Chapter 1

During the seventh year of my bond with Claus Ellison, he betrayed me.

When I arrived at the Nightshade Corp's headquarters that day, the security guards kept their heads down, too afraid to meet my eyes.

The air was thick with a cloying, unfamiliar perfume laced with the distinct scent of a heat cycle.

I followed the scent and pushed open the doors to the CEO's office. Inside, I saw him hugging a young woman at the conference table.

She was a human with pale skin and slender limbs.

She was perched on Claus's lap, her arms draped around his neck, while his fingers trailed along her thigh.

I froze at once, and the room fell dead silent.

Claus looked up and saw me. His expression stiffened—not out of guilt, but out of annoyance at my poor timing.

The woman didn't look scared at all. Instead, she gave me a provocative smile. "So, you're Aserina Doyle?"

Claus did nothing to stop her.

She looked me up and down, then said, "Claus was right. You really aren't getting any younger."

Claus clicked her tongue. "Bella, don't."

Bella Blake reached for the glass of wine on his desk and took a slow sip. "I'm not doing anything. You're the one who promised to mark me once you secured all her shares."

Claus grabbed her shoulder and chuckled. "You little brat, give it a rest."

I watched them coldly.

I had been with Claus for seven years.

He seemed to have forgotten that I was the one who dragged him out of the gutter and onto the throne. I had never been some submissive trophy.

And now, he was holding a fragile Omega in the heart of the empire we built together, mocking me for being old?

"Claus," I said, my voice eerily flat. "I'm giving you one chance. Get her out of here."

But Bella just laughed, covering her mouth as if I'd told a joke.

"Aserina, haven't you figured it out yet?"

She walked over to me and leaned in until her breath was hot against my ear. "Claus promised to be with me a long time ago. You're just an old hag holding onto him with outdated sentiment. How do you still have the nerve to linger here?"

At that, Claus saw the look in my eyes and finally turned serious. "Enough, Bella. Shut up."

But I didn't wait. I swung my hand and delivered a stinging slap across her face.

Bella spun around, completely stunned.

"You think you're worthy of setting foot in my headquarters?"

She shrieked and scrambled behind Claus. Tears welled up instantly. "Claus! She slapped me!"

Claus snapped to his feet, his expression darkening. "Aserina, are you crazy? I already scolded her!"

"I'm crazy?" I glared at him. "You brought a tramp into my office, in my building, and sat her in my chair. I'm not dead yet!"

Claus gave Bella a rough shove toward the door. "Get out of here."

"But—" Bella didn't want to give up.

"I said, get out! Do you want to die?" he growled.

Terrified, she clutched her face and bolted from the room.

The moment the doors slammed shut, Claus took a deep breath. Suddenly, he dropped to one knee and tried to grab my hand.

"Aserina, I messed up. Just forgive me this once. Think of her as a doll. I'll throw her away, and that'll be the end of it."

I wrenched my hand back. "You didn't treat her like a doll when you let her humiliate me."

A flash of impatience crossed Claus' face. He dropped the act. "You're the Luna. Why are you being so petty about something so minor? Maybe you should ask yourself if you're even fit to be the Luna anymore!"

Without a word, I slid the ring I'd worn for seven years off my finger.

Then, I hauled back and slapped him across the face, harder than I'd hit Bella.

"Claus, I think I've kept you on that pedestal for too long. You've forgotten where you came from."

Seven years ago, my father, Morgan Doyle, was the Alpha of the Blackthorn pack, the strongest pack in Northia.

I was his only daughter.

Everyone in Northia knew that Claus only became Alpha of the Nightshade pack and took over the company because the Blackthorn pack paved the way.

Claus' head was turned from the blow. His expression turned murderous. "Are you out of your mind? How dare you slap me?"

I replied coldly, "Listen up. I had the power to build you up, and I have the power to tear you down."

He let out a mocking laugh. "Aserina, you think this is the old days? What do you have to fight me now? Without me, you can't even get a seat on the board."

I stepped closer. Staring into his cold eyes, I spoke every word slowly. "You'd better pray you never have to crawl back to me on your knees."