Seven years of loyalty, sacrifice, and devotion to Lukas Harrow, Alpha of the Blacksky Pack. Seven years, gone. Under the light of the Blood Moon, everything fell apart.

The night had started beautifully. A bouquet of 9,999 nightshade roses—meant to symbolize eternal love—arrived at my den, along with a velvet box holding a silver anklet. It was gorgeous, the delicate engravings sparkling like stolen stars. Lukas had never been the romantic type. For a moment, I allowed myself to believe he was finally apologizing for years of neglect.

I should’ve known better.

I posted a picture of the roses online, hoping to share a rare moment of happiness with the pack. Then came the comment from Lukas’s prized she-wolf, Celeste Drayton:

"Funny how some people settle for leftovers."

The ground felt like it was splitting beneath me. My hands trembled as more comments flooded in, whispers of betrayal. Then the truth hit me like a blow.

Celeste wasn’t just mocking me. She was wearing the moonstone collar—the Alpha’s heirloom, meant for his true mate. Worse, they had been spotted in a private den beneath the ridge, laughing together loudly enough for the patrols to hear.

Rage took over my disbelief. I grabbed the bouquet and marched to their den, the roses burning my nostrils. My wolf, Maia, urged me to confront them.

"Calm down," I told her. But I couldn’t calm down. Not after this.

When I arrived, they were having dinner. Candles lit up an expensive feast as Celeste, wearing an emerald gown, sipped from a crystal goblet. The moonstone collar glowed at her neck, mocking me.

Lukas leaned back in his chair, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement. He didn’t even flinch when I barged in.

"Ayla," he said with a drawl, his voice dripping with anger "What are you doing here?"

I threw the bouquet at their table, knocking over their wine. It spilled across the cloth, red as blood.

"Discussing pack strategies, are we?" I hissed, my voice shaking. "Or is this the ‘strategy’ that involves claiming another she-wolf as your mate?"

Celeste laughed, her voice sharp and cruel.

"Oh, Ayla. You’re so predictable. You think this is about strategy?" She stood, smoothing her gown as she walked toward Lukas. "He chose me because I’m better. Better-looking. Better-bred. Just... better."

"Celeste." Lukas’s voice was firm, but the smirk on his face told me he enjoyed the show.

I glared at him, my claws stretching out. "Seven years, Lukas. Seven years I stood by you. Endured your cruelty. And this? This is what I get?"

Lukas rolled his eyes. "Stop being dramatic. Celeste is an asset to the pack. You’ve been nothing but a liability."

His words hit deep, but I didn’t let him see my pain. I grabbed the silver anklet he’d given me hours ago, ripped it off, and tossed it at his feet.

"I hope you and your ‘asset’ are happy together. I’m done."

The anklet rolled to a stop against his boot. Without hesitation, he crushed it under his heel.

"You’ll come crawling back," he sneered. "You always do."

I turned and walked away, Maia howling inside me. Not this time, I told her. We’re done.

But it didn’t end there. As I walked away, I felt the sting of the pack’s mental link. Lukas’s voice boomed in my head.

"Ayla’s throwing another tantrum. She can’t stand not being the center of attention."

Laughter echoed through the link, and then my mother’s voice joined in, cold and cruel.

"Ayla, stop embarrassing yourself. Apologize to Lukas. He’s been patient enough."

I severed the link, my chest tight with fury. My mother. She had never been on my side—not when my father left, not when Lukas started abusing me. She only cared about appearances, about keeping her status in the pack.

The Blood Moon hung high, casting eerie shadows over the forest. As I walked back to my den, I made a decision. I wouldn’t be anyone’s pawn anymore.

But fate wasn’t done with me.

When I opened my den’s door, the familiar scent hit me first. Celeste’s perfume. Inside, the sight made me freeze. The bed I’d shared with Lukas was in disarray, sheets tangled and stained with betrayal. On the nightstand sat a single black envelope, sealed with the Alpha’s crest.

