I barely felt the cold sting of the night air as I approached the gates of my childhood pack. My body moved on instinct, my mind numb from everything that had just happened. The humiliation, the betrayal, the way Kade had let me walk away as if I was nothing.

I should have been relieved. I am free now. No longer bound to him, no longer the woman waiting in his shadow. So why did it feel like my chest had been carved open?

Without a word, the guard let me pass, and I forced my legs to keep moving. The packhouse loomed ahead, the familiar scent of home wrapping around me like a ghost of my past. But nothing about it felt like home anymore.

I had left this place full of dreams, believing I was destined to be the Luna of the strongest pack. Now, I was returning with nothing but shattered illusions and a hollow ache in my chest.

The moment I stepped inside, I was met with silence. The packhouse was rarely this quiet. A tension hung in the air, thick and heavy.

Then, a voice broke through.

"You’re finally back."

I turned toward the grand staircase, my elder brother, Aldric, descending the steps with a measured pace. His expression was unreadable, but there was something in his gaze—something that sent a cold prickle down my spine.

"Come with me," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

I followed him into his office, my heart pounding. Aldric was many things—stern, calculated, a leader who always put the pack above all else. But right now, there was something different about him. Something almost… urgent.

The door shut behind me with a quiet click, sealing us inside.

"Raven," he began, leaning against his desk, his arms crossed. "Your return is well-timed."

I let out a hollow laugh. "Well-timed? That’s funny. Last I checked, I was crawling back here after being discarded by the man I—" I cut myself off, swallowing the rest of my words. He didn’t need to hear that.

Aldric’s jaw tightened. "You were never meant to stay there, Raven. And now, your future has already been decided."

A strange chill ran down my spine. "What do you mean?"

He exhaled slowly, like he was bracing himself. "You’re getting married."

The words slammed into me like a physical blow. I stared at him, waiting for him to take it back. To laugh. To say this was some cruel joke.

But he didn’t. Instead, he met my gaze, steady and unyielding.

"To who?" My voice was barely above a whisper.

"Alpha Giovanne."

I sucked in a sharp breath.

Alpha Giovanne wasn’t just any Alpha. He was a force to be reckoned with. A man feared across the territories, known for his ruthlessness in battle and his unwavering control over one of the largest, most powerful packs.

And now, was he supposed to be my husband?

"Why?" I demanded, my voice sharper now. "Why would you do this?"

Aldric’s expression darkened. "Because our pack needs an alliance, Raven. We’re not strong enough to stand alone anymore. And with Kade’s betrayal, you are no longer tied to him. That makes you valuable."

I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. "Valuable? You mean disposable."

A muscle in his jaw twitched. "It’s not like that."

"Then what is it like, Aldric?" I shot back. "You’re trading me off like I’m some bargaining chip—like my future doesn’t even belong to me."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It’s bigger than you think, Raven. This isn’t just about you."

Before I could say another word, a deep, commanding voice cut through the tension like a blade.

"She’ll make a fine Luna."

I turned sharply, my breath catching in my throat.

Alpha Giovanne stood in the doorway, his towering presence filling the room. He was nothing like Kade. Where Kade had a controlled, calculating aura, Giovanne radiated raw, unapologetic dominance. He didn’t need to speak to command attention—it was just who he was.

And now, he was here. Claiming me.

His dark eyes met mine, unreadable but piercing. "You don’t have to fight this, Raven. This is what’s best for your pack."

I clenched my fists. "And what about what’s best for me?"

A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. "You’ll come to see that they’re the same thing."

I opened my mouth to argue, but before I could, a loud crash echoed from the hallway.

The door burst open, and my heart stopped.

Alpha Kade.

He stood there, chest rising and falling with barely contained fury, his eyes burning with something dangerous. His wolf was right beneath the surface, clawing to be let out.

His gaze locked onto Giovanne, then flickered to me, as if trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

"What the hell is this?" His voice was low, venomous.

Aldric stepped forward, unfazed. "This is Raven’s future."

Kade’s entire body went rigid. "Like hell it is."

Giovanne chuckled, stepping closer to me. "Jealousy doesn’t suit you, Kade."

Kade’s fists clenched at his sides. "You can’t have her."

Giovanne tilted his head, his smirk widening. "I believe she isn’t yours to claim anymore."

Silence stretched between them, thick with tension.

Then, Kade’s gaze snapped to mine, something desperate flickering in his eyes. "Raven, tell me this isn’t what you want."

I inhaled sharply, my throat tightening.

The pain in his eyes almost made me hesitate. Almost.

But then I remembered the way he had let me walk away. The way he had chosen her.

I lifted my chin, forcing my voice to stay steady.

"You don’t get a say, Kade."

