Chapter One

The envelope was black. Heavy cardstock with gold embossing that screamed wealth and power.

I didn't need to open it to know who sent it.

My hands trembled as I stood in my tiny apartment, the envelope burning between my fingers like a brand. Three years. Three years since I'd run from the Shadowmoon Pack. Three years since Dante Russo ripped my heart out in front of five hundred wolves and told me I was nothing.

"You are not worthy to stand beside an Alpha King. I, Dante Russo, reject you, Aria Kane, as my mate and Luna."

I could still hear his voice. Cold. Emotionless. Final.

The mate bond had snapped like a rubber band pulled too tight, and I'd collapsed right there on the marble floor of his mansion while the pack watched. Some had laughed. Others had whispered. None had helped.

I'd crawled out of that house and never looked back.

Now he wanted me back.

My wolf stirred beneath my skin—the wolf that hadn't existed three years ago. The wolf that had awakened six months after I'd run, proving every single person who'd called me worthless wrong.

Rip it up, my wolf, Selene, growled. Burn it. He doesn't deserve to breathe the same air as us.

But I couldn't.

Because tucked inside the envelope was a check for five million dollars. And a contract.

SIX HOURS EARLIER

"Table four is getting impatient, Aria!"

I plastered on a smile and grabbed the tray of drinks, weaving through the crowded casino floor. The Black Diamond Casino was neutral territory—no pack could claim it—which made it the perfect place for a wolfless omega to disappear.

Except I wasn't wolfless anymore.

I'd kept Selene hidden for three years. One slip, one flash of silver in my eyes, and word would reach Dante. So I worked double shifts, kept my head down, and pretended I was still the weak little omega everyone remembered.

"Here you go, gentlemen." I set down the whiskeys with practiced ease.

One of the men—a bear shifter reeking of cigars—grabbed my wrist. "What's a pretty thing like you doing working here? You should be on someone's arm."

I gently extracted my wrist, smile never faltering. "Rent doesn't pay itself, sir."

"I could pay it for you." His grin was all teeth. "Among other things."

Let me out, Selene snarled. I'll rip his throat out.

Not here. Not now.

"I'm flattered, but I'll have to decline." I stepped back—

And walked straight into a wall of muscle.

Hands caught my waist, steadying me. The touch sent electricity racing up my spine, and my wolf went absolutely feral.

MATE!

No.

No, no, no—

I spun around and looked up into molten gold eyes that I'd seen every night in my nightmares for three years.

Dante Russo stood before me in a three-piece black suit that probably cost more than I made in a year. He'd gotten bigger. More dangerous. Tattoos I didn't recognize crept up his neck, and there was a new scar cutting through his left eyebrow.

But those eyes—those eyes were the same.

Cold. Calculating. And currently locked on me like a predator spotting prey.

"Aria." My name on his lips was a caress and a threat.

The casino went silent. Every shifter in the room could smell what we were to each other. The rejected mate bond hung in the air like smoke.

"Alpha King." I kept my voice steady even as my heart tried to claw out of my chest. "What brings you to neutral territory?"

His hand was still on my waist. His thumb traced a slow circle against my hip bone, and I hated how my body reacted. How the bond—even severed—still sang between us.

"You." He leaned down, his lips brushing my ear. "We need to talk."

"We have nothing to talk about."

"Five million dollars says otherwise." His voice dropped to a growl that made my knees weak. "I sent you an offer, little omega. I expect an answer."

I pulled away from him, ignoring how my wolf whimpered at the loss of contact. "My answer is no."

"You haven't even read the contract."

"I don't need to. Whatever you want from me, the answer is no."

Dante's eyes flashed black—his wolf surfacing. The temperature in the room dropped ten degrees. "I'm not asking, Aria. I'm telling you. You have twenty-four hours to report to the Shadowmoon estate, or I'll come collect you myself."

"You rejected me!" The words burst out before I could stop them. "You stood in front of the entire pack and told me I was worthless. You don't get to summon me like some—"

His hand shot out, gripping my chin and forcing me to meet his gaze. The contact sent sparks shooting through my entire body.

"Things have changed," he said softly. Dangerously. "Read. The. Contract."

He released me and stepped back, buttoning his suit jacket. "Twenty-four hours, Aria. Don't make me hunt you down."

Then he turned and walked out of the casino, his beta and gamma flanking him like shadows.

I stood frozen, every shifter in the room staring at me.

The bear shifter whistled low. "Well, damn. The Alpha King's rejected mate. That's got to sting."

It's going to sting a lot more when I kill him, Selene snarled.

I couldn't agree more.

BACK TO PRESENT

I opened the contract with shaking hands.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN DANTE RUSSO (PARTY A) AND ARIA KANE (PARTY B)

Terms:

Party B will return to Shadowmoon Pack and act as Party A's Luna for a period of six (6) months.

Party B will attend all pack functions, meetings, and events as required.

Party B will share Party A's residence and bed for the duration of the contract.

Party B will produce an heir within the six-month period.

Upon completion of contract, Party B will receive $20 million and be free to leave with no further obligations.

Party B will sign a non-disclosure agreement and never speak of this arrangement.

I read it three times.

He wanted me to come back. Play Luna. Get pregnant. And disappear.

My wolf was livid. Absolutely not. We're not some broodmare!

But twenty million dollars...

That was freedom. Real freedom. I could go anywhere. Do anything. Never have to hide again.

My phone buzzed.

Unknown Number: Clock's ticking, little omega. 23 hours.

I stared at the message. At the contract. At the check that could change my life.

Dante Russo had rejected me once. Broken me. Humiliated me.

But I wasn't that weak omega anymore.

If he wanted to play games, fine.

I'd play.

And I'd make damn sure he regretted ever letting me go.

I grabbed my phone and typed out a response:

Me: I'll be there. But I have conditions of my own.

His reply was instant:

Dante: Name them.

Me: In person. Tomorrow. And Alpha King? This time, I'm the one in control.

I hit send before I could second-guess myself.

Three dots appeared. Disappeared. Appeared again.

Dante: We'll see about that, little wolf.

I froze.

Little wolf.

He couldn't know. There was no way he could know—

Another message:

Dante: Did you really think you could hide from me? I've known about your wolf for six months. See you tomorrow, Aria. Don't be late.

The phone slipped from my hands.

He knew.

Dante Russo knew I wasn't wolfless anymore.

And he'd waited until now to make his move.

We're in trouble, Selene whispered.

"I know," I breathed.

But trouble or not, I was going back.

Because this time, I wasn't running.

This time, I was going to war.