The cold wind bit at Lillith’s skin as she stepped outside, but it was nothing compared to the frost forming in her heart. For years, she had endured humiliation and heartbreak. But no more.

Just moments ago, she had been seated at the long dining table, facing Alpha Damien—the man she had given years of her life to. He sat in silence, his focus on the meal before him. Lillith’s gaze lingered on him, searching for the love they once shared, but all she saw was a man lost in his own ambitions.

A soft knock had broken the tense quiet. An Omega entered, bowing respectfully. “Alpha, you have a visitor.”

Damien set his fork down and waved dismissively. “Let him in.”

The door had opened, revealing a familiar figure—one of Damien’s closest friends. The man greeted Damien warmly and took a seat beside him, barely acknowledging Lillith’s presence. As they spoke, their words shifted into the ancient language of the kingdom, assuming she couldn’t understand.

“So, Selene is really going to be your Luna, huh?” the man had asked, his tone teasing.

Damien smirked. “Yes. It’s for the future of the Bloodmoon Pack. Her connections will strengthen us.”

“Don’t lie to yourself. You care about her, don’t you? That’s why you’re marrying her instead.”

Damien chuckled softly, the sound like a dagger to Lillith’s heart. “Of course. Selene means a lot to me.”

They didn’t know. They didn’t know that she, far from being a simple Omega, understood every word. She was no ordinary woman.

Unbeknownst to them, Lillith was a princess—a hidden heir to the royal bloodline. Her lineage, traced directly to the Moon Goddess herself, was one of the most sacred and powerful in the kingdom. The ice bloodline, passed through her family for generations, bestowed upon her abilities that few could even comprehend. The mark of her power—a delicate, glowing white vein etched along her wrist—was visible only to those who knew what to look for.

When she was born, healers and royal maids had witnessed the mark, and the news spread like wildfire. Her true identity was too dangerous to be known, so her family concealed her existence from the world. She was raised in secrecy, her name and face hidden from the public eye. Only a select few nobles were entrusted with the truth of her power.

A week ago, hope had filled Lillith’s heart. She had discovered she was pregnant, and the joy of a child growing within her had spurred her to take the next step in her relationship with Damien. She had planned to propose.

Her confidante, Mira, had been the first to know. But Mira’s face had turned pale as she hesitantly handed Lillith her phone.

“You need to see this,” Mira had whispered.

Confused, Lillith took the phone and stared at the screen. A screenshot of a post filled the display.

It was from Selene, the daughter of a neighboring Alpha. The woman who was always by Damien’s side.

[Finally, he proposed to me! I knew this day would come. I can’t believe it happened now.]

Lillith’s chest tightened. “I… I didn’t see this before.”

Mira hesitated before replying. “That’s because she blocked you. Not just her—Damien’s mother and some of the pack members did too. They didn’t want you to know.”

Lillith’s hands trembled as she scrolled through the comments.

[You’re a perfect match!] [I’m so glad that Omega isn’t going to be our Luna.] [Selene is so much better. Thank the Moon Goddess!]

And Damien’s mother… her words burned.

[I always knew Selene was the right choice. That Omega was never good enough for my son.]

Her stomach churned as the betrayal unfolded before her eyes. Damien, the man she had loved for years, had already chosen someone else—and the entire pack celebrated her downfall.

The same week, during the eclipse, Lillith’s most vulnerable moment arrived. The pain struck her like lightning, ripping through her body.

“Damien,” she cried through their mind-link, her voice filled with desperation. “Please… save our baby!”

But the bond remained silent. Damien never answered.

Alone, she clutched her stomach as agony consumed her. Tears streamed down her face, mixing with sweat as she whispered prayers to the Moon Goddess.

When she awoke in the hospital, the emptiness in her womb was like a gaping wound. She had a miscarriage. Her child was gone. For three days, she lay in that sterile room, waiting for Damien to come. He never did.

Back in the present, Lillith forced herself to remain calm as Damien and his friend continued their conversation.

“Our ceremony will be grand,” Damien said smugly. “Selene deserves nothing less.”

His friend laughed. “You’re in love, admit it! But are you sure she doesn’t understand us?”

Damien glanced at Lillith, dismissive. “She can’t. She’s just a lowly Omega.”

Lillith’s nails bit into her palm, the sting grounding her. She couldn’t stay here. Not after everything she’d heard. He didn’t even know she was already aware of the engagement. Of course, they never intended to let her know. They wanted to treat her like a fool.

She rose from the table, her chair scraping against the floor. Damien barely noticed as she turned and left the room.

