Chapter 1

The Den was in chaos.

The scent of blood clung to the air as the pack’s members gathered in tense silence, their expressions shadowed with worry. The Alpha’s roar shattered the hush like a thunderclap.

“Get Azleah! Now!”

His voice was a growl, thick with fury and barely restrained violence.

The pack scrambled to obey, the doctor rushing forward to assess me as I lay limp and unconscious on the infirmary bed.

Salve Lauregnory stood rigid, his jaw clenched so tightly it looked as if it might shatter. His hands curled into fists at his sides as he glared down at me, his expression unreadable.

“What the hell was she thinking?” His voice was low and dangerous. “Why does she keep wandering off alone?”

No one dared to answer.

But the unspoken truth hung heavy in the air.

Because I wanted to prove myself.

Because I was tired of being weak.

Because, despite everything, I still hoped to be enough.

“Look at her, Father.”

Sera’s voice cut through the heavy silence like a blade.

“She’s incapable. You know that as well as I do. Do you really think it’s wise to tie her to Magnus?”

Salve inhaled deeply, his expression unreadable, but I sensed his hesitation as I drifted on the edge of consciousness.

“But it’s the only way, Sera,” he said, his voice carrying the weight of the pack’s future. “Selene must marry Magnus and become his Luna. It’s not about choice—it’s about survival. I can’t let you leave the South. You’re meant to lead our people.”

I remained silent, staring at the ceiling as I slowly regained consciousness on the infirmary bed. I was still weak, the pain dull but persistent.

I knew my father was only stating facts, yet his words felt like a branding iron against my skin.

I had always been the sacrifice.

Azleah, the pack’s healer, entered, her sharp gaze assessing my wounds.

“She’ll wake later,” she said curtly. “Let her rest.”

Neither Salve nor Sera argued. With one final glance at me, Salve turned on his heel and left to convene with the council.

The elders had long voiced their concerns—offering me to Magnus was like throwing a rabbit into a wolf’s den.

Magnus Lancaster was no fool.

He was ruthless, shrewd, and would see right through this desperate attempt to forge an alliance.

Salve clenched his jaw. If there had been another way, he would have taken it.

But there wasn’t.

I had no time to dwell on these things.

Before dawn, I was woken and ordered to prepare for my departure. With slow, aching movements, I packed what little I could—clothes and a few books to distract me from the looming dread clawing at my chest.

I was leaving.

Sera stood by the window, gazing at the moonlit waves.

“Don’t let him see your weakness,” she murmured.

I froze.

“So we’re deceiving him, then?” I forced out a laugh, but it sounded hollow even to my own ears. “What do you think will happen when he finds out? Magnus might very well slaughter our entire pack.”

Sera’s bitter chuckle sent a chill down my spine.

“Sometimes we have to make impossible choices to protect what we love,” she said. “This pack is our home. We don’t have the luxury of fairness. We do what we must.”

I swallowed hard.

I understood now.

My father wouldn’t risk Sera—his rightful heir.

So he was sending me instead.

Like a lamb to the slaughter.

—

The voyage was long and uneventful, the hours stretching endlessly as we sailed toward the North. By the time we arrived, the sun was already dipping beyond the horizon, casting eerie shadows through the thick, snow-laden trees.

The moment I set foot on land, the bitter chill of the North coiled around me like an unwelcome embrace. My breath came out in soft, misty puffs, and despite the layers of clothing I had donned, the cold seemed to seep into my bones.

The unease only grew as we ventured deeper into Magnus’s territory. The air here was different—heavier, oppressive.

By the time we reached the massive iron gates guarding Magnus’s Den, my pulse was hammering against my ribs. The gates groaned as they swung open, revealing a grand gothic estate, its dark stone walls looming like the fangs of a beast waiting to devour us.

I barely had time to steady myself before I heard the sound of approaching footsteps.

Then he appeared.

Magnus Lancaster.

For a moment, the world seemed to tilt.

He had changed. Gone was the boy I once knew, replaced by a man who commanded attention with his mere presence. His jet-black hair was slightly tousled, his sun-kissed complexion accentuating the sharp, defined angles of his face.

He wore black—a crisp button-down tucked into dark slacks, the top few buttons undone to reveal a sliver of his chest. His sleeves were rolled to his elbows, exposing strong, veined forearms.

But it wasn’t his appearance that unnerved me.

It was his aura.

