Chapter 2

Ava’s POV

THE NEXT MORNING

The gentle chirping of birds outside my window stirred me awake. Sunlight streamed through the curtains, casting a warm, golden hue across the room. I stretched languidly, a soft yawn escaping as I reached for Liam—but my fingers found only cold, empty sheets. A prickle of unease crept over me as I sat up, eyes darting around the quiet space.

Last night blazed in my memory—our fevered, tangled passion, his murmured words of desire searing my soul. A shy smile touched my lips as I noticed a faint red stain on the sheets, a silent marker of what I’d surrendered to him, body and heart.

I drew a deep breath, steadying myself, and slipped out of bed, padding to the bathroom. Warm water poured over me, rinsing away sleep’s fog but not the deep ache of longing for him that pulsed in my chest.

After drying off, I spotted a soft blush-yellow dress draped neatly on the dresser. My heart skipped—Liam must have left it for me, a tender gesture. I slid into it, the fabric cool against my skin, grabbed my purse, and stepped into the hallway.

The mansion was unnaturally still, the silence heavy as I moved through it. Liam was likely occupied, stepping into his Alpha duties today, rallying the pack with his commanding presence.

Outside, faint whispers floated on the air. Maids cast sidelong glances, their stifled giggles and hushed murmurs setting my nerves alight. I couldn’t catch their words, but a chilling unease coiled in my gut, sharp and foreboding.

“Did you hear? The Alpha’s naming his Luna today in his speech,” one maid whispered as she passed, her voice barely audible.

My steps faltered, my heart hammering. A Luna? My mind spun—he had to have felt the depth of my devotion last night. It could only be me, couldn’t it?

Liam—my Liam, my secret heart’s whisper—meant everything. Today would bind us forever, I was sure of it.

I tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear and quickened my pace toward the grand hall, anticipation thrumming through me like a live wire. Soon, he’d speak my name, declaring me his Luna before the entire Oakwood Pack.

Nerves churned in my stomach, raw and undeniable. I’d dreamed of this for years, and now it felt so close it stole my breath.

Inside the hall, I hovered near the entrance, my eyes fixed on Liam as he dominated the stage. He was a force—powerful, magnetic, devastatingly handsome, every inch the leader.

“Everyone’s eager to know our Luna,” Liam’s voice rang out, the crowd buzzing with restless excitement.

I swallowed hard, memories of last night flooding back—his heated murmurs, his hands claiming me, his promises etched into my skin. Warmth bloomed inside, my body tingling with the echo of his touch.

I forced the thoughts down; I couldn’t let them overwhelm me here, not with so many wolves who might sense my racing pulse.

Our eyes met across the room, and I smiled, hope flaring bright. He returned it, and my heart swelled, fierce and unshakable.

“You’ll find out soon,” he said, his tone teasing, “but for now, keep celebrating. I have matters to attend to.”

My smile wavered, a flicker of doubt creeping in. Why wasn’t he saying it now? He strode off the stage, heading straight for me.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice flat, unreadable.

I blinked, caught off guard. “Why wouldn’t I be? Why even ask?”

“You can’t stand there,” he said sharply, gesturing to the front row. “Sit over there.”

Irritation sparked in my chest. What was wrong with him? He could’ve just called me to the stage, made this moment ours.

Pushing down my unease, I settled into the front row as he’d directed, my hands smoothing my dress nervously.

Liam resumed speaking, his voice steady, commanding. “Our new Luna is someone you all know—a kind, courageous, radiant woman, the most breathtaking in our pack.”

My cheeks warmed, and I readied myself to stand, my heart pounding with expectation.

“It’s none other than… Freya Andre.”

The words struck like a dagger, piercing my chest. My shoulders sagged, my face crumpling as the air was sucked from my lungs. My smile dissolved into a hollow, aching void.

The stage lights burned my eyes, and I lifted a hand to shield them, my vision swimming.

Then, a sharp shove from behind sent me crashing to my knees. Freya glided past, ascending the stage with a dazzling smile as Liam cupped her neck, kissing her with a raw, consuming passion that shredded my heart. My jaw fell, my hand clapping over my mouth as my breath caught, shock ripping through me like wildfire.

Fury and heartbreak clawed at my chest, a searing agony that threatened to drown me. I rubbed my eyes, desperate to escape this nightmare, but it was real—Freya, my supposed friend, stood as the Luna of the Oakwood Pack, chosen by the man who’d claimed my very soul.

“She’s my fated mate,” Liam proclaimed, his voice resolute. “Some may wonder why we kept it hidden. We learned weeks ago but needed our father’s blessing and time to ensure the Alpha succession was seamless.”

His words were a sledgehammer to my heart. Weeks ago? This betrayal—this cold, calculated lie. He’d used me, discarded me like I was nothing. How could he stand there, beaming with her? Was last night a cruel game? His promises, his touch—had it all been a vicious sham?

Tears spilled down my cheeks, unstoppable, as the crowd’s cheers for Freya roared like a tidal wave, her triumphant wave mocking my pain. Horror gripped me, twisting my insides into knots.

“What the hell are you two doing?” I screamed, shoving through the crowd, tears scalding my face as I glared at Freya, my voice raw with betrayal.

“Why her, Liam? Why is she your mate? Why does she get to be Luna? What about the promises you whispered to me—to make me your mate, your Luna? Why this cruel betrayal? What did I do but give you my entire heart?”

He let go of Freya’s hand and faced me, a fleeting smile curling into a cold, mocking sneer. His eyes, once warm with tenderness, now gleamed with contempt, slicing me deeper than any blade.

“It was a drunken mistake, Ava. Don’t read into it—it was just a meaningless fling,” he said, his voice dripping with venom, each word a fresh wound.

I stumbled back, the world closing in, my silent plea to the Moon Goddess unanswered. I longed for the ground to swallow me, to erase the humiliation he’d inflicted before the pack.

My heart sank, weighed down by a grief too vast to name. To him, I was nothing—a fleeting, forgettable moment. My fists clenched, rage surging as I imagined wiping that smug grin off Freya’s face.

Did he even remember taking my innocence? The first man I’d trusted with my body, my heart—and this was his repayment? The more I thought, the fiercer my anger burned, tears streaming faster. My heart felt ripped apart, bleeding out. I couldn’t stand there, broken—I had to act.

Sobbing, my breath ragged, I let fury consume me. I pushed through the crowd, stormed the stage, seized Liam’s shoulder to force him to face me, and swung my hand with all my might, the sharp slap across his face echoing like a thunderclap, a fleeting release for the storm raging inside.