Brielle’s POV

The dining hall carried the warm scent of roasted meat and freshly baked bread, but even that comforting aroma couldn’t soften the tension thickening the air. I sat quietly across from Alpha Xavier, my appetite long gone, while Victoria Blackwell spoon-fed her son like she belonged at the head of the table. Her laughter echoed brightly through the hall, light but edged with something mocking. When our eyes met, she didn’t even pretend to look away.

Instead, she tilted her head deliberately, exposing the smooth curve of her neck. My stomach twisted. Dark hickeys bloomed across her skin—fresh, unmistakable. That space should have held my mate’s mark someday, but instead, it bore evidence of her nights with him. She wasn’t even trying to hide them. Each bruise felt like a deliberate insult, a silent reminder of what she had taken.

Xavier didn’t appear bothered in the slightest.

He focused entirely on Liam, carefully slicing the boy’s meat into smaller pieces. When Liam thanked him, Xavier smiled gently, his expression soft in a way I hadn’t seen directed at me in weeks. I watched that quiet moment, the tenderness of a father, the scene I once imagined sharing with him when we had our own pup.

Foolish.

Victoria’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. “Brielle, would you mind passing the juice? It’s closer to you.” Her tone was sugary sweet, but the innocence in it felt fake.

I glanced at the pitcher, then back at her. “You’re perfectly capable of reaching it yourself.” My words came out sharper than I intended, but I didn’t bother softening them.

The table fell silent.

Xavier placed his fork down with a sharp clang. “Brielle.” His voice carried a warning. “Is it really so hard to do a simple favor without creating an issue?”

Under the table, I clenched my fists, my wolf stirring restlessly inside me—hurt, humiliated, ready to snap. But I swallowed the surge of emotion, picked up the pitcher, and poured juice into her glass.

Victoria smiled, smug satisfaction gleaming in her eyes.

“Thank you,” she murmured sweetly, her tone as smooth and poisonous as silk.

For a moment, I imagined throwing the glass straight at her face.

Xavier leaned back in his chair, studying me, his irritation shifting into something colder. “Brielle, has Moonveil Pack transferred the funds yet? We’ll need extra budget for Liam’s birthday.”

For Liam.

Not for me. Not even though the money came from my family.

My jaw tightened. “You’re asking about money again?”

“It’s for the pack,” he replied calmly. “You know Stormvale doesn’t have the same wealth as Moonveil. If you could ask your parents—”

A bitter laugh escaped me, cutting him off. “No, Alpha. There won’t be any more funds. I’ve already told my parents to stop sending money to Stormvale. You have more than enough businesses and resources to support your own pack.”

The entire table fell silent.

Xavier’s expression darkened immediately. “What did you just say?” His voice dropped, low and dangerous.

“You heard me,” I answered, holding his gaze. “No more money.”

His palm slammed against the wooden table the next second, the loud crack echoing across the hall. Liam flinched, and Victoria gasped softly—though I noticed the faint curl of satisfaction at the corner of her lips.

“Do you realize what you’ve done?” Xavier growled. “You’re cutting off the very support that keeps this pack running. That supports you.”

I rose slowly from my seat, forcing calm into my voice. “Maybe it’s time you stopped relying on my parents’ generosity and started standing on your own.”

His eyes burned with anger. He shoved his chair back so abruptly it scraped loudly against the floor. “You’re unbelievable,” he snapped before storming out of the dining hall.

Victoria quickly stood, lifting Liam into her arms as she followed him, as though worried I might do something to them.

But I remained where I was, trembling.

My nails dug into my palms as I tried to steady myself. Inside, my wolf whimpered softly, confused and wounded. How had things fallen apart so badly? How had the man who once promised to cherish me above all else become someone who saw me as nothing more than a financial bridge?

Hours later, the mansion buzzed with activity again.

Visitors had arrived—mostly other Alphas. Their deep laughter echoed from Xavier’s office, loud and carefree. I walked quietly through the corridor toward my guest room, hoping to avoid them. But as I neared the office, their conversation drifted out, sharp and unmistakable.

