Third Person POV

Everyone already knew the scandal circling Alpha Cole of Windsor Pack—his broken engagement to Addison, and the sudden shadow of the omega girl, Athena.

Elder Naomi, Cole’s mother, was not blind to it. The woman had carried her pack with her Alpha husband on her shoulders for decades, and she knew how easily reputations could crumble when emotions outweighed reason. She feared one thing above all: that her son would lose himself completely to the omega, discarding Addison’s name as though it had never been written alongside his.

So she dragged Cole across the hall, letting him socialize with other Alphas, Betas, and council elders, keeping him busy with formalities and the responsibilities of his rank. Athena, meanwhile, was left unattended, her wide eyes scanning the crowd until she slipped toward the banquet tables.

It was there that trouble found her.

Ryan, a merchant of Windsor and a man notorious for chasing skirts, cornered Athena near the wine. His words were slurred, his eyes sharp with hunger as he leaned too close. “A rare little omega like you doesn’t belong standing alone. Come with me, I’ll show you real luxury. You’ll forget all about that Alpha you cling to.”

Athena stiffened, tears welling quickly. “P-please, don’t.”

Ryan only smirked, fingers grazing her arm.

The growl came before the hand landed. Alpha Cole was suddenly there, his presence cutting through the crowd like a blade. Wolves nearby lowered their gazes instinctively as his aura surged.

“She is mine,” Cole snarled, voice reverberating like thunder. “No one touches her.”

Ryan, reckless and drunk, still had the nerve to laugh. “Yours? But Addison is your fiancée. Why—”

Cole’s patience snapped. “I said, Athena is mine!” he roared.

The hall went silent. Conversations died mid-word. Every ear in Windsor turned toward the claim. Addison, sitting quietly in a secluded corner where the shadows spared her from too much scrutiny, heard the words clearly. Her body went rigid, but her face—her face remained calm, unmoved, as though she had expected nothing less.

But what followed struck even her heart like a dagger.

Cole seized Athena and kissed her fiercely, in full view of every wolf present. Athena trembled when he pulled away, curling into his chest as if she belonged there.

And then Cole’s voice rose again, carrying across the hall. “Athena is the savior of my life. Any wolf who dares lay a finger on her will answer to me. I will kill without hesitation.”

The crowd erupted in murmurs. Once, Addison had been the darling of those voices—future Luna, perfect choice, noble bloodline. But now, wolves flocked to Athena, whispering soft comforts, assuring her she was safe, that she had done nothing wrong. Addison watched it unfold with bitter detachment.

Without a word to anyone, she excused herself with a shallow bow and made her way toward the exit. Her phone buzzed—Elder Naomi. Addison stepped aside, answering with a quiet voice. “Elder, forgive me. I… I think it’s best if I leave now.”

Naomi’s voice cracked with urgency. “Child, I’m really sorry.”

She was nearly to the outer corridor when a rough hand yanked her back. The stench of wine and arrogance filled her nose. Ryan.

“Well, well,” he slurred, eyes glinting. “Why chase an omega when I can have you instead? Noble blood. Refined beauty. You’ll do far better in my bed than that little thing.”

Addison’s stomach turned. “You dare touch me in Windsor territory?” Her voice was low, dangerous. “Think before you act.”

Ryan chuckled, leaning in. “Alpha Cole used to guard you like a treasure. Now? He doesn’t even glance your way. That means you’re free, doesn’t it?”

His mouth descended toward hers, and Addison shoved him back with all her strength, her wolf snapping beneath her skin. She pressed the emergency rune on her phone—a direct call to her Alpha.

The line connected. “Alpha,” she breathed, panic thick in her tone, “Ryan—he’s trying to force himself on me. I need you—”

Cole’s sigh was heavy, cold. “Addison. Enough with your tricks.”

Her heart dropped. “I’m not lying—”

“I won’t fall for this. Athena was harassed. Now you’re pretending? Stop disgracing yourself.” His voice was ice. And then the line went dead.