The wedding dress felt like armor. Heavy, suffocating, but necessary.

I stood before the mirror, my reflection almost unrecognizable. The delicate lace traced the curves of my shoulders, the shimmering fabric cascading to the floor. The crown atop my head was light, yet it weighed on me like a thousand unspoken words.

Today, I married Alpha Giovanne.

Not out of love. Not out of desire. But because fate—or perhaps cruelty had dictated this as my path.

A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. My brother, Aldric, stepped in, his face composed as always.

"It’s time," he said.

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. My fingers curled into fists at my sides. There was no room for hesitation. No turning back.

As I walked down the grand aisle, the weight of every gaze pressed down on me. The pack members stood in reverence, their eyes filled with admiration, respect. To them, this was a historic moment—the union of two powerful Alphas, the solidification of strength.

But to me, it felt like the end of something I could never get back.

At the altar, Giovanne stood tall, his expression calm, unreadable. He did not fidget. He did not falter. He simply waited, knowing—no, expecting—that I would reach him.

And I did.

The priest began speaking, his voice a distant hum in the background as I focused on keeping my breathing even.

"Do you, Raven Nightbourne, take Alpha Giovanne as your mate and husband, to lead beside him, to stand as his Luna?"

I opened my mouth, ready to say the words, ready to seal my fate—

The doors burst open. The sound was like a gunshot in the silence, making my heart lurch. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

And then, a voice—raw, desperate, and so painfully familiar—rang through the hall.

"Don’t do this, Raven."

My breath caught in my throat.

I didn’t turn immediately. I couldn’t. Because I already knew who it was.

A slow, tense silence filled the air. Every pair of eyes in the room flickered between us, as if witnessing something far more dangerous than a wedding interruption.

Finally, I turned.

Alpha Kade stood in the doorway, chest rising and falling with barely contained fury. His hair was disheveled, his dark eyes stormy with emotions I could barely process. His wolf was right beneath the surface, clawing, desperate.

For me.

Giovanne said nothing beside me, his expression unreadable. He didn’t react—not in anger, not in amusement. He simply observed. Waiting.

Kade’s gaze locked onto mine, and in that moment, I saw everything. The regret, the pain, the torment of a man who had lost something he never thought he could.

"Raven," he said, his voice was rough, shaking. "I was wrong. I should have fought for you. I should have—"

"You should have," I cut him off, my voice steadier than I felt.

His expression shattered, and for the first time, I saw fear in Kade’s eyes. Not the kind that came from battle. Not the kind that came from losing power.

The kind that came from losing me.

He took a step forward. "Come with me. You don’t have to do this. You don’t have to marry him."

A sharp pain lanced through my chest.

Because a part of me had once wanted to hear those words. Had once dreamed of him saying them. But it was too late.

"You don’t get to decide that," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Kade stiffened. "You love me." It wasn’t a question. It was a declaration. A plea.

I did love him. I had loved him with everything I had.

But love had not saved me from the humiliation. From the loneliness. From the betrayal.

I exhaled slowly, turning back to Giovanne.

His gaze met mine, unwavering. He had not begged. He had not tried to claim me like a possession. He had simply let me choose.

And that was why, in this moment, I made my decision.

I lifted my chin. "Continue the ceremony."

A strangled sound escaped Kade, something between a growl and a broken whisper. "Raven, please."

I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the pain away. Then, without hesitation, I reached for Giovanne’s hand.

Kade’s breath hitched. The room held its collective silence, as if awaiting an execution.

Then, a single word from the priest—"Proceed"—sealed my fate.

Then, before I could take another step, Kade’s voice rang out again. This time, it wasn’t desperate. It wasn’t broken.

It was dangerous.

"You will regret this, Raven."

Kade’s breath hitched. The room held its collective silence, as if awaiting an execution.

But before I could take another step, Kade let out a low, dangerous laugh. It wasn’t broken anymore. It wasn’t desperate. It was something colder.

"You think this is over?" His voice sliced through the hall like a blade, quiet but deadly.

“You think walking away from me is just that simple?" His voice was smooth, almost soft—too soft.

"You forget, Raven. I hold power over most of the packs. You may hate me, but you should ask yourself this—" He took a slow step forward, his smirk devoid of warmth.

"How much are you willing to lose for defying me?"

Then—suddenly—my phone vibrated in my hand. The unexpected sound made my fingers tremble as I fumbled to answer.

"Mom?" My voice came out unsteady.

A shaky breath on the other end. Then—her voice, urgent, panicked. "Raven, you have to stop him! Alpha Kade—he’s taking everything. The estate, the lands—he’s stripping us of our rights. He’s punishing us for your choice!"

My stomach dropped.