Upstairs, she stood by her window, staring at the barren trees outside. Her mind was heavy with all she had lost, all she had endured. And then, a familiar voice echoed through her mind.

“Father,” Lillith said, her tone firm yet tinged with vulnerability. “I want to return to the palace. I can’t stay here anymore.”

Her father’s response was immediate, his voice steady and commanding. “Come home, Lillith. Your presence is needed. Victor… he’s been murdered.”

The words hit her like a thunderclap. Lillith’s breath hitched as her legs threatened to give way. Victor, her elder brother, had always been a cruel shadow in her childhood, yet his death left her shaken. Memories of his harsh treatment surfaced—bruises hidden under long sleeves and tear-filled nights—but the bond of blood still tethered her to grief.

Her thoughts shifted to Xavier, her second elder brother, the only one who had shown her kindness in a world that often seemed void of it. “Xavier… does he know?” she asked.

“He does. We’re waiting for you, Lillith.”

The mind-link severed.

With one last glance at the place she once called home, Lillith turned away, her heart hardened with resolve. The past had shattered her, but she would not let it define her future.

It was time to return to where she truly belonged.

Shadows flickered across the walls of Lillith’s chamber as she sat beside the frost-covered window, gripping the dimly glowing crescent-shaped pendant her mother had entrusted to her before she departed from the palace. A soft, rhythmic glow pulsed against her palm, a reassuring presence that reminded her of the Moon Goddess’s guidance and the sacred lineage flowing through her veins.

She had battled to remain with the Bloodmoon Pack, foolishly clinging to the notions of love and solemn vows. "I love him," she had begged her family, desperation in her voice. "Please, let me stay. I’ll be safe. I promise!"

Xavier, the second eldest of her brothers, had been the most unyielding in his opposition, his furious gaze burning into her. “They’ll never protect you the way we can, Lillith! You’re the ice princess, for the Moon’s sake. Do you honestly think they even comprehend what you are? Do you understand what’s at risk?”

Yet, she had disregarded his warnings, choosing instead to put her faith in Damien’s ability to keep her safe. After all, he had once been her savior—three years ago, during a kidnapping attempt orchestrated by a rebel faction. That day, when he pulled her back from the edge of death, she had convinced herself that he was her fate.

Her knight in shining armor.

But now, she barely recognized the man she had once cherished. The truth was harsh and inescapable: Damien was not her protector. He was her ruin.

Morning arrived, accompanied by a fever that stubbornly refused to subside, her body once again betraying her. Each step to the pack’s infirmary felt heavier than the last, yet she forced herself forward.

The healer, an elderly woman with streaks of silver running through her hair, examined her with a gentle touch. “Your body is still responding to the loss,” she murmured, sympathy shining in her eyes. “You must rest, child. Your recovery isn’t over yet.”

Lillith gave a slow, lifeless nod, but she knew that no amount of rest could mend the gaping wound inside her chest. The absence of her child—the last link she had to a future—was an agony that would never fade.

Upon returning to the pack house, she found it unsurprising that Damien was, once again, nowhere to be found. Mira, the only person she could still confide in, met her at the entrance with an uneasy expression.

“He’s with her again,” Mira whispered, her tone cautious.

Lillith tensed, already knowing exactly who "her" referred to.

“Did he mention when he’d return?” she inquired, her voice unsettlingly composed.

Mira hesitated, her eyes shifting away. “They’re planning their wedding. The pack… they were ordered to keep it from you.”

For a fleeting moment, it felt as if the ground had been ripped from beneath Lillith’s feet. Then, without warning, she let out a sharp, hollow laugh that resonated through the empty corridor. “Of course. Why wouldn’t he? He needed me to remain naïve and submissive.”

Her voice softened, laced with an unshakable determination. “But I’m done, Mira. I’m leaving.”

That night, unable to find sleep, Lillith wandered downstairs in search of a drink of water. The pack house lay in eerie silence, the air thick with an unsettling stillness that sent shivers creeping down her spine.

As she neared the kitchen, hushed voices carried toward her from the shadows.

“I still can’t believe someone actually killed him,” Selene’s sickly-sweet voice slithered through the dimness. “The prince’s death… Do you think—”

“Enough,” Damien cut in sharply, his tone edged with urgency. “We shouldn’t be discussing his death here.”

A chill crawled up Lillith’s spine. They were speaking about Victor—her brother.

Selene let out an impatient scoff. “You’re far too cautious, Damien. What about the princess?”