I ripped it open, my heart racing. The letter was brief, written in Lukas’s cold, commanding hand:

"Ayla,

Effective immediately, you are stripped of your title as Alpha’s mate. You will vacate the pack’s territory within 24 hours. Failure to comply will result in exile by force.

Sir Alpha Kane."

The paper crumpled in my fist as fury blinded me. Exile? For what? For being betrayed? For being nothing but disposable?

I stormed out, heading straight for Lukas’s quarters. My blood boiled with every step. When I burst into his room, he looked up from his desk with a calm expression, as though he had been waiting for me.

"You’re late," he said.

"You think you can exile me?" I snapped, slamming the letter onto his desk. "For what crime?"

Alpha Kane leaned back, his icy blue eyes piercing mine.

"Lukas has chosen a new mate. You’re a distraction, Ayla. And distractions weaken the pack."

"A distraction?" My voice cracked. "I gave everything to this pack. To Lukas. And now I’m tossed aside like trash?"

Kane’s lips twitched into a small smirk.

"Life isn’t fair, Ayla. But you knew that."

Something inside me broke. I lunged at him, claws out, but before I could reach him, he grabbed me by the throat and slammed me against the wall.

"You’re lucky I’m not killing you," he growled, his breath hot against my ear. "Leave. Now. Or you’ll wish you had."

He released me, and I collapsed to the floor, gasping. But even as I lay there, humiliated and broken, something inside me settled. A strange calm.

The crimson light of the Blood Moon washed over me. This wasn’t the end. It was just the beginning.

I forced myself to my feet and met Kane’s gaze with defiance.

"You’ll regret this," I said, my voice steady. "I swear it."

He chuckled and waved me off.

But as I left the pack’s territory, one thought burned through me: They would all regret it.

Under the Blood Moon, I swore vengeance—not just on Lukas and Celeste, but on the entire pack that had betrayed me.

The game wasn’t over. It was just beginning.

The tension in the air was sharp enough to cut as Lukas stood in the doorway, his amber eyes glowing with barely restrained anger. "You forget yourself, Ayla," he hissed, his voice low but laced with venom. "Living here doesn’t make you untouchable."

I folded my arms, my wolf pacing restlessly beneath my skin. "Untouchable? That’s rich, coming from you," I shot back, my voice calm, controlled, and deadly. "Tell me, Lukas. How’s Celeste these days?"

His jaw tightened, the subtle shift in his face betraying his guilt. "I’m not doing this with you," he muttered, brushing past me into the kitchen.

The oven’s timer blared, breaking the tension. I grabbed the gloves and yanked the cake out—a pathetic attempt to salvage my 30th birthday. The irony wasn’t lost on me. Thirty years old, still stuck playing housemaid to a man who couldn’t even fake fidelity.

"Is that for us?" Lukas asked, gesturing to the cake with forced casualness.

"Not everything’s about you," I snapped, slamming the pan onto the counter.

He flinched but quickly recovered, his lips curving into a cold smirk. "Don’t be so dramatic. I’ve been handling pack business, Ayla. You know how important it is."

"Pack business?" I barked out a laugh. "Is that what you call your late-night visits to Celeste’s quarters?"

He froze, the smugness vanishing. "You’re paranoid."

"Am I?" I reached for my phone, already open to Celeste’s latest photo—a smug selfie in what was unmistakably Lukas’ private study. The caption read: The Alpha’s seat is warm tonight.

I held it up, letting him see. "Explain this."

Lukas’ face darkened. "You’re spying now?"

"No, Lukas. I’m noticing. Something I should’ve done years ago."

The silence between us was heavy, oppressive. For a second, I thought he might apologize, maybe even beg. But instead, his lip curled in disgust.

"You’ve always been jealous," he sneered. "That’s your problem. You can’t stand not being the center of attention."

I laughed, bitter and hollow. "Jealous? Of what? Being lied to? Cheated on? Please."

Before he could reply, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and sighed dramatically. "Celeste needs me," he said, shoving the phone into his pocket.

"Of course she does," I muttered.

