The scent of Jasmin's arousal mixed with Leo's familiar pine pheromones drifted into my tiny room.

For six months, I listened to them mate exactly one hundred times.

"Mia, you are my only Mate," Leo would whisper to me every morning, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Once she breeds the heir, we will have our Mark ceremony."

I believed him, raising our secret five-year-old son in the shadows of the Blazetooth Pack.

Until tonight.

The Pack howled in celebration—Jasmin was finally pregnant.

And the Alpha's decree followed immediately: he was marking Jasmin as his true Luna tomorrow.

My son tugged at my sleeve. "Mom, why isn't Dad picking us up?"

I stroked his hair, dropping the silver medallion of the Southern Alpha King into my pocket.

"Because we're going to our real home, baby."

***

My fingers clamped around the cold silver badge in my pocket, the raised crest of the Southern Wolf clan biting into my palm. Outside the window, the Blazetooth Pack square erupted into a deafening roar.

"Quiet down, everyone!" Leo's voice boomed through the loudspeakers, vibrating against the thin glass of the packhouse corridor.

I stood in the shadows near the rear exit, gripping the fabric of my faded cotton dress. My five-year-old son, Lucas, pressed his small body against my leg.

"Well, well. Look who decided to skulk in the dark."

I turned my head. Tara, Jasmin's head maid, strutted down the hallway. She crossed her arms, a nasty smirk plastered across her face.

"Shouldn't you be in the kitchens, Mia?" Tara sneered. "The celebration feast needs more meat prepared. Or are you too busy spying on your betters?"

"I am not on duty tonight," I replied, keeping my voice flat.

"Not on duty?" Tara laughed loudly. "You are the Alpha's pity case. You are always on duty. Jasmin specifically asked for you to serve her wine tonight. She thought it would be fitting."

"Tell Jasmin to get her own wine," I said.

Tara stepped closer, her eyes flashing with a challenge. "Watch your tone. You are speaking about the future Luna."

"She is not Luna yet," I pointed out.

"She will be tomorrow," Tara snapped. "And once she is, the first thing she will do is throw you and that little brat out of the packhouse."

Lucas shrank behind me, burying his face in my skirt.

"Do not talk about my son," I warned, stepping directly into Tara's space.

She scoffed, though she took a half-step back. "Just get to the kitchen, Mia. Unless you want Alpha Leo to punish you again."

"I am done taking orders from you," I said. "And I am done serving Jasmin."

Before Tara could respond, another massive cheer shook the building.

"Mommy, why is Daddy up there?" Lucas asked, pointing his little finger toward the brightly lit stage visible through the large window.

Tara sneered one last time before turning on her heel. "Enjoy the show, loser."

I ignored her retreating figure and looked out the window. On the platform, Leo stood tall and proud. He wrapped his arm around Jasmin's waist, pulling her close. A heavy diamond crown rested on her blonde head, catching the harsh glare of the spotlights.

"Jasmin and I have an announcement," Leo declared, his voice echoing across the packed square. "She is carrying my heir!"

The crowd screamed their approval. Wolves howled into the night sky, their voices blending into a chaotic symphony of loyalty to their Alpha and his chosen mate.

"And tomorrow night," Leo continued, raising his hand to silence them again. "We will hold the official Mark ceremony. Jasmin will take her rightful place by my side."

Lucas tugged at my skirt. His grip was tight, wrinkling the cheap material. "Mommy? Why is Daddy going to have a ceremony with another auntie? Isn't he supposed to be with you?"

I knelt on the cold hardwood floor, bringing myself down to his eye level. I smoothed a stray curl away from his forehead. His skin felt so warm under my freezing fingertips.

"Because," I started, my voice remarkably steady. "Your father made a choice."

"But we lived in the cabin for so long," Lucas whispered, his lower lip trembling. "We ate stale bread so he could train. Didn't he say we would be happy when he became Alpha?"

"People change when they get power, Lucas," I said softly.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked. "Is that why Daddy does not want us?"

"No," I said sharply, grabbing his small shoulders. "You did nothing wrong. Never think that."

"Then why?"

"It is just for politics, Mia," Leo had told me on that first night, standing in the doorway of my cramped servant's quarters. "I need her father's influence to secure the elders' votes."

"You are sleeping in her room," I had argued back then.

"I will just visit her room to keep up appearances," Leo had insisted, grabbing my hands. "You know you are the only one I love."

Tonight marked the hundredth night he had walked into her bedroom. A hundred nights of appearances that resulted in a pregnancy and a diamond crown.

"Mommy?" Lucas's voice pulled me back to the present. "Are we going to watch the ceremony tomorrow?"

