Chanel’s POV

The next morning, I found myself standing outside the packhouse with my parents. I hadn’t wanted to come, not after what I had learned about Daniel and Miranda, but they insisted.

"We must always be present so the pack remains united," my mother had said. The irony of her words stung as I knew that the unity she spoke of was long broken.

As we entered the dining hall, Luna smiled warmly at my mother and kissed her cheek. "Your daughter is truly beautiful," she praised, her gaze briefly flickering toward me.

At the long wooden table, Daniel and Miranda were already seated. The Alpha greeted us with a nod, but Daniel barely acknowledged me, only nodding at my father before looking away.

Miranda, on the other hand, was lost in her own little world with Daniel, touching his arm, giggling, pressing close as if to stake her claim in front of everyone.

The Luna, oblivious to the tension, asked, "Chanel, have you found your mate yet?"

I stiffened. Daniel’s jaw clenched. I could feel his tension even as he kept his gaze firmly on his plate.

I forced a smile. "Not yet, but I trust the Moon Goddess is busy pairing me with the kindest man for me."

My parents nodded in approval, and I saw Daniel’s fingers tighten around his fork.

After breakfast, our parents gathered on the patio, laughing and talking about pack matters. Their carefree expressions made my stomach twist. Did they not see what was happening? Did they not see how cruel their future Alpha was?

Needing space, I slipped out to the garden, but as I turned a corner, I froze. Daniel and Miranda were talking in hushed voices.

Miranda’s irritated tone cut through the air. "Why do you seem affected that your mother asked about Chanel’s future mate?"

Daniel chuckled. "I was just worried she’d expose our secret relationship."

Miranda narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure that’s all? Maybe you already have feelings for her?"

Daniel scoffed. "No. She was just a practice partner, remember? What do you want me to do to prove you’re my only love?"

Miranda smirked, handing him her phone. "Show these at our wedding."

Thanks to my heightened werewolf sight, I caught a glimpse of the phone screen even from a distance. My breath hitched, seeing myself exposed in ways I had never posed for.

How? I had never taken such photos, let alone shared them. My wolf was seething as I fought the urge to storm out and demand answers. But I stayed rooted in place. What else had they planned for me?

"Is this really Chanel? Would she post something like this?" Daniel’s voice wavered slightly.

"They’re photoshopped," Miranda said smoothly. "On our wedding day, we’ll insert them into the slideshow. Everyone will think she ruined our celebration."

Daniel hesitated. "This will be a huge scandal. Her family will get embarrassed."

"They’ll never know it was us. Wait, do you actually care about her?"

"Care about her?” Daniel chuckled drily, shaking his head. “Does she deserve my care? She's just my bed toy. When I marry you, I will ruin her reputation. She once competed for your glory, now it's time for her to pay the price!"

“Then what’s the plan?” Miranda asked, crossing her arms. She gasped when Daniel suddenly caged her inside his arms.

“The plan?” Daniel whispered seductively in her mouth. "In ten days, I will propose to Chanel, and on that same day, I will play the slideshow to permanently damage her reputation. How’s that sound?”

“Will you really do that for me?” Miranda raised a brow.

“Anything for you.” Daniel, on the other hand, grinned devilishly. “So be patient, love. Please wait until the engagement party, and I’m all yours.”

I covered my mouth, muffling the sob that threatened to escape. My wolf was restless, growling in anger and urging me to lash out and demand justice. But what good would that do?

No, I needed to be smart.

Those photos had to be erased before Miranda had the chance to use them. I would find out where they came from, track down the source, and make sure they never surfaced.

---

That night, the rain was relentless, soaking through my cloak as I stumbled through the woods near the pack border. I was not sure why I had ventured out there. Perhaps I needed to drown out the ache in my chest and to feel something apart from betrayal.

By the time I collapsed outside the packhouse, my body burned with fever. My limbs felt heavy, and my head pounded with exhaustion. As a she-wolf, I should not have been this weak. Werewolves had enhanced healing and endurance, yet my body had given in.

Before darkness enveloped my mind, strong arms lifted me, and the scent of earth and smoke filled my senses.

When my eyes fluttered open, I was in the pack healer’s den, and Daniel was sitting at my side.

“You scared the hell out of me,” he muttered, his voice hoarse, as if he had been holding back his emotions for too long.

I was too weak to respond immediately, but I forced myself to speak. "W-why?"

His grip on my hand tightened as he exhaled sharply. "Because I care about you, damn it!" he shouted, his frustration spilling over as his fist slammed against the bedside table. "You think I wanted to see you like this? Do you have any idea what it felt like to find you collapsed, burning up with fever?”

