Chapter 1

Diana's POV

I had already made it to the mansion's front door when Lucius Ashcroft suddenly called out to me.

"Diana, leave the wolf quartz bracelet behind. Lucy hasn't been sleeping well lately. It'll help her calm down."

The wolf quartz bracelet was a family heirloom left to me by my grandmother. It was also the most sacred treasure of the Blackthorn pack, capable of calming the restless wolf blood within us.

I didn't refuse him.

I knew better than anyone what happened when I said no.

The last time we were at the baseball field, I had refused to switch seats with Lucy Abbott because my face was breaking out from an allergic reaction, and I wanted to stay out of the sun.

Out of sheer spite, Lucius stranded me on the side of the road, forcing me to hike over six miles through the cold wind in the middle of nowhere.

I unclasped the bracelet and fastened it around Lucy's wrist.

"I hope your pup grows up safe and healthy," I said.

A flicker of satisfaction flashed across Lucius' eyes. "Listen, Diana Lacroix. As long as you keep your head down and take good care of Lucy and the pup, our marking ceremony will go on as scheduled. Your title as Luna is secure."

But the moment the words left his mouth, the bracelet inexplicably slipped right off Lucy's wrist.

I swore I had fastened the clasp properly.

"Ah!"

A broken piece of quartz cut Lucy's ankle, and she cried out in pain.

"Lucy!"

Lucius immediately scooped her into his arms, panic written all over his face. "What are you all standing around for? Go get the doctor, now!"

Several maids scrambled out of the room at his command. The few who remained stood by, snickering quietly at my expense.

Honestly, I felt ridiculous, too.

The last time I had an asthma attack, Lucius had been rushing to take Lucy to the movies. Even as I gasped for air and collapsed onto the floor, he had simply stepped over my body without a trace of emotion on his face.

"Cut the act," he had said. "Haven't you gotten tired of playing the sick card after all these years?"

As my consciousness faded, I had heard him instruct a maid, "Drag her into the bedroom. Don't let her germs contaminate the place. Lucy is coming over for dinner tonight."

Now, I let out a soft sigh, tightened my grip on my suitcase, and turned to leave.

"Where do you think you're going? Apologize to Lucy," Lucius demanded, his expression stone-cold as he clamped a hand around my wrist.

Before I could explain, he dragged me back with so much force that I twisted my ankle and crashed hard onto the floor.

The palms of my hands landed on the broken shards of quartz. A searing pain shot through me, and blood began to pool across my skin.

At the sight of the blood, Lucius released his grip in disgust.

"And now comes the pity party. Aren't you tired of this act? Cut the crap. Lucy is pregnant, and you just caused her to get hurt. Apologize to her right now!"

There it was again. It was always an apology.

Ever since the year I turned 18, and we were declared as fated mates, the words "I'm sorry" had become my daily mantra.

I had to apologize if the stew I made didn't suit his taste.

If I texted him out of worry when he was out drinking, interrupting his night, I had to apologize.

And if I invaded his privacy when I accidentally caught a glimpse of Lucy’s texts inviting him out, I had to apologize as well.

For years, I had walked on eggshells around him, desperately hoping that one day he would return even a fraction of the devotion I had shown him.

But the bitter reality was that I had only been fooling myself.

I gritted my teeth, forced myself to stand despite the pain in my foot, and straightened my back.

I faced Lucy and apologized. Then, I turned my hollow gaze to Lucius.

"Is that enough?"

As he stared into my vacant eyes, Lucius' chest heaved once. "Diana, I can practically see the resentment written all over your face. If you want to be my Luna, you have to learn to accept Lucy first. Do I make myself clear?"

I offered a smile and said nothing.

The truth was, I didn't want to be his Luna anymore.

The marking ceremony I had eagerly anticipated for nearly ten years no longer mattered to me now.