Five years had passed since the rogue wolves attacked, leaving me scarred and unable to shift, causing me to lose the extra ability of hearing and smelling a werewolf possess. I had dedicated myself to healing, finally regaining my wolf form just hours ago. My heart ached to share the news with Kaid, my alpha, and mate, the one who’d sworn to stand by me, shifted or not.

But as I approached the pack house, in my wolf form to surprise my mate, a harsh whisper carried on the wind stopped me in my tracks. It was Kaid’s voice, laced with a coldness I’d never heard before.

"I thought after five years, I could move on," Kaid said, shattering all my excitement in a few seconds as he continued, "But it turns out, I just can't stop loving Sophie."

My breath hitched and I froze, my pulse pounding in my ears.

"You know," Kaid continued, "I've been thinking of challenging the alpha of the Nightshade pack, Kalean’s rival, to a duel, to win his pack and give it to Sophie. This way I can prove my worth to Sophie and I can let her know I still love her."

His beta chuckled, “If your mate finds out you married her only because you wanted to clear Sophie’s way into marrying Kalean, for the sake of Sophie’s happiness, she will be devastated.”

Kaid's lips curved into a faint, dismissive smile.

“She is just a cripple, blind in love and affection,” Kaid said, his response sending chills down my spine, “I know how to handle her.”

Kael's tenderness, his whispered promises – all a sham. He’d kept me close, not out of love, but out of convenience, to keep her beloved happy.

The pain was a physical blow, more agonizing than any wound the rogues had inflicted. I had poured my heart and soul into our relationship, clinging to the hope of a future together. Now, that future crumbled to dust. I wouldn't be a burden, a reminder of his weakness. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of discarding me.

Turning away, I vanished into the forest, in my newly regained wolf form a silent promise. I would leave, not just the pack, but his life entirely. He wanted strength? I would show him strength he never imagined.

****

As soon as the pack's healer confirmed that my injuries from the last full moon had fully healed, I could hardly contain my excitement. My heart racing, I imagined running with my mate, Kaid, under the light of the full moon – feeling the rush of the hunt, the thrill of the chase. But as I approached our den, I caught the scent of a stranger, and my excitement turned to unease. I slowed my pace, my senses on high alert.

My hackles rose as I pushed open the main door to our den. Kaid sat on the couch, his eyes locked on his beta, Ronan, who stood opposite him. "I thought after five years, I could move on," Kaid said, shattering all my excitement in a few seconds as he continued, "But it turns out, I just can't stop loving Sophie."

My breath hitched and I froze, my pulse pounding in my ears.

"You know," Kaid continued, "I've been thinking of challenging the alpha of the Nightshade pack, Kalean’s rival, to a duel, to win his pack and give it to Sophie. This way I can prove my worth to Sophie and I can let her know I still love her."

Ronan leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his face calm but resolute. "Back then, Sophie chose Kalean over you, Kaid, so you couldn't take care of her as her mate. But you can still prove your worth to her by defeating the Nightshade alpha."

“Kaid…” Ronan chuckled, “You are acting so love sick. What about your mate? Aren't you afraid your actions might hurt her?”

Kaid's lips curved into a faint, dismissive smile.

“She is just a cripple, blind in love and affection,” Kaid said, his response sending chills down my spine, “I know how to handle her.”

I felt the words like physical blows, each one slicing through my chest with cruel precision. My legs felt like they might give out beneath me, but I clung to the door frame for support. The weight of betrayal pressed down on me, cold and unrelenting, like the snow accumulating around my feet. Ronan sighed, rubbing his temple. "You've completely lost your mind over Sophie, Kaid. If your mate finds out that you married her only because Kalean, Sophie’s first love, wanted to marry her, she'll be heartbroken."

My fingers gripped the edge of the door so tightly that my knuckles turned white. I had just recovered to be able to shift into my wolf, I couldn't maintain the form for long and soon my wolf gave up, forcing me to shift back to my human form.

Ronan's voice faltered as he glanced toward the doorway and saw me standing there. His eyes widened in alarm and his words came out in a panicked stammer. "S-Sara, you're back?"

Kaid turned his head sharply, his gaze locking onto mine. For a moment, there was tension in his eyes—an instinctive flicker of guilt, quickly masked by a calm, almost indifferent expression as he turned back to Ronan.

