Calla's POV

The scents of roasted meats and spiced vegetables filled the grand dining hall, but I had no appetite. Seated at the ornate table, I felt their eyes on me—Alpha Garett, Luna Selina, and Hera, the golden-haired girl who once believed she was their daughter. Across from me, Hera offered a sweet smile, her eyes sharp and calculating beneath it.

The tension was suffocating. My fork scraped against the plate, the sound grating in the oppressive silence. Alpha Garett broke it first. “Calla, I know this is overwhelming, but you’re home now. You are the rightful heir, our true daughter. Your place is here.”

I set my fork down, trying to keep my trembling hands steady. “You keep saying that, but I don’t even know you. I grew up in the human world. My parents—” My voice cracked. “They raised me.”

Selina reached across the table, her hand warm on mine. “They loved you, and we’re grateful they kept you safe. But the human world was never meant for you. You belong here, Calla.”

I pulled my hand back. “I don’t belong anywhere—not here, not there. Everything I trusted is gone. And now you expect me to just... accept this?”

Before anyone could respond, a knock echoed through the hall. The doors creaked open, revealing a tall man with piercing blue eyes. His commanding presence filled the room.

Alpha Garett stood. “Ah, Jacob. Perfect timing.”

The man—Jacob—nodded to Garett but kept his attention fixed on me. “So, this is her,” he said smoothly, his tone carrying both curiosity and judgment.

Luna Selina’s smile was strained. “Calla, this is Alpha Jacob Windsor, son of the Alpha King and leader of the Windsor Pack. He is also... your future husband.”

The room spun. “What?” I whispered.

“It’s tradition,” Garett said firmly. “As the heiress to this pack, it’s your duty to strengthen alliances. A union with the Windsor Pack ensures peace and prosperity.”

“You can’t be serious,” I said, my voice shaking. “I don’t even know him.”

Jacob leaned casually against the doorframe, his smirk sharp. “I’m not thrilled either, but duty is duty.”

His indifference ignited a spark of defiance in me. “I’m not marrying anyone. I don’t care about your traditions or alliances. This isn’t my world.”

The silence that followed was deafening. Garett’s jaw tightened, while Selina’s eyes softened with something like sympathy. “You’ll understand in time,” she said gently. “This is your destiny, Calla.”

I pushed my chair back, the screech of wood against stone cutting through the quiet. “Destiny?” I laughed bitterly. “My destiny was stolen the moment I was dragged into this nightmare.”

Storming out, I walked aimlessly through the hallways, desperate for air. I stopped in a courtyard, the cool night breeze brushing my skin as I tried to steady my thoughts. How could they expect me to marry a stranger? To become someone I wasn’t?

“You’re running away already?”

The voice startled me. I turned to see Jacob stepping out of the shadows. “What do you want?” I snapped.

“To talk,” he said calmly. “You’re not the only one who didn’t ask for this. But we don’t always get to choose our paths.”

I crossed my arms, shielding myself from his gaze. “And what if I refuse? What if I walk away?”

Jacob stepped closer. “Then you’ll face the consequences. In this world, running isn’t an option.”

Before I could respond, he turned and disappeared into the shadows. My chest tightened, my thoughts spinning, when another figure emerged.

Hera.

She approached, her smile sweet but her eyes glittering with malice. “You’re quick to storm out, aren’t you?”

“What do you want?” I asked, exhausted.

“To make something clear,” she said with feigned sweetness. “You don’t belong here. You’re an intruder in a world you don’t understand.”

Anger bubbled beneath my skin. “If this is your way of trying to scare me, it won’t work.”

She laughed softly, the sound cold and hollow. “Scare you? No, Calla. I’m giving you a reality check. You’re not the savior of this pack. You’re a disruption. And disruptions get dealt with.”

Her words were a thinly veiled threat. My fists clenched. “What are you trying to say?” I demanded.

Hera leaned closer, her voice a venomous whisper. “Stay, and you’ll regret it. I’ll make sure of it. I’ve fought too hard for everything—my family, my position, and Jacob. I won’t let you take any of it from me.”

She straightened, her gaze piercing. “You’re not ready for the war you’re walking into, Calla. And when it comes for you, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

With that, she turned and disappeared into the shadows, leaving me frozen in place, her words echoing in my mind.

