Chapter 5

The car stopped in front of an estate on the edge of Moonbridge territory.

My parents had bought it for me in secret before the war broke out.

Back then, the whole North was on edge.

Moonbridge was the strongest pack in the North. Kane's name was feared everywhere, and the vampires didn't dare set foot on his land.

So without telling a soul, my parents set aside an estate for me here.

On my 12th birthday, my mother gave me the deed. "Even if Mom and Dad aren't around someday, you'll always have a place to call home."

Later, on the day Kane came for me, I thought it was fate. I thought my parents had somehow placed me in his hands.

When I pushed the door open, the walls my father had painted were still there, and every piece of furniture my mother had picked out was right where she'd left it.

I stood in the living room, and the ache hit me a moment later.

I set the family photo Mae had saved on the nightstand, curled up on the couch, and fell into a deep sleep.

For the next few days, I didn't let myself think about Kane.

Early on the morning of the Full Moon Ceremony, Chloe, my best friend at Moonbridge, sent me more than a dozen texts in a row. She wanted me to hurry to the Moon Spring and save us a spot.

The second she saw me, she asked, "How come you haven't said 'Uncle Kane' once today? Usually it's every other sentence out of your mouth."

Before I could answer, she grabbed my phone to check the ceremony schedule. When the screen lit up, she froze.

"Where's your wallpaper?

"When your phone fell in Moon Lake, you froze yourself so badly getting that picture back you couldn't shift for three days. And now you're just changing it?"

My old wallpaper was a photo of me and Kane from when I was 14. He'd come home with a moonflower that was already wilting, and I'd dragged him into taking a picture with me.

I'd gone through a few phones since then, but I'd kept that picture as my wallpaper.

Now it was just a cold moon hanging over a snowy mountain.

A notification popped up. Moonbridge's livestream of the ceremony was about to start.

On screen, Kane and Vivian stood side by side in front of the Moon Spring, looking every inch the Alpha and Luna.

Chloe's face darkened, and she opened her mouth to start swearing.

She was so furious she turned to go find Kane, but I grabbed her.

I sighed softly. "Anyway... I'm getting married too."

It took her a long moment to process that. "To who?"

"I'll tell you once the paperwork's done."

She stared at me for a long time. Once she was sure I wasn't just saying it out of spite, her eyes went red.

"Whoever loses you is going to regret it."

Before the ceremony started, Vivian was being interviewed alongside Kane and a middle-aged couple, with pack members crowded all around them.

For the first time since I'd come to Moonbridge, I hadn't helped prepare for the ceremony.

At 13, I wasn't used to the scent of so many strange wolves, so I'd hung on to Kane's sleeve the whole time.

He was the one who led me to the edge of the Moon Spring, and he never once let go of my hand.

Now the one standing next to him was Vivian.

She walked over arm in arm with the couple and introduced them with a smile. "These are my adoptive parents. After my parents died, they're the ones who took care of me."

She shot Kane a sweet look.

"All I did was mention they had no real standing at Moonbridge. Kane pulled the elders off this year's Full Moon Ceremony and put my parents in charge instead."

The Full Moon Ceremony was the most important ritual at Moonbridge. It had always been led by the most respected elders in the pack.

Vivian couldn't hide how smug she was. "I'm so lucky to have a fiancé who looks out for me like this."

The same people who'd mocked her mixed blood a few days ago were now elbowing each other to get on her good side, and her adoptive parents' too.

She was waiting for me to blow up.

I just gave her a thin smile. "Oh."

Vivian's smile went stiff for a second. Then she took my hand like we were close.

"Oh, by the way, my leg still hasn't healed, so Kane's letting me and my parents stay at Moonbridge for now. My mom's health isn't great, and the healer says a larger south-facing room would be best for her."

She paused. "Your old bedroom would be perfect. Would you mind if she stayed there for a while?"

I glanced at the hand she had on my wrist and slowly pulled mine away.

"Moonbridge is huge, and the future Luna just happens to want my old den?"

Chloe couldn't hold back a laugh.

Vivian's expression flickered. "I'm just worried about my mom's health..."

"If she wants it, she can have it." I lifted my chin. "I don't want that room anymore anyway."

Chloe waited until they'd walked away before lowering her voice. "She was obviously testing you."

"Doesn't matter. She can have it."

It was a room I didn't want. Anyone who felt like fighting over it was welcome to it.

Kane was quiet for a moment, but he came after me anyway.

"It's only temporary," he said. "I know you don't like Vivian. Stay at a hotel for a few days, and once her mother's feeling better, you can move back. I'll have someone pack your things for you."

I stopped short.

All these days had gone by, and he still thought I was living at the Alpha estate.

It was so absurd I almost laughed, but the ache in my chest got there first.

"I moved out a long—"

"Kane, it's our turn to cut the ribbon!"

Vivian's voice drowned me out.

Kane turned and went straight to her.

Fingers laced together, the two of them took their places at the center of the altar.

That was when I noticed the diamond ring on his ring finger. It was exactly like the one on Vivian's hand.

The floating text said he was only engaged to Vivian to repay a debt.

So was wearing a ring that stood for faithfulness part of repaying it too?

I listened for a minute, lost interest, and left Moon Spring Plaza.

I was already in the car heading back to my estate when Kane finally texted.

"What were you trying to say earlier?"

I stared at it for a long time before I wrote back.

"Nothing."