My heart clenched painfully at the rawness in his voice. For a moment, it felt real. It seemed as though he genuinely cared about me, like I was more than just an afterthought. But had I not spent years believing the same lies? Had I not convinced myself before that he loved me, only to find out I was nothing but a placeholder?

A lump formed in my throat, but I pushed past it. "Then why, Daniel? Why do you have to—" I bit my lower lip to stop myself from exposing those words. He shouldn’t know that I was aware of his twisted plans.

His breath hitched, and his gaze softened with regret. "Chanel, I—"

But before he could say anything more, his body tensed. His fingers twitched around mine, his gaze going unfocused. I knew that look. Someone was mindlinking him.

I barely had time to process it before his lips parted, his voice so quiet I almost wished I hadn’t heard it.

"Miranda."

The moment he spoke it, everything else ceased to exist for him, including me. And just like that, he was gone.

Daniel's lips barely formed the name before I heard it.

'Daniel, come help me with these bags. They’re too heavy, and I can’t carry them all by myself.'

Miranda’s voice echoed in my mind, as if she had meant for me to hear. My body stiffened, and my wolf bristled at the blatant intrusion. She was taunting me. There was no other explanation for that!

Daniel’s grip on my hand loosened, and he inhaled sharply before responding. "I’m coming, baby. Just wait for me."

Even as weak as I was, the words sent a cold blade through my chest. I knew what he would do. He wouldn’t think twice. He had just told me he cared, yet the moment Miranda called, he was already hers again.

He turned back to me, forcing a smile. "I’ll be back soon, Chanel. I’ll help you with the discharge process. Just get some rest."

I let out a breathless laugh. Of course he wouldn’t come back. He would go to Miranda, cater to her every whim, and forget I ever existed.

As he left the healer’s cottage, I let my head fall back against the pillow, my body trembling, not from fever but from anger.

A soft chime interrupted the silence. My phone buzzed on the nightstand. With sluggish fingers, I reached for it, my heart pounding as I read the message flashing across the screen.

Did you enjoy our little conversation? It must hurt, knowing you’ll always be second to me. Don’t get too comfortable in that bed. He won’t be back for you.

My vision blurred with rage. My wolf growled, clawing at the edges of my control, demanding I do something to put Miranda in her place.

Chanel’s POV

Two nights later, Miranda’s welcome party arrived. Every influential wolf from our allied packs was present, all eager to witness the official introduction of Daniel’s chosen mate. While she was the woman everyone believed had always been meant for him, no one knew about me, and I was only the one he kept in the shadows.

I had no business being here, but Daniel had insisted.

“You understand why you need to be here,” he had said earlier. “The pack must see stability. They can’t suspect anything.”

And like a fool, I had agreed, because our families were friends, and they would smell something fishy if I was a no-show.

I stood alongside my family, wearing the mask of a Beta’s daughter, a neutral guest, while he basked in the admiration of the pack, his hand resting possessively on Miranda’s waist. The woman smiled at him with the confidence of someone who had never doubted her place. She didn’t need to fight for him. He had been hers from the start.

However, the night turned darker when the doors to the grand hall slammed open, and a rival Alpha from the Redfang pack barged in. His gaze swept the room before landing on Miranda, and a slow, cruel smile spread across his face.

“Well, well,” he drawled with mockery. “If she isn’t the one destined to rule alongside the great Alpha heir, I must say, it's amusing seeing you here, all dressed up like a queen when not too long ago, you were nothing but my little whore."

A shocked gasp rippled through the hall. Eyes widened, lips parted in scandalized murmurs, and the air turned thick with tension. Miranda’s face drained of color as whispers spread like wildfire.

The Redfang Alpha chuckled darkly. "What? You thought no one would remember?” He leaned closer. "Tell me, does your future Alpha know how well you used to beg in bed?"

Daniel’s roar cut through the air, shaking the very foundation of the hall. In a blur of movement, he lunged at the Redfang Alpha, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him against a pillar with bone-cracking force. "You will shut your filthy mouth!" Daniel’s eyes burned with fury, his wolf barely restrained. "You dare insult my mate in my own territory?"

The Redfang Alpha coughed, smirking despite the chokehold. "Oh, I dare because it’s the truth, isn’t it? She was mine first."

Daniel’s fist connected with his face, and the sickening crunch of bone echoed through the silent hall. It was followed by blood splattering against the marble floor. "Take him!" Daniel barked.

His warriors surged forward, restraining the Redfang Alpha as he laughed, spitting blood onto the floor. "I wonder if she misses me. Or maybe she imagines you as me.”

“You son of a bitch!” Daniel’s hands trembled with rage, but Miranda grabbed his arm, pressing her body against his as if she were the wounded party.

"Please, don't let him ruin this night."

