Samantha’s POV

"I wanted to be mated with Alpha Ethan from the Shadow Claw Pack..."

"W-What?" Mother was shaken to the core as she stood from her seat. "You mean...?"

I nodded, my whole body trembling. "I don’t want to be mated with Alexander..."

"Samantha, what do you mean you won’t agree to be Alexander’s Luna? The official mate ceremony is tomorrow!" my mother demanded, her voice laced with disbelief.

I had expected this reaction. I had spent days preparing myself for this conversation, but now that it was happening, my throat felt tight, and my heart pounded against my ribs. I had already told my mother—I didn’t want to be a Luna anymore. I didn’t want to be his Luna.

I didn't respond immediately. Instead, I met her gaze, my eyes reflecting the turmoil within me. I bit my lower lip, fighting back the tears threatening to spill.

She studied me for a long moment, searching for an answer I wasn't ready to voice.

Her face softened with realization. A deep sigh escaped her lips before she turned away, shaking her head. "Fine. If that's what you want, then so be it. But understand this, Samantha—if you refuse to be Alexander's Luna, then you will have to marry Alpha Ethan. You need this. The pack needs this. Do you understand?"

Her words echoed in my head, but I barely registered them. My mind was elsewhere, reliving the moment that had shattered my heart. I could still see them, Alexander, my supposed mate, the man who was meant to be mine, tangled in an intimate embrace with someone else.

His hands… the way they roamed, tracing familiar patterns as if he had done it a hundred times before. Her fingers curled into his hair, pulling him closer, their bodies pressed together in a way that left no room for doubt. Then, I heard it—the whispered promise that shattered everything.

"I love you, not her."

I closed my eyes, trying to erase the burning memories from my mind, like a nightmare that haunts me.

And it’s not just anyone… my own sister.

I can’t tell them who it is or the reason why… not to my parents. They won’t believe me.

The betrayal had been swift and brutal, slicing through me like a blade. It was a wound that refused to heal, and now, standing here before my mother, being forced into another decision that wasn’t mine to make, that wound burned anew.

"I understand," I whispered, though the words felt hollow.

"Good, think about this first," my mother replied, her tone devoid of warmth. Without another word, she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving me standing there, my world crumbling around me.

---

The mating ceremony was set to take place tomorrow. And yet, everything I thought I knew about Alexander, everything I had believed in, was suddenly different.

I met Alexander because of the alliance between our packs, mine, the Phantom Crescent Pack, and his, the Stormborn Wolves Pack. Since the moment we were betrothed, our bond had remained strong, our relationship thriving under the circumstances.

Alexander was the Alpha, born into a distinguished bloodline. He had taken over as leader when his father, the ancient Alpha, stepped down. He was powerful, commanding, and enigmatic. His presence alone demanded respect. And with his towering height, chiseled features, and magnetic aura, he was undeniably captivating.

For five years, we had been together, and never once did we fight. He treated me with love, devotion, and assurance, making me believe he was my destiny. I had thought our love was unbreakable. But that night, what should have been the pinnacle of my happiness, the realization of my dream, everything shattered.

During the announcement of our mating ceremony, I felt an unease creeping in. Then, my worst fear unfolded.

Alexander had invited someone to our ceremony, before the official mating bond was to be sealed the following day. And that someone was my sister, Cassandra.

The moment I saw her, my chest tightened. Memories of all the pain she had inflicted on me came rushing back.

The way she would yank my hair, dragging me across the floor as I screamed. The cruel insults she hurled at me, telling me I was worthless, that no one would ever love me. The slaps that left my skin burning, the bruises I had to hide. I could still hear her mocking laughter the night she locked me outside in the freezing cold, forcing me to beg to be let in. All of it still haunted me.

But what truly broke me was that she destroyed something precious to me, my necklace, the one Alexander gave me.

And now, here she was, standing in the middle of what was supposed to be my happiest moment.

My heart pounded as I turned to Alexander, pleading with him. "Why did you invite Cassandra? You know what she’s done to me! You were there! You saw everything! Please, Alexander!"

