Chapter 3

Serena's scream drew the attention of every guest nearby.

"Everyone, look! Elena stole my necklace!"

She held the moonstone necklace high, her eyes glinting with malice.

"This is the moonstone necklace passed down to the Luna of my pack! She must have stolen it because she's jealous of me!"

"I didn't steal it. That necklace is mine."

I shook my head firmly, ignoring the judgmental stares.

For a moment, Alec looked stunned.

Then, his eyes darkened, and he slapped me across the face.

Smack!

The force of his Alpha command slammed into me, rooting me to the spot.

"Elena!" he pointed at me, his voice filled with anguish. "Have you fallen so low that you've become a common thief?"

"If you hadn't been so difficult back then, this necklace would have been yours! You wouldn't have had to steal it!"

A red handprint bloomed on my cheek, and I tasted blood at the corner of my lip.

But I just stared straight at him, my expression frozen.

I knew this necklace. It was a gift from Damien.

It was engraved with his family crest, the symbol of the Lycan Queen.

It also contained a special crystal, perfectly attuned to my wolf.

Only I was worthy to wear it.

"The. Necklace. Is. Mine."

I repeated through gritted teeth, reaching for it.

Alec slammed my hand down, his voice a cold warning.

"Elena, you lost the right to wear this long ago."

Serena grew bolder.

She shot me a triumphant smirk.

"Elena, I know you're obsessed with this necklace, but you're the one who gave up on Alec. What's the point of fighting me for it now?"

"Of course, you could say you bought it yourself. But you'd have to prove it. Otherwise, I'll have to call the Enforcers. I just can't bear to see you fall any lower."

With that, she glared at the head of security.

"Are you all incompetent? A guest's necklace was stolen on Lycan territory! Get your captain over here, now!"

"Yes, yes."

The security chief's face went pale, and he quickly made a call on his internal line.

I watched Serena calmly, then spoke.

"I am the Luna of this resort."

"Ridiculous!"

Serena cackled as if she'd heard the funniest joke in the world.

"I think you've really lost your mind. Look at yourself before you lie. Everyone knows the Lycan King's mate is a noblewoman of ancient blood. What are you?"

The onlookers began to whisper.

"She said she's the Luna here?"

"What a joke. The Lycan Queen would never look like that."

I said nothing more, calculating in my head how much longer she could enjoy her moment.

At the same time, I dialed Damien's Beta's number.

"Sir, there's a she-wolf here with a file, claiming to be our Luna. She also stole another Luna's necklace."

A panicked voice came from the other end.

"What? The King is coming over personally? Oh, okay..."

The security chief shot me a look that said, You're dead.

Hearing Damien was on his way, Alec's face changed. He snatched the phone from the guard and hung up.

For the first time, he was humbling himself before a low-ranking security beta.

"Captain, I'll handle this woman myself. Please, tell King Damien it was just a misunderstanding."

Without waiting for a reply, he started dragging me toward the parking lot.

"Let go of me!" I fought back desperately.

His clear voice was tight with suppressed rage.

"Stop it! Damien is fiercely protective of his mate. I heard a rival once disrespected her, and he wiped out the entire pack overnight!"

"You just impersonated his mate and stole from a guest on his territory. When the King gets here, he'll have you skinned alive. I'm trying to save you!"

I grabbed onto a car door, refusing to get in.

"Where are you taking me?"

Seeing I wouldn't budge, he grew furious and pulled out a binding strap, ready to tie my hands and throw me in the car.

A hint of worry touched his otherwise calm features.

"Listen to me! I have people on the Enforcement team. We'll just go through the motions, and I'll get you out. Don't be afraid!"

The Enforcers.

The word stabbed into my heart like a knife.

The memory of my pack surrounding me three years ago, threatening to cast me out, came flooding back.

The pain in the silver room, the pack's threats, all those cold, indifferent faces...

I shoved him with all my strength and ran, raw panic clawing at my throat.

"Elena!" Alec yelled from behind me. "What are you running from?"

I ignored him and bolted for the resort entrance.

I couldn't let them take me.

I couldn't go through that despair again.

Just then, I saw him. A tall, formidable figure at the resort entrance.

My eyes instantly welled up.

He was here.

My Damien was here.

"Damien!" I screamed, my voice cracking with a sob. "He's trying to give your mate to the Enforcers! Again! Are you going to let him?"