Revenge was to be served piping hot or freezing cold. There was no in between. And I wanted to play the game of hot and cold with Karen.

I showed up at the venue in my revenge dress. For the first time in years, I flaunted my dark wavy hair that reached my waist. Unlike Karen, I had a tall athletic body. Karen was more womanly, but I boasted the A-Line black dress pretty fashionably.

With confidence, I walked inside the hotel exclusively seating Alpha and Luna ranks.

I was a head turner to say the least. Men and women ogled over my sight. Nate was a victim too, undeniably. So far, I was winning over Karen already. She looked jealous in her hideous lime green outfit.

"You know my order, darling." When the waiter came, Karen ran her hands over Nate and urged him to repeat her 'most frequented order'.

"Green salad with lots of kale, steak and mashed potatoes, with exactly three ounces of gravy. Same for me." Nate smiled giddily at the waiter as he said.

The waiter, unaware of the situation blurted out while pointing to Nate and Karen,

"You two look fabulous as a couple."

My smile fell.

Karen's eyes lit up. Before Nate could correct the waiter, Karen beamed with an obnoxious "Thanks!"

The waiter then stared at me, eyes starry as he asked if I'd take the same order. Nate attempted to say my order to get my trust back but failed terribly.

"Sorry, I'd not prefer crab soup. I'm allergic to seafood. Make it chicken instead with chicken broth. No cilantro, just lemon." I said and watched him walk away with the order.

I turned to Nate. He looked ashamed, as he should be.

"So! When is your wedding?" Karen asked, adding fuel to the fire. Nate pinched her thigh to shut her up. But I was going to go ahead and amuse her.

"Soon. Very soon. Sooner than you think." Karen's eyes lit up fakely at my announcement. Nate was confused but pleased to hear.

"I'm so going to wed you in the grandest venue on earth, my love," Nate promised yet another empty promise. He tried to sneak a hand hold over the table, but I subtly withdrew mine.

Karen, taking the opportunity flashed their interlocked fingers over the table. She smirked when I noticed and looked at her. But I was looking at something else.

"Nate? Where's our engagement ring?" My question caused panic in the male, who's usually calm and composed.

"In the car. Sorry." He replied guiltily, Karen and him exchanged knowing glances. Not that I cared.

"Well, throw it away." I said nonchalantly.

"W-Why?" Nate asked suspiciously. He smelled danger, but he had nothing to worry about as I lied through my teeth,

"We'd need wedding rings soon, right?" Saying, I took mine off and presented it on the table. He let out a nervous laugh.

"There's no need to give it so soon, baby. K-Keep it until I replace with a wedding band." Nate said and pushed the ring back to me.

With an angelic smile, I took the ring and tossed it in the nearest dustbin. My wolf Rexi chimed in my head, amused, 'Nice shot, babe'.

After dinner, Nate was caught up with few guests which left me with the wrench. We waited for him at the parking.

"You know he would leave you soon, right?" Karen was showing her true colours. I turned to her, unamused and replied.

"I know. I've started my preparations." I said and folded my hands over my chest.

"Ladies! I'm so sorry. We've got guests coming back to the pack house with us." Nate showed up suddenly. Karen's demeanour took a 180.

"Hello, Alpha Jane! It's so nice to meet you!" Karen beamed. Alpha Jane and her beta greeted us.

"Well, I can't have my guests take another transport home. Baby, could you come back in another car? I'll send Ray your way as soon as I get home." I jumped my eyebrows at Nate. He was indeed insisting on me, not Karen. Our packhouse was an hour away, in the woods.

I nodded and let the four take off without me in Nate's matte black Supra.

I let out a shaky breath and walked out of the parking lot alone. The heels were eating my feet away. The lift wasn't working right on time.

I waited three hours for Ray or someone to pick me up. I couldn't even book a transport to go back home.

It was around 2 am when I decided to walk by foot back to the packhouse. I held the heels in my hand and walked barefoot.

I passed by a bar down the highway.

I attracted their attention, all of them were rogues and human thugs. One held a knife openly and threatened me,

"Lady... that's a very pretty dresss. You look beautiful. Mind showing some more to us?"

"Lady, ah...we will keep you good company all night long..."

Two men advanced out of the group of six. The other four were prepared to take me down.

I shut my eyes tightly.

Where was Nate when I always needed him?

Their aura trickled a nervous sweat down my back. Rexi was convinced she couldn't take them all down at once. Damage would be predictably high.

My life was going to get dark real soon.

In a flash, all bodies laid dead in front of me. Their heads were plucked out of their skulls.

"Delinquents."

The familiar man's voice sent a chill down my spine. I didn't fear him. It was another emotion. I sighed heavily in relief and turned around.

His scent was intoxicating, filling the air around us with the strong pine and citrus scent. Rexi was howling in happiness.

Despite the blood spewing everywhere and other drunk men gazing from the distance, horrendously confused, I jumped to hug my best friend.

