Damien’s hands were tangled in Vanessa Holloway’s hair, his mouth bruising hers against the leather seat of his SUV.

My tires skidded on the slick asphalt. Through the rain-streaked windshield, their intertwined bodies mocked me. The mate bond we shared didn't pulse with love. It flooded my veins with the sharp, toxic sting of his betrayal.

My wolf screamed, tearing at the confines of my ribs. She thrashed against my sternum, howling in pure agony.

I jerked the steering wheel. The headlights spun wildly across the wet road. Metal crunched against the concrete guardrail, shattering glass and bone. The steering column crushed my chest. Blood filled my mouth.

Then, darkness swallowed me whole.

I gasped, lungs pulling in sterile, air-conditioned oxygen.

My hands flew to my chest. No blood. No crushed metal. My skin was perfectly intact.

I stared at the reflection in the vanity mirror. White silk clung to my curves. A delicate bridal veil rested on my head.

Today was the day of our Mate Ceremony.

I pressed my palms against the cool glass of the mirror. I had died. I felt the life leave my body on that highway. Yet here I was, standing in the bridal suite of the packhouse, hours before the bond was supposed to be sealed.

I pushed up from the velvet chair and stepped into the corridor. The heavy oak door to the VIP lounge stood slightly ajar.

"Damien, wait," a woman murmured.

Vanessa.

I froze.

"What if Aurora catches us?" she whined, her voice laced with fake concern.

"She’s too busy playing the perfect Luna," Damien grunted. Flesh slapped against flesh. "You’re the only one I want. You know that."

My stomach turned. They hadn't just betrayed me after the ceremony. They had been doing this right under my nose.

"But she's your fated mate," Vanessa said. "You have to mark her today."

"It's just politics," Damien replied, his breathing growing heavier. "The Blackwoods need the Ashford alliance. Once the ceremony is over, I'll put her in her place. She'll be nothing but a trophy wife while you rule by my side."

"Hurry," Vanessa whispered. "The guests are waiting."

"Let them wait," he sneered.

Anger, hot and blinding, surged through my veins. My wolf growled, demanding blood. But I forced her down. I didn't cry. I didn't scream.

I turned on my heel and headed for the grand ballroom.

The massive oak doors swung open. Hundreds of werewolf nobles turned their gazes toward me. The string quartet began to play a soft, romantic melody.

Damien stood at the altar, adjusting his cuffs. He looked every bit the noble Alpha heir of the Blackwood family. He smiled at me. A fake, practiced smile that I used to think was reserved only for me.

Vanessa stood in the front row, dabbing her eyes with a tissue, playing the supportive best friend. She wore a pale pink gown that perfectly highlighted her innocent act.

I marched up the aisle. My dress dragged heavily against the floor.

"Aurora, you look beautiful," Damien whispered as I reached the steps. He reached out to take my hand.

I slapped it away. The sharp smack echoed through the silent ballroom, cutting off the string quartet.

"The ceremony is over," I announced, projecting my voice to the back of the hall. "There will be no mating today."

Gasps rippled through the crowd. Murmurs erupted from the high-ranking Alphas and Lunas in the front rows.

"Aurora, what are you doing?" Damien hissed, his smile faltering. His fingers twitched at his sides. "Stop making a scene."

"A scene?" I grabbed the microphone from the stunned officiant. "I think you and Vanessa Holloway already made quite the scene in the VIP lounge ten minutes ago."

Damien's jaw tightened. The color drained from his face. "Put the mic down."

"Tell me, Damien," I continued, staring dead into his eyes. "Did you even wash your hands before coming out here to claim me?"

The ballroom erupted into chaos.

"You're acting insane," Damien said, his voice dropping to a dangerous, warning growl. "You're throwing a tantrum over nothing. Someone get her a glass of water. She's hysterical."

"Hysterical?" I laughed. A harsh, bitter sound that startled even me. "Is that what you call it when a woman refuses to be treated like garbage?"

Damien stepped closer, lowering his voice so only I could hear. "I don't know what you think you heard, but you are ruining our families' reputation. Fix this right now, or I swear to the Goddess, I will make you regret it."

"You already made me regret it," I replied, my voice carrying over the microphone. "Every single moment I spent believing you."

Vanessa rushed forward, clutching her chest. "Aurora, please! I don't know who fed you these lies, but you're not well."

She reached out to touch my arm.

I yanked my arm back. "Don't touch me."

"I'm your best friend," Vanessa pleaded, tears spilling over her cheeks. "Why would you accuse me of something so vile? I would never hurt you."

"Save the tears, Vanessa," I said, my tone ice-cold. "Your lipstick is still smeared. And you missed a button on the back of your dress."

Vanessa's hands flew to her back, fumbling with the fabric. The crowd noticed. Whispers turned into loud, accusatory murmurs.

