Chapter 1

The late afternoon sun cast long shadows through the human town's market square as I wandered between the stalls, breathing in the mingled scents of fresh bread and blooming flowers. Here, among humans who knew nothing of pack hierarchies or mate bonds, I could pretend to be just another woman selecting roses for her dining table.

My fingers traced the velvet petals of a deep crimson rose, and for a moment, I allowed myself to imagine Ethan's face when he saw them on our table tonight. Three years together, and I still hoped for those rare moments when his cold facade would crack, revealing glimpses of the mate bond I believed lay dormant beneath.

"Beautiful choice," the elderly vendor said, her weathered hands wrapping the stems in brown paper. "Someone special?"

"My mate," I replied softly, the word still sending a flutter through my chest despite everything.

The woman's knowing smile faltered as a chill swept through the warm evening air. The market sounds—haggling voices, children's laughter, the clink of coins—seemed to dim as four figures materialized from the crowd.

Victoria Taylor stood at their center, her blonde hair catching the dying light like spun gold. Three Delta wolves flanked her, their presence turning the peaceful market into a hunting ground. Shoppers instinctively stepped aside, some humans sensing danger they couldn't name.

"Well, well." Victoria's voice cut through the air like shattered glass. "If it isn't our temporary Luna, playing house."

My hand tightened on the wrapped roses, thorns pricking through the paper. "Victoria."

She sauntered closer, her designer heels clicking against the cobblestones. The Deltas spread out, subtly boxing me in against the flower stall. The vendor backed away, fear replacing her earlier warmth.

"You know," Victoria continued, loud enough for the gathering crowd to hear, "I've been meaning to thank you, Sophia. For keeping Ethan's bed warm these past three years while he waited for his real Luna."

The words hit like physical blows. Around us, pack members who'd been shopping stopped to watch, their eyes glinting with the anticipation of drama.

"I am his Luna," I said, hating how my voice trembled. "The Moon Goddess—"

"The Moon Goddess made a mistake." Victoria's laugh was sharp and cruel. "Everyone knows Ethan's chosen Luna was never you. You're just a placeholder, a temporary convenience until someone worthy came along."

She stepped closer, her perfume—something expensive and cloying—making my stomach turn. "And guess what, little wolf? Your expiration date is up."

Something deep inside me stirred, a presence I'd kept carefully leashed for so long. My wolf, usually so quiet, suddenly surged forward.

*MATE!* The word exploded through my mind with such force that my body jerked. *Protect what is ours!*

"You're wrong." I stepped forward, my voice gaining strength even as my hands shook. "Ethan is my mate. We've been bonded for three years, and nothing you say or do will change that."

The air around me shimmered, and gasps rippled through the crowd. I felt it then—my aura flaring to life, silver light dancing across my skin like moonlight on water. The power I'd hidden for so long leaked through my careful control, responding to the threat.

Victoria's eyes widened, taking an involuntary step back. "What the—"

A bone-deep growl cut through the air, and my heart both leapt and sank. I knew that sound, had heard it in our most intimate moments and our worst fights.

The crowd parted as a massive jet-black wolf stalked through, his form rippling and shifting. Within seconds, Ethan stood there in human form, his dark eyes blazing with fury—but not at Victoria.

"Sophia!" His Alpha tone crashed over me like a physical weight, forcing my knees to buckle. "How dare you threaten a pack member?"

"Ethan, I didn't—she confronted me—"

"Silence!" The command stole my breath, my wolf whimpering at our mate's rejection. He turned to his Beta, Marcus Thorne, who emerged from the crowd. "Lock her in the pack jail. Now."

"Alpha, please," I gasped, the roses falling from my numb fingers, petals scattering like drops of blood. "Let me explain—"

But Ethan had already turned away, his arm wrapping around Victoria's waist. His Alpha aura enveloped her, warm and protective—everything it should have been for me.

"Don't worry," he murmured to her, loud enough for everyone to hear. "You're safe now."

As the guards grabbed my arms, dragging me away from the shattered roses and my shattered dignity, I caught one last glimpse of my mate. He wasn't even watching me leave.

The silver light around me flickered and died, taking with it the last of my naive hope that somewhere beneath his cruelty, my mate still existed.

