Chapter 1

Harper’s POV

“Are you really sure you want to marry someone else, Hap?” Emma, my best friend, said to me softly. “Have you really let him go?”

I knew exactly who she referred. A man I tried to not think about at all these years. A man I should never have feelings for. A man who legally was my adoptive father.

His handsome face rose in my mind, but I shoved it down.

“Is that really what you want to talk about at my engagement party?” Well, technically outside of it on the balcony. I’d needed some air.

“It’s not like he’s blood. And it’s kind of obvious you still love –”

A familiar footstep behind me made me freeze. I grabbed Emma’s arm, just as a shadow fell in the light from the open doors. I turned to find Mason, my fiancé, watching us with suspicion in his eyes.

“Ladies,” he said slowly. “Hope I’m not interrupting anything important.”

“Hi love,” I said, plastering a bright smile on my face as I went to him, “And nothing at all. Is it time for speeches?”

I studied his expression with guilt and nerves, hoping he hadn’t heard anything that wasn’t meant for him to hear.

“I have more guests to greet. Don’t be out here too long.” I nodded to that, relaxed he was calm as usual. But next second, he paused by the door. “You still haven’t heard from Levi?” he asked, an edge in his voice. “He’s really not coming?”

I forced a blithe smile. “He’s always been busy, and it’s a long way. I told you, I didn’t really expect him to come.”

Mason didn’t say a word, just slammed the door hard, rattling the glass panes. I barely heard it though. Of course he isn’t coming.

Even though it took most of my courage to say yes to Mason, and every scrap I had left to send that invitation to Levi. I should’ve known it wasn’t courage – I never had much of that – but stupid hope. Hope that he’d see I was over that stupid crush, hope that he’d stop seeing me as a problem he had to manage, hope that we could just… move forward.

I’d admired Levi, the strongest Alpha our pack had ever seen, since I was little. My mom died before I could remember her and my father, Levi’s most loyal gamma, died in the Rouge Wars. Levi’s strength was the only stable, invincible thing in my life.

Even being raised by nannies at the pack house since duties kept him away almost constantly, his presence permeated every room, every space, and I knew I was safe, always. On the rare time he did come home, he was always so kind and I’d loved him for it.

Looking back, it was so sweet and innocent… I had no idea when that started to change.

I never meant to develop feelings. I never meant to burden him with that. So as soon as I could, I left for school in the west, where I met Mason and now, I was marrying the Alpha of the Ridgewood pack, the largest in the west. A fairytale end for an orphan with no real family left.

So why aren’t I happier?

“Hey, sorry for bringing it up.” Emma murmured. I gave her a weak smile. “Why don’t we head back to the party, you need something stronger than champagne.”

She steered me to the glass doors where we could see a cluster of people. I opened it a crack to ask them to move so we could get in, but their voices drifted out, freezing me to the spot.

“…a disgrace. Some grubby little orphan, the spawn of who knows, as our Luna?”

“She can’t even shift, what is Mason thinking?”

Someone scoffed. “He can’t be, not with the head that matters. Whatever skills she has, I’m sure they’re not in leadership.”

My face burned with humiliation. I tried to sink back into the shadows, but Emma shoved the door open, scattering Mason’s gossiping relatives.

“Excuse me? I know I didn’t just hear what it sounded like,” she snapped. “Because Harper has been incredible for this pack. She was excellent in school, at the top of her class, and she gave that up to come here and help manage things because of how bad this pack was struggling.” She gave him a disgusted glare. “You should all be thanking her for even considering being the pack’s Luna.”

My heart swelled at Emma’s words. I knew she didn’t agree with all the choices I’d made, so the fact that she’d defend them, defend me, meant more than I could say.

But one of Mason’s uncle’s – and one of the louder voices from before – spoke up, puffing out his chest. “So, what if she does a little paperwork here and there,” he scoffed. “We still have no idea where she comes from. She could be anybody! Look around, do you see any of her family here for the engagement?”

He made a show of turning in a circle and scanning the crowd. Humiliation tried to creep back up, but right along with it was anger.

“Maybe she was rejected and kicked out of her family,” he said, loud enough for the growing crowd around us to hear. “Clearly no one else wants her!”

The words burned, I stepped forward, ready to stand up for myself, but then –

A heavy arm draped around my shoulders and the heady scent of pine and peppermint wrapped around me like a blanket, soothing something inside me. Then that low, quiet voice I’d know anywhere.

“Are you looking for me?”

Levi.

My gaze snapped up to his face and just… froze there. After so many years, he’d changed. The stubble was a full goatee, neatly trimmed to frame his full lips. But that was the only soft thing about him. His features were sharper, more defined, like he’d been re-written in bold. Or maybe it was just the force he exuded as he stared down each and every single person in the room.

The change was nearly instant.

“Of course, Alpha Levi, it was getting so late we weren’t sure you were coming,” the same man who’d just called me a nobody said with a deep, respectful nod.

Levi scoffed, steering me away, deeper into the party. I went on instinct, the thought of resisting, of planting my feet and demanding an explanation fading under the warmth of his scent.

He was here. He came. My senses were still frozen, locked on the heat radiating from where we touched, the weight of his arm pressing me securely to his side, the scent I remembered even in my dreams.

But the whispers around us broke the spell.

“Who is he? Is that her ex?”

“I thought they were family?”

“Her brother, maybe?”

My cheeks burned for reasons I didn’t want to examine. The crowd parted in front of us and Mason appeared. I tensed, but he just opened his arms with a warm smile.

“Alpha Levi, your presence is an honor,” he said, then, to the rest of the party. “Friends, family, allow me to introduce you to the Alpha of the White Fang pack.” Our pack, the largest in the east, was well known, and impressed murmurs flowed around us.

But Levi didn’t react. I didn’t dare look at him, terrified of what he’d read in my face. Why is he here? He didn’t RSVP, he didn’t call, he just appeared at my side. Who does that?

Mason was in his element, unperturbed by Levi’s silence. He fielded questions, accepted compliments for both of us – despite what I’d heard before – and when someone suggested Levi give a toast, Mason turned to him with a glass.

“What about it, father-in-law?” Mason said, reaching for me with his other hand. “A toast for the happy couple?”

But Levi’s arm only tightened. He smiled, slow, deliberate, razor sharp. “You all seem to be forgetting something.” His voice, like cold, quiet thunder made the entire room fall silent – waiting.

My heart pounded. That tone, it never meant anything good.

“This marriage was never approved by me. And I can call it off at any moment.”