"The stress of the ceremony is getting to your head," she cried, forcing out a pathetic sob. "You're hallucinating! You need help, Aurora."

"My head is perfectly clear," I said.

"Alpha Ashford," Damien called out to my father in the front row. "Get your daughter under control. She's embarrassing both our families. We will discuss her mental state in private."

My father stood up, his brow furrowed, but I didn't wait for him to speak. I slid the heavy diamond engagement ring off my finger.

"I, Aurora Ashford, reject you, Damien Blackwood."

The words hung in the air, heavy and final.

"You wouldn't dare," Damien snarled, stepping toward me. His Alpha aura flared, trying to force me into submission.

I stood tall, unaffected. "I just did."

I dropped the ring. It bounced off the marble floor, rolling to a stop right at Vanessa's feet.

"Keep him," I told her. "You deserve each other."

I turned my back on the altar and walked down the aisle. The crowd parted for me, their faces painted with shock and disgust—not at me, but at the Alpha who had just been publicly humiliated.

"If you walk out those doors, Aurora, you're done!" Damien shouted, his voice cracking with rage. "No other Alpha will ever look at you!"

I didn't look back. I pushed through the heavy double doors into the grand foyer.

A towering figure blocked my path, his silver eyes locking onto mine.

"Rejecting a Blackwood," the stranger rumbled, holding out a sealed black envelope bearing the royal crest. "Just the woman I was looking for."

"You stupid, ungrateful girl!" Richard roared, his fist slamming into the mahogany desk. The heavy glass inkwell rattled, spilling black drops across his paperwork.

I stood in the center of my father's study, my ruined silk wedding dress heavy with dirt from the walk home. "I am not marrying him."

"You humiliated the Blackwood heir in front of the entire pack!" My father marched around the desk, his face flushed a dangerous, mottled red. "Do you have any idea what this alliance means to the Ashford family? We needed their military backing!"

"Damien was fucking Vanessa Holloway in the VIP lounge," I said, my voice deadpan. "Ten minutes before he walked to the altar to claim me."

Richard stopped. His eyes narrowed. He didn't gasp in shock. He didn't ask if I was hurt.

"Does Damien know you overheard them?" he asked.

My stomach dropped. The cold realization settled over my skin like frost. "That is your question? Not 'Are you okay, Aurora?'"

"Answer the question," Richard snapped, stepping closer.

"I announced it over the microphone. The whole ballroom knows exactly where Damien's hands were."

Richard dragged a hand down his face, muttering violent curses under his breath. He paced the length of the Persian rug. "You ruined decades of diplomacy. Do you think the Blackwoods will just let this go?"

"He embarrassed himself by acting like a dog in heat," I countered.

"Watch your tone," Richard warned. "Alpha Blackwood is already threatening to cut off our trade routes. You put our entire pack's economy at risk because of a petty squabble."

"Petty squabble? He was inside my best friend!"

"Men have needs, Aurora!" Richard shouted, throwing his hands up. "You are to be Luna. A Luna looks the other way. A Luna maintains the peace. You threw away a crown over a stained dress."

The blatant disrespect burned my ears. I clenched my fists so tight my nails dug into my palms.

"We can fix this," Richard continued, ignoring my silence. "You will go back right now. You will issue a public apology."

"An apology?" I scoffed.

"You will claim the wedding stress caused a hallucination. You will get on your knees and beg Damien to forgive your outburst. And then you will complete the mating."

"No."

"Excuse me?" Richard stopped pacing.

"I rejected him. The bond is broken." I lifted my chin, staring into his furious eyes. "I refuse to be tied to a man who treats me like garbage."

My father’s hand swung through the air.

The sharp crack echoed off the wood-paneled walls. My head snapped to the side. A harsh, metallic taste flooded my mouth.

Instead of crying, I let out a dry, hollow laugh. I wiped the blood from my split lip with the back of my hand and looked back at him. "Is that the best you can do to defend a cheater?"

"I am your Alpha," Richard growled, raising his hand again. "You will obey me, or I will drag you to the altar by your hair."

Before his palm could strike my face a second time, a massive hand caught his wrist in a vice grip.

"Touch her again," a deep voice rumbled, "and I will tear your arm from its socket."

Lucien Blackwood stepped out of the shadows of the open doorway. He stood a full head taller than my father, his silver eyes flashing with a lethal, icy warning. He hadn't just followed me from the venue; he had bypassed our entire perimeter security without making a sound.

Richard yanked his arm back, rubbing his bruised wrist. "Lucien. What is the meaning of this? You are trespassing on Ashford territory."

"Who let you in?" Richard demanded, his voice pitching higher.

"Your guards are currently sleeping off concussions," Lucien replied smoothly. "I suggest you invest in better security."

