Echo's POVThe Marking ceremony was held at Tom's vast estate. As I stepped into the grand hall clad in a shimmering mermaid gown stitched with luminous threads, a wave of gasps swept across the crowd—admiration, envy, awe."Goddess," someone whispered. "That's the gown inlaid with 999 shards of moonlight crystal. Handmade. Took a full year to finish.""Alpha Tom must be utterly smitten. I don't blame him. Look at his mate—she's breathtaking."Cradling a bouquet of rare blood moon roses in my hands, I walked forward slowly toward Tom.This was the second time I'd stood dressed like this in front of so many people. The first time, I had lost everything.And this time… was I truly ready to embrace happiness?My steps faltered. Doubt clutched at my chest, cold and sudden. A part of me wanted to turn and run."Echo."Tom stood ahead of me, fingers curling slightly with nerves.He adjusted his tie, took a breath, and walked toward me with calm resolve."Echo, I know you're carryi
Sam's POV"Alpha, we've confirmed it. Echo is with the Fangs Pack.""The Fangs Pack?"I froze for a moment, the name landing heavy in my thoughts.That meant Alpha Tom, the one her family had arranged for her before she ever met me.He wasn't just anyone. He had power—plenty of it—in Nomburn. His lineage even included a former king. But he kept a low profile, his background cloaked in shadow. I didn't know much about him, and that bothered me more than I wanted to admit."Echo gave up that engagement for me," I said, my voice tightening. "So why the hell is she with him now?"A slow, cold unease settled in my chest.The confidence I'd clung to, the belief that I could win Echo back, began to crack. Against Alpha Tom, I didn't feel so sure anymore.But I couldn't back down—not now. No matter what, I had to try.Just as I was wrestling with the weight of it, my Beta came rushing in again, breathless, voice charged."Tom's getting married. The Marking Ceremony is in three days.
Echo's POVWord of Sam's loud, relentless search for me spread quickly—even reaching the Fangs Pack.At that moment, I was seated across from the Fangs Pack's Alpha, Tom, in the most renowned restaurant in Nomburn. This restaurant was so famous that even royalty had to make reservations weeks in advance and still wait in line.Tom was the mate my father had chosen for a political alliance. And to my surprise, he was… charming and gentle. In front of me, he was like an obedient, oversized dog wagging its tail, trying to please.I had only ever mentioned in passing that I liked this restaurant. Just once.So, Tom bought the place for me.Outright.He said it was so I could eat here whenever I pleased.It wasn't the first time Tom's wealth and influence had caught me off guard—and it probably wouldn't be the last.As he carefully cut my steak into neat, bite-sized pieces, he spoke in that casual, offhand tone of his."Echo, that Alpha with the territory the size of a sesame see
Lily's eyes were wide with fear, her voice trembling as she forced the words out."Sam, let me explain…"Behind her, my Beta had already unlocked Lily's phone. He pulled up her message thread with Echo and restored the photos and videos Lily had deleted."Alpha," he said grimly, "Lily sent Echo quite a few provocative messages. There are photos, too—and one deleted surveillance video."I took the phone from him, my hands tightening around it as I began to scroll.The messages were filled with venomous pride, laced with spite. One after another, photos followed—images of me, smiling gently as I interacted with Kitty, as if we were a happy little family.Every line of text, every picture, was a needle driven straight into my eyes, splinters of shame and fury burrowing deeper and deeper.But it was the final video—recorded in the manor's dining room—that drove a spear of cold ice into my chest.Lily had forced Echo to eat bread laced with wolfsbane.Wolfsbane. She'd actually done
The next morning, the manor's backyard buzzed with activity. Gardeners moved with purpose, their hands carefully planting moonlight roses freshly gathered from the Dark Forest. The air was thick with the scent of earth and blossoms, and the soft murmur of voices carried through the garden."These moonlight roses are stunning," someone remarked, awe evident in their tone. "Even in the Dark Forest, they're rare. I've heard Alpha Sam dotes on his mate, but this... this is beyond expectations."Another voice chimed in, laced with gossip. "You're behind the times. Everyone knows Alpha Sam has a history with his childhood friend, Lily. They even have a daughter together."A third voice added, "I heard that before Sam became Alpha, Lily left him for another pack. Only Echo stayed by his side. Now that he's Alpha, Lily's come back to reclaim her place."Their words struck me like a thunderclap.Since ascending to Alpha, respect and admiration had surrounded me. Many sought to be by my s
