Chapter 1

—•AVERY’s POV•—

I woke up with a fluttering in my chest so strong, I almost couldn’t breathe.

Today was finally the day.

My WEDDING day.

After years of dreaming about this moment, I was finally going to marry Ryan Waters, my childhood sweetheart and fated mate.

The sunlight streamed through the thin curtains of my small room in the pack house. I stretched my arms above my head and couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. Soon, I wouldn't be known as Avery Coleman, the pitiful, wolfless omega anymore. I would be Avery Waters, Luna of the Red Stone Pack.

I had dreamed of this day for so long. Ryan was everything to me—kind, handsome, and the love of my life. Today, we would promise ourselves to each other. Nothing could ruin this moment. Nothing.

Smiling, I padded over to the window and pulled aside the curtain. The sky was a flawless shade of blue—no clouds, no signs of rain. A perfect day for a wedding. The Moon Goddess had truly blessed this day.

I rushed to the bathroom. The excitement bubbling within me made it hard to stand still as I brushed my teeth and washed my face. Today was going to be absolutely perfect.

Or so I thought.

Just as I finished combing my black hair, the door to my room burst open. Mila, the omega servant appointed to prepare me for the ceremony, rushed in, her face pale, her hands shaking. Her eyes were wide—too wide. My stomach twisted. Something was wrong.

"My lady! Your wedding dress—it's gone!" she blurted out, her hands shaking.

I froze, the brush still tangled in my hair. "What do you mean it's gone?"

"I went to get it pressed one last time, but it's not where we hung it yesterday. I've looked everywhere!"

What?

"No, no, no," I muttered, pushing past Mila and hurried to the adjoining room to check the closet myself. "It has to be somewhere!"

But the closet was empty except for my everyday clothes. The beautiful white gown with emerald embellishments—to match my eyes—was nowhere to be found.

My hands started shaking.

Moon Goddess…

That wedding dress had been my pride and joy for the past three months. I had poured my heart and soul into designing it, spending countless nights sketching and sewing until my fingers bled.

But worse than that—much worse—was what had been sewn into that dress!

My legs started to shake.

“That’s impossible,” I muttered, kneeling beside the box. “I packed it myself… last night. I checked the seams, the hem... the pendant...”

Mila stepped closer. “Pendant?”

I looked up at her, my voice trembling. “My mother’s pendant. I sewed it into the lining of the dress. A silver moon. It was the only thing she ever left me.”

Mila’s eyes widened in horror. She had no words.

My legs gave out and I sank to the floor, hugging my knees to my chest as the tears rushed in.

"This can't be happening," I whispered, my voice breaking. "Not today of all days."

Tears flowed freely down my cheeks as I remembered the last thing my mother left me before she died giving birth to me. A small, silver moon–shaped pendant. It was my last connection to her. I'd stitched it carefully beneath the hem of the wedding dress myself where no one could see, with shaky hands and silent prayers. So she could walk with me. So she could see me happy on my big day.

And now… it was all gone!

"Who took it?” I gritted out through my tears, my voice barely above a whisper. My hands clenched into fists as I turned to face Mila. “Who would do this?”

“I—I don’t know,” Mila stammered, her voice shaking. “I swear I don’t. When I left last night, it was hanging right there.”

I pressed my hands to my face, fighting the burn in my eyes.

Goddess I didn’t even care about the dress itself. It was just fabric. But that pendant... that small, simple charm was the only memory of her I had. And now it was stolen. Who could have done this? Who would be so cruel as to steal from me on my wedding day? And why?

Mil hovered, unsure whether to comfort me or give me space.

Then, just as I wiped the tears from my cheeks with the sleeve of my nightgown, I heard it.

Laughter.

Ugly, sharp, mocking laughter echoing down the hallway.

Two omega maids stepped into view, Stella and Bryce. They worked directly for my stepmother, and they had never missed a chance to make my life difficult.

They didn’t even try to hide their smirks.

“Well, well,” Stella said, leaning against my doorframe with a smirk. “Having some trouble this morning, Avery?”

“Where is my dress?” I demanded, standing up. “Did any of you take it?”

Bryce laughed, a harsh sound that made my stomach turn. “Why would we want your cheap dress? We have better things to do.”