Daniel inhaled sharply before turning to his warriors. "Lock him up. I’ll deal with him later."

The warriors dragged the laughing Alpha away. The guests, on the other hand, stood frozen, eyes bouncing between Daniel, Miranda, and the bloodstained floor. The scandal had already taken root. No matter how much damage control they attempted, the rumors would spread.

“Are you alright?” Daniel murmured, intimate in a way that made my stomach churn.

She nodded, pressing closer to him. The delicate damsel was protected by her powerful mate.

I watched, invisible as ever. He had defended her with unrelenting rage. He had shed blood for her. When I had been insulted, mocked, and dismissed, he had let me stand alone. But for her, he would kill.

By midnight, the party had shifted into something more intimate.

Trying to avoid people, I retreated to the terrace, letting the cool air calm my nerves. But then a smooth, saccharine voice penetrated the air. I turned, finding Miranda standing behind me, a flute of champagne in hand, her lips curled into a smirk.

"Enjoying the view, Chanel?"

I rolled my eyes. "What do you want, Miranda?"

She laughed, waltzing closer. "Oh, don’t act so cold. We were practically sisters once, weren’t we? Though, I have to admit, seeing you sulking here alone is satisfying."

I clenched my fists. "Sisters don’t steal each other’s mates."

Her smirk deepened. "Steal? Sweetheart, you were never meant to have him. Daniel was always mine. He just got distracted and played around with the lesser girl before coming back to where he belongs."

Anger coiled inside me, but I refused to let her see how deeply her words cut. "If he was always yours, why do you sound so threatened?"

Her eyes darkened, the mask slipping for just a moment before she scoffed. "Threatened? Please. Unlike you, I don't need to beg for scraps of affection. I don’t need to be pitied."

I tilted my head, meeting her gaze. "No, you just need to ruin lives to feel secure."

Her grip on her champagne glass tightened. "You're already on thin ice, bitch. If I were you, I'd leave this pack before you embarrass yourself any further."

I laughed bitterly. "Embarrass myself? You mean before you and Daniel finish whatever scheme you're planning against me? Before you try to erase every trace of me from his past?"

Her expression twisted into something ugly. "You were never more than a mistake to him. That’s why he let you go so easily."

A sharp pain lanced through my chest, but I held my ground. "Funny, because he sure seemed torn up about it when he was still in my bed while calling you his mate."

Her nostrils flared, and in the next instant, her palm struck my cheek with a stinging slap. And then a familiar scent filled the space, and I realized too late that Daniel had arrived, standing just beyond the terrace doors.

"Miranda!" His voice was calm, but his gaze flickered between us.

My cheek burned, but I lifted my chin, waiting for him to acknowledge what had just happened.

But he didn’t. Instead, he sighed and placed a hand on Miranda’s back. "Come on, let’s go."

He didn’t spare me a glance. He didn’t even ask if I was okay before walking away with her.

Chanel’s POV

The morning after the party, I woke up to a soft knock on my door. I knew who it was before I even opened it.

Daniel stood there. He looked tired, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "I’m sorry about last night. Miranda was only drunk."

"Which part? The part where I was just a distraction? Or the part where you were waiting for Miranda, like I was nothing more than a way to pass the time?"

He exhaled, his jaw tightening. "You know it’s complicated."

I let out a cold laugh, shaking my head. "No, Daniel. It’s not complicated. It never was. You always knew exactly where you stood. You had Miranda—your perfect, untouchable mate. And you had me, hidden in the dark, convenient whenever you needed someone to hold onto."

His silence told me everything I needed to know.

I stepped closer, my arms uncrossing as I tilted my chin up, refusing to look away. My nails dug into my palms, the sharp sting grounding me, fueling the fire inside me. "Tell me, Daniel. Did you ever even feel guilty? Did it ever cross your mind what it felt like to be nothing more than a secret? Or was it just easy? Easy to have me when you were lonely and push me away when she came back?"

His hands clenched at his sides, but he didn’t answer. He didn’t fight for me. He never had.

I swallowed the ache in my throat and took a step back. "Save your apologies, Daniel. They mean nothing to me now."

---

That afternoon, I traveled to the Deathfang Pack alone to meet with Alpha Kios. As I walked through the territory, I noticed the warriors nodding at me in acknowledgment.

When I reached the packhouse, Kios was waiting for me outside, his arms crossed over his broad chest. His silver eyes, sharp and calculating, met mine. "So, you came. I thought you might change your mind."

I lifted my chin. "Of course not. I have my word of honor."

He studied me for a long moment before speaking. "You understand what this means? Once the bond is sealed, there is no turning back. You will be my mate. My Luna. No half-measures."

I frowned. "I never agreed to be your Luna. I don’t want that title."

