CHAPTER ONE: Broken by fate.

I had always believed the Moon Goddess disliked me. I learned that as a child. But discovering my fated mate was destined for my stepsister on our mating day was a wound I wasn’t sure I could survive.

Moonstone Hall glittered above me. Hundreds of wolves filled the room, silent, watching. I stood on the stage in white, my hand in Adrian’s, my heart foolish enough to hope.

“My mate.” I smiled as I followed his gaze. He wasn’t looking at me. He had always been looking past me.

Arwen stood beside my stepmother, wearing silver so close to my gown it could not have been accidental her eyes shone with tears. I almost believed them.

Whispers moved through the crowd.

“Is he looking at Arwen?”

“But his wolf ”

“That can’t be.”

My wolf paced inside me, confused, still reaching for a bond already fading.

“Adrian,” I whispered.

He finally looked at me but there was nothing in his expression.

“I’ve been fighting this for months,” he said. “I tried to tell you but I can’t.”

The bond snapped as I staggered, hand to my chest.

“What?”

He turned to Arwen immediately his face changed. “I’ve known for months that she is my destined mate I tried to deny it but I can’t pretend anymore.”

“Adrian ”

“I can’t pretend with you.” His tone hardened. “I can’t pretend I want this, I can’t pretend you’re the Luna I need.”

My face went numb. “You told me you loved me.”

“And you believed me.” He laughed, a sound I had not heard from him before. “I suppose that made it easier.”

“Adrian,” my stepmother cut in, “this pack needs someone who can stand beside an Alpha. You cannot.”

I looked down at my gown. I had starved for weeks to fit into it. It still felt like a costume I had no right to wear.

“Please,” I said. “Not in front of everyone.”

“Why not?” Adrian asked. “You need the truth. You were not meant to be my Luna. The Moon Goddess made a mistake.”

My knees hit the marble. The void in my chest swallowed everything else.

Arwen stepped forward and knelt beside me. Her hand hovered, as if to comfort me.

“I’m so sorry, Serena. I never meant for this.”“Don’t touch me.”

She pulled back as her voice dropped so only I could hear.

“I always knew you wanted what I had. You were not going to get it.”

“Arwen.” Adrian’s voice came from behind her. “That’s enough.”

She looked up, her expression shifting instantly. “I’m sorry. I just feel awful for her.”

“Good,” Adrian said. “Maybe now she understands.”

I couldn’t breathe. “You were my mate. You were supposed to love me.”

He looked down at me without sympathy.

“The Moon Goddess made a mistake,” he said. “I’m correcting it.”

My wolf howled. The bond tore completely. I doubled over, a scream breaking from my throat.

“Don’t make a scene,” my stepmother said. “You’ve embarrassed yourself enough.”

I searched for my father. He stood behind her, pale, eyes fixed on the floor He would not look at me.

I had spent my whole life trying to earn his approval now he could not even meet my gaze.

I forced myself up. My legs shook. My vision swam but I would not stay on the floor.

“Look at you,” Arwen said, loud enough for the crowd. “Standing there thinking you could be Luna. You’ve been chasing something that was not yours.”

“Arwen.” Adrian’s warning had no heat.

“What? It’s true.” She laughed. “You were not the one.”

The words landed but I was already hollow.

“This whole time,” I said, “I thought if I tried harder, if I became smaller, I could be enough.”

“This was never going to be yours,” my stepmother said calmly. “You should have accepted that.”

I looked at Adrian. “Did you love me? Even a little?”

“No,” he said. “I cared for you, but not the way you needed.”

“Then why marry me?”

“Because I feared the Moon Goddess’s punishment. Now I know she wants me with Arwen. You were an obstacle.”

An obstacle.

“I hope you regret this,” I whispered.

Adrian laughed again. “I won’t. I’m relieved I can stop pretending.”

The ring felt heavy on my finger. I pulled it off, hands shaking.

“Take it back.”

He took it. For a moment, something flickered in his eyes. Then he smiled.

“Good. Now we’re done.”

I turned and walked toward the doors. My heels struck marble. Every stare followed me. I pushed through the doors into cold night air.

Then I ran through the forest, through pain, through branches that tore my dress and scratched my arms. My lungs burned. My heart was an open wound.

I ran until my legs gave out until I collapsed against a tree, slid into the mud, and sobbed. For the future I had lost. For the man who betrayed me. For the family who never wanted me. For the girl who believed in love.

When I had nothing left, I heard a sound behind me as the Leaves crunched, strange movement stirred the dark.

I scrambled up, back against the tree.

“Who’s there?”

Silence.

A figure appeared but I couldn’t see his face. He was overwhelming close.

“Who are you?” My voice trembled, though I forced myself to stand tall.

He stepped forward as the moonlight caught his face.

“What are you doing here?”

“I should ask you the same.”