Chapter 1

Anna's pov

“You are gorgeous, Laura.” My husband said, his voice cutting through the loud music in the hall.

Not to me. To Laura Joe.

Everyone was stealing glances at me as awkwardness blanked the air while I watched them with a stunned expression.

Hushed whispers flew into the air, the sound becoming oddly sharp for my sensitive ears.

“I knew it was only a matter of time before this happened.”

“Heh,” another sneered, “ and here I was thinking she was going to be different.”

I paled, color draining rapidly from my face as I stared at the loving couple on the podium.

“You don't look good Luna Anna.” Yvonne, my friend, said as she passed me a glass of water. “Please have this.”

How could I look good?

My heart bled silently as my husband and mate, alpha Gunner, was dancing with Laura Joe, my sister from my adopted family, who he claims was his supposed “real” mate.

Laura giggled. Her eyes found mine and locked, then she threw me a wicked smirk, pulling Gunner into a tight kiss, murmuring sweet nothings in between kisses.

I felt my heart quake, my wolf howling sorrowfully in my head.

It should have been me. I sobbed, tears falling down my eyes.

It should have been me up there, getting all the attention.

Tonight was supposed to be our night, our moment, the time when I would have been cherished without a thought or care in the world.

My tears continued to fall, the low chatterings and pointed stares boring into my skin saying otherwise.

Today was our second marriage anniversary, and I had made a rigorous effort to make this party a success.

Going as far as to invite people from neighboring packs and beyond. Being the fifth largest pack in the country a crowd was bound to appear. A crowd I was excited to take part in the news I wanted to share.

A surprise I had been nursing in my guts for weeks just to make our anniversary night perfect.

Now, watching them, I felt the fire I had in me die, my words choking in my throat as my wolf cried out in our shared sorrow.

“Anna,” Yvonne called, but I couldn't hear. I couldn't even turn to look at her, my eyes fixed on my sister's form.

Ever since Laura had come back to the pack a year ago, and gotten closer to Gunner, I was beginning to get dangerously sidelined— a sign I had ignored and come to regret.

I had no idea how it started or when it started, but this wasn't the man I knew. He wasn't the man who had passionately called my name while marking me.

So standing here, and watching him act all lovey-dovey with my sister made me sick.

“Anna,” Yvonne called again, shaking me lightly. “Drink. You need to drink it.”

“Thanks, Yvonne,” I said, trying to stop my tears.

When Gunner's father, Alpha Zion, urged him to get married, then he was only twenty and was known as a notorious playboy.

Every day, it was one woman or the other, and the saddest part was that these women fell on his lap like offerings.

They took it with pride. At that time, I was yet to clock eighteen and didn't have a care in the world since I was practically nothing in the eyes of everyone.

Being a picked-up orphan, who was raised solely for the alpha's son's pleasure — a fact I assumed everyone practically knew, I tried living my life as normal as I could.

That, however, still didn't work well for me. Not with the alpha's sudden passing and Gunner having to take over as the new alpha did I know how wrong I was to crave a normal life.

I remember meeting Gunner like it was yesterday.

I had just clocked eighteen, I was on my way to school, and he was doing his monthly inspection as alpha.

Skipping to school, I had a faint excitement, hoping, like everyone else, I would find my mate— a thought that shouldn't have existed in the first place.

Perhaps the moon goddess heard and decided to punish me because when our eyes locked, and my wolf chanted mate, I knew my fate was set in stone.

It was unexpected. Us being mates that is, but another unexpected thing was how he treated me.

For once in his life, the playboy alpha turned into a devoted mate.

For wolves, finding your mate, means you were automatically married to that person, so from that day, my life changed.

At first, there were whispers, then sneers and taunts from people who placed bets on when he’d return to “normal”, but he never did.

From then, sneers turned into flattery.

Everyone said I was lucky.

They called me special cause he treated me like I was his moon.

Being his mate, I was crowned Luna, and treated with utmost respect, but that all shattered after a year.

Now, I was nothing but a Luna and mate in name.

“Be careful,” Yvonne mouthed, gripping my arms tightly as I swayed. “Don't look.”

How could I not?

My heart was breaking.

My wolf was dying from betrayal, and I felt faint anger rising in me.

“Why would they do this?” I cried out, holding onto her for dear life. “Today of all days.”

“I am sorry Anna, but let's just ignore it for now. There is nothing we can do about it.”

“Ignore it?” I screamed incredulously, my heart pounding.

This was absurd.

Here I was, aching, and heartbroken. Watching my mate cheat on me publicly, and I was to ignore it?

Heck no!

Feeling my rising anger, Yvonne immediately grabbed me.

“Anna, you know your condition.” Yvonne warned, but that only brought out the anger in me.

I flung her arms off my wrist, marching up to them in fury. I felt Ava's anger mixing with mine and heightening my rage.

“I have an announcement to make.” Gunner suddenly said as I got closer to them, his arms wrapping around Laura tightly.

They both shared a look, the action sending dread to me.

“What's the meaning of this Gunner?” I rudely cut in, standing in front of them. “Don't you have decency?”

“Decency?” Laura scoffed instead, her blue eyes twinkling with mirth. “The one who should be asking that is us. Can't you see the alpha is about to make an announcement? How dare you interrupt him?”

How dare I?

I scoffed, letting out a light laugh. “Who are you to ask me that? I am the Luna, and tonight is my wedding anniversary with him, so I have every right to question what buffoonery is going on here!”

I countered, feeling my face grow red at my words, my chest rising and falling heavily.

Immediately gasps filled the air, and numerous eyes bored into my skin as if questioning my bravery, but I didn't give a damn.

I continued, glaring hatefully at her while ignoring Yvonne’s grip on my arm. “You are my sister but everytime you surprise me with your bitchy acts. What gives you the courage to stand here with your arms wrapped around my mate? I know you are an attention whore, but go elsewhere and leave my mate alone!”

“Enough!” Gunner's growled, his eyes flashing as he stared coldly at me. “if I hear any insults from you again at Laura, I'll make sure you regret it.”

My heart broke at that, the tears I had been trying to hold, suddenly gushing out at the blatant defense.

Deep down, even though I didn't want to believe what I was seeing, I still hoped all this was fake, but now…?

Now everything I had made myself believe was gone.

“But Gunner,” I whispered shakily, “I am your mate.”

“Not anymore.” He announced decisively cut me off, and I felt dread creep in me as I looked at him, a sinking gut feeling rearing in.“I Gunner David, reject you Anna joe, as my mate and Luna.”