A hollow laugh scraped the back of my throat. I did not cry. The tears had dried up somewhere around night fifty.

"No, sweetie," I said, forcing a small smile for his sake. "We aren't going to watch."

"Where are we going?"

"We are going back to our real home."

I reached into my pocket and traced the edges of the silver badge one last time. The Southern Wolf clan. My clan. The family I abandoned to run away with a rogue who promised me the world and delivered nothing but lies.

"Are we leaving Daddy?" Lucas asked, his wide eyes searching my face.

"He left us first," I replied quietly. I stood up and took his small hand in mine. "Come on. We need to go before the crowd disperses."

"Will he be mad?"

"It does not matter anymore."

I turned my back on the glowing stage and the cheering crowd. Every step toward the heavy oak door at the end of the hall felt lighter than the last. The suffocating weight of the Blazetooth Pack, of Leo's empty promises, began to lift off my shoulders.

"Alpha Leo! Alpha Leo!" the pack chanted outside.

"Thank you, my people," Leo's voice drifted through the speakers, thick with arrogance. "Tomorrow, a new era begins for all of us."

I pushed the heavy door open. The cool night air hit my face, crisp and sharp. We stepped out onto the dirt path that led toward the border. No guards watched this exit during a major celebration. Everyone was too busy worshipping their new Luna.

"Keep up, Lucas," I urged, tightening my grip on his hand.

"My legs are tired," he mumbled, though he quickened his pace.

"I will carry you once we cross the tree line," I promised.

"Will Grandpa be there?" he asked.

"Yes," I said. "He will be."

We were halfway across the shadowed lawn when the microphone squealed with a sudden burst of feedback. The sharp noise pierced the night, making me flinch. The cheering abruptly died down, replaced by a confused murmur.

I did not stop walking. I did not look back.

"Hold on," Leo's voice boomed over the speakers, the smooth Alpha tone suddenly replaced by a sharp edge of panic. "Wait, where is Mia?"

I didn't stop walking. I didn't look back. The booming voice of Leo over the speakers faded into the background as I pulled Lucas toward the damp, mold-smelling basement that had served as our "home" for the past year.

The heavy wooden door scraped against the uneven concrete floor as I pushed it open. I flicked the single dangling bulb on, casting harsh shadows across the cramped room.

"Pack your favorite toy, Lucas," I instructed, my voice brisk.

I grabbed the worn canvas duffel bag from under the sagging mattress. No time for sentimentality. I shoved in Lucas's three threadbare shirts, two pairs of patched trousers, and his only warm sweater. From the bottom drawer of the rickety dresser, I pulled out the folded map of the Southern Kingdom. The thick parchment felt heavy in my hands, a stark contrast to the flimsy life I had built here.

"Are we leaving right now, Mommy?" Lucas asked, clutching a stuffed wolf missing one button eye.

"Yes. Right now." I stuffed the map into the side pocket of the bag and zipped it shut.

The door banged open, rebounding off the stone wall with a loud crack.

Leo stood in the doorway, his chest heaving. The heavy scent of Jasmin's cloying rose perfume rolled off him, suffocating the musty air of the basement. He yanked at his silk tie, loosening it with an impatient jerk.

"What do you think you are doing, Mia?" he demanded, stepping into the small space.

"Packing," I stated, not looking up as I checked the bag's strap.

He let out a short, exasperated breath. "I called your name over the speakers. You embarrassed me in front of the entire pack."

"You embarrassed yourself, Leo," I replied, finally meeting his gaze. "I am just leaving."

He closed the distance between us, reaching out to wrap his arms around me. "Come on, Mia. Don't be dramatic."

I twisted my body, stepping sideways. His hands grasped empty air.

"Don't touch me," I said, my tone ice. "You reek of her."

Leo dropped his hands, his jaw tightening. "I told you, this is just for the pack. Jasmin's father has the influence I need. It is politics."

"Politics got her pregnant?" I shot back.

He ran a hand through his perfectly styled hair, messing it up slightly. "It is an heir. The pack demanded it. But you know you are the only one I care about. Once she has the pup, things will settle down. I will still come down here. I will still see you and Lucas."

"You think I am going to stay in this basement and wait for your secret visits?" I asked, my voice rising. "While you parade around upstairs with your Luna and your new heir?"

"It is a good life, Mia!" he argued, his voice booming in the small room. "You have food, shelter. You are protected. What more do you want?"

I walked over to the small, soot-stained fireplace. A few embers still glowed faintly from the meager fire I had built earlier to keep Lucas warm. On the mantle sat a cheap paper calendar.

