Chapter 1

Freya’s POV

The silver chains around my wrists burned against my skin. Every werewolf knew what moon-silver did—suppressed our inner wolves, weakened our strength, prevented shifting. My wolf cowered deep inside me, whimpering in pain as the ancient metal did its work, leaving me feeling hollow and exposed.

I blinked rapidly, trying to focus on the polished stone floor of the Crescent Court. My heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my throat, making it difficult to breathe. The courtroom's silence pressed against me like a physical weight as I waited.

When Alpha Thorne Grey entered, my chest tightened painfully. He walked with measured steps to the raised platform, his dark ceremonial robes flowing behind him. Five years I had loved this man. Five years I had memorized every line of his face, every shift in his expression. Now those familiar features were set in cold detachment as he took his seat.

"Freya Riley, step forward."

His voice cut through me. My legs felt wooden as I forced myself to move to the center of the courtroom. I could feel hundreds of eyes watching—judging—from the tiered seats surrounding us. My fingernails dug into my palms as I fought to keep my composure.

The elite families of Moon Bay's Grey Moon Pack occupied the front rows—Betas with generations of pure bloodlines who once had respectfully nodded to me as the treasured daughter of the Riley clan. Now those same wolves stared with barely concealed smirks, eyes gleaming with satisfaction at my fall from grace. My gaze landed on Kaelin Brooks, sitting perfectly poised with her arms wrapped in white bandages. When our eyes met, I saw the flash of victory in hers before she quickly lowered her gaze, shoulders hunching in a practiced display of trauma.

My jaw clenched so tight it ached.

"Freya Riley," Thorne began, his golden-flecked eyes sweeping over me without warmth, "you stand accused of assaulting Beta Elite Kaelin Brooks during a documented phase episode, causing grievous harm and endangering her life."

"I didn't do it." The words came out stronger than I expected, hanging in the silent courtroom. "I was framed."

Whispers erupted around me. I saw Edward Brooks, Kaelin's father and commander of Moon Bay's enforcement division, lean forward in his seat, his expression darkening at my defiance.

Thorne's fingers tightened on the arms of his chair. I noticed the slight muscle twitch in his jaw—a tell I knew from happier times that he was controlling his emotions.

"The evidence has been presented," he said, voice flat. "Multiple witnesses arrived at the garden pavilion to find you standing over Kaelin Brooks as she lay bleeding. Her wounds match your claw pattern. The doctor confirmed her moon phase syndrome was active that night, making her especially vulnerable."

I took a shaky breath. "She provoked me deliberately," my voice cracked as I tried to explain. "She said horrible things about us. She pushed me until I lost control for just a second. She wanted me to attack her—it was all part of her plan to 'correct' your mistake of choosing me."

"Enough!" Thorne's voice snapped across the courtroom. For a moment, his control slipped, and I glimpsed something in his eyes—a flicker of doubt? Pain? But it vanished so quickly I couldn't be sure. "Even if she did provoke you, attacking a werewolf during a phase episode is inexcusable. The doctor's testimony confirms the wounds could only have come from your claws, and that Brooks was indeed experiencing a phase episode."

I looked around desperately, searching for my family. The Riley seats stood empty. Three weeks in a silver-lined cell with no visitors had told me everything I needed to know about what had happened to my family in my absence. Whatever it was, I now stood completely alone.

The realization made my stomach twist painfully. My breathing quickened, becoming shallow.

"The evidence is conclusive," Thorne continued, his voice mechanical now. "Freya Riley, once of the founding Riley family, you are found guilty of assaulting a Beta Elite during a vulnerable phase. The punishment under pack law is exile to the Forgotten Wilds for a period of three years."

The words hit me like physical blows. My ears rang as the courtroom erupted in whispers and growls of approval. My knees weakened, and I swayed slightly before catching myself. The Forgotten Wilds—the barren, lawless territory where exiled wolves went to serve their punishment. Few returned. Those who did came back changed. Broken.

"You will wear the Alpha's mark," Thorne said, gesturing to a Wild Guardian who approached with a silver collar. "This will suppress your shifting abilities and mark you as an exile. Any attempt to return to pack territories before your sentence is complete will result in immediate execution."

The Guardian approached, and I couldn't stop the visible trembling of my hands. This wasn't just restraint—it was humiliation. Three weeks ago, I had stood in the grand ballroom as Thorne's chosen mate. Now I would wear a collar like a criminal.

"I'm innocent." My voice came out barely above a whisper, breaking on the last word. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to look directly at Thorne. "You know me. Five years I've loved you. How can you believe I would do this?"

Thorne's expression flickered, his eyes darting away from mine for the briefest moment. When he looked back, his gaze was resolute but guarded.

"The court's decision is final," he said, each word precise and measured. "The transport to the Forgotten Wilds leaves at dawn. Until then, the prisoner will be held in the Silver Shackle Prison."

The finality in his voice shattered what little composure I had left. Hot tears welled up, blurring my vision. I tried to blink them away, not wanting to give the watching wolves the satisfaction of seeing me break, but they spilled down my cheeks anyway.

"You planned this!" The words tore from my throat in a broken sob as the Wild Guardians moved in to take me away. I twisted in their grip, my gaze fixed on Kaelin through my tears. "You said those things on purpose! You wanted me to lose control! Tell them what you really did, Kaelin!"

My outburst sent ripples of shock through the courtroom. Kaelin immediately shrank back in her seat, her father protectively putting an arm around her shoulders. She buried her face in her hands, her body trembling in an exquisite performance of trauma. Several nearby Betas rose to their feet, growling in my direction.

"You see?" Edward Brooks called out, his voice heavy with practiced concern. "This is exactly the kind of uncontrolled aggression that led to my daughter's injuries. She can't even control herself in front of the Alpha and the entire court."

The guards tightened their grip on my arms, pulling me toward the exit as I continued to sob, my accusations dissolving into incoherent pleas. My wolf howled in despair within me, a mournful sound only I could hear.

As they dragged me toward the heavy doors, I twisted to look back one last time. Thorne remained seated on the raised dais, his posture rigid, his face a perfect mask of Alpha authority. The courtroom was already returning to order around him, the drama of my sentencing nearly forgotten as pack members rose to leave or leaned toward each other in hushed conversation.

Our eyes met across the distance. For just a heartbeat, something flickered in his golden gaze—doubt? Regret? Whatever it was vanished as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by the cold detachment of a judge who had delivered his verdict and moved on.

Disappointment crushed what remained of my heart. This man, who I had loved for five years, who had held me in his arms and whispered promises of forever, now watched impassively as they took me away.

Three weeks ago, I had been Freya Riley, daughter of one of Moon Bay's founding families, soon-to-be mate of Alpha Thorne Grey. The engagement announcement had been hours away, the culmination of five years of persistence and hope.

Now I was a condemned criminal, stripped of everything—family, status, freedom, and the man I loved. All because of Kaelin Brooks and a trap I had walked right into.

Memories of that night flooded back—the night everything changed. The night of our engagement celebration, when my dream finally seemed within reach, only to transform into this nightmare.