I spent every waking hour searching for Echo, so consumed by it that I neglected all Pack affairs.It didn't take long before the entire Pack caught wind of what I was doing. One after another, they came to talk, to reason with me."Lily is your legal mate," they said. "And Kitty—she's your daughter, yours and Lily's by blood. Why insist on chasing after Echo? She left on her own. She gave up her place so Lily could be your Luna. Why can't you let it go?"Their words lit a fire in me. I shot to my feet, voice rising with anger. "I love Echo. As for Lily, that was out of old sentiment, nothing more. If Echo comes back, I'll strip Kitty of her inheritance without hesitation."The room fell into stunned silence. Then someone, braver—or perhaps more foolish—than the rest spoke up, doubt in their tone."You married Lily first, then forged a certificate to claim Echo. Wasn't that because you always planned to discard Echo one day and reunite with Lily officially?"The fury burst from m
Sam's POVA rush of blood surged to my head, and the world spun dizzy around me.I fumbled for my phone and called Echo.No signal. Over and over, the call refused to go through.Panic clawed its way into my chest.I seized my Beta by the collar. "How did she leave? Find out! Use every contact we have—track Echo down!"But no matter how thoroughly we searched, it was as if she had vanished from the face of the earth.Back at the manor, I sank onto the couch, hollow and defeated.So this was deliberate.She hadn't left in a moment of anger—she'd planned it. Carefully. Quietly.I shot to my feet and stormed into the master bedroom.Every trace of her was gone. Photos. Clothes. The gifts I'd given her over the years. All of it… erased.I summoned a maid and pinned her with a glare so sharp it could draw blood. "Where are her things? Why is everything gone?"The poor maid trembled under the weight of an Alpha's fury."Madam destroyed them all," she stammered. "Even the rose
I had just opened my mouth to explain when Kitty's high-pitched voice interrupted, demanding to go upstairs to watch her cartoons.Sam immediately set down his fork and knife. "I'll take her up," he said, already rising from his seat.As soon as the sound of their footsteps faded and the door clicked shut behind them, Lily's tears vanished like smoke in the wind. She turned to me, a smirk curling on her lips, her tone sharp with mockery."Five years playing the part of a fake mate, Echo. How does it feel? Oh, that's right. You didn't know, did you?" Her eyes gleamed. "Kitty's my daughter."The next instant, she was gone from her seat and standing inches from me, her presence sudden and oppressive."The mate certificate Sam and I have? That one's real," she hissed. "If you have even a shred of shame left, you should leave—now. Stop clinging to something that was never yours."Before I could move, she grabbed a piece of bread from the table and shoved it against my lips."This is
"Don't worry. I didn't misunderstand." My voice was soft, calm even. "You go handle the adoption paperwork. I'll wait for you in the car."Sam let out a visible breath of relief, his smile breaking free like sunlight through fog."Be good and wait for me, alright? I'll be right back."I turned and walked toward the parking lot, the weight in my chest growing heavier with every step. I passed several members of the pack. They didn't bother lowering their voices."Poor thing. She has no idea…""I heard the Alpha's been coming here nearly every day, always with Lily. And they've already registered as mates. Doesn't that make Echo the homewrecker?"Their words clawed at my back like icy talons, but I didn't stop. I didn't flinch. I just reached for my phone with trembling fingers and sent a message to someone I hadn't contacted in years.[Dad, I'm tired. I just want to go home.]It wasn't long after I got home that my father called—video, not just voice.We hadn't seen each other