Dominance radiated from him like an untamed storm. He didn’t simply walk—he prowled. And when his icy blue eyes landed on me, I felt the ground beneath me quake.

I barely suppressed a shiver.

A man dressed in black approached Magnus and whispered something in his ear. Magnus didn’t react, his piercing gaze still locked on me, assessing—stripping away every ounce of composure I tried to muster.

And then—

“Everyone leave.”

His voice was deep and commanding, laced with an unspoken threat.

“I will speak with the South Alpha alone.”

I flinched at the finality in his tone.

One by one, the others obeyed. Even Sera hesitated for only a second before stepping back, leaving me rooted to the spot.

As silence settled over the vast hall, Sera murmured beside me, “So that’s Magnus now?”

Her voice was unreadable, but I didn’t need to look at her to understand what she meant. Magnus was dangerous—so dangerously compelling that one could easily mistake fascination for desire.

I swallowed, forcing myself to look away.

I had no right to admire him.

Not when I was nothing more than an offering at his feet.

Minutes passed before my father finally emerged from the office. His face was unreadable, but I caught the tension in his posture.

Magnus’s hands remained shoved in his pockets as he finally turned back to me.

“Rigor will show you to your quarters.”

His voice was detached, impassive.

My father gave a curt nod and followed Rigor—the man who had whispered to Magnus earlier. The other elders trailed behind him, leaving me standing alone.

I hesitated.

Magnus didn’t spare me a second glance before turning away and ascending the grand staircase without another word.

As I watched him disappear into the shadows of his mansion, a question gnawed at me.

Did he remember?

Did he remember the girl he once knew?

Or had I already become nothing more than a nameless sacrifice in his eyes?

My question was swallowed by silence the moment I was left alone.

The emptiness of the hallway pressed against my chest, but after a moment of hesitation, I forced myself to move, making my way deeper into the mansion. Rigor led us to the guest chambers where we could rest, and I quietly slipped inside my assigned room, shutting the door behind me with a soft click.

The space was adequate—lavish compared to what I was accustomed to—but the cold color palette cast a heavy gloom over the décor. Dark curtains swallowed the moonlight seeping through the window, while the furniture, though elegant, felt strangely unwelcoming.

A gilded mirror rested against the wall, reflecting my weary form.

I exhaled, turning off the lights before sinking onto the bed. I shut my eyes, hoping sleep would grant me a brief escape—hoping that by morning, everything would somehow fall into place.

But the uncertainty of what lay ahead gnawed at me, just as it had the night my father first revealed his plan.

The agreement between Salve and Magnus remained a mystery. Had he accepted? Had he refused? What would become of me?

I twisted beneath the sheets, trying to will away the thoughts clawing at my mind. Time slipped by unnoticed until a sound—a faint rustling—broke the silence.

My body stiffened.

A shadow moved outside my door.

My breath hitched as I sat upright, my heart hammering in my chest. Was it a servant? A guard? Or something far worse?

The darkness of the room gave me an advantage. If someone was out there, they wouldn’t immediately see me when I opened the door.

Summoning my courage, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and padded silently across the cold floor. With slow, careful movements, I twisted the handle and cracked the door open.

The corridor stretched before me, empty.

Still, I wasn’t convinced.

Needing air to calm my restless mind, I stepped out. The halls were eerily quiet, the flickering sconces casting long, wavering shadows against the stone walls.

Just as I was about to turn back, movement caught my eye—a lone figure slipping toward the mansion’s entrance.

I narrowed my gaze.

Sera.

What is she doing?

A prickle of unease ran down my spine as I watched my older sister glance around cautiously before disappearing beyond the door. Without thinking, I followed, careful to keep my distance.

Outside, the night was bitterly cold, the wind whispering through the trees. Sera moved with purpose, her posture rigid.

It wasn’t long before she entered the mansion again, climbing the stairs toward the upper chambers.

I hesitated, lingering at the bottom step. A part of me urged me to turn back, but another part—the one plagued by suspicion—demanded answers.

I crept forward, pressing myself against the wall as I watched Sera knock on a door.

The wait felt eternal.

Then, finally, the door swung open, and she disappeared inside.

I didn’t dare move closer.

I didn’t need to.

The truth clawed at my insides with brutal clarity.

Sera was meeting with someone.

And it wasn’t my father.

I swallowed the lump rising in my throat and turned away, retreating to my chambers before my thoughts could spiral further.

Sleep eventually claimed me in fractured waves.

But the unease never faded.