Chapter 3

"It's cold at night—don't catch a cold," I said to him quietly.

I didn't want to argue with a pup, especially one I'd raised with my own hands. With that final warning, I turned and headed back to my bedroom.

The next morning, Beth—my adoptive mother—showed up looking like she'd barely slept, practically jogging across the courtyard to catch me as I tried to leave.

"Mother," I greeted her.

She ignored my greeting entirely. Instead, she cupped my hands in both of hers, her face going from hopeful to desperate in an instant. Her eyes brimmed with tears, begging me just like she had ten years ago.

"Amy, Danny's still small—he needs you," she began.

"Our pack needs Ethan's support. Your father, your brother—everyone depends on it. You can't just have a meltdown and bail on everyone."

I finally couldn't take it anymore and cut her off.

"You talk and talk. But did you ever ask if I'm okay? Not once."

Beth froze.

We were interrupted by the sound of a car horn outside.

Honk honk—

The car horn made everyone stop and stare. Even the omegas quit their gossiping to see what was happening.

A red Tesla pulled up in front of the Silver Howl pack house gates. The car door slammed with an expensive thunk.

Designer heels clicked sharp against stone as she stepped out, like she was walking a red carpet instead of entering a wolf pack's territory.

Daniel came running out of the house and threw himself into her arms. "Lisey! I missed you so much!"

Watching Daniel practically melt into her arms made my stomach twist. I had to ball up my fists to keep from doing something stupid.

Hand in hand, they walked right past me without so much as a greeting.

Along with the scent of perfume came the idle gossip of nearby omegas.

"Poor Amelia, still hanging around Silver Howl like a lost puppy, bending over backwards for Alpha Ethan and Daniel. And for what? This fake Luna can't even compete with some human chick."

"Yesterday she was making a big show about wanting to leave, and today she's changed her mind again." Someone snickered. "Probably panicked the moment Ms. Goldman showed up—afraid of losing all that wealth and status."

Daniel tilted his little face up, nuzzling against Elise Goldman's embrace, his voice sweet and cloying: "Daddy's been waiting for you in his office forever. Let's go find Daddy together."

"I love Lisey the most. Lisey smells so good and talks so nicely—not like some people who act like trashy country women."

As the words hit me, I felt something sharp twist in my chest.

They knew exactly how to hurt me.

Hearing Daniel's comment, Elise seemed to remember something and deliberately walked over to me with a magazine-perfect smile. "Long time no see, Luna Amelia."

She gave me a little wave with those red-tipped fingers, every gesture smooth as silk.

But the words that came out of her mouth carried clear attempt to piss me off.

"Luna Amelia, don't listen to Danny. He's just a kid."

She emphasized the word 'Luna' especially, as if the title was some kind of joke when applied to me.

I wasn't gonna give Elise the satisfaction of a reaction.

I remembered when Daniel used to actually care about me.

I'd grown up in the humid climate of Eclipse Pack, and when I first came to Silver Howl, nothing felt right.

The cold wind here cut across my face like knives, making me sick for weeks—I nearly didn't make it through.

Back then, the omegas mocked me for being crude and wouldn't even bring me medicine.

During my illness, only little Danny stuck around. Those big blue eyes of his were still so innocent back then.

"Amy, get better fast—you're so badass when you ride!" he told me admiringly.

That little guy who once never left my side had now become a knife in my chest.

This change was something I never could have imagined.

Why did it turn out this way?

Why had the pup I'd protected and cherished become like this?

I couldn't understand any of it.

I ignored Elise and turned to Beth.

"Mother, see? They've got plenty of people looking after them. This beautiful Ms. Goldman is just one of them."

Elise was William Goldman's second daughter—some rich human businessman. Word was she might be his bastard kid with some mistress.

None of that mattered, though.

What mattered was that Elise looked exactly like Danielle.

Just because she looked like Danielle, she could waltz into Ethan's office whenever she wanted—a place I couldn't even get near.

She had that father-son duo wrapped around her finger without even trying.

Beth's face lost its earlier grief.

She wiped the tears from her face and demanded coldly, "You've really decided to leave Silver Howl?"

"I'm not gonna stay trapped in this fancy prison forever, wasting my life on two guys who don't care about me," I said firmly.

Beth's face went white, then red. Her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

"You selfish little bitch," she hissed, stepping closer until we were nose to nose. "You always were trash."

"I should've left you to die in those woods. Should've known you'd turn out to be heartless. You're nothing but an ungrateful little brat."

She grabbed my shoulders, her nails digging in like claws. I could feel them breaking skin through my shirt, the sharp sting making me gasp.

"Don't you dare walk away from me!" she said.

I pulled free from her grip, my shoulders stinging where her nails had bit into skin.

"You took me in for eight years. I've spent ten years paying you back." I stared her down, not blinking. "We're even now."

Ten years of letting Ethan use my body however he wanted.

Ten years of playing the perfect Luna, handling every damn detail of pack business.

Ten years of loving Daniel like he was my own pup, giving him everything I had.

I'd done my part. More than my part.

In the end, the only one I betrayed was myself.

Beth stomped off, looking pissed as hell. Her heels made angry little clicks all the way across the courtyard.

I stood there for a moment, feeling like something had finally shifted.

Ten years of this bullshit, and maybe I was actually done.

I turned around, only to meet Ethan's unfathomable blue gaze.

He watched me expressionlessly, coldly, as if I were just a disobedient pet. His pine-scented pheromones churned restlessly, and his Alpha aura leaked out ominously.

He threw me a bone like I was some kind of pet: "Amelia, you're smart—don't be stupid. Walk away from Silver Howl and you've got nothing."

"I found you a prettier dog—golden retriever. Someone will drop it off later," he continued.

He barely paused before twisting the knife: "Danny's being a pain? Let Elise deal with him. I already told the omegas to set up a room for her."

In Ethan's little fantasy, I was supposed to jump for joy and fall all over myself thanking him. Then I'd run around making sure Elise had everything she needed, being the perfect fake Luna.

Not happening.

"Get the omegas to handle it—I'm leaving."

Elise stepped out from behind Ethan, putting on this sweet little voice: "Oh no, if Luna Amelia doesn't want me here, maybe I should just go."

"Luna Amelia's pack royalty—Alpha's daughter and all that. Me? I'm just some human girl everyone whispers about. Can't really compete with that, can I?"

She hadn't taken more than a few steps before Ethan Brooks grabbed her.

"Don't put yourself down like that. You're exactly what I want." He glanced at me, then ambiguously patted Elise's ass before sweeping her up in his arms.

Soon, low, breathy moans slipped from the study—in broad daylight, the kind that could make anyone blush.

Daniel made a face at me: "I want Lisey to be with my dad. She's not like you—some vain, evil woman."

I stared hard at this little brat I'd raised with my own hands.

"So you really do like her, huh?" My voice came out steady, "How about I step aside for her? Guess you'd all be happy, right?"