Chapter 1

When the gates of the Silver Prison creaked open, I was standing in the freezing river, my hands bruised and purple from the cold, forced to scrub prison uniforms.

The guard approached the bank. Usually, he’d give me a taste of his whip, but today his voice was uncharacteristically sycophantic. "Miss Emma, the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack is here for you. Get out of the water, quickly."

I froze. It was only the second year of my sentence; I still had a year left. Why was Fenris here?

While I was lost in thought, a black luxury car pulled into view and stopped at the riverbank.

My Alpha mate, Fenris, pushed the door open and stepped out, his tall silhouette looming over the shore.

He looked at my gaunt, haggard frame, and a flicker of pity crossed his eyes.

He reached out to me, but I instinctively flinched away, staggering out of the river on my own.

I looked down at my scarred hands, feeling completely numb, wondering what he wanted.

Fenris withdrew his hand and let out a heavy sigh. "It’s Selene’s birthday today."

"She made a birthday wish, begging Caspian and me to release you early."

Of course, it was because of Selene.

Two years ago, my mate, Fenris, and my brother, Caspian, threw me in this hellhole because of her.

Now, I was only being let out because she felt like playing the saint.

"Caspian is with Selene celebrating, so I came to take you home," Fenris said, his tone laced with a hint of frustration.

I nodded expressionlessly. "I get it."

He frowned. "Emma, you need to show some gratitude. If it weren't for Selene’s big heart..."

"You’re still our priority, you know. We only sent you here to reflect on what you did because you went too far with her."

Hearing that, I looked at the desolate landscape blurring past the car window and almost laughed until I cried. Their priority? Maybe once.

I used to be the most noble she-wolf in the pack.

The Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, Fenris, was my fated mate, and the Alpha of the Shadow Moon Pack, Caspian, was my own brother.

The two most powerful Alphas in the Southern Territories used to worship the ground I walked on.

Everyone said I was the luckiest princess in the world.

Three years ago, during a rogue attack, I was gravely injured. Silver poisoning seeped into my marrow, leaving me in a coma for three months.

I was at death's door. Fenris and Caspian barely slept for months, scouring the world for a cure, but even the top healers were useless.

Then Selene appeared. She volunteered, claiming her wolf had a natural resistance to toxins and offered to undergo a total blood transfusion with me.

The transfusion saved my life.

But the silver was too potent; Selene lost her wolf in the process and became a mere Omega.

Fenris and Caspian were consumed by guilt and gratitude. From that day on, they brought her home and declared her family.

The two men who once held me at the center of their universe began to shift all their focus to her.

At first, I felt the same. I was so grateful she saved my life that I treated her like a sister and shared everything I had with her.

But slowly, things changed. Selene would always "accidentally" trip when I was near, crying to Fenris and Caspian when they rushed over, telling them it wasn't my fault just so they'd blame me more.

She would secretly poison the food I gave her and then "let slip" that I was the one who provided the meal when they started investigating.

I tried to explain, but Fenris and Caspian never believed me.

"She lost her wolf for you! How can you be so ungrateful?" Fenris would say, looking at me with total disappointment.

"If she wanted to hurt you, why would she have saved you in the first place?" Caspian would roar in anger.

Through one setup after another, they grew tired of me.

Two years ago, Selene came to see me, saying she wanted to talk. I didn't refuse.

I wanted to tell her that I knew I owed her my life, that I was willing to share everything, and that she didn't need to target me.

But as soon as she entered my room, she pulled out a silver dagger and plunged it into her own stomach.

Spitting blood, she apologized. "I'm sorry, Emma. I'm just so insecure. I just wanted Fenris and Caspian to love me a little more."

I panicked. I hated her, but I didn't want her dead. I grabbed her, trying to pull the dagger out, but that was the exact moment Fenris and Caspian burst in. They saw me holding the knife.

Selene cried out for help right on cue and blacked out.

Losing their minds, Fenris and Caspian shoved me aside and scooped her up to find a healer.

The force of an Alpha's power slammed me against the wall, making me cough up blood.

The next day, without even seeing their faces, I was dragged away by warriors and thrown into the Silver Prison.

The two men who loved me most refused to hear a single word from me.

"Alpha Fenris and Alpha Caspian said they don't have a bitch for a mate or a sister. You can rot here for the rest of your life," the guard told me coldly.

On the third day, Selene woke up. I heard she begged them for days until they reduced my sentence to three years.

I could only laugh bitterly.

My mate and my brother threw me in a cage without a second thought, and I was supposed to thank my executioner for my early release.

My thoughts were interrupted by a phone ringing. Once connected, Selene’s sugary voice filled the car.

"Fenris? Did you get Emma? Why aren't you back yet? Everyone is waiting for you."

His eyes softened instantly. "Hey, baby. I've got her. We're on our way."

"Then hurry up! Bring her back!" She paused, then added playfully, "I know you're worried she'll try to hurt me again, but I'm sure she’s learned her lesson. Just come home!"

Fenris chuckled. "Alright, we’re coming."

He hung up and signaled the driver to turn around. He looked at me sternly. "Emma, Selene is pure and fragile. Don't you dare lay a finger on her again."

Pure? Maybe to them.

I didn't say a word. I just quietly took out the phone the guard had returned to me—the one confiscated two years ago.

Hiding the screen from Fenris, I sent a short message to Jacob, the Alpha King of the Northern Territories.

"I accept your offer. I'm coming North."

His reply came almost instantly. "Great. I’m coming to get you. I'll be there tomorrow."