9

In a world where survival meant different things to different people, strength was everything to some, while others clung to silence and obedience just to make it through another day. Some saw life as a game, clawing their way to the top no matter the cost, while others scraped by, longing only for peace and a moment of quiet. Ashley Parker existed in this world, but not among those who ruled. She was at the bottom, scraping through a life that seemed determined to break her. If you asked Ashley about fate, she’d tell you it was cruel—viciously so. Why else would the Moon Goddess strip her of her family, leaving her alone in a pack that despised her? And just when she thought she could escape the hatred and abuse, fate tied her to the one person who loathed her most, for reasons she could never quite understand.

Adrian stood frozen in the doorway, his mind reeling from what he’d just done. His hands, still tingling from the force of the slap he’d delivered, hung limply at his sides. He stared at them, horrified. Those hands had just pushed away the one gift the Moon Goddess granted a wolf—his mate, the one meant for him above all others. He was an alpha, for crying out loud. How could he have done this? “What have I done?” he whispered to himself, the words too heavy to speak louder. His wolf roared in his head, pacing restlessly, snarling at him for rejecting their mate. Adrian’s eyes moved to the man standing nearby—Alpha Alessandro of the Silver Fang pack. That smug grin was still plastered on Alessandro’s face, like he was enjoying the chaos. Why had Adrian believed him? Why had he let Alessandro’s words cloud his judgment? His thoughts were a tangled mess, his wolf’s anger only making it worse.

Katrina, meanwhile, stood with a triumphant smile, her arms wrapping around Adrian’s tense frame. She’d gotten exactly what she wanted—Ashley was gone. To Katrina, Ashley had always been a threat, a barrier between her and the alpha she’d set her sights on. Now, with Ashley out of the picture, Katrina could finally have Adrian to herself. She was certain he’d love her now, that he’d see her as the only one who mattered. Her smile widened at the thought, but her victory was short-lived. Adrian’s expression darkened, and he yanked her arms off him, his eyes burning with the same fury he’d directed at Ashley just moments ago.

“What did you do?” he demanded, his voice low and dangerous. His mind flashed back to Ashley’s desperate words, how she’d tried to explain something about Katrina before he’d cut her off with that brutal slap. What had she been trying to say? Had Katrina orchestrated this whole thing? “Did you call her up here?” he asked, his gaze boring into her.

Katrina’s eyes widened, her perfectly practiced innocence sliding into place like a mask. “What?” she gasped, her voice loud enough to draw attention. “Did you just ask me that? Adrian, come on, you know me better than that! How could you think I’d set her up? She’s nothing compared to me. What would I even gain from it?” Her voice trembled, and her eyes filled with tears, glistening just enough to sell her performance. She looked every bit the wounded victim, her lips quivering as she stared up at him.

Adrian’s anger faltered, his shoulders sagging as guilt crept in. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, his voice softening. He pulled her into a hug, and Katrina buried her face in his chest, letting out a dramatic hiccup as she leaned into him. He patted her back gently, trying to soothe her, but his mind was still spinning. Had he been wrong about Ashley? Had he let his temper and Alessandro’s lies blind him? His wolf growled, low and insistent, refusing to let him forget the mate he’d just cast aside.

“Shh, it’s okay,” he said, his voice strained as he held Katrina. “I didn’t mean to accuse you. I just… I don’t know what’s going on anymore.” His words were heavy with doubt, but Katrina didn’t seem to notice. She clung to him, her tears soaking into his shirt as she played her part to perfection.

“You don’t have to worry about her,” Katrina murmured, her voice soft but laced with venom. “She’s gone now, Adrian. She doesn’t belong here. You did the right thing.”

“Did I?” he asked, more to himself than to her. His wolf snarled again, louder this time, and Adrian winced. The memory of Ashley’s face—her shock, her pain—flashed in his mind. He’d slapped her without letting her speak, without giving her a chance to explain. What if she’d been telling the truth? What if Katrina had manipulated everything?