But instead of the comforting reassurance I had always received from him, I was met with something else entirely.

His expression hardened, his eyes cold and unrecognizable. Then, without warning, he shoved me. Hard.

I gasped as I stumbled backward, the force of his push sending me crashing onto the floor. Pain shot through my body as I lay there, stunned.

His voice exploded with rage, sharp and venomous. "You don’t get to tell me what to do, Samantha! I will invite whoever the hell I want, and you will deal with it!"

At that moment, I realized, something was terribly wrong.

The man I loved, the man I had trusted for years, was no longer the same. Something had changed, and I was about to find out just how much.

Samantha’s POV

"I'm not going to listen to you! Why don’t you contribute something instead of complaining?! I can do whatever I want. If I want to invite your sister, then I will invite her!"

His words sliced through me like a dagger. Before I could even process them, he turned his back on me and walked away, leaving me standing there—confused, hurt, and humiliated. I bit my lip, willing myself not to cry, but the tears welled up anyway. My hands trembled as I clenched them into fists at my sides.

Alexander never treated me like this before. Why now? What changed?

Determined to get answers, I started to follow him, but before I could reach him, the ceremony began. The grand celebration filled the room with laughter, music, and lively chatter. Everyone around me was having the time of their lives, yet I felt completely out of place. My heart pounded as I searched for Alexander, weaving through the crowd in desperation.

"Have you seen Alexander?" I asked Dante, his Beta, barely able to mask my anxiety.

Dante glanced at me, then pointed toward the dance floor. "I think I saw Alpha over there."

I turned in the direction he indicated, and my world shattered into pieces.

There he was. In the middle of the dance floor. With her.

Cassandra.

She was in his arms, her laughter light and carefree. They swayed to the rhythm, completely lost in each other. The way Alexander looked at her, so warm, so full of something I hadn’t seen in his eyes for me in a long time, was enough to tear me apart. He held her close, their fingers entwined, and for a moment, it was as if I no longer existed.

A sob caught in my throat, but I swallowed it down.

Why? Why are they dancing? Why do they look so happy together?

I moved forward, unable to stop myself. "A-Alexander?" My voice came out shakier than I intended.

He stopped mid-spin, his gaze locking onto mine. But there was no guilt. No regret. Just irritation.

"What is it? Can't you see I’m in the middle of something?" he snapped.

I turned to Cassandra, who met my eyes without a trace of shame. She knew. She knew I was supposed to be Luna. And yet, here she was, in his arms as if I never mattered.

"A-Alexander, please," I whispered. "Let’s talk."

He exhaled sharply, his patience clearly running thin. "No. There's nothing we need to talk about."

And then, I snapped.

"Please stop dancing with her! She ruined my life!" My voice rang out, louder than I intended. I couldn’t stop myself. I had to say it!

The entire area fell silent. All eyes turned to me, some in shock, others in amusement. A wave of humiliation crashed over me, but I stood my ground. Cassandra, however, only smirked, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.

And then, Alexander looked at me. The moment our gazes met, I saw it, the irritation, the disbelief.

"What the hell are you doing?!" he asked, his tone laced with annoyance.

Before I could answer, my father stormed toward me. His face twisted with anger, his fists clenched so tightly I thought he might strike me right then and there.

"Samantha!" he hissed. "What do you think you’re doing?!"

I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying to find the right words. "Father… Cassandra….she's stealing Alexander from me!" My voice broke, my desperation clear.

"What?" My father scoffed, shaking his head. "Cassandra would never do such a thing. Stop being foolish! They are just dancing. Why are you making such a big deal out of this?!"

My heart pounded against my chest. "But—"

"Samantha, you’re always overthinking things," Cassandra interrupted, her voice sickly sweet. "In fact, I haven’t done anything wrong." She took a step toward me, her expression shifting to one of mock concern. "You know what? You’re just being delusional at this point."

A murmur rippled through the crowd. Pack members whispered among themselves, their judgmental gazes piercing through me. I felt small, humiliated, my dignity slipping away by the second.