"Clean up here," he ordered, ignoring me completely. "And don’t forget, we have the pack meeting tomorrow. Try not to embarrass yourself for once."

The door slammed behind him, and I stood there, the cake forgotten, anger bubbling under my skin. My wolf growled, pushing to the surface, but I forced her down. I wouldn’t waste my energy on him. Not anymore.

But I wasn’t done. Not by a long shot.

An hour later, I was in Celeste’s quarters. The place reeked of cheap perfume and arrogance. Her vanity table was filled with expensive makeup and jewelry—gifts from Lukas, no doubt.

The bed was unmade, sheets scattered and stained. My stomach churned as I spotted the torn lace lingerie on the floor.

I picked up one of her necklaces, a delicate gold chain with a heart pendant. It felt heavy in my hand, like the weight of all the lies I’d swallowed over the years.

Footsteps approached, and I froze. The door opened, and there she was—Celeste, the pack’s perfect golden girl.

She stopped short, her eyes narrowing when she saw me. "What are you doing here?"

"Cleaning up your mess," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

Her lips curled into a smirk. "Is that what Lukas told you? How sweet."

I stepped closer, the necklace still in my hand. "I’m not here for him. I’m here for me."

Her smirk faltered. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

"It means I’m done playing nice," I said, my voice low and steady. "You think you’ve won? Think again."

She opened her mouth to reply, but I didn’t give her the chance. I dropped the necklace onto the vanity and turned to leave.

"You’re pathetic," she called after me. "That’s why he’ll never choose you."

I paused in the doorway, my wolf snarling. Slowly, I turned back to face her.

"You’re right," I said, a cold smile spreading across my lips. "He won’t choose me. But when I’m done, neither will you."

Back in my quarters, I started packing. Seven years of my life reduced to a single suitcase. The rest—the clothes, the jewelry, the memories—I left behind. They belonged to the Ayla who had let Lukas walk all over her. That Ayla was dead.

As I zipped up the suitcase, my phone buzzed. A text from Selene, my best friend and the only person who had ever told me the truth about Lukas.

About time you woke up. My pack’s doors are open. Come home.

Tears stung my eyes, but I blinked them away. I didn’t have time to cry. Not yet.

The sound of footsteps outside my window made me freeze. My wolf bristled, her senses sharp. I moved to the window and peered out.

A shadow moved in the distance. A rogue.

My heart raced as I stepped back, my mind scrambling for a plan. The door burst open, and a massive wolf lunged at me.

I shifted just in time, my claws raking across its side. The fight was brutal, chaotic. My wolf reveled in the release, her strength and fury unleashed after years of suppression.

But then I smelled it—a scent I knew all too well.

Lukas.

He stood in the doorway, his face a mask of cold fury.

"What the hell is going on here?" he demanded.

The rogue retreated, its eyes darting between us before disappearing into the night.

Lukas stepped closer, his gaze fixed on me. "You just made a big mistake, Ayla."

I straightened, my wolf still on edge. "The only mistake I made was staying this long."

His lips curled into a sinister smile. "Oh, Ayla. You have no idea what’s coming."

I held his gaze, refusing to back down. "Neither do you."

And with that, I walked past him, my suitcase in hand. For the first time in years, I felt free. But I knew this was just the beginning.

But it didn’t end there, i found myself in front of him.

The ride to the pack retreat was suffocating. Lukas had fallen into his usual silence, his hands gripping the steering wheel as though it might shatter beneath his force. I sat rigidly, staring out at the rain-soaked trees blurring past the window. My wolf paced inside me, restless and simmering with rage.

Celeste’s voice still echoed in my head. Mistress. The audacity of it.

“You’ll need to change before we arrive,” Lukas said, breaking the silence. His tone was curt, as though he were speaking to a subordinate rather than his mate. “There’s a dress in the backseat.”

I turned my head slowly to look at him. “Celeste’s, I assume?”

His jaw tightened, and he didn’t answer. That was confirmation enough.