“I heard the wedding with Brielle didn’t happen,” one Alpha remarked with a chuckle.

“Didn’t happen?” another laughed loudly. “Xavier never planned on showing up in the first place.”

Their laughter grew louder.

My breath caught.

Then Xavier’s voice joined them, relaxed and almost amused. “Still, all the wedding preparations paid off. Moonveil transferred hundreds of thousands before the event. Easy money.”

I froze where I stood.

“So you never intended to marry her?” another Alpha asked.

“Why would I?” Xavier replied casually, arrogance thick in his tone. “She’s useful leverage. Her pack is wealthy, and I needed funding for Stormvale’s expansion.”

More laughter erupted.

My heart shattered.

Through the slight gap in the partially open door, I caught sight of the room. Victoria sat comfortably on Xavier’s lap, her hands sliding across his chest as she pressed kisses along his collarbone. None of the other Alphas seemed surprised.

I bit my lip until I tasted blood.

Victoria’s voice purred softly. “So what happens now, darling? I heard Brielle told her parents to stop sending money.”

Xavier smirked. “If she still wants to eat and live comfortably here, she’ll change her mind soon enough. I’m not spending a single coin to support her stay in my pack.”

Cruel laughter followed.

Something inside me broke.

I pressed my trembling hand against my chest as tears slipped down my cheeks. My wolf howled in anguish—hurt, humiliation, rage all tangled together. Every word I heard felt like another blade carving into me. The love I had clung to, the loyalty I had protected despite everything, suddenly felt painfully foolish.

I staggered away from the door, each step heavier than the last. My vision blurred, my throat tightening painfully. The truth had finally revealed itself.

All this time, I was never his Luna.

I was a pawn.

A source of wealth.

A convenient alliance.

When I reached my room, I collapsed onto the bed, sobs finally breaking free. My mind replayed every memory we shared—his promises, the warmth in his eyes, the laughter when we talked about our future.

None of it had ever been real.

Brielle’s POV

The morning of my birthday arrived wrapped in sunshine that felt almost mocking. The Stormvale mansion glittered with decorations—gold and blue banners draped from balconies, ribbons tied along railings, and servants rushing back and forth carrying cakes, wrapped gifts, and trays of food. Laughter filled the corridors, loud and lively.

But none of it belonged to me.

Not anymore.

Today had also been declared Liam’s birthday—or rather, Alpha Xavier had decided it would be. My special day had been swallowed whole by the child’s celebration, leaving me reduced to nothing more than another face in the crowd on what used to be mine.

When I stepped into the grand hall, conversations faltered. Heads turned. I felt the weight of their stares, heavy and uncomfortable. Some looked at me with sympathy, others with curiosity, and a few with open judgment. Whispers rippled through the room like quiet waves.

Everyone knew.

The rejected bride.

The Luna-to-be who was never claimed.

The daughter of the wealthy Moonveil Pack who had been used, then cast aside when she was no longer useful.

Even so, I straightened my shoulders and walked forward with quiet dignity. My silver gown shimmered softly beneath the chandeliers, catching the light with every step. I carried myself with the pride of my lineage, refusing to let them see the cracks forming beneath my calm expression.

At the center of the hall stood Alpha Xavier, commanding attention as always. His arm rested comfortably around Victoria’s waist. She wore a crimson dress that hugged her figure, her smile bright and triumphant. She looked like she owned everything around her.

And perhaps she did—at least, she owned what used to be mine.

I moved toward the refreshment table, pretending not to notice the lingering gazes. My fingers wrapped around a wine glass, and I poured myself a drink just to keep my hands from shaking. The liquid sloshed slightly as I lifted it.

“Brielle,” a gentle, honey-sweet voice called behind me.

I turned slowly.

Victoria Blackwell approached, her smile polished but hollow. The scent of jasmine clung to her, thick and overwhelming, making my stomach twist.

“Happy birthday,” she said brightly. Then she tilted her head, her lips curling faintly. “Or maybe I should say… happy Liam’s day instead?” She let out a soft laugh that scraped against my nerves.

