Chapter 1- The Day I Got Replaced

Nia’ POV

“I, Darian Hendres, Alpha of Dark Crest Moon, hereby strip Nia Isolde of her position as Luna and have her demoted to a Honourable Companion as of this moment.”

The words echoed across the pack grounds, carried by the night wind and sealed beneath the full moon.

I stood beside him when he said it, my face void of any emotions. I already knew what was coming that very day it all began.

Four years of marriage reduced to a single sentence.

Gasps rippled through the gathered pack members. Warriors stiffened as their grip on their weapon tightened, elders exchanged surprised looks, Omegas whispered behind trembling hands. No one dared interrupt their Alpha.

Darian’s voice remained steady, authoritative, untouched by emotion.

“From this day forward, Lyra Klam, my fated mate, will stand beside me as Luna of Dark Crest Moon.” He finished extending his hand to her as she climbed the podium. I backed away slightly so she could stand right beside him as he had wanted.

Fated mate.

The two words pressed against my chest, heavy and suffocating.

I kept my posture straight. A Luna does not crumble in public, even a former one still knows how to save face.

Four years ago, Darian married me because of a promise. My grandfather, his father’s most loyal Beta, had saved his life many years back. On his deathbed, he asked Darian to protect me, to ensure I would never be cast aside in a world where unmated women were often treated as burdens, especially one with a cursed birth.

Darian agreed.

We were not mates. We both knew it from the start.

Yet he never treated me poorly. He never raised his voice at me or dismissed my opinions. He allowed me to sit in council meetings, trusted me with pack finances, and supported the reforms I proposed. Other packs admired us. They called us the perfect Alpha couple because we worked seamlessly together.

I tried my best to move Dark Crest Moon forward. I strengthened our borders. I negotiated alliances. I implemented modern security systems that combined technology with traditional patrol rotations. I dedicated myself to being worthy of the crown I wore.

And he respected me for it.

Until fate intervened.

We had been invited to the Grand Lycan Conclave, a prestigious gathering of Alphas and Lunas from across the region. It was meant to be an honor for the Dark Crest Moon, recognition of our growth and stability.

That night, the grand hall glittered with chandeliers and polished marble floors. I was speaking with other Lunas about collaborative strategies to reinforce pack security and trade routes when a loud scream pierced through the music behind us.

The conversation halted instantly.

I spun around immediately following the scream. 

Darian had collided with a woman near the staircase. Red wine spilled across the silver fabric of her gown. Several people gasped, and whispers started immediately.

“That’s the Lycan Heiress.”

“Lyra Klam.”

I moved without hesitation, hurrying toward them. As Luna, it was my duty to smooth over any incident involving our Alpha.

“I am so sorry,” I said to her, reaching for a cloth to help clean the stain. “Please allow me—”

Before I could finish, Darian caught her hand.

Everything changed in that single moment.

Their eyes locked.

Silence fell, not the kind that comes from shock but the kind that comes from recognition.

I felt it even before I understood it.

Their wolves said yes.

At the same time.

The air thickened with the unmistakable pull of a fated bond snapping into place. It was powerful, ancient, undeniable.

Darian’s expression shifted into something I had never seen before. His eyes held warmth I haven't seen in years after we got married.

He lifted her effortlessly into his arms.

“I will see to it personally,” he said smoothly, already turning away.

The way he looked at her was anything but concern. My heart sank as my knees buckled beneath my feet.

Murmurs spread across the hall like wildfire. Some voices were hushed, some carried pity. I heard my name more than once, spoken in sympathetic tones.

I smiled through the pain socializing like nothing had happened. Because Luna does not show weakness in front of rivals.

Darian did not return to the party.

Hours passed and the music resumed, same as conversations continued. I performed my role flawlessly, thanking hosts and discussing alliances as though my world had not shifted beneath my feet.

When I finally excused myself to search for him, the corridors of the estate were quiet.

I could feel him.

The pull was faint but present.

Even though we were not fated mates, two years into our marriage our wolves had undergone a bonding ritual in hopes of producing an heir for the pack. It was not the same as the Moon Goddess’s blessing, but it created a tether between us.

As I walked down the dim hallway, an excruciating pain struck my chest.

I gasped, pressing a hand over my heart.

It felt as though something inside me was being torn apart, thread by thread.

Another wave hit, stronger this time, forcing me to brace myself against the wall.

I staggered toward a closed door at the end of the corridor. Behind it, I could feel the surge of his wolf, powerful and overwhelming. I tried barging into the room to confront him but my strength failed me. 

A broken sound escaped my throat as I collapsed to my knees.

Even though I was not his mate, our wolves had bonded.

And now that bond was reacting to his true one.

It felt like being rejected at a soul-deep level.

From behind the door, I heard a low growl that did not belong to the man who had once held me with quiet restraint.

It belonged to an Alpha claiming his destiny and choosing the one heaven paired with him.

Another stab of pain tore through my chest, sharper than before.

I clutched at myself, struggling to breathe.

And then I felt it.

A snap.

Not fully broken.

But fractured.

Something inside me shifted violently, as though the bond forged between our wolves was fighting to survive against the force of a fated mate.

I tasted blood at the back of my throat.

The hallway lights blurred.

And as darkness crept into my vision, one terrifying thought echoed in my mind—

If this was only the beginning…

What would happen when the bond finally shattered completely?