Chapter 0002

•CATHERINE•

Leo flashed a proud smile as he gestured toward the woman standing beside him. “This is Mary Whitlock, Cat. She’s the genius behind the Omega Academy.” He introduced her after his speech. “Our warriors wouldn’t be half as skilled if it weren’t for her. I’m planning to announce her as one of us tonight. Once she’s linked to the pack, she’ll be able to communicate with everyone.”

I blinked. “Wait, I thought we could only accept new wolves through marriage or if they were rogues. Are we bending that rule for Miss Whitlock?” I tried to control my tone, but the emotional connection I felt between them caused my stomach to sink.

The whispers behind me stung worse than any claw.

“Poor Luna.”

“She still doesn’t see it.”

“She’s just a title now.”

The whispers slid through the room like smoke. I didn’t need to hear the words to know what they were saying. Pity. Disbelief.

I kept my chin high. A Luna doesn’t crumble in front of her pack.

Leo’s voice cut through my thoughts. “Our warriors would’ve come back injured or worse if not for Mary. “She’s done more for this pack than you ever have,” Leo said.

My wolf, Nyra, growled inside me, matching the rumble from Ranger, Leo’s wolf, through the bond.

“I’ve stood beside you for six years,” I said evenly. “Perhaps that’s what made you forget how much you leaned on me.”

His eyes narrowed.

He scoffed. “Name one thing you’ve done for us, Catherine. Remind me, because I sure as hell remember nothing except you hiding behind me every time danger shows up.”

The crowd’s stares burned through me like wildfire. My blood boiled, humiliation clawing at my throat. He wasn’t just disrespecting me, but he was destroying me in front of our pack, and that woman.

“You see?” he said, smirking. “You’ve got nothing. Mary is brave, strong, and has all the qualities a Luna should have. So, she’s staying here, and you’re going to welcome her and teach her our ways. That’s an order, Catherine. From your Alpha.”

Nyra’s voice echoed softly in my head. ‘Not now. Don’t lose control. Let them think you’re calm and don’t let them think you’re weak.’

I inhaled sharply and said nothing.

“Everyone!” Leo’s commanding tone silenced the murmurs. “I have an announcement to make.”

All eyes turned to him as he took Mary’s hand and stepped forward. The sight of his fingers tightening around hers made my chest tighten painfully.

“Mary Whitlock will be a member of our pack tonight, under the full moon. From this night on, she and her wolf, Maya, are one with the Crescent Moon Pack!” he declared proudly.

The crowd erupted in applause, and Mary smiled at me, mocking me. I gulped and looked for Brian so we could leave, but he was clinging closely to his father, and I turned to leave so they would celebrate together.

But before I reached the door, Leo’s voice snapped through the air. “Catherine! What kind of Luna leaves her pack’s anniversary? Close the door. Don’t embarrass me.”

His Alpha command caused a shiver down my spine, and Nyra let out a low growl.

I closed the door and walked inside, holding back the tears that threatened to spill from my eyes. People kept laughing and dancing, and I couldn’t make out what some were saying in the blur.

When Leo’s Beta and Gamma were done with their speeches, we were taken to the pack’s training ground to welcome Mary as one of us.

As Luna, I stood beside Leo while Mary changed into a white garment meant to symbolize purity and acceptance.

Leo leaned close to my ear. “Smile, Catherine, and accept her warmly. It’s in your best interest. When this is over, we’ll go back to being a happy family with Brian, and you won’t ask questions. Understand?”

I didn’t turn to him. “Are you threatening me?” I whispered, eyes locked on Mary as she knelt under the moonlight.

“No,” he scoffed. “But I won’t tolerate another scene. You’ll obey me as your Alpha.”

“Is she your mistress?” I asked through the mind link, snapping my gaze toward him.

For a moment, his eyes flared red, the faint color that always appeared before he shifted, and his jaw tightened. He didn’t need to answer. His silence was enough.

“How dare you,” he growled. “I’ve been nothing but loyal to you. I made you Luna when you barely deserved it. Show some gratitude and stop embarrassing me.”

“Everyone already knows, Leo,” I shot back. “They whisper behind my back every day. So, are you really going to keep lying to me?”

His stare burned into me, sharp and furious. “Welcome Mary Whitlock into the pack, or you’ll be banished for dishonoring your Alpha.”

Brian’s face flashed in my mind, and my breath hitched. I couldn’t risk losing him. Not tonight.

I stepped forward when the silence demanded it. “Mary Whitlock,” I said, my voice steady as stone. “As Luna of the Crescent Moon Pack, I welcome you and your wolf, Maya.”

My gaze didn’t leave hers. “May the Moon Goddess watch over your choices. You may shift.”

She smiled sweetly before she screamed, her bones breaking. The crowd cheered, and Leo smiled proudly behind me.

I watched her shift beneath the moonlight, every bone snapping like a promise I intended to break later.

The pack cheered. Leo smiled.

A strong sense of unease welled up inside me. Would my life be affected by this from now on?