshade Pack, reject you, Lily, as my mate."

The moment the words left his lips, a sharp pain knotted in my chest. I gasped, doubling over as agony ripped through my body, tearing at my soul.

Tears blurred my vision as Selena wrapped her arms around him, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"You made the right choice, my love," she whispered to him and he hugged her, not sparing a glance at me.

I fell to the floor, feeling broken and rejected.

Pain, that was all I was made for. Nothing else defined me. 

I heard laughter, hushed tones, and mumbles.

“How dreamlike and pathetic of her.” 

“Imbecile!”

“A scam just like her father.”

“Payback for all this was due.” 

I didn’t care about what they said, the only person I paid attention to was Darius.

He stood there, void of emotion as he watched me writhe on the floor. He had no look of concern and there was no form of hesitation. He had spoken those words so easily, so carelessly, like I had never meant anything to him or existed.

I forced myself to look up, but the tears made my vision blur. Selena was pressed against his side, her arms wrapped possessively around him. She looked down at me with amusement, a slow, satisfied smirk curving her lips.

"You should have stayed in your place, Lily," she murmured, just loud enough for me to hear. "Now, you’re nothing."

Nothing.

I had always been treated like less than everyone else. But this was worse.

"Lily Astor," the Alpha King’s voice boomed, cutting through my haze of pain. "You are hereby stripped of all titles and privileges within this pack. From this moment forward, you will serve in the lowest rank—nothing more than a palace slave."

A sharp gasp escaped me. No.

My gaze snapped to Darius, desperate for him to do something to stop this but he remained silent.

"Guards, take her away," the King ordered.

I barely had time to process his words before rough hands grabbed my arms, yanking me to my feet. My knees buckled from the pain, but they didn’t care. They dragged me across the grand hall like I was trash, shoving me toward the servant’s quarters.

I di

dn't fight them.

I was too broken to resist.

As they hauled me away, I stole one last glance at Darius.