"No," I whispered, shaking my head, refusing to accept this. "That’s not the case. Please, Alexander." I turned to him, my last hope. I needed him to see me, to defend me.

But instead, his expression hardened. And then, to my absolute horror—

He slapped me.

The force sent me crashing to the floor, pain exploding across my cheek. Gasps filled the room. My mother screamed my name, trying to rush toward me, but my father stopped her, his grip firm.

"You will do nothing," he said coldly. "Let her learn her place!"

I could barely breathe. My hands trembled as I touched my burning cheek, the sting of his palm still fresh.

And then, Alexander spoke. "You need to understand where you stand in this life. We were just dancing, there was no need for this outburst." His voice was devoid of emotion, completely detached. "Don’t humiliate your sister. You needed me, and that’s why we are all here. Do you understand?"

Tears welled up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I lifted my gaze to meet his, my entire body shaking. Slowly, painfully, I pushed myself to my feet.

I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. "You’ve changed." My voice was barely above a whisper, but the weight of my words was undeniable. My gaze shifted to Cassandra. "Because of her."

And just like that, I ran. Away from the stares. Away from the whispers. Away from him!

I will get out of here… no matter what it takes. I won’t let them break me. I will fight, I will survive, and I will make sure of it!

Samantha’s POV

When I finally reached my house, I covered my face. Everything around me blurred. My vision was hazy, my breath shallow. I felt as if everything was falling apart. Nothing seemed stable anymore.

And then, as if out of nowhere, Mom appeared. She rushed to my side, her voice soft but firm, “Samantha, you need to calm down. I know this hurts. I know it feels unbearable. But please, just breathe. It will be okay.”

Her arms wrapped around me, trying to comfort me, but I couldn’t find peace in her embrace. It wasn’t the warmth of her hug that I needed; it was something else. My mind was screaming, and my heart was fractured. Before she could say anything more, I stopped her. My voice cracked, filled with pain, and my words spilled out without thinking.

“I want to cancel the mating bond. I don’t want to give it to Alexander, Mom.”

I didn’t even know if she could understand the weight of what I was saying. I was desperate to stop it all, to halt the ceremony before it could happen, before I had to face him again.

She looked at me, her face shifting into concern. “Samantha, I understand. But you need to think this through. There are consequences to these actions. Things won’t be easy if you go through with this. You need to consider everything.”

But at that moment, I couldn’t care less about the consequences. They seemed so insignificant compared to the storm raging inside me. Nothing else mattered except stopping the pain, stopping what felt like my life spiraling out of control.

I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away. I couldn’t make sense of it. Alexander and I had been fine. We had been okay—at least, that’s what I had thought. So why had everything turned upside down? Why did it feel like I was caught in a trap? Something wasn’t right, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that Cassandra was somehow behind it all. She had always been manipulative, and now, it seemed, she had twisted things even further.

I couldn’t understand how she had pulled Alexander in, how she had turned him against me.

---

The next morning, a sense of dread washed over me. I knew I had to tell my father what was happening, but how could I? Tonight was the night of the ceremony with Alexander, and I had no idea how to face him. How could I walk into that room, knowing everything that had happened, knowing how betrayed I felt?

And then, as if the universe had other plans, Alexander called me.

“The Alpha is looking for you,” said one of the servants.

He summoned me to the pack house, and despite everything, I couldn’t refuse. I had to go. I didn’t know why, but something in me urged me to answer his call, even if it terrified me.

When I arrived, the servants were already busy preparing for the ceremony. They were arranging everything, setting up the decorations, and making sure everything was in place. It was all so carefully orchestrated, yet I couldn’t escape the feeling that it was a show—a performance for everyone else.

“Samantha, come here,” I heard Alexander’s voice. It cut through the tension like a knife.

I walked towards him, each step feeling heavier than the last. When I finally stood in front of him, I couldn’t look him in the eye. My gaze dropped, my heart pounding in my chest. He wasn’t the Alexander I had known; he was someone else now, someone I couldn’t trust.

