Chapter 1

I was about to push open the door to freedom when Cain's voice coiled around my neck like a chain.

"Lupita. Stop."

I froze but did not turn around.

He stepped in front of me, his tall frame casting me entirely into shadow. His gray eyes held nothing but cold contempt.

"The Heart of the Moon," he commanded, his gaze dropping to the heirloom necklace on my chest. "Take it off. Elias needs it to complement her gown."

That necklace was the symbol of the Knight family's matriarch, placed around my neck by his own father during our mating ceremony.

A bitter smile touched my lips. I didn't argue. I just lifted my hands, unclasped the chain, and cupped the cool moonstone in my palm.

I walked toward Elias. She was surrounded by a gaggle of fawning socialites, a victor's smile playing on her lips.

I held out the necklace. Just as her fingertips were about to brush against it, she snatched her hand back as if burned.

"Ah!"

The Heart of the Moon slipped from my grasp and shattered on the marble floor.

The main stone split with a sickening crack, and a shard flew out, scoring a thin, red line across Elias's wrist.

Cain rushed to Elias's side in an instant, cradling her "injured" wrist, his eyes swimming with anguish.

"Get the healer! Now!" he roared at a nearby guard.

The sight was a dagger to my heart.

Just last week, overwhelmed by stress, a sharp pain had seized my chest, making it nearly impossible to breathe.

I had collapsed at the door to his study just as Cain was leaving to see Elias. He glanced at me coldly before dragging me inside.

He didn't say a word in the enclosed space, but the sheer force of his Alpha presence was suffocating.

He shoved me roughly against the wall, his voice dripping with scorn. “Are you pulling these pathetic stunts now just to keep me from seeing Elias? You had the gall to betray me, Lupita. Can’t you handle being betrayed in return?”

I was too weak to fight back. I clutched his sleeve, pleading, “No, Cain, I’m not faking it, and I never betrayed you… Please, take me to the healer.”

“Take you to the healer? Fine. Strip naked, get on your knees, and beg me. Do that, and I’ll take you.”

At Cain's familiar litany of humiliation, the explanations died on my lips.

To survive, I began to undress under his loathing gaze.

The cold air raised goosebumps on my bare skin. Right before I passed out, I heard him say:

"You disgust me, Lupita."

Clutching my purse, I turned to leave the ballroom, but Cain's hand clamped around my wrist.

"Apologize."

"What—"

Before I could finish, he hauled me to my knees at Elias's feet.

My knees landed on the shards of the moonstone, and blood instantly blossomed on the hem of my white gown.

Seeing the blood, Cain released me with a look of revulsion.

"You pulled this little stunt to break the family heirloom and hurt her. Don't you think you owe her an apology?"

Ever since that incident, "I'm sorry" had become my mantra.

My clothes weren't pretty enough—I'm sorry.

I worried about his health and reminded him to see the healer; he found me annoying—I'm sorry.

I accidentally saw a text from Elias asking him to a hotel, invading his privacy—I am truly sorry...

I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood, resigned myself to my fate, and straightened up.

After bowing deeply to Elias and apologizing three times, I looked at Cain, my face a mask of indifference.

I asked him softly,

"Is that enough?"

His chest heaved as he stared at the blood on my lip. “Lupita, who are you putting on this pathetic act for? Do you think I’ll go soft on you like before? Dream on!”

Before I could answer, the pack healer arrived in a flurry.

Shoving me aside, Cain led the healer to Elias.

This was my chance.

I strode from the ballroom and saw the familiar flash of a black car's headlights.

But just as I was about to reach for freedom, two guards in black suits materialized and seized my arms.