2

"You're insane!" Elder Thorne slammed his fist on the table, furious. "You'll bring disaster to the entire Silver Moon Pack!"

I stood in the middle of the stone house, the glares of twelve Elders like daggers. Their outrage was even stronger than I'd expected.

"The Shadow-fang Alpha is a monster," Elder Iris, a female elder, said, her voice trembling. "Every single one of his mates died horribly."

"More horrible than being humiliated by my own pack every day?" I sneered.

Thorne walked towards me, lowering his voice. "Your father would be turning in his grave over this choice."

"Send word to the messenger," I said firmly.

When I left the Elders' hall, the whole Silver Moon territory was buzzing about my "madness."

I kept my cool until I was safe in my own stone den, then the tears finally came.

"Rachel," Elara knocked softly and came in, handing me a cup of hot tea. "Are you really sure about this?"

"You know I don't have a choice," I said, wiping my tears.

Through the window, I saw Rhys and Finn in the training yard. They looked like they were seriously discussing something, but I caught the smirk Finn couldn't quite hide.

"See? They're relieved," I said with a bitter smile. "They can't wait for me to leave."

Elara sat beside me and took my hand. "They're not worth your tears."

I closed my eyes, and memories flooded back.

That winter when Dad was so sick, I stayed by his bedside day and night. And where were Rhys and Finn, the two everyone thought would take over as Alpha? They were off with Cassidy, picking so-called "life-saving herbs" in the forbidden lands!

"This red-leaf herb can cure the Alpha's weakness," Cassidy had sworn when she came back.

But after Dad took it, he got worse.

"The herb needs time to work," she'd argued.

Two days later, I found out it wasn't red-leaf herb at all. It was a poison weed that sped up weakness.

And Cassidy’s wickedness didn't stop there.

There was the ceremonial shawl my mother, who died young, had left me. It was a symbol of the Silver Moon Luna, and I always kept it treasured in a wooden chest in my den.

Until Cassidy "accidentally" wandered into my den, and "accidentally" knocked over a candlestick, burning the chest and the shawl to ashes.

"It's just a piece of cloth, Rachel, don't make a big deal out of it," Rhys had scolded me back then.

A piece of cloth? It was the only thing I had left of my mother!

I opened my eyes, anger replacing the sadness.

"The Shadow-fang messenger has reached the border," Elara said softly. "The ceremony is set for the full moon, three days from now. They'll come for you then."

I nodded and stood up.

The door was suddenly pushed open. Rhys and Finn strode in, acting like they already owned the place.

"Rachel, we need to talk," Rhys's voice was surprisingly gentle. What an act.

"There's nothing to talk about," I said coldly.

"Stop being stubborn," Finn cut in, his eyes full of contempt he didn't bother to hide. "You think the Shadow-fang Pack will treat you well? You'll die there!"

"Better than dying from fake concern here," I shot back.

Rhys sighed and came closer. "Look, for old times' sake, if you change your mind, I might consider taking you."

I almost laughed out loud. "Taking me?"

"But there are conditions," he went on. "Finn will have nothing to do with you or this marriage alliance from now on, and you can't use the pack's future to tie him down anymore."

"How generous of you, Rhys," I said sarcastically. "After rejecting me for months, now you're willing to 'take' me?"

"Don't be ungrateful, Rachel," Finn sneered. "You think someone like you, who can't even hunt a deer, is worthy of the Shadow-fang Alpha?"

I was about to fire back when the door was pushed open again. Cassidy stood there, tears welling in her eyes.

"Rachel, I'm begging you!" She rushed in and actually knelt in front of me. "It's all my fault! I shouldn't have let Rhys and Finn be nice to me!"

She grabbed my hand, tears streaming down her face. "Please don't sacrifice yourself because of me! I'm scared that if you leave, the pack will shun me."

I watched this brilliant performance, my stomach churning.

"Let her go," Rhys immediately stepped forward, gently helping Cassidy up. "You don't have to apologize to her. She chose this path herself."

"But what if she's going to her death because of me?" Cassidy sobbed.

"She's not doing it for you," Finn said coldly. "She's just trying to get our attention."

I couldn't take it anymore. I walked to the door and yanked it open. "Out! All of you, out!"

"Rachel, don't be so stubborn," Rhys frowned. "Think about the consequences."

"I've thought about them very clearly," I said, looking him straight in the eye. "I'd rather marry a real beast than stay here with you lot. At least a beast wouldn't pretend to love me."

Their faces changed, and they finally left. Elara closed the door, looking at me with worry.

"They're scared," I suddenly realized. "Not scared of me marrying the Shadow-fang Alpha, but scared I'll find something out."