Chapter 3

"Really, Caden, it's fine. I shouldn't go to the First Snow Festival."

It was Lyra's voice, laced with her usual fragile, wounded tone.

"Why not?" Caden's voice was softer than I'd ever heard it.

"It would only hurt Selene to see me. After all... our packs were neighbors. I couldn't bear to remind her of what she's lost."

Neighbors?

More like butchers and their victims.

"You don't need to sacrifice your own happiness for anyone," Caden said firmly. "You have every right to attend any pack celebration."

"But looking like this..."

I heard the rustle of fabric and could picture her caressing her swollen belly.

"You're beautiful," Caden whispered, his voice thick with an emotion he never used with me. "You're glowing."

My stomach churned.

"I should stay home. This festival is for Selene. After everything she's lost... I couldn't bear to be the cause of even a moment's sadness for her."

What a masterful, selfless performance.

"Wait."

I heard a drawer slide open.

"Take this."

"What is it?"

"The Life Stone," he said. "It will protect you and the pup. Purify his bloodline, make him strong."

My heart stopped beating.

The Life Stone?

It was one of the pack's most sacred treasures, typically passed down only to the Alpha's heir.

"Caden, this is too precious. I can't accept it."

"You must," his voice held an authority that allowed no argument. "The child in your womb deserves the best protection."

"But..."

"No buts."

A long silence followed.

Then, Lyra's choked voice.

"Thank you, Caden. Thank you for always protecting me. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"I promised I would never let anyone hurt you."

I couldn't listen anymore.

I shoved the office door open.

The two of them sprang apart.

Lyra was on the sofa, clutching a glowing green gem.

Caden stood beside her, his face a mask of panic and alarm.

"Selene? What are you doing here?"

"I came to request access to some files." I held up the papers in my hand, my voice so calm it surprised even me. "Sorry to interrupt."

"No, no interruption," Caden said, rushing toward me, his movements jerky and desperate. "Lyra was just here to thank me for helping her with a financial issue."

A financial issue?

I glanced at the Life Stone in Lyra's hand.

"Oh, this," Caden said, following my gaze. "It's just a blessing stone. To wish her and the pup well. A little extra protection during her pregnancy."

Another lie.

But I smiled and nodded.

"Of course. Congratulations, Lyra. It's wonderful news that you and Ethan are expecting."

A flicker of panic crossed Lyra's eyes before she smoothed it over with a gentle expression.

"Thank you, Selene. You're so kind."

Kind?

If she knew I wanted to rip her throat out, would she still say that?

"Well, I won't keep you," I said, turning to Caden. "I'll see you tonight, my love."

I pressed a light kiss to his lips and walked gracefully out of the office.

In the hallway, I heard him hurry after me.

"Selene, wait."

I turned, the perfect smile still on my face.

"What is it?"

"You're... you're not angry, are you?"

"Angry?" I laughed lightly. "Of course not. It's an Alpha's duty to care for his pack. And a pregnant mother needs all the help she can get. The child, after all, is innocent."

The tension in Caden's face slowly melted away.

"I knew you'd understand. This is why I love you."

"Of course I understand," I said, standing on my toes to kiss his cheek. "I'll see you tonight."

Back home, I calmly processed the new information. The Life Stone. The lies.

Then Lyra shared a 'memory' over the pack mind-link, for every ranking member to see.

In it, she and Caden danced under the moonlight, his eyes full of a devotion I'd never seen.

The act of sharing a memory is deeply intimate, a privilege reserved almost exclusively for mated pairs.

She was staking her claim on him in front of the entire pack.

I blocked the memory, but the rage inside me burned hot enough to turn me to ash.

That damned bitch.

She'd already cost me one mate.

Now she wasn't content with just Caden's protection.

She wanted my title. My life. My place by his side.

I contacted Adrian.

"I have more information," I told him, my voice dangerously calm. I recounted everything I had just witnessed.

"The Life Stone?" Adrian's voice turned grave. "That is no simple blessing. He's paving the way for that child to be his heir."

"He's giving our pack's most sacred treasure to his brother's pup."

"This is worse than I thought," Adrian said. "It's not just a betrayal of the mate bond. It's treason against his own bloodline. I will continue my preparations. Be careful, Selene."

The next morning, Caden stood in the bedroom doorway, dressed in a formal black suit.

"Ready? It's time to go."

Today was the First Snow Festival.

We were headed to the main pack house for the celebration.

"Almost."

I smoothed down my deep blue gown. It was a formal dress designed for a Luna, the collar studded with moonstones, the hem embroidered with the silver phases of the moon.

"You look exquisite," Caden said, walking over to wrap his arms around me from behind. "Everyone tonight will be jealous that I have such a perfect mate."

"I hope so."

An hour later, we arrived at the Black Stone pack's estate.

It was an ancient manor deep in the heart of the forest.

The buildings looked solemn and majestic against the falling snow, warm light spilling from the windows.

The great hall was already filled with hundreds of wolves.

But the moment I stepped through the door, all conversation stopped.

Every single pair of eyes turned to me, filled with doubt, coldness, and even hostility.

I could feel them, using their sharp senses to analyze my scent.

A Luna's power should have enveloped me like warm moonlight, but now it was so faint it was barely there.

"Look at her," someone whispered. "Her scent is so weak. Is she really a Luna?"

"An outsider is an outsider. She'll never truly be one of us."

"Poor Alpha, tricked by an imposter."

Caden’s mother, the Matriarch, emerged from the crowd.

An imposing woman with silver hair pulled into an elegant bun, her eyes burned with an ancient authority.

"Selene." Her voice was as cold as frost. "You look… tired."

"I haven't been sleeping well, Mother."

"Mother?" She sneered, "Don’t call me that. I have not yet accepted you."

She looked me up and down, her gaze as sharp as a knife. "A true Luna's power comes from her Alpha's unconditional love and the pack’s full acceptance. It should feel like moonlight—full and warm. But your power, Selene, is withering. It's as faint as a candle in the wind. You should ask yourself why that is."

Soft snickers echoed from the crowd around us.

Her words were like vipers, striking precisely where it hurt the most.

Because my Alpha betrayed me.

The elders closed in, their eyes full of disappointment and accusation.

"The Alpha needs a strong Luna to secure the bloodline."

"She can't even sustain a simple healing."

"A weak mate will be the ruin of this pack."

I was alone, a target in the center of a hostile pack.

Despair began to coil in my stomach, cold and heavy.

Then, Caden strode in.

He parted the crowd, walked straight to me, and pulled me into his arms.