"What are you so flustered about? She couldn't have heard us. She is almost a human now, can't hear us from afar." he said coolly before walking up to me, his eyes showing feign concern and worry, "Sara, what are you doing here? You were supposed to be with the healer, recovering from your injuries."

His words twisted the knife already buried in my heart. Ronan relaxed visibly, even chuckling nervously as he stood and offered me a small bow before signing a polite greeting.

Kaid immediately reached for a shawl draped over a nearby chair and gently wrapped it around my shoulders. His fingers brushed against my skin, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine—not from the cold, but from the growing chasm between us. He signed to me with a concerned look, "Honey, why are you not saying anything? Why did you come back so early? You're not fully recovered yet."

His tenderness and concern over me reminded me of the days when I had been mocked for pronouncing our ancient word wrongly in the pack. He instantly stood up for me and later told me that he would teach me personally because no mentor had ever been successful in teaching me before.

“You don’t have to do this,” I’d told Kaid once, my voice soft in the dim light of our den. He was hunched over a pile of ancient scrolls, his brow furrowed in concentration as he painstakingly arranged the archaic werewolf dialect, only to teach me after finishing his job, “I understand. These texts are old, difficult. I should start teaching you the basic first.”

He’d looked up, his amber eyes, usually so warm, now clouded with a strange intensity. “All these years, you have been mocked merely for a language which is not very easy to learn. But, from now on, I won't allow it. I’m with you, Sara. Don't worry.”

I had always been mocked for not knowing ancient language. All my mentors who were brought to teach me, gave up. My parents always felt ashamed of me and never took me to any Alpha gatherings or ancient festivals as being the Alpha blood, it was mandatory for us to keep our ancient language alive and it was a rule that werewolves of higher ranks would speak only ancient language in the gathering.

Everyone felt ashamed of me, but no one ever thought of teaching me personally, not even my parents or Kalean, whose life I had saved, except Kaid. His words had resonated deep within me, touching a place I’d kept carefully guarded.

But now, as I watched Kaid effortlessly translate a passage of invitation, written in ancient language, thinking I hadn't mastered the language yet, I felt no gratitude. Only a bitter, stinging irony. His voice, once a source of comfort, now mocked me with its easy fluency. He used his knowledge, the very skill he’d promised to share with me, to exclude me, to keep secrets.

He looked up, his face carefully neutral. “Sara, It's an invitation from your sister, Sophie. It's her birthday. We should leave now. If we’re late, the other packs will talk.”

His eyes held a strange glint – not affection for me, but something else… anticipation? Excitement? It was directed somewhere beyond me.

A coldness spread through my chest, tightening with every beat of my heart. I forced a small smile and pulled my hand away. “Then give me a moment. I need to…prepare.” My voice was steady, but inside, a storm was brewing.

I turned and walked towards our private chambers with heavy steps. The moment the door closed behind me, the carefully constructed facade crumbled. My shoulders shook as tears began rolling down my cheeks.

When I finally regained control, I changed into a simple but practical tunic and leggings. I wouldn't give the other packs any reason to whisper.

As I headed out, a sliver of light caught my eye – it was coming from Kaid’s personal study, a room he’d always kept locked.

A strange compulsion pulled me towards it. In the two years we’d been mated, I’d never questioned his need for privacy. I’d respected it, believing it was simply his way of separating pack business from our personal life.

But today, something felt different.

I pushed the door open, just a crack, and peered inside.

My breath caught in my throat.

The walls were covered, not with maps or strategies as I’d imagined, but with sketches. Detailed, intricate drawings…of Sophie. The Alpha’s daughter. Every stage of her life was represented, from her playful youth to her blossoming womanhood. The air in the room crackled with an intensity that had nothing to do with pack business.

There wasn't a single image of me.

I stumbled forward, my legs weak, and reached the desk. Lying on the surface was a sheaf of parchment. My fingers trembled as I picked up the top sheet. It was a challenge declaration, addressed to Alpha Gareth.

Kaid was challenging the Alpha for leadership. For Sophie.

It hit me hard. I couldn't remember the last time Kaid had done an extravagant thing like this for me. Kaid hadn’t been courting me out of love. His whole life, he had been only taking those moves which could benefit Sophie in one way or another, even if it was clearing the way to let her marry the person she loved. The realization was like a gaping wound, tearing through the fragile remnants of my trust.

