Chapter 1

The doorbell at Salvatore Manor rang three times, but no one answered. I pulled back my hand and leaned against the wall, rubbing the shoulder that was sore from my backpack strap. The moon was unusually bright for 10:00 pm, casting my shadow clearly across the manor's tall windows.

After a few minutes, the door finally swung open. Leonardo Salvatore wore only a towel, and water dripped down his chest while his muscles caught the moonlight, glinting with a cold, sharp sheen.

He leaned against the doorframe, looking at me with golden-brown eyes that glinted with impatience. For a moment, his pupils narrowed like a wolf's before returning to normal.

"Isabella Hartwell, you're late," he said.

"Sorry," I murmured. "There were some problems with the project, so I had to stay late."

He stepped aside to let me in, then walked farther into the house. "You should have quit that job long ago. I'm the next Alpha of the Silverpine Pack. As my future Luna, your focus should be on me."

Just as I was about to speak, I turned the corner of the foyer and froze.

On the leather couch, a ripped black stocking lay casually tossed. Bright pink camisoles were scattered across the floor and the bed. The fabric was so sheer that it was almost transparent, and among them lay a red lace piece that was definitely not mine.

Behind the frosted glass of the bathroom, a shadow shifted, and the sound of running water rang sharply through the room.

My blood felt like it had frozen, and my fingers shook uncontrollably.

"What are you standing there for?"

Leonardo's voice came from behind me, carrying a teasing edge that made my skin crawl. "Hurry up and put your things down. Don't just stand there like a block of wood."

I turned rigidly, staring at him. He seemed completely oblivious to my reaction, or maybe he simply didn't care.

He walked to the bar and poured himself a whiskey. Ice cubes clinked sharply against the glass, slicing through the eerie silence of the living room.

"Leonardo, who is she?" I rasped.

He took a slow sip, then set the glass down. A lazy smile curved at the corner of his lips.

"Who? Oh, you mean the one in the bathroom? She's just a friend."

"Friend?" I hissed through clenched teeth. "Do friends leave their clothes everywhere? Do friends leave marks on your bed?"

Leonardo frowned, clearly annoyed by my questions.

"Bella, are you angry?"

He stepped closer, reaching out to touch my cheek.

I jerked back, dodging his hand. My gut roiled with anger and disbelief.

"Shouldn't I be angry? Leonardo, we've been together five years! You promised we'd have our mating ceremony as soon as I finished this project! You said you only loved me!"

Tears ran down my face, landing on the back of my hand.

I knew Leonardo came from a powerful bloodline. As the future Alpha of the Silverpine Pack, women of all kinds—humans, wolves, or hybrids—were always around him.

Ever since he claimed me five years ago, others have always been trying to catch his attention.

I kept telling myself he loved me and that the others were just distractions, but that night felt different.

A sharp ache burned in my chest. The mate bond flared, warning me he was with someone else.

I could sense every time he strayed. The pain stabbed at my heart like a thousand tiny needles. Although it wasn't deadly, it throbbed relentlessly, aching day and night.

I kept telling myself to endure it, that it would pass once he grew tired of his games.

Leonardo lounged on the couch, watching me with detached amusement. There was no panic or guilt in his expression, only a lazy, knowing smile.

"You know I'm not used to sleeping alone," he said, shrugging casually.

I clenched my fists so tightly that my knuckles turned white.

Just as I was about to speak, the running water in the bathroom abruptly stopped.