Chapter 2

I followed the motorcade, floating right into the Crestmoon Pack headquarters.

The top-floor ballroom was blindingly bright.

The first thing I saw was a giant projection screen. It showed a picture of us.

In the photo, Jeremy stood tall and superior in his perfect Alpha uniform.

And there I was next to him. In my grease-stained work shirt, looking lost and anxious.

He must have had someone take it secretly. A way to show the whole Alliance his great love experiment.

The former Luna, Jeremy’s mother, stood in front of the screen with a glass of champagne.

“Well, the girl's a hard worker,” she commented idly, like she was inspecting a dog. “To survive a year in a slum… she must have a strong back.”

Veronica sneered.

“Please. She’s a lowly rogue Omega. What has she ever seen of the world?”

She took a sip of her wine, her eyes full of contempt.

“Jeremy is handsome. Even pretending to be broke, he still radiates that top Alpha energy. She was just desperate for him. That's the only reason she didn't leave.”

The nobles around them burst into laughter.

I hung in the air, numbly listening to their ridicule.

Suddenly, Veronica walked over to a group of well-dressed Beta women.

“That Alliance charity gala last month was divine,” one of them complimented. “Those Aurora Roses must have cost a fortune.”

Veronica lifted her chin.

“Of course. They cost me a hundred thousand dollars. The decorations, the champagne… everything was first-class.”

My ghost went rigid.

Three months ago.

Jeremy had stumbled back to our leaky attic, covered in fake blood.

He collapsed on the floor. He told me an enemy pack demanded a hundred thousand dollars, or they'd destroy his wolf.

That night, I knelt on the floor. I held his bleeding head in my lap and cried, promising I’d find a way.

I scraped together every coin.

I sold my blood. I begged my boss, Maria, for a loan.

I worked three jobs a day, sleeping only three hours a night.

When I finally handed him the money, I fainted in his arms from severe anemia.

I thought I had saved my mate.

And now, Veronica was telling me it was for a gala. A fancy party to show off to her friends.

I drifted toward Jeremy.

Veronica nudged him with her elbow.

“Seriously, you froze the pack accounts for this test. Where did you get the money for the gala last month? You didn’t actually use that rogue’s money, did you?”

Jeremy was adjusting his cufflinks. He didn't even look up.

“You have to commit to the role. The assets were frozen. Couldn't risk exposure.”

His voice was casual.

“She was willing to give it anyway. After the test is over, I’ll pay her back a hundred times over. It's just a little money. Think of it as a loan.”

A little money.

I looked at his face. A violent tremor ran through me.

That was my blood. My dignity. Countless nights of crippling pain.

While I was writhing in agony from eating moldy bread, he was using my life to throw a party for another woman.

The main doors suddenly swung open.

An assistant walked onto the stage pushing a safe.

Inside were the keys to a downtown penthouse and piles of priceless jewelry.

In the center lay a shimmering moonstone necklace. The highest symbol of a Luna.

The room fell silent.

Jeremy walked to the microphone. A confident smirk played on his lips.

“Everyone, today is the day I crown my Luna.”

His voice echoed through the hall, filled with absolute control.

“She’s a rogue Omega, but she was willing to die for me. There is no way she will refuse this.”

Thunderous applause.

In the middle of the noise, he took out his phone.

I floated over his shoulder. He was texting my number.

“Change into the dress I sent. Stop sulking. Be here in thirty minutes. You wanted status. I'm giving it to you.”

I stared at the chat history above his text.

The screen was full of green bubbles. All from me.

“My stomach really hurts today. When are you coming home?”

“I left half a piece of bread on the table for you. Don’t forget to eat it.”

“Do your fists still hurt? I bought some cheap ointment.”

He always took forever to reply.

Now that I was dead, he couldn’t stop messaging me.

No response.

Veronica walked over with her drink.

“Still ignoring you?”

“Let her stew. She finds out she’s going to be Luna and suddenly she’s playing hard to get.”

Jeremy frowned. “She’s not like that.”

Veronica laughed.

“Isn’t she? We’ll find out tomorrow. Just because she didn’t leave when you were poor doesn’t mean she won’t change now that you’re rich.”

Jeremy didn’t argue.

I suddenly understood.

This test was never going to end.

Even if I had walked into this building alive, they would have kept judging me.

Watching to see if I was worthy of the necklace. Worthy of his money.

Nothing I did would ever earn their trust. It would only earn me the next test.