“It wasn’t cheap,” I interrupted, my voice breaking. “I sewed it for months. And my mother’s pendant was—”

“Oh, you mean this old thing?” Stella moved forward and held out a small bag. She tossed it at my feet carelessly. “Your stepmother said to give this to you. She said it’s more suitable for someone of your… position.”

The bag landed at my feet.

I froze.

Everything in me screamed not to look. But my hands moved on their own.

I opened the bag.

And gasped.

What I pulled out wasn’t just old—it was ruined. The wedding dress was yellowed, stained, and torn beyond recognition. The lace was ripped. The beadwork hung like it had been chewed by mice. It smelled faintly of mildew and something worse. Something intentional.

My breath caught in my throat.

“You expect me to wear this?” I whispered, horrified.

“Better than waking in naked,” Bryce snorted.

My eyes turned watery red, my body trembling with emotions, but I remained defiant. “Take it back, I won’t wear this. I’ll find something else, or I’ll send for a new dress. The wedding isn’t for hours—”

"Oh, but there’s more,” Byrce interrupted with a cruel glint, her voice mock-sweet. “Your father specifically said that if you don’t wear exactly what your stepmother chose for you, he’ll disown you completely. You’ll be thrown out of the pack with nothing. No Luna. No pack. No future.”

My heart nearly stopped.

“Disown me?” I echoed in disbelief.

“Yup,” Bryce added with a grin. “He already doesn’t approve of your little fairy tale. You don’t have any leverage left. Unless, of course, you want to go rogue and wander the woods alone?”

The world went silent around me. I could hear my heartbeat pounding in my ears.

It had always been like this since my mother died giving birth to me. In my father’s eyes, I was the reason his beloved mate was no longer with him. When he remarried, my stepmother and sister became his new family, while I remained an outsider in my own home. But to hear it out loud—on my wedding day—was too much.

I looked down at the moldy, awful dress again.

Was this some kind of joke? Some cruel punishment? On the day I should have been radiant, wearing white silk and emerald threading, with my mother’s pendant close to my heart?

I clenched my fists. My lip trembled.

“Come on,” Stella cooed mockingly. “At least you still get to marry your precious mate, right? Who cares about the dress?”

I stared at them. They were enjoying this. Every second of it.

I glanced at Mila, who was staring at me pitifully. She couldn’t help me. No one could help me.

I had nothing. No wolf. No status. No family that wanted me. Only Ryan. Only this wedding.

They wanted to break me. Humiliate me. Crush me right before the moment I finally tasted happiness.

And what choice did I have?

If my father disowned me, I would have nowhere to go. No pack would take in a lone omega with no family. I would be left to wander as a rogue, and most rogues didn’t survive long. Worse, the wedding would never happen. Ryan was my mate. My only real hope of escaping this family, this room, this life. Maybe once we were bonded, things would change. Maybe he’d take me away.

Swallowing my pride, my pain, and my tears, I nodded.

“Fine,” I whispered, the word tasting like ash in my mouth. “I’ll wear it.”

Stella and Bryce exchanged a glance full of satisfaction.

They turned to leave.

“Try to clean yourself up a bit,” Bryce called over her shoulder. “You don’t want to embarrass the future Alpha too much.”

I turned away, hiding my tears as the door shut behind them. And I stood there, devastated, with the tattered dress clutched against my chest.

A quiet sniffle escaped me before I could stop it.

Then, a soft hand touched my arm.

Mila stood beside me, her big brown eyes filled with worry. “My lady…” she whispered.

I swallowed hard, blinking back the hot sting in my eyes. “It’s ruined, Mila. Everything’s ruined.”

But Mila shook her head fiercely. “No, my lady. Don’t say that.” She squeezed my arm gently. “Alpha Ryan loves you. So much. He wouldn’t mind what you wear and am sure after all these he will help you find your mother’s keepsake.”

I froze.

Ryan.

My mate. My future. The man who looked at me like I was the moon itself.

Mila was right.

A slow, wobbly smile tugged at my lips.

Mila grinned back, squeezing my hand. “See? Today is still your day. Nothing can ruin that.”

I took a deep breath, feeling the tightness in my chest loosened just a little.

“Come on, my lady, time to get you prepared for the ceremony."