001— THE CORONATION.

I'd forgotten how suffocating home felt.

The drums pounded through the ceremonial courtyard. 

I stood pressed between hundreds of Silvercrest Pack members, all of us facing the raised stone platform where Crew Harding would become Alpha. 

Where the boy who'd spent sixteen years tormenting me would finally have the power to make it official.

I shouldn't have come back.

"You okay?" Elijah whispered beside me.

My younger brother had grown while I'd been gone—taller, broader, more wolf than the kid I'd left behind four years ago when I'd escaped to Canada.

"Fine," I lied.

His hand found mine and squeezed. "Liar."

He was right. My heart was hammering, and every instinct I'd honed on the ice was screaming at me to run. 

But pack law was absolute. When the Alpha-heir was crowned, every ranked family attended. The Thornes were of Beta lineage. My father had served Crew's father for twenty years.

We didn't get to say no.

The full moon hung overhead, too bright to ignore. Silvercrest banners snapped in the wind, and the incense made the air feel thick in my lungs.

My mother gripped my other hand. "Whatever happens, we stay together."

Weird thing to say at a coronation.

The drums stopped and silence fell over the courtyard.

The Elder emerged from the fortress, his ceremonial robes trailing behind him. The crowd parted automatically.

Then Crew appeared.

He wore ceremonial black that made his golden hair seem to glow, the Alpha's crest pinned over his heart. Tall and fit, the kind of handsome that made visiting she-wolves giggle and local ones compete for his attention.

We'd known each other since we were eight. I'd thought we might be friends once, but I'd been wrong about everything where Crew was concerned. 

He'd spent sixteen years proving I was beneath him. Public humiliation disguised as jokes. The kind of casual cruelty everyone dismissed as "Alpha dominance."

Then at sixteen, the mate bond had snapped into place. Crew must have felt it too. He'd just never acknowledged it for eight years.

I'd poured everything into hockey instead. I made a life in Toronto where no one knew who I was. For four years, I'd been free.

Then my father called two weeks ago: "You need to come home. Crew's coronation is in fourteen days. Your presence is required."

Crew climbed onto the platform with easy confidence. 

The Elder raised his staff.

"We gather tonight under the blessing of the Moon Goddess to witness a sacred moment in the life of our pack."

Standard opening. I'd heard it at dozens of ceremonies.

But something felt off. The setup was wrong. Coronations had specific staging—the pack council, the oath of leadership. None of that was here.

"Tonight we acknowledge the bonds that tie us together as a pack, as family, as—" He paused. "—as fated mates."

The crowd erupted in confused whispers.

The bond in my chest pulled tight and painful.

What was happening?

"The bond between an Alpha and his fated mate is sacred," the Elder said, his eyes landing directly on me. "Ordained by the Moon Goddess herself. Sloane Thorne, come forward."

Every person in the pack turned to stare at me. Hundreds of eyes, all watching.

My feet wouldn't move. 

He was going to acknowledge the bond. After eight years of silence, of pretending I didn't exist, Crew was going to publicly claim me as his mate.

My father's hand pressed against my back. "Go. You can do this Sloane.”

He pushed me forward.

The crowd parted, creating a path to the platform. I climbed the platform steps, my hands shaking. 

Crew stood six feet away. His lips curved into something cold and satisfied.

"The Moon Goddess has blessed our future Alpha," the Elder announced. "Under the light of the full moon, we witness the acknowledgment of the sacred bond between fated mates."

Crew took a step toward me and every instinct screamed danger.

I stepped back.

"Do you, Crew Harding, future Alpha of Silvercrest, accept this woman as your fated mate?"

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The courtyard went silent.

Crew's gaze locked onto mine.

For one single heartbeat, I let myself hope.

"No."

My chest tightened. My fingers dug into my skin, like I could grip the hurt and keep it from spilling out.

The Elder froze. "I—I'm sorry, what—"

"I said no. I reject you, Sloane Thorne, as my fated mate."

The bond exploded.

Pain detonated in my chest. Something that had lived under my ribs for eight years tore free.

My wolf howled in agony, the pain rippling through every bone in my body.

The courtyard erupted into murmurs.

"Crew…" Words wouldn't come. "What—"

"I reject you as my fated mate," he repeated, louder, addressing the crowd. "As my Luna. As anything to this pack."

My knees buckled and I caught myself against the platform edge.

"I have chosen another. One worthy of the title of Luna. One whose bloodline and loyalty are beyond question."

He raised his hand.

Vera stepped forward. My best friend since childhood.

She climbed onto the platform gracefully, taking Crew's offered hand without hesitation.

"I present Vera Cross as my chosen mate and Luna of Silvercrest Pack."

The bond in my chest was still tearing itself apart. 

But that pain was nothing compared to seeing Vera's face. She wasn't uncomfortable. Wasn't apologetic. She was smiling.

She'd known. They'd both known. This whole thing had been planned to destroy me in front of everyone.

My mouth opened but nothing came out.

Crew glanced down at me. "You're dismissed."

Get up. Don't you dare fall in front of him.

But my legs had stopped working.

Crew turned back to address the pack.

"There is one more matter. Before I accept the title of Alpha, I must ensure the security of this pack.” 

He smirked wickedly. “The Thorne family has been found guilty of treason against Silvercrest."

My father surged forward. "That's a lie! You know damn well that's a lie!"

"Conspiracy with the Blood Moon Pack. Selling classified information about our patrol routes, our defenses, our vulnerabilities. Evidence was recovered from your personal files three days ago."

"Evidence you planted! My family has served Silvercrest for three generations—"

"Your family questioned my authority one too many times. That ends tonight. Guards."

Six wolves in ceremonial armor moved through the crowd, heading straight for my family.

"No—"

"The evidence will be presented to the pack council. Justice will be served."

"This is insane!" My father struggled as guards grabbed his arms.

"Take them."

My mother screamed as rough hands grabbed her. She was crying my name, reaching for me. Elijah fought back, landing one solid punch before three guards tackled him. Blood streamed from his temple.

"Stop! Please—they didn't do anything! CREW!"

He didn't even look at me.

"Her too. She'll need to answer questions about what she knew."

Arms locked around me from behind. They hauled me to my feet and dragged me off the platform.

"NO!" I threw my weight sideways. One guard grunted and I hoped it hurt. 

"You can't do this—they're innocent! CREW, PLEASE!"

The guards were halfway across the courtyard when Crew's voice sliced through the noise.

"Wait."

The guards stopped and their grip loosened.

For one insane second, hope cracked open in my chest. He'd changed his mind.

Crew appeared at my side. He leaned in close.

"Your family was getting too close."

Too close to what?

His hand came up. His fingers brushed along my jawline and I flinched.

"Wolves who bite the hand that feeds them tend to lose their teeth." His hand dropped. "Careful you don't lose yours."

What had they found? What was worth detaining us for?

But rage stirred beneath the confusion. Dangerous rage.

For the first time in my life, I didn't just hate Crew Harding. I wanted him dead.

He pulled back. Then he smiled warmly, and turned to the guards.

"Take them away."

The guards' grip tightened.

"NO! CREW, PLEASE! THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!"

But he'd already turned his back.

The gates loomed closer.

"DAD! MOM! ELIJAH!"

The guards dragged me through the entrance.

"SOMEBODY HELP US! PLEASE!"

But the crowd just stood there. Hundreds of people who'd known me my entire life. Not one moved.

The gates started to swing shut.

"NO! NO, PLEASE—"