Chapter 2

Just one day after the envoys from Moonshadow arrived, I noticed Alpha Albert taking more calls and becoming visibly anxious.

My room door burst open. Luna Eva stood in the doorway, her eyes piercing. "Get out now!" she commanded, her voice sharp.

I flinched. Without much fuss, I followed her.

In the living room, Alpha Albert sat on the large sofa, his face grim. Madison stood beside him, arms crossed. Her expression showed cold satisfaction. I knew this was going to be bad, even before I got there.

As soon as I entered, Madison pointed at me directly. "Father, Mother, we don't need a long debate. It's clear who is most suitable to be sacrificed. Her." Her index finger pointed straight at me, as if I were an inanimate object that could simply be discarded.

Luna Eva looked at me. Her arms were folded across her chest, her expression impeccably cold. "Why waste time?" she said, more a statement than a question.

Alpha Albert didn't look at me. His eyes were fixed on Madison. "But, does she deserve it?" he asked.

"Of course!" Madison didn't hesitate. "She's useless. She has no power. If she dies there, no one loses anything. The Moonshadow Pack only needs one pure-blood descendant from our Pack." She glanced at me with disgust. "They didn't say it had to be a wolf of status. No one will care."

"I will send you to the Moonshadow Pack." Alpha Albert finally looked at me, but his gaze was vacant, as if looking at a lifeless object. "If you suffer there, I will not move a single warrior to save you. They will not help her." His words stabbed directly into my heart.

I swallowed. My stomach churned, but I tried to keep my face expressionless. I had expected this. Since childhood, I knew my place here. "I agree," I said.

Luna Eva raised an eyebrow. "What did you say?" She seemed a little surprised by the speed of my response.

"I said I agree," I repeated. "I will go to the Moonshadow Pack."

A thin, cold smile spread across Luna Eva's lips. She chuckled softly, an unpleasant, condescending laugh. "Oh, how surprising," she said. "No objection at all? This is much easier than I thought." Her laughter hardened slightly.

Madison stomped her foot on the floor, her expression sour. She glared at me with annoyance. "See! I told you she'd agree! No need for this drawn-out negotiation! It's a waste of time," she grumbled.

Alpha Albert averted his gaze from me. He was done. As if his decision was final, and he was no longer interested in my presence.

Luna Eva looked at me again, her sharp gaze radiating command. "Pack tonight. You leave tomorrow morning." She rose from the sofa.

I just nodded. There was no point in saying anything. No one would listen. No one cared. The life I lived here was never valuable. Even to myself, my life felt like a loan that could be called back at any time.

I turned, walking slowly towards my room. Then I started packing. My wardrobe was wide open, revealing its meager contents. There were only three wearable items, all already worn out.

A soft knock came at my door. Alpha Albert entered. He carried a package. "This is for you," he said briefly, placing it on the bed. "A dress. Get enough sleep tonight. Tomorrow, you don't need to clean the house. You'll wear this dress, dress up neatly. Don't let the Moonshadow Pack think we sent them secondhand goods."

I looked at the package, then at Alpha Albert. A nice dress? For me? This was strange. He had never cared about my appearance.

"Why?" I asked, my tone flat.

"Why? You're still asking why?" Alpha Albert snorted. "You will represent the Silvermoon Pack. Even if you're just a pawn, you still have to look presentable. This is for our good name. Not for you."

I nodded. Of course. Not for me. Never for me. "Okay."

"And don't even think about telling them anything," he added, his eyes narrowing. "Pack secrets are Pack secrets. If you open your mouth, you know what will happen to you."

I just stared at him. "I promise."

That night, I slept restlessly. The cold sensation in my stomach wouldn't go away. The next morning, I showered clean, putting on the dress Alpha Albert had given me. The fabric was soft, dark blue. The dress fit perfectly, accentuating curves I never thought I had. I tied my hair up high, arranging the wisps to keep them out of the way. I put on a little makeup, a touch around my eyes to hide the fatigue-darkened circles, and a bit of color on my lips. When I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I saw a different person. I had never looked this beautiful.

I left the room, descending the stairs. In the living room, Alpha Albert was already waiting for me. He looked at me for a moment, his gaze holding a flicker of approval. No compliments, just a small nod. Luna Eva and Madison were nowhere to be seen.

"Hurry," Alpha Albert commanded. "They're waiting."

A gleaming black car was parked in front of the Pack gates. The crescent moon emblem etched on the car door confirmed it was an envoy from the Moon Shadow Pack. Alpha Albert pulled me out of the house, his grip on my arm tight.

"Listen closely," he whispered, full of menace, right into my ear. "The moment you step out of these gates, you represent the Silvermoon Pack. Don't you dare cause trouble. Don't you dare endanger our Pack with your nonsense or a small mistake."

I looked at him. My eyes were dry. "I promise."

"Good," Alpha Albert pressed. "If you make a mistake, no matter how small, that could threaten the Silvermoon Pack, you'd be better off killing yourself. Understand?"

I nodded again, my lips feeling numb.

At the car, the envoy opened the trunk, and Alpha Albert quickly handed him my simple bag. The envoy placed it inside.

Before I got into the car, he turned to me. His eyes met mine for a moment. "I'm Beta Alvin," he said.

I bowed my head. "I'm Ruby."

Alvin gave a slight nod. He opened the car door for me. I got in, settling into the back seat. As the door closed, I looked at Alpha Albert one last time. He had already turned, walking back into the house, without a single glance back.

The car began to move, leaving the Silvermoon Pack gates behind. Leaving my old life. I stared out the window, letting the scenery blur past. The Moonshadow Pack. Their Alpha was known to be cold and cruel. What would my life be like there? Would I truly die at his hands, as Alpha Albert predicted?