Chapter 1

Lyra's Pov

The gates of the Nightfang Pack closed behind me with a heavy clang.

For a moment, I simply stood there and stared ahead. The road leading into the pack grounds looked exactly the same as it had a year ago. 

The pine trees still lined the path; the training field still stretched across the eastern side of the territory. The air still carried the familiar scent of wolves and wood smoke; everything looked untouched, as if time had moved forward for everyone except me.

 I tightened my fingers around the strap of my bag and forced myself to take a step forward. Today was the day my exile ended and today was the day I was finally coming home.

A year ago, Darius had held my hands outside the council hall and promised me he would be waiting when I returned. He had looked me in the eyes and sworn it; he said he would bring Leo with him he said our son would be the first face I saw.

 During the lonely nights of exile, I replayed those words more times than I could count. They were the only thing that kept me going when the silence became unbearable, yet as I looked around the empty entrance now, there was no sign of my mate and no sign of my son. The hollow feeling in my chest grew heavier with every passing second.

I told myself there had to be a reason; maybe something urgent had come up, or maybe there had been trouble in the pack, or probably Darius had sent someone who hadn't arrived yet. I held onto every excuse I could think of as I continued toward the packhouse. 

The closer I got, the more confused I became. Music drifted through the evening air, then loud laughter followed. The wolves didn't celebrate on ordinary days, especially not in the middle of the week. By the time the large packhouse came into view, the sounds had grown loud enough that there was no mistaking them.

 There was a party taking place; bright lights glowed from every window. Several expensive vehicles were parked outside; the pack members moved in and out of the building carrying drinks and trays of food.

I stopped at the bottom of the steps and watched two young wolves pass by; neither of them recognized me immediately. One of them laughed and said,

 "Alpha Darius really outdid himself this year." 

The other nodded eagerly. "Of course he did. It's Vanessa's birthday; everyone knows she's the most important person in the pack." 

The first wolf grinned. "Honestly, she already acts like our Luna anyway." 

They disappeared into the building before they noticed me standing there. My feet felt rooted to the ground, Vanessa. Even after a year away, hearing her name still left a bitter taste in my mouth. I swallowed hard and climbed the stairs. With every step, my wolf grew quieter inside me, as if she already knew something I didn't.

The doors were open when I reached them. The sight waiting inside stole the air from my lungs. The main hall was crowded with pack members, and music filled the room.

 Long tables overflowed with food and gifts; at the center of it all sat Vanessa. She wore a silver dress that shimmered under the lights. Around her neck hung Luna's ceremonial moonstone necklace…my necklace.

 The one passed down through generations of Nightfang Lunas. People surrounded her with smiles and praise, then my eyes found Darius. He stood beside her with one hand resting casually against the back of her chair. He wasn't touching her; he didn't need to. The familiarity between them spoke loudly enough. He looked relaxed and happy, like a man who had everything he wanted.

The real blow came a second later. My gaze shifted and landed on a small boy standing beside Vanessa, my son. Leo had grown taller since I last saw him; his dark hair was slightly longer, and his face looked more mature than any six-year-old's should. 

For one beautiful second, hope burst inside me. I imagined him turning around; I imagined him seeing me and running into my arms. I imagined hearing him call me Mom again.

 Instead, he wrapped both arms around Vanessa's waist and leaned against her side. The crowd laughed as she ruffled his hair; Leo smiled up at her with complete trust. 

Then someone shouted, "You three look like a perfect family!" 

The room erupted in agreement. Darius chuckled, Vanessa blushed, and Leo, my own son, smiled.

I stood frozen in the doorway while the celebration continued around them. Nobody noticed me at first; neither did they realize the woman they were replacing was standing right there. 

A year ago, I left this pack believing I still had a mate and a son waiting for me; now I wasn't so sure about that. My eyes remained fixed on Leo; I remembered teaching him how to walk and carrying him when he fell asleep. 

I remembered every fever, every nightmare, every scraped knee, yet the little boy clinging to Vanessa looked like he belonged to her and not me. Something inside me cracked quietly, not enough to break at least not yet but just enough to hurt.

 Then Leo laughed at something Vanessa said, and for the first time since arriving, my presence was finally noticed. Several heads turned toward the entrance; the laughter faded, and conversations stopped. One by one, every eye in the room settled on me, and at the center of it all, Darius slowly lifted his head and stared.