Selena’s POVI stood by the upper balcony, my fingers lightly grazing the railing, cold iron biting at my skin. The moon hung low tonight, veiled in thin streaks of gray cloud. It was watching me, I could almost feel its judging glare. Perhaps it had seen everything, all the things I had done, and the things I was about to do.Lucas.He stood in the center of the courtyard, tall and broad-shouldered, the dim torchlight painting golden hues over his hair. The crowd had gathered around him—pack members, betas, deltas, all whispering in reverence and curiosity. Their eyes gleamed with unspoken questions, none daring to utter them.I could see the faint nervous tremor in his fingers as he straightened his ceremonial cloak. He didn’t want to be here, not like this. He didn’t want any of it. Yet here he was—my chosen one.He didn’t know that I could see through the cracks of his silence. I had seen the way his eyes darkened every time he caught me watching him. He knew. Goddess help him, he
Lucas’ POVIt’s strange how silence can feel so loud. The entire pack house was buzzing with movement—maids rushing with fabric and flowers, warriors patrolling the perimeters, and chatter echoing through the walls like a festival—but all I could hear was the pounding of my own heartbeat. Loud. Unsteady. And completely wrong.Selena had moved too quickly. Way too quickly.Just yesterday, I was ready to find Richard and tell him everything I’d overheard about her—her secret meetings, her strange visits to the forbidden border, her quiet dealings in the shadows—but before I could even open my mouth, she appeared. Like a ghost that could smell suspicion.Now here I was, standing before a mirror in a ceremonial robe, my reflection a blur of fear and disbelief.She said she made preparations for me. Preparations, as if she were doing me a favor. But I knew better. Selena never did anything without an ulterior motive. Never.The moment she told me I was to be mated to another she-wolf, some
Anna’s POVThe entire day felt like a blur. I didn’t even realize how tightly I had been holding my breath until I found myself sitting alone in the room Jason had arranged for me, the same one that had begun to feel a little too warm for comfort. My hands trembled slightly as I clasped them together, thinking back to the woman I had just met—Melissa Nightstar.Even her name sounded like it had weight to it, like something destined, fated, carved into the moonlight by the Goddess herself. I could still see the moment she walked in, the delicate sway of her long hair, her confident stride as though she had walked into a place she already owned. She didn’t hesitate before wrapping her arms around Jason, right in front of me.And I had stood there, pretending not to care.Pretending was something I’d gotten good at lately.My mind replayed Jason’s reaction—his stunned silence, the sharpness in his eyes that quickly dulled when his mother stepped in, fabricating that lie so easily. “She’s
Jason’s POVThe scent of lilies and wild honey hit me before I even saw her. For a moment, it froze me in place, like a ghost from the past had just whispered my name. Then she stepped forward — Melissa Nightstar.My mate.The word felt foreign on my tongue. Empty. Meaningless.She was the same — maybe even more radiant than I remembered. Hair like flowing bronze, eyes so sharp they could slice through glass, lips that curved in that infuriatingly calm way she always wore when she knew she had the upper hand. And she did — in every sense of the word.The moment she called my name, it drew all attention to us. Even my mother, who had been pretending to be occupied with the tea service, suddenly looked alert, her gaze flicking between us like she’d been waiting for this exact moment.“Jason,” Melissa breathed, moving closer until she was right before me. “It’s been too long.”She didn’t hesitate — she reached up and wrapped her arms around me, pressing herself into my chest. It was the
Anna’s POVThe following morning came slower than most. I woke to the soft hum of the wind brushing against the windowpane, and for once, I didn’t feel entirely alone. The room was quiet—eerily so—but I could hear faint movements outside, the sound of someone pacing the corridor, and the faint, deep tone of Jason’s voice.He was still here.That realization alone made my chest tighten in a strange, unexplainable way. He hadn’t left my side since that night. Since the moment he brought me home and stood his ground against his mother’s cruel words. I remembered the way his tone had dropped, how his stare had hardened when he said she was staying. I was staying.Even now, thinking about it, it didn’t feel real.“Are you awake?” came his voice through the half-open door, low and patient, like he already knew the answer.“Yes,” I replied softly, my voice slightly hoarse.The door creaked open and there he was again — casual, calm, dressed in a soft grey shirt with the sleeves rolled up, hi
Calista’s POVThe image of the Alpha’s face—red with humiliation, his jaw tightening as she publicly rejected him—lingered in her mind like a cruel painting. She had done it without hesitation, her words cutting through the room like broken glass. She could still hear the gasps, the whispers, the sharp intake of air as she held up the damning proof of his betrayal before the entire assembly. The truth had set her free, but it had also chained her to the wrath of her father.“Calista!” His voice had boomed through the hall, commanding and sharp enough to make everyone fall silent. She remembered how her heart dropped, the weight of his fury pressing against her chest.Now, standing before him in his private chambers, she could feel that same weight growing heavier. The walls, lined with framed honors and family crests, suddenly seemed smaller, suffocating. The golden glow from the chandelier above did nothing to soften his glare.Her father’s face was stone—aged by disappointment and t