I said nothing. I simply watched her, waiting for whatever cruelty she had prepared.

She leaned closer, her breath brushing against my ear. “I heard you can’t have children anymore,” she murmured softly, her voice coated with false concern.

My heart stumbled.

“Didn’t Xavier tell you?” she continued, her tone dropping into something colder. “He admitted it to me himself. He poisoned you. He didn’t want you carrying his pup, Brielle. He even said he’d rather never have children at all than have one with you.”

For a moment, everything around me faded.

I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. Her words echoed in my mind, shattering something deep inside me. Months earlier, when the pack doctor delivered the devastating news that I couldn’t conceive, I had broken down completely. Xavier had held me that night, whispering comforting words, telling me he didn’t care about children—that I alone was enough.

So it had been him.

He had taken that dream from me himself.

Victoria leaned back slightly, her smile sharpening. “He doesn’t love you, Brielle. What he loves is your family’s wealth. You’re nothing more than a convenient source of money… a walking bank account.”

Something inside me finally snapped.

Before I could stop myself, my hand moved.

Slap!

The sharp sound rang through the hall. Victoria stumbled backward, her hand flying to her cheek, shock flashing across her face. Conversations halted as everyone turned toward us.

“What’s happening here?” Xavier’s voice thundered as he pushed through the crowd.

He went straight to Victoria, wrapping an arm protectively around her shoulders. Instantly, tears welled in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks.

“She slapped me, Xavier!” she cried, her voice trembling. “I was just trying to speak with her peacefully!”

I shook my head, stepping back. “She’s lying! Tell them what you told me!”

But Xavier didn’t even spare me a glance. His eyes burned with anger. “Brielle,” he said tightly, “have you completely lost control of yourself?”

“She provoked me!” I protested desperately. “Ask her what she said—”

“Enough!” His Alpha voice cracked across the hall, heavy with authority. My wolf whimpered instantly, forced into submission by his dominance.

Before I could react, two guards approached and grabbed my arms roughly.

“Xavier, what are you doing?” I cried, panic rising in my chest.

He faced the crowd, his expression calm but cold. “For striking a guest and causing a scene during a celebration,” he announced, “Brielle will kneel and reflect on her actions.”

“Reflect?” Victoria whispered, wiping fake tears. “Please, Xavier… don’t punish her too harshly. I forgive her.”

He shot me a hard look. “Kneel on salt until the celebration ends. Perhaps you’ll finally learn humility.”

My breath caught. “No—please—”

But the guards forced me down.

My knees hit the rough grains of salt scattered across the marble floor. Pain shot through my legs instantly, sharp and burning, but the humiliation hurt far more.

Dozens of people watched as I knelt there. Some looked away awkwardly, others stared openly. I heard hushed murmurs, and somewhere, a phone camera clicked. Tears slid down my cheeks, falling onto the salt that soon turned red as my skin scraped open.

I wanted to scream. I wanted to shift and tear everything apart. But my wolf remained weak, crushed beneath Xavier’s Alpha aura.

Then—

“May I have everyone’s attention!” the announcer’s voice rang out. “It’s time for a special message from Miss Victoria Blackwell on behalf of her son, Liam!”

All eyes shifted to the stage. Victoria walked up gracefully, dabbing at her fake tears. I remained kneeling, trembling, blood slowly staining the salt beneath me.

She smiled into the microphone. “Thank you all for being here,” she began warmly. “I prepared a small presentation for my son.”

The lights dimmed.

The screen flickered on.

But instead of cheerful birthday images, a sound echoed through the speakers.

Ah… Xavier… don’t stop…

Gasps rippled through the hall. My heart lurched.

The moans were unmistakable—hers and his—playing loudly for everyone to hear.

Then Xavier’s voice followed, clear and undeniable. “I’ll marry you soon, Victoria. I promise. You and our son, Liam, deserve everything. Brielle is only a stepping stone.”