Richard's jaw dropped. "You assaulted my men?"

"I removed obstacles," Lucien corrected. His gaze stayed fixed on me, checking my face for injuries. "Aurora is no longer your business. She is under my protection."

"She is an Ashford! She is my daughter!"

"She is leaving." Lucien turned his back on my father, offering me his arm. "Shall we?"

"If you walk out that door with him, Aurora, you are dead to this family!" Richard screamed, his chest heaving.

I didn't hesitate. I linked my arm through Lucien's.

"I died on a highway in another life," I whispered to myself, the phantom memory of crushed metal flashing in my mind.

I walked out of the study, leaving Richard sputtering in a fit of rage.

The cool night air hit my face as we stepped out of the sprawling estate. The gravel crunched beneath our shoes as we approached the circular driveway.

"Why did you follow me?" I asked, dropping my arm from his. "And what was that black envelope you shoved at me in the foyer?"

Lucien leaned against the sleek side of a matte-black Aston Martin. He pulled the same black envelope from his inner jacket pocket and tapped it against his palm. "The envelope contains a binding contract. I need a Luna."

I stared at him, trying to read the stoic lines of his face. "You want to mate with your brother's rejected bride? The entire pack just watched me humiliate your family."

"Damien is a fool, and his humiliation is his own doing," Lucien stated flatly. "The Blackwood inheritance laws are strict, Aurora. To challenge my brother for the Alpha title, I must have a fully marked Luna by my side. A completed mate ceremony is non-negotiable."

"Why me?" I asked. "There are dozens of high-ranking females who would kill to stand by your side. Why choose the woman who just caused a scandal?"

"Because a scandal is exactly what I need," Lucien said. "Damien's reputation took a hit tonight. If I step up with you on my arm, it shows the pack that I am willing to clean up his messes. It shows stability."

He tossed the envelope onto the hood of the car.

"And frankly, your performance in the ballroom proved you have the spine required to be my Luna," he added.

"So I am just a tool for your political gain."

"We would be partners," Lucien corrected. "You want to ruin Damien for what he did to you. I want to strip him of his birthright. We share a common enemy. I provide you with protection from your father, and you provide me with the key to the Alpha seat."

I crossed my arms, the night breeze chilling my bare shoulders. "I won't be a submissive wife."

"I would be highly disappointed if you were."

"It still won't work, Lucien."

"I assure you, my resources are extensive."

"It's not about resources," I shot back. "The Moon Goddess seals the bond during the ceremony. We are not fated mates. The pack elders will know it's a fake the second we step onto the altar. The ancestral magic won't spark for us."

A faint, dangerous smile touched his lips. It transformed his rigid features into something entirely predatory. "I already found a way to bypass the Goddess's rules."

"How?"

"Do we have a deal, Aurora?" He extended a hand toward me, ignoring my question.

I looked at his open palm. The calluses on his fingers spoke of years in the training rings. If I stayed here, my father would lock me in a cell until I submitted to Damien. If I took Lucien's hand, I would plunge headfirst into a war against my own blood and the future Alpha of the most powerful pack in the region.

I placed my hand in his. His grip was warm and firm.

"We have a deal," I said.

Lucien opened the passenger door for me.

As I slid into the leather seat, a flash of pale pink fabric caught my eye.

Behind the manicured hedges near the estate gates, a figure crouched in the dirt.

Vanessa pressed her phone against the iron bars, the red recording light blinking steadily in the dark.

Two nights after I walked out of my father's house, the crystal chandeliers of the Blackwood estate illuminated my new reality.

"They are staring," Lucien murmured, handing me a crystal flute of champagne.

"Let them stare," I replied, taking the glass.

Our engagement announcement had hit the pack network at dawn. Now, the grand hall buzzed with frantic whispers. Eyes darted toward us, judging my sapphire gown and the way Lucien stood a mere inch from my shoulder.

"Well, well. I have to admit, you went all out for this tantrum."

Damien pushed through the crowd, a smug grin plastered across his face. Vanessa trailed right behind him, clinging to his bicep. She wore a crimson dress that dipped dangerously low, showcasing the mark Damien had freshly bitten into her collarbone.

"Alpha Damien," Lucien greeted, his tone flat. "You are blocking the walkway."

Damien ignored his uncle entirely. He locked his gaze on me, his eyes raking over my dress with obvious disdain. "Did you honestly think using my uncle would make me jealous, Aurora?"

"Jealousy requires me to care about your feelings," I said. "I don't."

Damien chuckled, adjusting his silk tie. "Drop the act. You threw a fit at the altar, and now you are playing a desperate game of spite. I am willing to be generous, though."

"Generous," I repeated, the word tasting like ash.

"Yes. Get on your knees right now. Apologize to me for embarrassing my family. Then apologize to Vanessa for your baseless accusations." Damien crossed his arms. "Do that, and I might consider taking you back as my mate."