Calla's POV

I couldn’t sleep. The weight of it all churned in my mind—the lies, the betrayal, the overwhelming scent of the werewolf realm clinging to me. This wasn’t my life. It wasn’t my world. I didn’t belong here.

While the mansion slept, I slipped out of bed, the cold stone floor biting at my feet. The path through the forest stretched ahead, dark and unfamiliar, but anything was better than staying. I wasn’t the daughter they claimed. I wasn’t their future Luna. I wasn’t anyone but Calla, the girl desperate to escape.

I hadn’t gone far when a voice cut through the stillness. “Running away already?”

I spun around to see Hera leaning casually against a tree, her smirk as sharp as the moonlight on her cheekbones.

“I’m leaving,” I snapped, fists clenched. “You can have it all—the pack, the parents, even Jacob. I don’t care.”

Hera tilted her head, amusement dancing in her eyes. “And go where? The humans don’t want you anymore, Calla. You don’t belong here, but you certainly don’t belong there.”

I glared at her, willing my voice not to crack. “I don’t belong anywhere. But at least I’m not you.”

Her laugh followed me as I turned and walked away. I told myself her words didn’t matter, but they lingered, twisting in my chest like a thorn.

Hours later, I reached the edge of the human world. My old mansion loomed ahead, but it wasn’t the sanctuary I remembered. A "For Sale" sign leaned crookedly in the yard, and standing in front of it were Heron and Vivien. Laughing. Together. Her hand rested on her stomach, his arm draped possessively around her.

I froze, anger and hurt warring inside me. But before I could step forward, a hand clamped down on my arm, pulling me back. I spun around to find Jacob, his golden eyes blazing.

“You think you can just leave?” His voice was low, dangerous. Before I could answer, he shifted into his wolf form, and with a swift lunge, his teeth caught the fabric of my shirt. I screamed as he dragged me back into the forest, his grip unyielding.

By the time we returned to the pack, I was exhausted, my voice hoarse from shouting. Jacob shifted back into his human form, his gaze pinning me in place. “You can’t keep running, Calla,” he said, his voice calm but unrelenting. “You’re mine.”

“What are you talking about?” I hissed, backing away.

His response was a kiss—fierce, possessive, leaving no room for argument. Then his teeth grazed my neck, and a searing heat shot through me. I gasped, stumbling back as Livi’s voice screamed in my head. He’s marking us!

“Too late now,” Jacob murmured, his smirk infuriatingly smug. “You’re mine.”

I couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. Panic clawed at my chest as his guards seized my arms. Luna Selina and Alpha Garett were waiting when we arrived, their disappointment hitting me like a physical blow.

“You’re ungrateful,” Garett thundered, his fists clenched. “After everything we’ve done for you.”

Hera stepped forward, her voice syrupy sweet. “I tried to stop her,” she said, cradling a scratched arm. “She attacked me.”

“That’s a lie!” I shouted, my voice cracking. “I never touched you!”

But my protests were drowned out by Jacob’s commanding voice. “Enough. The ceremony will happen tonight.”

They dragged me to my room and chained me to the bedframe. I screamed, pounded against the chains, but it was no use. Hours stretched into eternity, my fear growing with each passing moment. When the door finally opened, it wasn’t relief I felt but dread.

The guards hauled me to the grand hall, where the entire pack waited. The elder began chanting, his voice deep and resonant. Jacob stood at the center, his eyes locked on mine with the confidence of someone who thought he’d already won.

Then I smelled it. Sharp, earthy, and unmistakable. My head snapped up, my pulse quickening.

Mate. Livi’s voice was soft but certain. He’s here.

I scanned the crowd frantically until I found him. Felix Windsor. Jacob’s twin. His eyes met mine, and the bond hit me like a bolt of lightning. My breath caught, my heart raced. This wasn’t just attraction—it was something primal, undeniable.

Jacob’s voice broke through the haze. “Calla.”

But I couldn’t look at him. My focus was on Felix, the man who felt like salvation. The pull between us was electric, an unspoken promise.

And yet, Jacob’s mark burned on my neck—a chain I couldn’t break. My mind raced. Was it too late? Or was there still a way out?

As Jacob stepped closer and the elder’s voice rose, I realized one thing: if there was a way out, I had to find it. And fast.