I reached back, my fingers brushing over the expensive silk. It reeked of her perfume—overpowering, sickly sweet, and utterly revolting. “I’m not wearing this,” I said, dropping it onto the floor like the trash it was.

“Ayla,” Lukas growled, his Alpha dominance bleeding into his tone. “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “Harder for who? You, Lukas? Or your precious Celeste? Do you think this little display will fool anyone? They already know.”

His knuckles whitened as he gripped the wheel. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, I think I do.” I leaned closer, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “They call her the mistress to her face, don’t they? What do they call me behind my back? The joke?”

His silence was deafening.

The packhouse loomed ahead, its towering structure shrouded in mist. The driveway was packed with luxury cars, their owners mingling under the grand awning, oblivious to the storm raging around them.

Lukas parked near the entrance, turning to me with an expression that teetered between frustration and desperation. “Just... stay by my side tonight. Don’t cause a scene.”

I smirked. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

He stepped out first, his Alpha persona snapping into place like a well-worn mask. He strode around to my side, opening the door and offering his hand. I ignored it, stepping out on my own, letting the rain soak through my clothes.

Whispers followed us as we ascended the steps, their judgmental gazes lingering on my bedraggled appearance. Lukas placed a firm hand on my lower back, a possessive gesture meant to silence the rumors. Instead, it only fueled my anger.

The grand hall was a display of opulence and excess, the air thick with the mingling scents of wolves from all corners of the region. Celeste was waiting near the hearth, a glass of wine in hand, her golden hair cascading down her back like a goddess descended from the heavens. She saw us immediately, her lips curving into a smug smile.

“Ayla,” she purred, stepping forward. “You made it. How... unexpected.”

“Celeste,” I replied, matching her tone. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

Her gaze dropped to my rain-soaked jeans and bloody forehead. “Oh dear, you’ve had quite the journey. Shall I have someone bring you something more... appropriate?”

“Don’t trouble yourself,” I said, brushing past her. “I’m perfectly comfortable.”

The room fell into a tense hush as I moved deeper into the crowd, Lukas trailing behind me. The pack members parted, their eyes darting between us with poorly concealed curiosity. They were waiting for the show, the inevitable clash.

But I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. Not yet.

The meeting began with the usual formalities—territory disputes, alliance updates, and endless discussions about rogue sightings. I tuned it out, my attention drifting to Celeste, who sat across the room, her eyes fixed on Lukas like a predator watching its prey.

Every touch, every glance they exchanged was a dagger to my chest. But instead of crumbling, I let it fuel me.

When the meeting finally adjourned, the pack mingled once more, their voices a cacophony of gossip and laughter. Celeste wasted no time, sidling up to Lukas with a dazzling smile.

“Lukas,” she said, her voice dripping with faux innocence. “There’s a matter I’d like to discuss. Privately.”

His gaze flicked to me, and for a brief moment, I saw hesitation. But it was fleeting. He nodded and followed her toward the private lounge, leaving me alone amidst the sea of judgmental stares.

I didn’t follow. Not immediately. Instead, I let the minutes drag on, joining the crowd, pretending to listen to meaningless conversations. My wolf itched to confront them, to expose their lies, but I forced her down.

When I finally approached the lounge, the door was ajar. Their voices filtered through, low and intimate.

“You should’ve left her,” Celeste was saying. “She doesn’t belong here, Lukas. She never did.”

“You think I don’t know that?” he snapped. “Do you have any idea what this is costing me?”

I stepped into the doorway, my heart pounding but my face calm. “Am I interrupting?”

Celeste froze, her eyes widening. Lukas turned slowly, his expression shifting from anger to something unreadable.

“Ayla,” he began, his voice steady but strained. “This isn’t what it looks like.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Really? Because it looks like you’re discussing how inconvenient I am for both of you.”

Celeste opened her mouth, but I cut her off. “Save it. I’m not here to argue.” I stepped closer, meeting Lukas’ gaze. “I just want you to know that this is the last time you’ll humiliate me.”

He frowned. “What are you talking about?”

I smiled—a cold, bitter smile. “You’ll see.”