I stared at him, marveling at his sheer arrogance. "You mated with her in a VIP lounge, Damien. There were no baseless accusations. Just your lack of zipper control."

Damien's jaw locked. "I am the future Alpha! You are nothing without me. You are wearing his colors, but you are still wearing my mark of rejection. You think the pack elders will accept a tainted female? My uncle is just using you to cause a scene. He pities you."

"I rejected you," I reminded him. "My soul is perfectly clean."

Vanessa stepped forward, dropping her sweet, innocent facade. Her lips curled into a vicious sneer. She looked me up and down, her eyes filled with toxic triumph.

"You are a liar," Vanessa chimed in. "You planned this. You wanted Lucien all along, didn't you? That is why you made up those lies about us."

"Lies?" I laughed aloud, the sound cutting through the tension. "Half the pack heard you begging for him in the lounge. You aren't a victim, Vanessa. You are just a very loud mistress."

"Vanessa," Damien warned softly, though he did nothing to pull her back.

"No, let her hear the truth," Vanessa continued, her voice rising. "Damien is the heir. When he takes the Alpha seat, I will be the Luna. You will live in the shadows of this estate."

She stepped closer, lowering her voice to a venomous hiss meant only for me. "You will kneel at my feet and beg for scraps. I will make sure your life here is a living hell. You will scrub the floors of this very ballroom."

I didn't flinch. I took a slow sip of my champagne. "You talk too much for someone who hasn't secured a ring. Where is your diamond, Vanessa? Did he give you the one I dropped on the floor?"

Vanessa's face flushed a violent red. She raised her hand, aiming a slap right at my cheek.

Before she could swing, Lucien caught her wrist. He didn't squeeze, but the sheer force of his grip made her gasp in pain.

"Keep your hands to yourself, Miss Holloway," Lucien warned. His voice was a low rumble that cut through the surrounding chatter. He dropped her arm as if she were diseased.

Lucien turned his back on them and signaled the string quartet to stop playing. The sudden silence swallowed the ballroom. Hundreds of guests turned their attention to us. The clinking of glasses ceased.

"Pack members," Lucien projected his voice, commanding absolute authority. "There seems to be some confusion regarding the announcement made this morning. Some whisper that this is a political stunt. Others whisper that my nephew still holds a claim to this woman."

Damien smirked, leaning toward me. "See? He is calling off the joke. Get ready to beg, Aurora."

Lucien reached into his tailored jacket. "Let me be absolutely clear. There is no joke."

He didn't pull out a microphone or a prepared speech. He pulled out a small, velvet box.

"Aurora Ashford is not a guest in this house," Lucien declared, his silver eyes sweeping over the crowd, daring anyone to challenge him. "She is my fiancée. And she will be the only future Luna of the Blackwood pack."

Gasps erupted from the elite families.

Lucien opened the box. Resting on the black satin was a massive, blood-red ruby encased in twisted silver wolves.

Damien's smirk vanished. His face went entirely pale. "Uncle, no. That is the Matriarch Ring. That belongs to the reigning Luna."

"It belongs to the woman who will rule by my side," Lucien corrected.

He took my left hand. His thumbs brushed over my knuckles, warm and steady. He slid the heavy, ancient ring onto my finger. The ancestral magic within the metal flared instantly, sending a jolt of heat up my arm. The ruby glowed under the chandelier light.

The crowd erupted into chaos. Pack elders whispered furiously, pointing at the ring. The shift in power was undeniable. Lucien wasn't just marrying me; he was officially staking his claim on the Alpha title.

"You cannot do this!" Damien shouted, stepping toward his uncle. His fists shook at his sides. "I am the heir! I am the next Alpha!"

"You are a boy who cannot keep his pants on during a diplomatic summit," Lucien said. His volume remained normal, yet the insult carried across the silent room like a gunshot. "I am stepping up to lead. Aurora will stand beside me."

Damien stared at the ruby on my finger. The reality of the situation finally hit him. I wasn't playing a game. I was taking his throne.

"This is not over," Damien snarled, his chest heaving. He spun around and stormed toward the exit, shoving a waiter out of his path.

I watched him leave, a deep sense of satisfaction settling in my chest. He was losing control, and he knew it.

I turned to look for Vanessa. She was no longer standing at the edge of the crowd.

Through the glass doors leading to the terrace, I spotted her crimson dress. She stood in the shadows of the stone balcony, her phone pressed to her ear.

She ended the call and pulled a small, unmarked glass vial from her clutch purse. She handed it to one of the catering staff lingering near the garden steps.

"Put this in the ceremonial chalice tomorrow," Vanessa instructed the server, pressing a thick stack of cash into his palm. "Make sure she drinks every last drop."