The scent of damp earth and pine needles was clinging to me as I slipped through the shadowed woods towards the Alpha’s compound. The air was filled with the energy of celebration. Laughter, deep and resonant, mixed with the rhythmic drumming that echoed through the trees.

Sophie, my twin sister, was standing at the center of the festivities, radiant in her hand-stitched elegant gown. The intricate beadwork shimmered in the moonlight, highlighting the graceful lines of her lean, powerful form. She looked every inch the future Luna of a Cascade pack, every inch the beloved child of Silver Moon Pack.

My parents were hovering near her, their faces etched with pride and a possessive affection that sent a pang of loneliness through me. Their hands were rested on her shoulders, their touch lingering, as though they still couldn't believe she was truly back with them. They had once looked at me that way, their eyes filled with warmth and unwavering love.

That was before. Before Sophie had returned.

Seven years ago, when she was found after vanishing during a rogue wolf attack, I’d dared to hope we could finally be a family again. But her first words upon her return had shattered that fragile hope.

“Sister, why did you throw me before the rogue wolves and ask them to take me as their slave?

Sophie’s accusation hung in the air, thick and heavy, poisoning the bond between me and my parents. Suddenly, I was no longer their daughter, their kin, but a villain, blamed for Sophie’s disappearance. The warmth I’d known was gone, replaced by a bitter frost that permeated every aspect of my life.

Even now, years later, their distrust lingered in their every glance, every word, every strained silence directed at me.

At the celebration, Sophie spotted Kaid and me entering the celebration. Her dress swirled around her as she moved, making her the undeniable focus of every eye.

Her smile was bright, almost too bright as she greeted us, “Sister, Kaid, you made it! I was worried you wouldn't come."

Then, as if remembering something, she placed a delicate hand to her throat, her expression shifting to one of exaggerated concern. “Oh, I’m sorry, sister. I forgot... you are still struggling with your wolf form after the Change. Did I just speak too loud? I should be more patient. It must be difficult for you to accommodate different tones of us, werewolves, especially with your… sensitivity.”

Her words were dripping with honeyed sweetness, but her eyes, sharp and intelligent, were gleaming with cruel amusement.

My mother, who had been watching from nearby, let out a low, guttural growl, her lips curling back to reveal her sharp canines as she said,“If it weren't for her, You wouldn't have been sold as a slave in the first place. How can she even blame you? If anyone's at fault, it's her. Now even losing her wolf, she is a disgrace to the pack.”

Her voice was laced with venom, tearing at me with the force of a physical blow. My father remained silent, but his gaze, hard and unforgiving, was mirroring her sentiment.

I lowered my eyes, my breath catching in my throat. It wasn't the first time they'd treated me this way. It wouldn't be the last. But the familiarity didn't lessen the pain—it only deepened it.

Before I could respond, Kaid stepped forward, his usually easy going demeanor hardening. He placed a protective hand on Sophie’s arm, his touch surprisingly firm and affectionate before he said in ancient language, not knowing that I had already mastered the ancient language just to surprise him on his birthday.

“Sophie, Sara isn’t like that. She will not mind, Don’t worry. Besides, she doesn't understand ancient language.”

“Oops…” Sophie grinned, her words filled with malice as she continued, “ I had almost forgotten how many times she brought shame to our family by her lack of knowledge. I hope my sister isn't holding you back, Kaid. I truly feel pity on you for having to get married to my sister.”

Kaid's silence on Sophie’s remark was another kind of heartbreak to me. So, even his discomfort while seeing me being mocked was a facade in the past or it was allowed to Sophie to treat me however she wanted?

He then presented Sophie with a small, intricately carved wooden box, his movements deliberate and reverent, as though offering a sacred artifact. “Sophie, this is for you.”

Sophie’s face lit up, her smile radiating pure joy as she accepted the gift. “Thank you, Kaid. You’re always so… thoughtful.”

As she opened the box, a glint of silver caught my eye. My heart clenched.

The claw pendant.

The Alpha’s ancestral claw pendant—a symbol of strength, leadership, and unwavering loyalty. The one that Kaid had told me was lost during the rogue attack, the same attack that took Sophie.

Now, the truth stared back at me, gleaming under the moonlight. The pendant wasn’t lost. It had never been meant for me. It was always hers.