Damien’s voice dropped, his words indistinct but tense. “… difficult… locate…”

Her pulse pounded, unease settling deep in her chest. Why were they speaking about her family?

The floor creaked beneath her weight, and the voices halted abruptly.

“Who’s there?” Damien’s sharp, commanding voice sliced through the silence.

The corridor was shrouded in darkness, with only the pale glow of the moon casting eerie shadows along the walls through the towering windows. Lillith remained rooted to the spot, her heartbeat pounding against her ribs. Damien’s crisp voice sliced through the silence once more, sending a chill racing down her spine.

“Who’s there?”

Summoning every last shred of courage, Lillith stepped forward, allowing the dim lighting to reveal her face. Damien’s keen eyes locked onto hers, and for the briefest moment, she caught a flicker of surprise before he masked it behind his usual indifferent expression.

“Lillith,” he murmured, his voice carrying a slight softness, though the wariness in his tone remained. “What are you doing down here at this hour?”

She swallowed against the dryness in her throat, determined to keep her voice steady. “I couldn’t sleep. I came down for some water.” Her gaze flickered toward Selene, who stood just behind him. The she-wolf’s eyes gleamed with something sinister, her lips curling into a barely concealed, victorious smirk.

Damien’s brow knitted together. “Did you hear anything?”

Her pulse faltered for a split second, but she forced herself to shake her head. “No. I just arrived.”

Selene released a dramatic sigh, her voice laced with artificial sweetness. “Oh, we didn’t mean to disturb you, Lillith. Damien and I were just finishing up.”

“Finishing up what?” Lillith asked, her tone sharper than she intended.

Selene’s smug expression faltered ever so slightly before Damien smoothly interjected, his voice deceptively casual. “We had a late meeting with Selene’s pack. It ran longer than expected, and she wanted to stop by for some tea before heading home.”

Lillith’s gaze flickered to the table near them. It was completely bare—no teacups, no teapot, not even the lingering warmth of a recently shared drink. Her stomach twisted at the blatant falsehood, but she willed her features to remain composed.

“Tea at three in the morning?” she murmured, her voice carrying an undercurrent of doubt.

Selene stiffened, but before she could retort, Damien placed a firm hand on her arm, silencing her. He turned back to Lillith, his expression shifting into something almost tender. “You’ve been looking exhausted lately. You should take a break. Why don’t you step outside tomorrow? Get some fresh air, clear your mind.”

Her instincts screamed that something wasn’t right. Despite the warning bells in her head, she forced herself to nod. “Maybe I will.”

Damien’s stance relaxed, as though her response had granted him some kind of victory. A faint smile ghosted across his lips. “Good. You’ll feel better.”

Selene shot Lillith one last smug glance before brushing past her, their shoulders nearly touching. Damien followed closely, only pausing to say, “You should go back to bed.”

As they disappeared into the dimly lit hallway, Lillith released a trembling breath, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. She turned toward the empty table once more, the uneasy suspicion curling tightly in her gut solidifying into certainty. Whatever Damien and Selene were truly up to, it had nothing to do with a simple late-night discussion.

By the time the first rays of dawn spilled through her curtains, Lillith sat by her window, unable to close her eyes for even a moment. The cool metal of the crescent pendant pressed against her skin, its warmth no longer as comforting as it once was. Her thoughts churned with unanswered questions, her mind restless as she replayed the confrontation.

The house gradually began to stir, signaling the start of a new day. Dressed and prepared, Lillith waited in the kitchen for Mira, her only confidante. When her Omega friend finally arrived, carrying a tray laden with bread and fruit, her face brightened upon seeing Lillith.

“You’re up early,” Mira remarked, setting the tray down.

“Couldn’t sleep,” Lillith admitted, taking a seat. “Mira, do you know if anything important is happening tomorrow?”

The simple question made Mira freeze, her hands hesitating over the tray. Her expression tightened, and she avoided meeting Lillith’s gaze.

“Why are you asking?” Mira’s voice was cautious, her words measured.

A heavy weight settled in Lillith’s chest, the unease she’d felt since last night growing sharper. “Damien suggested I go outside tomorrow, told me I needed fresh air. It felt… off.”

Mira hesitated, biting her lip before exhaling a quiet sigh. “You’re not going to like this, Belle.”

“Tell me,” Lillith pressed, her voice firmer than she intended.

Mira cast a quick glance around the kitchen, ensuring they were alone, before leaning in closer. Her voice dropped to a hushed whisper.

“It’s an engagement party. For Damien and Selene.”