I ripped the top page off. It had a large '100' scrawled on it in black marker.

"One hundred nights," I said, holding the paper up. "One hundred nights you spent in her bed, claiming it was just for appearances."

I crumpled the paper in my fist and tossed it into the dying fire. The paper caught instantly, flaring up in a brief, bright burst before curling into black ash.

"Mia, stop this," Leo commanded, his Alpha tone slipping into his voice.

I reached for my left hand and twisted the cheap iron ring off my finger. The metal was dull, scratched from years of hard labor in the pack kitchens.

"And this," I said, holding the ring between my thumb and forefinger. "Seven years. I gave up my clan, my family, for this."

I flicked the ring into the fireplace. It landed in the ashes with a dull thud.

"Consider those seven years fed to the dogs," I told him, picking up the duffel bag and slinging it over my shoulder. "I am done."

Leo's eyes darkened, the amber irises flashing with sudden, raw fury. He lunged forward, his large hand snapping out to clamp down hard on my shoulder.

Leo's fingers stopped an inch from my collarbone. A pulse of pure energy radiated from my chest, invisible but heavy. It slammed directly into his sternum.

He stumbled backward, his boots scraping loudly against the rough concrete floor. His back hit the stone wall with a heavy thud, knocking a framed picture of his grandfather off the shelf. Glass shattered across the floor.

"What did you just do?" he demanded, rubbing his chest.

"I said, do not touch me," I told him, keeping my voice flat.

"You do not have an aura," he stammered, staring at his palms as if they had betrayed him. "You are just a kitchen servant. An Omega. Omegas do not repel Alphas."

"I am a lot of things you never bothered to learn about, Leo."

"What did you just do to me?" he demanded again, taking a step forward.

I did not back away. I held my ground, letting the residual energy hum beneath my skin. "I warned you. Keep your hands off me."

"Mia, wait. Where are you going?"

"Away from you."

"The guards will stop you!" he shouted, pushing himself off the wall. "You cannot leave the territory without my permission! I am the Alpha of the Blazetooth Pack!"

"Your title means nothing to me."

"You are throwing away a good life because of your pride!" he argued, stepping over the broken glass but keeping his distance. "Do you know what happens to rogues out there in the winter? You will freeze. Lucas will freeze."

"I would rather freeze than spend another second in this basement."

"Be reasonable, Mia. I can move you out of the basement. I will give you a room on the second floor. A guest room."

"A guest room?" I laughed, a harsh, bitter sound. "So I can be closer to your bedroom? So Jasmin can hear you visiting me while she carries your heir?"

"I can make you the head maid," Leo offered, his tone turning desperate. "You will not have to scrub pots anymore. You will manage the staff. You will have a salary. You can buy Lucas new clothes."

"You think you can buy my loyalty with a maid's uniform?"

"I am offering you a compromise!"

"I do not compromise on my dignity."

"I will not let you take my son."

"He stopped being your son the night you decided Jasmin's father was more important than your own family."

"I am doing this for the pack!"

"And I am leaving for my son."

I grabbed Lucas's small hand and walked right past him. Leo did not reach for me again. He just stood there, staring at the empty space I left behind, completely paralyzed by the sudden shift in power.

We climbed the narrow wooden stairs and pushed through the heavy side door. The wind howled immediately, whipping freezing snow against my face. The temperature had dropped significantly since the sun went down.

Suddenly, heavy footsteps crunched on the gravel path ahead.

"Hide," I whispered, shoving Lucas behind a stack of empty wooden crates near the kitchen exit.

Two Blazetooth guards stumbled past, laughing loudly. They clutched half-empty bottles of cheap ale.

"Did you see the size of that diamond?" the first guard slurred. "Alpha Leo really went all out for the new Luna."

"She deserves it," the second guard hiccuped. "Much better than that quiet Omega he used to keep around. What was her name? Maya?"

"Who cares? She is probably scrubbing the toilets right now."

They laughed again, their voices fading into the blizzard.

I grabbed Lucas's hand and pulled him out from behind the crates. "Keep quiet and walk fast," I instructed.

Lucas shivered, pressing his small body closer to my leg.

"Are we there yet, Mommy?" he mumbled, his teeth chattering.

"Almost, sweetie," I said, pulling his thin sweater tighter around his neck. "Just to the dead oak tree."

"My toes hurt."

"I know. Keep walking. Just a few more steps."

"Is Daddy coming with us?"

"No."

"Is he staying with the new auntie?"

"Yes. He is staying with her."

"Did he like her crown better than my drawings?"