Katrina pulled back slightly, looking up at him with wide, teary eyes. “Of course you did,” she said, her voice sweet but insistent. “She was trouble, Adrian. You saw how she acted, always causing problems, always stirring things up. You’re the alpha. You have to protect the pack, and she was… she was a liability.”

He frowned, his jaw tightening. “A liability?” he echoed, his tone sharp. “She was my mate, Katrina.”

Katrina flinched, but she recovered quickly, her expression softening. “I know,” she said, reaching up to touch his cheek. “But sometimes the Moon Goddess makes mistakes, you know? You deserve someone who can stand by your side, someone who fits with you. Not someone like her.”

Adrian’s eyes narrowed, and for a moment, he saw something in Katrina’s face—a flash of calculation that didn’t match her tearful act. His wolf growled again, louder, urging him to listen to his instincts. “What do you mean, someone like her?” he asked, his voice low.

Katrina hesitated, just for a second, before plastering on a sympathetic smile. “You know what I mean, Adrian. She’s weak. She’s not cut out for this life. You need someone strong, someone who can handle being an alpha’s mate. Someone like…” She trailed off, letting the implication hang in the air.

“Someone like you?” he asked, his tone flat. He stepped back, putting space between them. Katrina’s smile faltered, but she didn’t back down.

“I didn’t say that,” she said quickly, her voice sweet again. “I just want what’s best for you, for the pack. You know I’ve always been here for you, Adrian. I’d never hurt you like she did.”

“Hurt me?” he repeated, his brows furrowing. “She didn’t hurt me, Katrina. I hurt her.” The truth of his words hit him hard, and he felt his chest tighten. He’d rejected his mate, the one person the Moon Goddess had chosen for him, all because of… what? Alessandro’s lies? Katrina’s manipulations? His own anger?

Katrina reached for him again, but he stepped back, shaking his head. “Adrian, please,” she said, her voice trembling now, but he could hear the edge of desperation in it. “You’re upset. I get it. But you don’t need her. You have me. You have the pack. You don’t need someone who’s going to drag you down.”

“Stop,” he said, his voice firm. “Just… stop.” He ran a hand through his hair, trying to make sense of the chaos in his head. His wolf was practically screaming now, demanding he go after Ashley, but he didn’t even know where she’d gone. She’d run, and he’d let her.

“Adrian,” Katrina said softly, stepping closer again. “Let’s just forget about her, okay? She’s not worth it. You’re an alpha. You have responsibilities. You can’t let someone like her ruin everything.”

He looked at her, really looked at her, and for the first time, he saw the truth behind her words. She wasn’t comforting him—she was staking her claim. His stomach churned with the realization that he might have been played, that Katrina might have orchestrated this whole thing to get Ashley out of the way. “Did you set her up?” he asked again, his voice colder now.

Katrina’s eyes widened, and she shook her head vehemently. “No! How could you even think that? I told you, I didn’t do anything! Why are you so hung up on her?” Her voice rose, and she reached for him again, but he held up a hand to stop her.

“Don’t,” he said, his voice hard. “I need to think.” He turned away from her, his mind racing. He needed to find Ashley, to figure out what had really happened. But Katrina wasn’t done.

“Adrian, please,” she said, her voice breaking. “Don’t do this. You don’t need her. You have me.” She stepped closer, her hands reaching for him, but he pulled away again, his patience wearing thin.

“I said I need to think,” he snapped, his eyes flashing with anger. He turned back to her, his voice low. “If I find out you had anything to do with this, Katrina, I swear—”

She cut him off, her tears flowing freely now. “You’re being unfair,” she sobbed, her voice loud and dramatic. “I’ve done nothing but support you, and now you’re accusing me of… of what? Trying to help you? Trying to protect you?”

He didn’t respond, just stared at her, his mind a storm of doubt and regret. He hugged her again, more out of habit than anything else, and she leaned into him, her sobs quieting as he patted her back. But his thoughts were elsewhere, racing after the mate he’d pushed away, the mate he might have lost forever.