Kios arched a brow, a slow smirk curving his lips. "That’s not how the world works. I’m an Alpha. You’re going to be my mate. That makes you Luna by default."

I stiffened. "And what if I refuse?"

His silver eyes gleamed with amusement, but there was an unmistakable edge of challenge beneath them. "Refuse? That’s cute, Chanel. But let’s be clear. I don’t ask."

A chill ran through me, but I lifted my chin, refusing to back down. "So that’s it? No choice? Just forced into it?"

His smirk widened. "I’m giving you the choice to walk away. But let’s be honest—you won’t. Because you know what happens if you do. Daniel wins. Again. You remain his second choice, his afterthought. You keep watching him put her first. You keep living in the shadow of their perfect love story."

My stomach twisted. He knew exactly what buttons to push, and damn it, he was pressing them hard.

"This isn’t about love," Kios continued, his voice a low murmur. "This is about power. About never being discarded again. You understand?"

I clenched my fists. "I understand."

His smirk widened as he closed the space between us with unhurried steps. "Do you? Because I don’t entertain doubts, Chanel. I don’t tolerate weakness."

His voice dropped to a near whisper, yet it carried an undeniable weight. "You want my protection? My strength behind you? Then you don’t get to hesitate. You don’t get to waver."

I swallowed hard, my heart hammering against my ribs. "I don’t need your protection. I need an alliance."

Kios chuckled darkly. "Is that what you tell yourself? That this is just a strategic move? That it’s not about making him suffer? That it’s not about proving to Daniel, to Miranda, to every damn person who ever doubted you, that you are not someone to be cast aside?"

My breath caught. The way he peeled back my motivations, exposing them raw and unfiltered, sent a slow, insidious chill curling through my veins. He wasn’t wrong. And that terrified me.

He lifted a hand, brushing a loose strand of hair from my face, his fingers barely grazing my skin, making my pulse stutter. "Say the words, Chanel. Say that you are mine."

I stared at him as my throat went dry.

"Say it," he pressed, his thumb tracing the edge of my jaw before settling at my chin, tilting my face up to meet him. "Because once you do, there’s no going back. No regrets. No second chances."

Power radiated off him, daring me to recoil. But I didn’t. I met his gaze, saying, "Alright, Alpha. I'm all yours."

"Make no mistake. You are mine now. And I do not share."

Before I could react, Kios sealed the agreement with a swift, deliberate kiss on my lips. Brief, almost impersonal—yet to me, it felt anything but. My breath hitched as he pulled away, leaving me stunned.

---

That night, the scent of blood filled the air when I returned to our pack.

I had just stepped into the main hall when snarls erupted, followed by the heavy thud of a body hitting the ground. The doors crashed open, and rogues poured in like a tidal wave. Warriors met them head-on, but they were outnumbered.

"Everybody, get ready!"

I turned, spotting Daniel. He was standing protectively in front of Miranda, shielding her as if she were the only one in danger.

A rogue lunged at me, and I dodged, my body moving on instinct. Claws raked the air where my throat had been seconds before. I retaliated, my nails elongating into sharp points as I slashed across his chest, sending him stumbling back with a pained howl.

Another came at me from the side. I twisted, landing a kick to his ribs before driving my fist into his jaw. The fight blurred into movement—strikes, dodges, the sharp scent of iron coating my tongue.

Daniel was still with Miranda. Even as warriors fell around them, he never left her side. He parried every attack that came too close, his focus unshakable.

Meanwhile, a rogue caught my moment of hesitation, tackling me to the ground. My head slammed against the cold marble, stars bursting behind my eyes. His claws dug into my shoulders, pinning me beneath his weight. I struggled, but he was stronger, his breath hot and rancid against my face.

Panic clawed at my chest. I needed help.

“Daniel!”

I screamed his name with desperation. For a split second, I hoped he’d turn, that instinct would pull him toward me. But he didn’t. Not even a glance.

Miranda screamed, and that was all it took. Daniel surged forward, cutting down the rogue near her with a single, brutal swipe.

Rage and grief surged through me. Snarling, I shifted partially, my claws raking across the rogue’s chest as I drove my knee into his gut. He recoiled, but I didn’t give him a chance to recover. With a swift, predatory lunge, I sank my fangs into his throat, tearing through flesh and muscle. He gurgled, choking on his own blood, before collapsing in a lifeless heap at my feet.

The battle ended as quickly as it had begun. The rogues that remained were either killed or forced to retreat.

I was shaking. Not from exhaustion, but from the cold realization searing through me. Daniel had rushed to Miranda, who bore no wounds. His hands hovered over her as if she were fragile porcelain.

Then, just as his eyes briefly met mine, Miranda smirked at me.