Chapter 2

Three days. I only had three days.

The coming-of-age ceremony was tomorrow. The entire pack would be there. It was my best shot at getting the Moon Goddess's Tear.

My mind set, I let instinct guide me back to my rooms.

The place was empty.

No flowers, no warm decorations, not even a single photo.

It was as cold as the entries in my journal.

I lay in bed, planning for tomorrow and searching for information on neutral cities.

Places free from any pack's control. Places where I could start over.

The next morning, my mother's angry voice echoed in my head.

"Hazel! Get to the main hall, now! Gloria's ceremony is starting!"

I put on the only thing in my closet that wasn't battle gear: a plain black dress.

No jewelry. No fine accessories. I didn't even own a decent mirror.

So this was what it was like to be the "real daughter" of a powerful Beta family, the mate of the pack Alpha.

The main hall was ablaze with light, packed with guests.

Everyone wore lavish gowns and formal attire, their faces glowing with joy.

I stood in a corner, an outsider watching a party that had nothing to do with me.

"Look, here comes our little princess!"

Fabian's voice, deep and proud, cut through the noise.

I turned, my eyes landing on a tall, handsome man.

That was Fabian. My mate.

But he wasn't looking at me.

His gaze was fixed on the figure gliding through the crowd behind me.

Gloria. She wore a gown of pure white silk, embroidered with the silver crest of the Moon Goddess.

Her hair was woven into an intricate braid, dotted with pearls and diamonds.

She looked ethereal.

"You look beautiful," Fabian breathed, walking toward her, his eyes filled with a deep, unguarded affection.

I watched them, a familiar pang of pain hitting my chest.

"Let me fix this for you," Fabian said softly, adjusting a jewel on her shoulder. He touched her like she was spun from moonlight, while I was just the shadow at their feet.

The guests murmured in admiration.

"They're a perfect match!"

"The way he looks at her… so tender!"

"The Alpha and his treasure. What a beautiful sight."

I stood there, listening to the praise, feeling like I was in someone else's story.

"Ladies and gentlemen," my father announced, raising his glass from the stage. "Today, we celebrate our Gloria's coming-of-age."

The hall erupted in applause.

"From this day forward," my father continued, "I officially pass my command of the pack's warrior guard to Gloria. She is more qualified than anyone to be the next Head Beta."

What?

I froze.

Head Beta of the pack. That position was meant to be passed down through the bloodline.

"Father, I can't," Gloria said softly, though her eyes shone with pride. "Hazel is your real daughter…"

"Nonsense," my mother interrupted immediately. "You are our real daughter. What does blood matter? You were the one who stood by us all these years!"

The guests around me nodded in agreement.

I watched the scene unfold, and the last shred of hope in my heart died.

Then, Fabian stepped onto the stage. He held a crest carved from moonstone, pulsing with a powerful protective rune.

"The Northern Wardstone!" someone gasped.

It was the pack's highest honor, given only to the bravest, most trusted warrior, symbolizing the power to guard the pack's defensive wards.

"Gloria," Fabian's voice was a low, mesmerizing rumble. "From now on, you will stand with me as a guardian of the Northern Ward. I place my trust in you."

He pinned the stone to her chest himself. It rested against her gown, a perfect match for her pure image.

"Fabian, I can't accept this," Gloria demurred, but her eyes were filled with joy. "This responsibility is too great, and Hazel…"

"You are the new Head Beta. No one is more deserving," Fabian said gently. "This belongs to you."

The hall exploded with cheers and blessings.

I watched them on stage, embracing under the adoration of the crowd, like a prince and princess from a fairytale.

This was it. My only chance.

While every eye was on their perfect princess, I melted into the shadows and slipped away towards the Alpha's house.

Relying on muscle memory, I easily avoided the patrols and slipped into Fabian's study.

Behind a bookshelf, in a hidden compartment, I found a box made of moonstone.

I opened it. A tear-shaped gem, glowing with a soft light, lay on a bed of velvet.

The Moon Goddess's Tear.

I clutched it in my hand, but just as I was about to leave, I heard footsteps and hushed laughter outside the door.

It was Fabian and Gloria. My heart hammered against my ribs. I dove behind the heavy curtains.

"I've waited so long for this," Fabian breathed heavily, pinning Gloria against the wall. "Do you have any idea how jealous I get watching you talk to other men?"

"What about Hazel?" Gloria's voice was unsteady. "She's your fated mate…"

"She's a joke the Moon Goddess played on me," Fabian sneered, his hand stroking her face. "My wolf only howls for you. Always."

I stopped breathing.

"Did she really think all her little sacrifices would make you love her? Pathetic," Gloria said, baiting him. "She almost died in Shadow Creek Valley last night, and you didn't even go see her."

"Why would I?" Fabian's voice was cold, cruel. "Honestly? My life would be simpler if she just died. Then I'd finally be free of her."

The words stabbed into my heart like poison needles.

I gripped the cold Moon Goddess's Tear in my hand, my nails digging into my palm.

Just then, a massive explosion ripped through the northern end of the pack lands, shaking the very ground beneath us.

The piercing shriek of an alarm shattered the night.

"Dammit!" Fabian swore, his face instantly grim. "The northern wards."

His eyes swept the room, sharp as a blade, passing right over the curtain I was hiding behind.

I held my breath, my heart hammering in my chest.

Don't see me, don't…