3rd Person POV

Heron Kingston smirked as he pocketed the check. The sale of Calla’s mansion was finalized, and her estate was now someone else’s problem. The news of her death had barely been mourned before Heron stepped in as the grieving fiancé turned secret husband. Everyone had believed his story—Calla’s employees had already suspected a hidden romance between them, and the forged evidence sealed the deal.

By the time the lawyers reviewed Calla’s will, Heron had already spun his web. Calla had trusted him completely, leaving everything in his name. He played the devastated partner well enough that no one questioned his inheritance. Her employees, swayed by the staged photos and manipulated text exchanges, were convinced of the so-called fairytale romance.

But none of it was an accident. Heron and Vivien had been eyeing Calla’s life for years, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. They had studied her, infiltrated her world, and waited for her to let her guard down. Heron had made his calculated move at the charity gala, weaving himself into her life with precision. Vivien, meanwhile, had worked her way into Calla’s trust as her closest friend. Together, they orchestrated every detail, from Heron’s charm offensive to Vivien’s careful manipulation of Calla’s confidence.

Heron leaned back in his chair, recalling the beginning of their plan. Calla had been dazzling at that gala, her laughter drawing him in like a siren’s call. Her vulnerability had been easy to spot, though—hidden behind her confident facade. She wanted love, craved it like a drug, and he knew exactly how to provide just enough to hook her. A charming smile here, a carefully chosen compliment there, and she was his.

Calla’s parents’ death had only made things easier. What Calla never suspected was that Heron had been involved, pulling strings behind the scenes to ensure their demise. The car accident that claimed their lives wasn’t fate—it was a carefully executed plan. Their deaths left Calla alone, vulnerable, and desperate for connection, which Heron gladly provided.

She’d fallen hard, convinced he was her happily ever after. Heron had made her believe in a love that didn’t exist. She handed him her heart and her fortune without hesitation. Manipulating her was almost too easy. All it had taken was a steady stream of lies and staged acts of affection.

“The company’s next,” Vivien said, swirling her wine. “Once we sell it, we’ll disappear. Somewhere tropical. Somewhere quiet.”

Heron nodded, sipping his whiskey. “Of course, and we need to move fast before anyone starts asking questions.”

“Do you think anyone suspects?” Vivien’s voice was low.

“Not a chance,” Heron said. “Calla was too trusting. She handed me everything: the will, the shares…her heart. She was easy to manipulate.” He chuckled. “All I had to do was tell her what she wanted to hear.”

Vivien smiled, but the tension in her posture didn’t go unnoticed. “Still, I can’t shake the feeling someone’s watching us. What if—”

Heron waved her off. “Stop worrying. It’s done. Calla is gone.”

But Vivien’s laughter was cut short by the sharp ring of Heron’s phone. He frowned at the unknown number before answering. “Hello?”

“You idiot!” a woman’s voice screamed, loud enough for Vivien to hear. Heron’s stomach dropped. “You had one job, and you failed! Calla is alive, you fool.”

Heron’s throat went dry. “What are you talking about?”

“She’s alive,” the woman snapped. “And not just alive—she’s with her real parents, the Alpha and Luna, here in my world. Do you understand what this means? Everything you’ve taken is at risk.”

Heron staggered. “Impossible. She’s dead. I saw—”

“You fool! You saw nothing,” the voice cut in. “She’s alive and ruining everything now. Fix this. Do something. Do you hear me, Heron? I will end you myself if you can't fix your mess!”

The line went dead. Heron stood frozen, the phone slipping from his hand.

“Who was that?” Vivien asked, her voice tight.

Heron’s face was pale. “Vivien...Calla’s alive.”

Vivien’s wine glass fell, shattering on the floor. Her eyes were wide with panic. “W-What? Heron, what do we do now?”

Heron’s jaw tightened. “We finish what we started.”

Vivien hesitated, fear flashing across her face. “How? She’s not just alive—she’s with them. The werewolf world… that’s not something we can touch.”

Heron’s expression darkened. “I don’t care who or what she’s with. She’s a threat. And threats need to be eliminated. You wanted the good life, didn’t you? Then stick to the plan.”

Vivien nodded reluctantly, but the tremor in her hand didn’t escape Heron’s notice. He downed the rest of his whiskey, his mind racing. If Calla was truly alive, then everything he’d worked for could crumble in an instant. No—he couldn’t let that happen. He would end her, by hook or by crook.