The scent hit me first—not mine.

A mix of perfume and something else, something sharp and unfamiliar. My heart raced as I caught the floral notes clinging to Lucas’s coat. I didn’t need to look twice to know the scent wasn’t from me. It wasn’t even close.

I turned slightly, and there it was. The lipstick stain—a bold red smear on the collar, so blatant that it almost mocked me. My breath caught in my throat, and I swallowed down the surge of bile.

The memories flooded in, sharp and jagged. Lucas had been pulling away for weeks—always distracted, always busy with “pack matters.” But I knew better now.

He wasn’t just busy. He was slipping away.

And then, as if on cue, I saw them—a pair of delicate, lacy red panties caught on the edge of his pants. The sight was a punch to the gut, and my hands trembled as I reached down to pick them up. The soft fabric felt wrong, like it didn’t belong in my hands, but they were his—his latest 'betrayal' lying in plain sight.

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to set the panties down. I couldn’t let myself fall apart. Not yet. Not when the Alpha Summit was hours away.

I turned toward the table, where the paper bags lay, the contents taunting me. The emerald dress and earrings. His gift, as if I were just some pretty doll to be dressed up. His mate, forced into submission.

My body reacts to emerald stones! I wanted to scream. But instead, I just stared at the dress. It wasn’t the dress I hated—it was everything behind it. Everything that came with it. His control, his expectations.

I forced my hands to move, opening the bag, holding the dress up. The green fabric shimmered under the lights, taunting me. I could almost hear Lucas’s voice in my head, demanding I wear it, demanding I be the obedient mate.

But my pulse was thundering now, my wolf restless under my skin, clawing at the cage of my chest. I didn't wear them.

And then, his voice.

“Catherine.”

I froze. Lucas stood in the doorway, his gaze hard, his stance threatening.

“Where are the emerald earrings and the dress I gave you?”

I didn’t flinch, even as his tone sent a ripple of tension through the room. “I didn’t wear them.”

His jaw tightened. “You didn’t wear them,” he repeated, his voice dangerously low. “Do you know how insulting that is? To me. To the pack.”

I met his sharp gaze, refusing to back down. “My body reacts to emerald stones, Lucas. They burn my skin. I’ve told you that before.”

Lucas let out a humorless laugh, the sound laced with contempt. “Oh, how convenient. My mate is too 'delicate' for the gifts her Alpha provides. You’re just being difficult, Catherine.”

“I’m not being difficult,” I replied evenly, though my heart thudded in my chest. “I’m being truthful. Or is that something you can’t handle?”

That did it.

In one swift motion, Lucas closed the distance between us, his hand wrapping around my throat. I gasped as he slammed me against the wall, his grip firm but not enough to cut off my air.

The cool marble pressed into my back as I met his burning gaze.

“You think you can embarrass me tonight? Make me look weak in front of the other Alphas?” His voice was a venomous whisper, his breath hot against my face. “Do you even understand the consequences of your actions?”

“Let go of me!” I hissed, clawing at his hand, but his grip only tightened.

“You’re mine, Catherine. Mine to command, mine to dress, mine to control. If I tell you to wear emeralds, you wear them.”

The pain of his words hit harder than his grip. My vision blurred slightly, but I forced myself to speak, even as my voice trembled.

“And if you think I’m a puppet for you to control, Lucas, you’re gravely mistaken.”

His lips curled into a sneer. “Mistaken? No, Catherine. 'You’re' the mistake.”

I froze.

He released me with a shove, and I stumbled forward, gasping for air. My hand flew to my throat as I coughed, trying to steady myself.

“I won’t have you humiliate me tonight,” Lucas said, his voice as sharp as a blade. “Fix yourself. Now.”

I straightened slowly, ignoring the ache in my neck and the humiliation burning under my skin. My eyes locked on his, defiance blazing despite the ache in my chest.

“I’ll play your game tonight, Lucas,” I said, my voice cold. “But don’t forget—every game has an end.”

His laugh followed me as I turned away, the sound echoing in my ears like a cruel promise.

***

I wore the green dress.

Despite everything in me screaming not to, I put it on—the one Lucas had insisted upon. The moon emerald earrings dangled from my ears, a cruel weight against my skin. The stones burned, a fiery sensation spreading like tiny needles pricking into my flesh, but I endured it. I had no choice.

The Alpha Summit wasn’t about me, not tonight. It was about appearances. About showing Midnight Crest Pack as strong, united, and untouchable. And for that, I had to play my part, no matter how it destroyed me.

I glanced at myself in the mirror before leaving. My skin was paler than usual, a faint flush betraying the pain beneath the surface, but the dress hugged my body perfectly. Elegant, poised, and submissive—that was the image Lucas demanded.

By the time we arrived at the ancient estate where the Summit was held, my skin felt like it was on fire. The moon emeralds didn’t just irritate me—they scorched me, as though their energy clashed violently with my own. Every step I took in my heels sent sharp jolts of heat radiating through my body.