Shock exploded through the room. Whispers erupted, wolves turning to stare at me, horror and pity mixing in their expressions.

Victoria covered her mouth, feigning panic. “Oh no… I don’t know how that played… I’m so sorry—”

But when her eyes met mine, she smirked.

That tiny curl of satisfaction revealed everything. It wasn’t an accident. She planned this. She wanted to humiliate me completely.

I struggled to breathe. My vision spun, voices blending into meaningless noise.

Suddenly, a strong hand gripped my arm.

Startled, I looked up.

A tall man stood beside me, cloaked and unfamiliar. His scent was powerful, different, foreign.

“Who—” I began.

“Don’t speak,” he murmured quietly. His tone was calm but firm. “Your brother sent me. I’m here to take you away.”

Before I could react, he pulled me upright. The guards moved to stop him, but he moved faster, knocking them aside effortlessly. Chaos erupted as the crowd screamed.

Xavier’s Alpha voice roared, shaking the hall. “Brielle!”

I glanced back once—only once.

He was pushing through the crowd, fury blazing in his eyes, his aura dark and overwhelming. But I didn’t stop.

The stranger wrapped an arm around my waist, and we rushed through the corridors, past open doors, and out into the cold night air. The chill bit into my skin, but I barely felt it.

My body trembled, my heart shattering piece by piece. I leaned against him, too numb to speak.

Behind us, Xavier’s furious voice echoed faintly into the night, filled with anger and desperation.

But I didn’t turn around again.

I was finished with him.

Finished with Stormvale.

Finished with every lie.

Brielle’s POV

The world outside the car windows blurred into streaks of silver and black as the tires raced down the dark road. The scent of burning rubber and pine filled the air. I sat in silence beside the stranger who had pulled me away from the ruins of my life.

Behind us, I could still hear faint echoes of pursuit, the growl of engines, the howl of wolves trying to catch up.

“They’re following us,” I whispered, glancing at the rear window.

“They won’t for long,” the stranger said flatly. His tone was calm, almost emotionless.

The driver swerved sharply, taking a narrow road that cut through the forest. I held onto the seat, my heart hammering. I didn’t know who this man was, but I could sense power radiating from him. His presence was cold yet strangely reassuring.

When the sound of the chasing cars finally faded, I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. My knees trembled, my palms were sweaty.

“Who are you?” I asked, my voice shaking slightly.

He didn’t look at me. His eyes were fixed on the road ahead. “A friend of your brother,” he said simply. “He asked me to bring you home.”

“Home…” I repeated the word quietly, as if I’d forgotten what it meant.

The word tasted unfamiliar on my tongue. I’d called Stormvale Pack my home for years, but it was nothing more than a gilded cage. And now, here I was, leaving everything behind, my heart shattered and my pride crushed.

“Can I know your name?” I asked again, though I didn’t expect much.

He glanced at me briefly, his expression unreadable. “Names don’t matter right now,” he said. “Rest. You’ve had enough pain for one night.”

His voice wasn’t harsh, it was deep and steady, almost commanding. I nodded weakly. My body was exhausted from the humiliation, from kneeling on salt, from all the tears that refused to stop falling.

I leaned against the seat and let my eyes close. The gentle hum of the engine became a lullaby, pulling me into a deep, dreamless sleep.

When I woke up, morning light was spilling through the car windows. The faint scent of fresh blossoms filled the air. My eyes widened when I saw the golden gates ahead, carved with symbols I knew by heart.

Moonveil Pack. My home.

The guards recognized the family crest on the car and immediately opened the gates. I felt a wave of emotion rush over me, relief, sorrow, fear. I was home, but not the same person who had left.

When the car stopped, I stepped out slowly. The moment my feet touched the ground, I was surrounded by familiar faces. Warriors, omegas, pack members, people I’d known since I was a child.

“Lady Brielle!” one of them cried.

And then, they all came rushing forward.

Tears filled my eyes as they hugged me, welcomed me back, and whispered blessings.

The stranger stepped aside quietly, his gaze scanning the perimeter as if guarding me even now.