“What is it?” I managed to whisper. My voice was shaky, betraying the fear I felt inside.

I wanted to scream, to ask him why everything had changed. Why he was doing this to me. But instead, I stood there, frozen, unable to move. My anger boiled beneath the surface, but I didn’t know how to express it. I couldn’t understand him anymore. He had hurt me, betrayed me, and now, he was here, standing in front of me, like nothing had happened.

One swift motion, and he was closer. It was almost as if I was caught in his sway, unable to escape, even though every fiber of my being screamed for me to run. He reached out to me, and I recoiled, my heart racing in panic. The air around us felt thick, suffocating. My breath caught in my throat, but I said nothing. I had no words left.

Even though he had hurt me, even though his touch now felt like a threat, I couldn’t walk away. I was trapped, not just by him, but by my own heart, torn between the person he once was and the person he had become.

Suddenly, every memory we shared came rushing back, the warmth of his touch, the way my heart raced whenever he was near, the moments that once felt like forever.

I had loved him with all my heart... yet, why did it all lead to this?

He grabbed my wrist, pulling me closer to him. "Look, I'm sorry for what happened. It wasn’t intentional. Maybe I just got carried away with what I was feeling because you yelled at me. It felt like you were accusing me of doing something with your sister behind your back."

His words left me stunned.

“Of course, she’s your sister, and she deserves to see the ceremony. She’s part of the family that’s why I invited her.”

I couldn’t understand why Alexander was saying these things. It felt as though he was manipulating me, like he was gaslighting me. I wasn’t angry when I confronted him that night. I simply wanted answers. Yet somehow, it felt like all the blame was being placed on me.

“I wasn’t mad at you that night,” I said, trying to steady my breath. “I just wanted to understand why you invited her, even though you know everything she’s done to me.”

He reached out, gently adjusting a strand of hair that had fallen across my face, his touch sending a shiver down my spine. “Well, the past is the past. You need to move on,” he said, his voice soft yet firm.

His words were like a slap to my soul. How could he say something so cold? I wanted to argue with him, to tell him it wasn’t that simple. That the pain he caused wasn’t something I could just forget. But I bit my lip, swallowing my anger. I wasn’t ready for a fight, not now.

“And our mating ceremony is about to begin. I want you to prepare,” he continued, his voice now more commanding. “We’ll see each other later, and I can’t wait for you to be my Luna.”

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself, but my thoughts were a whirlwind. I had so many questions, so much anger, yet I was supposed to let it all go.

“Okay.”

“Good,” he said, turning to leave.

I stood there for a moment, stunned, before I walked away, trying to collect myself. This ceremony was supposed to bring us together.

For a brief moment, the heaviness in my chest eased. Maybe he was right. Maybe I had overreacted. It wasn’t like him to hurt me on purpose. But no matter how I tried to convince myself, the doubt lingered.

I needed to focus, to prepare for what was coming. The ceremony wasn’t something I could just avoid.

As I finished getting ready for the ceremony, I looked around for Alexander. I needed to speak to him again, to see where his mind was at.

“Samantha!” I heard my father’s voice calling out from behind me. “It’s time. Remember, you’re doing this for our tribe. For our future.”

I nodded, trying to gather my thoughts. “Yes, Father. I’m just looking for Alexander.”

“Alright, we’ll wait for you,” he said, walking away to join the others.

I asked around, hoping someone could point me to him. “Have you seen Alexander?”

“He’s in his office,” someone replied.

I nodded, heading toward the pack-house. But as I approached the door, I paused. I heard muffled voices—moans that sent a chill through me.

“Alex,” a voice moaned, soft and seductive. My stomach churned as I recognized the voice.

It was Cassandra.

And then I heard Alexander’s voice, low and gruff. “Ohh, baby…”

My heart froze.

My legs felt like they might give way beneath me.

I knew what was happening, and I couldn’t bring myself to open the door to confront them.

The world around me seemed to shatter, piece by piece. The worst possible thing had happened, on the very night of the mating ceremony.