She tried mind-linking him, again and again. Every attempt was met with silence.

Ryan lunged once more, and Addison shifted instantly, her wolf form sleek and pale, eyes burning. She darted past him, claws scraping the stone floor, and bounded up the staircase.

Fate placed salvation in her path. Elder Naomi, standing near the balcony, turned in shock as the she-wolf approached. Addison shifted back, trembling, sweat slicking her brow.

“Elder,” she gasped, “Ryan—he—he tried—” Her words stumbled over fear and shame.

Naomi’s face hardened with fury. “Enough. You’re safe now.” She wrapped Addison in her shawl, barking orders to nearby wolves. “Escort her to the guest chamber. Fresh clothes, hot water. Now.”

The maids obeyed. Hours passed before Addison’s trembling subsided, before the scent of fear left her skin. But peace shattered again when she stepped out and overheard voices drifting from the chamber.

Cole’s voice.

“What if Addison spoke the truth?” Beta Lewis asked hesitantly.

“She’s in Windsor territory,” Cole scoffed. “Who would dare? Her background is decent, even if her parents died early. Ryan wouldn’t risk it.”

A pause. Then, with a cruel twist of his lips, Cole added, “But if he did, that’s fine. She deserves it for her endless theatrics about ending our engagement.”

Laughter rippled from one of the Windsor officials. “So the future Luna is nothing now.”

Cole only grunted. “She’s still important. But Athena—Athena is my debt of gratitude, pledged to the Moon Goddess by blood. She comes first.”

Addison froze in the hallway, every word slicing her open. Important? She almost laughed aloud. Important, yet left to fend off rogues alone. Important, yet dismissed as a liar when she begged for help. Important, yet unworthy of his protection when another woman so much as whimpered.

Her fists clenched until her nails dug into her palms. The word important had never sounded so hollow.

When she descended the stairs, Elder Naomi was waiting. The older woman reached for her hand, eyes lined with sorrow. “Child, forgive my son. He has lost his way.”

Addison shook her head, forcing a thin smile. “Elder… I cannot do this anymore.”

Naomi’s voice broke. “Stay. Please. For me, if not for him.”

But Addison lifted her chin, her wolf steady behind her eyes. “I’ve already agreed to an arranged marriage in the capital. My aunt arranged it for me. Perhaps there, I will find peace.”

Naomi’s shoulders sagged, resignation heavy in her sigh. “If that is your choice, I will not stop you. Only promise me one thing.”

“What is it?” Addison asked softly.

“Visit me often,” Naomi whispered. “I have no daughter but you.”

For the first time that night, Addison’s eyes softened. She leaned forward, pressing her forehead to the elder’s shoulder. “I promise.”

Addison’s POV

The ride back to the pack house was silent, save for the low hum of the engine and the occasional sigh from the driver. But silence never lasted long when fate wanted to test me.

The driver’s phone rang. He answered, and before he could lower the volume, Alpha Cole’s voice filled the car on loudspeaker. His tone was sharp, almost frantic.

“Where are you? How much longer until you’re back?”

The driver straightened immediately. “On our way, Alpha.”

Cole’s voice carried the edge of panic. “Hurry. Athena’s body is weak. I need her taken to the healers right away.”

I froze, my fingers tightening around the hem of my dress. Of course. Even now, his mind was with her. Always her.

The driver hesitated, then glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “But, Alpha… Luna Addison is frightened. She asked me to send her back to the pack house first.”

The word Luna hit me like a lash. I nearly laughed at the irony. I was never truly Luna, not once. No ceremony. No mark. Only a hollow title Cole forced onto the staff, as if words could patch over his negligence. He had promised me—promised me before the Moon Goddess herself—that he would marry me no matter what, or die trying. And yet, here we were.

His reply was instant, cold, and final. “Why are you worried about an outsider instead of obeying me?”