Before I could thank him, I saw my brother running from the pack mansion. Alpha Benedict, tall, broad-shouldered, his aura strong and fierce. His usually calm eyes were burning with fury when they landed on me.

“Brielle,” he breathed, pulling me into his arms. “You’re home. You’re safe now.”

I broke down then, sobbing into his chest. The smell of his familiar pine scent made me feel like a child again.

“I’m sorry,” I choked out between tears. “I should’ve listened to you. You told me not to trust him.”

“Don’t,” he said, his voice low and trembling. “Don’t ever apologize for loving someone who didn’t deserve you.”

Behind him, my parents appeared.

Alpha Charles, my father, still tall and dignified despite the gray streaks in his hair. His eyes were sharp, assessing me from head to toe as if ensuring I was whole. And beside him was my mother, Luna Mira, her beauty as gentle as ever, her hands trembling as she reached for me.

“My little girl…” she whispered, cupping my face. “You’re home now.”

I couldn’t speak. I just cried again as she held me tightly.

That night, the pack held a small feast in my honor. Tables were lined with food, candles flickered, and the wolves of Moonveil celebrated my return with howls that echoed through the hills. I smiled politely, but inside I felt hollow.

Every laugh, every toast reminded me of what I had lost, of what had been stolen from me.

When the feast ended, I was called into my father’s office. The room smelled of oakwood and paper, exactly how I remembered it. My father sat behind his desk, my brother standing beside him, arms crossed. My mother sat near the fireplace, her face drawn with worry.

“Sit, Brielle,” Father said. His tone was calm, but I could hear the storm behind it.

I obeyed quietly.

“Tell us everything,” he said.

So I did.

From the moment Alpha Xavier left me at the altar, to the day I found him holding another woman, the way Victoria had mocked me, the humiliations I endured, and the betrayal.

By the time I finished, silence filled the room. My mother was crying silently. My brother’s fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

And my father’s eyes, cold and sharp, were filled with barely contained rage.

“That filthy wolf,” he muttered. “He dares humiliate a daughter of Moonveil?”

Benedict’s voice was low and trembling with fury. “Father, give me the order. I’ll burn his pack to the ground.”

“No,” I said quickly. “No, Ben. Please. I don’t want war.”

He turned to me, eyes wild. “After what he did to you? After he made you kneel in front of everyone?”

Tears welled in my eyes again. “I don’t want innocent wolves to get hurt because of me.”

My mother stood and went to me, brushing my hair gently. “You’re too kind, Brielle. But sometimes peace must be earned with strength.”

My father’s voice cut through the tension. “There will be no weakness in this house.” He leaned forward, his expression hard. “That man ruined your name. The other packs are already whispering. If we don’t act, our daughter will become a laughingstock.”

I looked down. I knew he was right. In our world, reputation was everything. An Alpha’s daughter who was rejected and betrayed, it was scandalous.

“What will you do?” I asked quietly.

My father exchanged a glance with Benedict. Then he said, “We will make Alpha Xavier pay for what he’s done. But that’s not what’s more important now.”

He stood, his aura filling the room. “You will be married again, Brielle.”

I froze. “What?”

“It’s the only way to protect your name,” he said firmly. “If you marry into a stronger pack, the scandal will die. The other packs will stop whispering.”

“But I don’t want to marry again,” I whispered. “Not like this. Not so soon.”

“You don’t have a choice. This is for you, my daughter,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Benedict spoke then, still seething but quieter now. “Who are you thinking, Father?”

My father looked at him, his expression turning thoughtful. Then slowly, he said, “Propose a marriage to Alpha Cassius of Eclipse Pack. He’s powerful, respected, and loyal to our family. I want him to marry my daughter.”

My breath caught. My heart began to pound as the reality sank in.

Benedict’s jaw tightened, but he nodded reluctantly. “I’ll send a proposal tomorrow.”

My father’s gaze settled on me. “This time, Brielle, we’ll make sure you end up with a real Alpha, one who knows your worth.”