“Keep smiling,” Lucas murmured as we entered the grand hall. His arm was firm around mine, a grip that wasn’t protective but possessive.

I bit the inside of my cheek, forcing a serene expression as wolves from every major pack turned to greet us. Polished smiles, meaningless compliments—it was all an act.

But behind those smiles, I could feel the stares.

“Catherine looks radiant tonight,” one of the Alphas said, his tone laced with mockery.

“Radiant,” Lucas agreed smoothly, his fingers tightening on my arm. “She understands her duty as my Luna.”

Every word he spoke was a barb, aimed at me but delivered with charm to the crowd.

I held my head high, even as the moon emerald earrings seemed to burn deeper, the sensation creeping up to my temples. My breathing grew shallow, my pulse erratic, but I wouldn’t give anyone the satisfaction of seeing my pain.

Not Lucas. Not the pack. Not the she-wolves who whispered behind their hands.

I was stronger than this.

Or so I thought.

***

The Summit dragged on, an endless parade of posturing and politics. I smiled, nodded, and played my role. The fire beneath my skin spread with every second, but I buried the pain beneath layers of defiance.

And then, Diana arrived.

She swept into the hall like she owned it, draped in crimson silk that shimmered under the chandeliers. Her presence demanded attention, and every eye turned to her.

Including Lucas’s.

“Diana,” he said, his voice softening in a way it never did with me.

My stomach twisted as she approached, her smile as sharp as a blade. I wanted to scratch her damn face! Asked her how many times did she sleep with my husband.

“Lucas.” Her voice was honeyed, warm, entirely too familiar.

“Diana,” I said stiffly, stepping forward to place myself between them. My body screamed in protest as the emerald stones pressed into my collarbone.

“Catherine,” Diana said with mock surprise, her gaze sweeping over me. “That dress is… brave.”

The venom in her words was subtle but unmistakable.

I forced a smile. “It’s good to see you here. I wasn’t aware you’d be attending.”

Diana’s smile widened. “Oh, Lucas invited me personally. He thought it was important I be here… given my new role in the pack.”

The words hit me like a slap. I glanced at Lucas, searching his face for an explanation, but he only gave me that infuriatingly blank look.

“New role?” I asked, my voice icy.

Diana tilted her head, her smile sharpening. “Oh, Lucas didn’t tell you? How… unfortunate.”

My heart pounded as I stared at her, at Lucas, at the crowd now watching our exchange with eager curiosity.

Something was wrong.

Terribly wrong.

But I couldn’t let it show. Not here.

“Excuse me,” I said coolly, stepping away before the walls closed in. My skin burned as if flames licked across it, the pain from the emeralds radiating through my body. Each step felt heavier than the last, my breath shallow and uneven.

But...

“May I have everyone’s attention?”

Lucas’s deep voice echoed through the hall, silencing the crowd. The weight in my chest doubled as every pair of eyes turned toward him. A sickening feeling pooled in my stomach.

Lucas looked directly at me, his expression carefully neutral. “Catherine, come here.”

Confused, and with my body screaming in protest, I stepped forward. The clicking of my heels against the marble felt deafening. My skin prickled painfully under the oppressive heat radiating from the moon emeralds. Every second in that cursed dress was unbearable, but I clenched my fists, keeping my face composed.

“Lucas, what’s going on?” I whispered, my voice strained, but he ignored me.

He raised his voice, addressing the crowd. “As you all know, a strong Alpha deserves a strong Luna—a partner who will uphold the pack’s values and ensure its future.”

A murmur rippled through the crowd. My knees threatened to give out as the heat beneath my skin intensified, like molten lava coursing through my veins. I clenched my jaw to stop myself from doubling over in pain.

Lucas turned to me, his gaze sharp and cold. “But over the last few years, it’s become clear to me that Catherine Moore is 'not' what the Luna of Midnight Crest needs.”

The words hit like a slap, and the fire in my body flared as though his rejection amplified the pain. My lungs struggled to draw in air as the room tilted slightly.

“I’ve stood by you through everything,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Lucas sneered. “And yet, in all these years, you’ve given me nothing. No heir. No future. What good is a Luna who can’t even fulfill her most basic duty?”

The words punched through my chest, sharper than any dagger. The room tilted, and for a moment, I thought I’d collapse under the weight of his cruelty.

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out.

Lucas wasn’t finished. He turned slightly, gesturing to the far end of the hall. “I’ve chosen someone who can stand by my side and give this pack what it needs—a strong Luna who can carry on the Midnight Crest legacy.”

And then she stepped forward.

Diana.

In her red silk gown, she glided across the floor with the confidence of a wolf who had already won. Her hand slid into Lucas’s, her victorious smile twisting the knife already lodged in my chest.

My rival. My replacement.