Chapter 2

Three days. Seventy-two hours of darkness, broken only by the occasional beam of light when a guard slid a tray of food through the small opening in the metal door. The pack jail smelled of mildew and despair, the stone walls seeping cold that penetrated to my bones. I'd spent those endless hours curled on a thin mattress, my wolf pacing restlessly within me, whimpering for our mate who had thrown us away so easily.

When the door finally creaked open at dawn on the fourth day, I had to shield my eyes from the sudden brightness. A young Delta stood there, his expression carefully blank.

"Alpha says you're free to go," he muttered, not meeting my gaze.

No apology. No explanation. Just released like an afterthought.

I stumbled out into the cool morning air, my legs weak from disuse. The walk back to the pack house—my home for three years—felt like crossing a battlefield. Pack members stopped their morning activities to stare, some with pity, others with barely concealed smirks. News traveled fast in a werewolf pack, especially when it involved the public humiliation of their Luna.

Former Luna, a voice whispered in my mind. That's what Victoria had called me. Temporary.

The grand foyer of the Alpha's quarters greeted me with the scent of unfamiliar perfume. Where my carefully selected landscape paintings once hung, Victoria had placed ornate mirrors and gaudy artwork. The warm earth tones I'd chosen had been replaced with stark whites and golds. Every trace of my existence had been systematically erased.

Except for the garbage bags.

Three black plastic sacks sat in the corner like an afterthought, bulging with what I recognized as my possessions. My books. My clothes. My life, reduced to trash.

"I see you've been released."

Ethan's voice sent a jolt through me—part pain, part longing. My wolf surged forward, desperate for his touch despite everything. I turned to find him leaning against the doorframe of his office, arms crossed over his chest. He looked immaculate in his tailored suit, not a hair out of place. As if he hadn't just kept his mate in a jail cell for three days.

"Why?" The question escaped before I could stop it, raw and broken.

"Let's not make a scene in the hallway." He gestured to his office. "Inside."

I followed him like I always had, hating myself for the obedience ingrained by years of submission. His office smelled of leather and power, the large desk a barrier between us as he sat in his imposing chair. I remained standing, refusing the seat he didn't offer.

"Our arrangement has reached its conclusion, Sophia." His voice was business-like, as if discussing a contract with a supplier. "The three years we agreed upon have passed."

"Agreed upon?" I whispered, confusion clouding my thoughts. "What are you talking about?"

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck—that tell I'd noticed whenever he felt cornered. "Don't play naive. It doesn't suit you. We had a deal: I accept you as my Luna for three years, and in return, you provide stability for the pack during our alliance negotiations."

The room seemed to tilt. "There was never any deal, Ethan. We're mates. The Moon Goddess—"

"The Moon Goddess made a mistake." He echoed Victoria's words so perfectly it was clear who had originated the thought. "Victoria is my chosen Luna now. She understands pack politics and brings valuable connections."

"And what about me?" My voice trembled despite my efforts to appear strong. "What happens to your actual mate?"

His eyes hardened. "You'll remain my mate in name only. For appearances with the Western Packs. You'll move out of the pack house immediately, but you'll attend functions when required."

"And if I refuse?"

A cold smile spread across his face. "Then you'll be marked as a rogue. No pack, no protection, no future. Your choice, Sophia."

I stumbled out of his office in a daze, mechanically gathering my garbage bags. Somehow I made it to my car in the pack house parking lot, throwing the bags in the trunk. Night had fallen by the time I finished moving my belongings to the small apartment I'd kept in town for my work at the local bookstore.

Exhausted, I returned to my car for the last load, only to stop short at the sight before me. Both front tires were slashed, the rubber hanging in ribbons. Across the driver's door, someone had spray-painted in dripping red letters: "TEMPORARY LUNA."

I sent a desperate mind-link to Ethan: *Someone vandalized my car in the pack parking lot.*

His reply came immediately, indifferent and cold: *Omegas endure worse every day. Get used to it.*

As I stood there in the darkness, my wolf howled in anguish within me. For the first time, I allowed myself to acknowledge a terrible truth: my mate wasn't just rejecting me—he was orchestrating my destruction.