My chest tightened. "His choices have nothing to do with you, Lucas. He just wanted different things."

"I want to go home."

"We are going home. A real home."

The tree stood at the very edge of the Blazetooth boundary line, its bare branches clawing at the dark sky. No guards patrolled this far out, especially not during Jasmin's coronation feast. They were all too busy drinking to their new Luna in the warm packhouse.

We reached the massive trunk. The bark felt rough and frozen under my bare fingers.

"What are we doing?" Lucas asked, wiping snow from his eyelashes.

"Calling for a ride," I answered.

I dug into my pocket and pulled out the pure silver badge. The Southern Wolf clan crest caught the faint moonlight. I ran my thumb over the hidden knot in the wood, finding the small, circular groove I had discovered five years ago.

"Is this a magic trick?" Lucas asked, watching my hands closely.

"Something like that."

I pressed the badge into the slot. It clicked. A faint metallic hum vibrated through the bark, dying out almost instantly.

We waited. The wind bit through my thin cotton dress, turning my skin numb. The snow piled up around our cheap canvas shoes.

"Mommy, it is cold," Lucas whimpered.

"I know," I murmured, rubbing his arms vigorously. "They will be here soon."

"Who will be here?"

"People who will treat you like a prince."

"Not like a servant?"

"Never again."

"Do they have a packhouse?" Lucas asked, his teeth chattering.

"They have a castle," I told him.

"A real castle? With knights?"

"With Royal Guards. The strongest wolves in the world."

"Stronger than Daddy?"

"Much stronger than your father."

"Will they be mad that we are small?"

"You are not small, Lucas. You have royal blood in your veins. They will bow to you."

He looked up at me, his wide eyes filled with confusion. He did not understand what royal blood meant, but he squeezed my hand anyway.

Headlights cut through the blizzard. Not one pair, but four. The roar of massive engines drowned out the howling wind.

Four heavy armored off-road vehicles tore through the snow curtain, their matte-black frames absorbing the moonlight. They skidded to a halt just three meters from the boundary line, sending a spray of white powder into the air.

Lucas gasped, hiding behind my legs. "Are those bad guys?"

"No," I said, squeezing his hand. "They are family."

The lead vehicle's heavy door swung open. A thick boot crunched into the deep snow.

Kael stepped out.

He wore pitch-black combat gear, the fabric pulled taut across his broad chest. A gold star medal gleamed on his shoulder, catching the harsh headlights. Three more soldiers stepped out of the vehicles behind him, their hands resting on the hilts of their silver blades.

The second his boots hit the ground, the air pressure shifted. His Lycan aura rolled out in a suffocating wave, so intense the falling snow seemed to freeze in mid-air. The howling wind died down to a faint whisper, overpowered by the sheer force of his presence.

"Mia," Kael said. His voice rumbled, deep and absolute.

"You took your time," I said, my jaw trembling from the cold.

He walked toward us, his gaze sweeping over my faded dress. He took in the frayed hems, the cheap fabric, the bruises on my wrists from hauling heavy pots in the kitchen. His jaw tightened, a dangerous light flashing in his dark eyes.

"You told us never to come looking for you," he replied, stopping right in front of me.

"I changed my mind."

"I can see that."

"Are you going to lecture me, Kael?"

"I am going to burn this entire pack to the ground," he stated, his voice dangerously calm. He glanced at the distant lights of the Blazetooth packhouse. "Their borders are pathetic. We drove right through their outer patrols. They did not even notice us."

"They are busy throwing a party."

"A party for a false Luna," Kael sneered. "I should march up there and rip his throat out for putting you in rags."

"Leave him," I said. "He is not worth the energy."

"He disrespected a Royal."

"He does not know what I am. Nobody here does."

Kael looked down. He finally noticed the shivering boy clinging to my leg. The hard lines of his face softened slightly. He crouched down, ignoring the snow soaking into his combat trousers.

"This is Lucas," I told him.

Kael stared at my son, his glowing eyes scanning the boy's face. "He has your eyes, Princess."

Lucas shrank back. "Are you a monster?"

Kael let out a low, rumbling chuckle. "Only to the people who hurt you, little one. To you, I am Uncle Kael."

"He is freezing, Kael," I interrupted.

"Then let us get you both warm."

"Are we going back to the Southern Kingdom?"

"The King has been waiting for this day for seven years," Kael answered, standing back up. "He never stopped looking at the borders."

"Will he forgive me?"

"He already has."

Kael reached for the heavy clasp at his throat and pulled the thick fabric from his own back.

He dropped to one knee in the snow and draped a Southern Royal cloak embroidered with gold thread over my freezing shoulders.