"Goddamn you, Zade! You're always gone!" I hugged him tightly. We both chuckled, and agreed to move to a different location. Thank Goddess I had my amulet, or I'd flash Zade as Rexi would have torn my revenge dress during shifting.

My brown Luna wolf and his black alpha wolf glided through the forest. The heavy steps of our paws hitting the floor were soothing. I almost forgot about the betrayal inflicted on me.

Zade called to stop at the centre of the forest. It was a barren patch with just green grass and a pond by the edge of it, revealing the vast density of the woods further.

"Ah...I miss going on a hunt with you." Zade sighed heavily.

"I do too." I smiled, letting myself fall flat on the grass patch.

"Nate is cheating on me." I confessed. At once, Zade's smile faded as he propped on his elbows.

"On you? Is he serious?" He asked. I rolled my eyes and nodded.

"He's cheating on me with Karen." Zade's jaw dropped even wider at my reveal. The news was a great shock to Zade since Karen was related to him.

They were first chance mates.

"I'm sorry." Zade's voice was soft, which was rare. He scooted closer and pulled me in a hug. I needed that. Everyone in the pack ignored me for the new event coming up. The Alpha's Assemblage.

Parting from the hug, I hid my blush from Zade. Then he spoke.

"I couldn't have expected anything less from Karen. She's always needing someone's attention. That's why I had to reject her. Maybe she didn't take it so well and found Nate right away to keep her warm." Zade said atrociously about his previous mate. It was rare that he badmouthed someone too.

"It was Nate's choice, too. The elders decided she was to bear his heir. For the benefit of Graymoon." I said, my heart squeezing itself as the betrayal was still fresh. Worst part? It was a planned betrayal by everyone in the pack against me. Everyone knew they were fucking behind my back every night and day, trying to make a baby.

That explained why there were always stenches of sex erupting from corners of my room and corridors. I felt my stomach kick my chest up. I was about to throw up when I connected the dots.

"Are you alright? Do you need me to break his face?" I heard Zade and chuckled. He stood up, realizing it was too late for me to stay awake. That's when I noticed his toned body under the moonlight.

"Not so soon, Zade. But thank you. He's keeping his distance and is actually taking good care of me otherwise. It's just Karen who keeps polluting him. No offense." I said.

"None taken." Replying, Zade wore his amulet back, and we shifted to our beautiful wolves, who danced on their paws until we reached my packhouse.

"Stay for the night. I insist." I asked Zade to stay over. He raised his eyebrows and sighed.

"Nate would kill me and my pregnant ex-mate would try to force herself onto me again. Hard pass." I crushed my eyebrows at his reasoning. I sympathized with him. I hugged him tightly. His hug felt warm for the early morning coldness.

"Don't forget about the Alpha meeting with Prince Zyke tomorrow." He reminded, winking and walking backwards.

"I won't. Goodnight." I said and watched him disappear.

When I turned back, my soul jumped out at the silhouette. It was someone unexpected.

"Mother Luna," I said, bowing to my soon to be mother in law, Nate's vicious mom - Janet.

"Was that Zade Silverstone?" She asked, her tone condescending. I nodded, not fearing her anymore.

"He is bad omen. Do not associate with him or you will end up rejected like he rejected poor Karen." She said and walked away. I looked down at my feet. She still cared about the one who produced an heir and her son's best friend. I didn't even matter to her, even if I had the same rank as her in the pack.

After her mate's demise at a young age, she raised Nate by herself against all odds. I held respect for her. But for some reason, she hated me. She was the one who declared I was indeed...an un-mothering Luna.

The next day at Alpha's Assemblage, I sat next to Zade when two unexpected guests showed up. One was Nate, because he's the Alpha, and his pregnant mistress.

"Oh~ Look who's here. The handsome green-eyed Alpha of Grimstone! So nice to see you again, mate." Karen flirted with her ex mate shamelessly. She ran her hand down Zade's back suggestively. It sent shivers of disgust down my spine. Zade was uncomfortable, but he didn't even turn around to respond to her. I was proud of Zade.

"All redundant guests must leave." The harsh voice of Prince Zyke's beta was heard. Karen grumbled and walked away but with Nate.

Behind me, I heard Nate and Karen muttering to themselves.

"You're not sitting next to that bitch!" Karen declared. I rolled my eyes.

"She's our Luna! She has to be beside me so I can take her notes and present it properly, baby. Understand me for once." I held in a scoff at Nate's reply to her.

Nate always stole my notes at meetings and presented them awfully. He often blamed me for the poor explanation, saying I could 'ideate better'.

With Zade on my left and my pissant mate on my right, the meeting commenced. We were having a serious discussion when Karen suddenly let out a blood curdling scream behind the curtains. Alerted, Nate ran to her at the speed of light and yelled,

"I'm cancelling the meeting for us!" My eyes widened.

"Wait—!" Nate didn't even listen to me and dashed out with the limp woman in his arms. I turned to look at Zade, teary eyed.