“This is Diana Harrington,” Lucas announced. “My future mate and your new Luna.”

The room erupted—gasps, murmurs, and the clinking of glasses as wolves turned to gawk. I stood frozen, every eye shifting to me like I was a spectacle. The fire in my body burned hotter, sharp pain shooting through my chest as the emeralds’ power overwhelmed me.

Lucas rejected me. Publicly.

“Lucas…” I managed to croak, but my voice cracked under the weight of humiliation and pain.

He didn’t even look at me.

“Guards,” he said softly, “escort Catherine out.”

Two wolves approached, their hands outstretched toward me. The emerald stones seared against my collarbone, the heat unbearable now. My vision blurred slightly, but I forced my feet to move back, holding onto the last shred of my dignity.

“Don’t touch me,” I snapped, my voice laced with a strength I didn’t feel. “I can walk myself out.”

My legs trembled, every step a battle as I walked away. My heart pounded against my ribs, and the whispers behind me felt like daggers.

“She was rejected?”

“A failed Luna.”

“She couldn’t even give him a child?”

I swallowed against the burning lump in my throat. Every nerve in my body screamed in agony, but I didn’t let them see me falter. Not yet.

I walked out of the grand hall with my head high, but as soon as I was alone, I ripped the moon emerald earrings off and flung them to the ground. The searing heat subsided slightly, leaving only a dull ache in its wake. My skin throbbed as if branded, but I gritted my teeth.

I wouldn’t cry. Not for him. Not for them.

Lucas Gray had just made the biggest mistake of his life.

The cold air bit at my skin as I walked away from the Alpha Summit, each step carrying the weight of Lucas’s betrayal. My legs were shaking, but I refused to stop.

My tears that burned down my face felt like salt in a wound that would never heal, but I didn’t care. I needed to get home, away from all of them.

But then, I smelled it.

The faintest hint of another scent in the air—something off, something wrong. It wasn’t a wolf I knew, and it didn’t belong to anyone from the pack.

I stopped in my tracks. My senses were on high alert now, every hair on my body standing up. Something wasn’t right.

My heart raced. I glanced over my shoulder but saw nothing. The shadows seemed to stretch and twist unnaturally around me.

‘Calm down, Catherine.’

But my instincts screamed at me to run. I turned quickly, my footsteps echoing in the silent night, but before I could make it even five more steps, the scent became stronger—more pungent, more dangerous.

And then I heard it. The sound of footfalls behind me, moving swiftly, stealthily.

I whipped around, but I never saw the figure before they lunged at me.

A sharp, searing pain shot through my neck as something cold and metallic sank into my skin. I gasped, my vision blurring.

I tried to push back, to fight, but my body refused to cooperate. My legs gave out from under me, and I crumpled to the ground, the world spinning out of control.

“W-What…?” My words were slurred, confusion flooding my mind.

I struggled to stay conscious, but my limbs felt like they were made of lead. The last thing I saw was darkness.

***

I don’t know how long I was out.

When I woke, my body felt like it had been set on fire. My neck and chest ached, raw and seared from the stones, and my head throbbed like it had been split open. Everything was blurry, my senses dulled, like I was underwater.

The pain was suffocating, but distant footsteps pulled me out of the haze. Slow. Heavy.

Diana.

She stepped into view, her figure sharp against the dim light, her smirk like poison. A knife gleamed in her hand, the blade catching the flicker of a nearby torch.

“I knew you wouldn’t go quietly,” she sneered, her voice dripping with venom. “But I didn’t need you to. You’re already as good as gone.”

I tried to lift my head, but my body was too weak. Still, I forced my lips to move. “You… bitch,” I growled through gritted teeth.

Diana’s smirk widened. “Lucas is my Alpha now, Catherine. He rejected you in front of the entire Summit, didn’t he? You didn’t think he’d stay with a failed Luna, did you?”

Her words stabbed into me, and I froze. The humiliation from the Summit still hung over me like a storm cloud, but she wasn’t done.

She leaned closer, her voice taunting. “He’s happy now. Last night… Oh, he couldn’t even keep his hands off me. Sex until dawn, Catherine. That’s what it’s like when he’s with someone who can actually give him what he needs. You? You couldn’t even give him an heir after all these years.”

The fire in my body felt sharper, almost as if her words fed the burn. My breath hitched, the pain in my chest far worse than the physical agony.

“You’re cursed, Catherine. You’re nothing but a failure,” she added, her voice filled with cruel satisfaction.

I clenched my teeth, but the sting of her words broke through my defenses. I could feel my heart breaking, the rejection, the humiliation, and now her taunts pressing down on me. My body felt heavy, too heavy to move, but my eyes stayed locked on the knife in her hand.

She saw where I was looking and smiled wider. “This is the end for you. The blade will sever your connection to your wolf. You’ll be human—useless. Nothing more than a weak, broken woman.”