Outsider.

The word sliced through me like claws. My chest burned, but my voice stayed steady when I leaned forward. “Drop me here,” I said.

The driver looked horrified. “But—”

“Drop me,” I repeated firmly. I would not put him in the middle of this. He had his Alpha to obey.

The car slowed. I stepped out onto the roadside, the chill of Windsor’s night air wrapping around me. The alcohol from earlier still fogged my mind, and I began walking with unsteady steps. The road stretched ahead, lit by faint lanterns, and each footstep felt heavier than the last.

I couldn’t stop my mind from wandering back. Same gathering. Same date. One year ago.

That night, I had been the one in pain. My stomach had twisted until I could barely breathe. Cole had been drunk, his words slurring, his steps unsteady. Yet when he saw me collapse, he didn’t hesitate. He shifted into his wolf, his massive body lowering so I could cling to his fur. He carried me all the way to the hospital. His heart had pounded against me like thunder. His scent had surrounded me, safe and strong.

That was then.

Now, on the same night, he left me to walk alone while he rushed to Athena.

By the time I reached the pack house, my hands were trembling from the cold. I stood before the door, staring at it as though it belonged to a stranger. My fingers fumbled at the key. Just as I was about to turn it, hands suddenly covered my eyes.

“Guess who I am.”

The scent gave him away instantly. My wolf stiffened. Alpha Cole.

I nearly screamed, but swallowed it down, pulling away from him with a calmness I didn’t feel. I didn’t play his games anymore.

He frowned at my reaction, his eyes sharp even in the dim light. “Mother said you left something behind.”

When I looked down, he was holding a box. A familiar one, its structure too distinct to mistake. My pulse leapt.

Without thinking, I snatched it from his hands. “Give it to me.”

His brow arched. “You’re keeping secrets now?”

I hugged the box to my chest. Once, long ago, we had made a vow—never secrets, never lies. For fifteen years, we had shared everything. Until Athena appeared. Until his promises became dust.

“It’s not a secret,” I said quietly. “There’s no need to tell you.”

His expression darkened. He reached out, trying to grab it again. “No need? Is this from a man? Why would you hide it?”

I twisted away, clutching it tighter. He gave a low chuckle, as if this reminded him of the old days—of our playful tug-of-war, when every stolen trinket was followed by laughter.

But I didn’t laugh. My throat burned, and tears spilled without warning.

He stilled. “You’re crying? Just because you don’t want to tell me?”

I shook my head, unable to find the words. My heart screamed with everything I wanted to say—that I cried not because of the box, but because he had reduced me to nothing. Because the man who once carried me to safety now let another woman’s name always be his first thought.

I almost gave in. Almost handed him the box, thinking perhaps if he saw what was inside, he would return it gently. But then her name broke the air again.

Cole’s phone lit up. Athena. Her call buzzed once. Twice. A third time. Relentless.

Cole’s gaze flickered. He shifted uneasily.

I tugged at his arm, stopping him, surprising even myself. His eyes widened slightly, hope flashing there—as if my touch meant something still. But the phone continued to ring, vibrating with urgency.

He sighed, his voice heavy. “I’m worried. She wouldn’t keep calling unless it was serious.”

Of course.

I let my hand fall away. “Give me the box,” I whispered.

For a moment, he hesitated, caught between me and her. Then he shoved it back into my hands, almost carelessly.

It slipped. Fell. The lid cracked open, and a single paper fluttered out, landing at my feet.

I bent down, my breath catching when I saw it.

Engagement papers.

The very document that could end everything—cleanly, officially, finally.

Cole only glanced at it, uninterested, before turning away. His phone rang again. He answered this time, his voice softening immediately as he spoke Athena’s name. And then he was gone, walking away without looking back.

I stood there in the cold night, clutching the paper to my chest. My tears blurred the ink, but the words were clear enough.

This was it. The end.