Nate embarrassed me yet again. The Prince kicked me out of the meeting and we lost our chance to present our pack's problems to the royals.

Damn you, Nate.

After the demise of our meeting, I sprinted back to my packhouse. I needed to get the hell out of here. I didn't care if I was their Luna. They didn't care about me anyway.

'Would anyone come after us knowing we were leaving?' Rexi asked in my head. I wiped the beads of tears from my face and replied, 'They wouldn't even notice we were gone.'

After packing my embarrassingly small suitcase of all my belongings, I turned to stare at the wall clock.

It was late in the night. Nate didn't even message me an apology or further intimation about Karen's health. She faked the injury. I know it.

The blood stain by her seat when she was taken away didn't even smell like hers. Was Nate being dismissive of her acts on purpose or was he truly innocently being treaded to follow her demands all the time?

I didn't care.

Zade called me a few times but I didn't pick up. He texted me as I gave into my curiosity to see if he put a word about our pack's matters to Prince Zyke. We will be in touch with royals to resolve issues soon.

Meanwhile, a text from Karen was sent after I replied to Zade.

[Hoe Karen: You're worried about Nate but he's worried about me. What a shame that no one even worries about you after I've conceived. You're useless]

Karen's words had zero impact on me. I replied flatly,

[Me: Congratulations]

I switched the phone off and started making bigger plans to escape this uninviting turf.

Several hours later as I was talking to the Beta about pack matters, Karen and Nate strutted in.

They walked past me as if nothing happened. I grit my teeth to see Karen smirking right back at me.

"I'm tired, babe. I gotta sleep. Sleep with me? I want to feel warm and cosy ~" Karen said loudly in the hallway. She and Nate were always close. I was uncomfortable with that since the beginning.

Nate chuckled and patted her hair, "I will babe. Let's go sleep."

Nate didn't even notice me, his mate, in the hallway. He walked down holding hands with her. I shuddered when he smacked her butt as she walked up the stairs. I was the only one cursed to witness it.

I was passing by my room in the evening when loud laughter was heard from the study. Nate just walked out of my study with a grin on his face.

When I walked in, I gasped loudly.

"What do you think you're doing?" I asked, my hands trembling from anger. My new wedding dress, custom-made for me with the finest fabrics for my psoriasis, was worn by Karen.

She removed a few stitches to fit herself into the dress. I was almost too close to crying and passing out. I held it all in.

"This is such a sweet wedding dress! And I look so good in it!" Karen said. She gleamed. My gaze fell on Janet, Nate's mother, sipping tea in my study. Her feet were on my desk, soiling the files below her sandals.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" Formalities flew out of the window as I asked Janet.

"What do you mean?" Her tough voice replied.

"You know what I mean, Janet. She's in my custom wedding dress. Even if I won't marry your son, I would marry someone else in that dress. It cost a fortune." I said. I saved up money for two years, just to get this dress. I remember choosing between saving money and buying a decent meal for myself when we used to travel for pack matters abroad. That's how I accumulated money to buy this dress.

And there she was, opening stitches and crumbling it all up.

"Take it off. Take it off!" I went batshit and started ripping her off the dress. I didn't know what else to do. Just then, hearing the commotion, Nate flew in and pried me off of her. Karen started crying right away.

"She was abusing me!" Karen exclaimed. I spat on the dress she was wearing.

"You're always crossing limits and YOU are always letting her trample over me all the time! I hate you!" I cried loudly.

"There's no need for you to be this childish, Nova. It's barely a dress! I'll buy you a new one, dammit! You didn't have to hurt my lover!" The words slipped out of his mouth. Before he could realize it, the damage was already done.

"I see how it is." Wiping my tears harshly, I stormed out of the room.

When I walked out of my room and entered the study, I screamed at the sight.

The wedding dress was torn to pieces and a dead snake's blood was splattered all over. I turned around and crouched over the toilet bowl, throwing up on the spot.

I stormed out, my body weak and heart pulsating.

"WHO DID THIS!?" I screamed over the common dinner table.

"It's a little goodbye gift, can't you see?" Karen said, eating buttered scallops as if nothing mattered. My senses were clouded as I threw the dress on the dinner table, ruining the food with the dress and the snake carcass splashing all over.

Surprisingly, Karen screamed and rushed behind Nate. Nate was screaming his head off at me, asking if I was insane.

"I'm asking you again, Nate. Who did this?" I just wanted to know at that point.

"It was me." Suddenly, Janet stood up and presented herself. She was calm throughout the ordeal.

"I did it. The snake was a victim of my loathing for you. You're leaving tonight, isn't it? Stay away from me and my pack and never bring your infertility luck to my pack ever again." I stared at Janet as her words pierced unhealed wounds.

Nate turned to hug Karen, who was crying loudly, complaining about how I ruined her favourite dinner.

That didn't make any sense to me. Still doesn't. Where did I ever go wrong in choosing a family?

Was I being cursed since birth?

Even my parents and best friend left me alone in this world.