Edeline

I couldn't stop myself from drifting back to the window. Every time I heard the crunch of gravel or the low hum of an engine, my heart did a frantic little dance against my ribs.

"What about this one?" Darius asked. He held up a red sundress he’d pulled from the depths of my closet.

"Looks good," I murmured, my eyes never leaving the driveway.

Percival was supposed to be home today. After months of grueling summer training with our allied packs, the future Alpha was finally returning. My chest tightened just thinking about him. He had been away for three years now, honing the strength and leadership he’d need to eventually succeed his father. Even though we hadn't officially shifted and found our fated matches yet, everyone in the pack spoke of us in the same breath. The Alpha’s firstborn and the Beta’s only daughter—it was a legacy written in our blood before we were even born.

A soft thump hit me square in the face.

The fabric of the red dress slid down my nose. I ripped it away, glaring at my best friend. "Darius! What is wrong with you?"

Darius leaned against the wardrobe, rolling his sky-blue eyes with the kind of practiced exhaustion only a brother could manage. "I promise you, Edeline, my brother isn't going to vanish if you aren't guarding the window like a gargoyle. He’ll be at dinner tonight. Relax."

I huffed, looking at him. Darius had been my shadow since we were toddlers. He was protective, loyal, and unfortunately, very aware of my obsession with his older brother.

He snapped his fingers inches from my nose, startling me. "Earth to Edeline. Are you finally realizing you're madly in love with me instead?"

"In your dreams," I retorted, shoving his hand away.

He struck a ridiculous pose, puffing out his chest with a grin. "Oh, come on. Admit it. I’m the better-looking sibling. Give it time; your wolf is going to be begging for a piece of this eventually."

"Darius, you are absolutely Ridiculous. Stop it," I said, though I couldn't hide my smile. I grabbed the dress and turned toward the bathroom.

I needed to get ready. I needed everything to be perfect. For years, I’d listened to our parents whisper about our future over wine and pack business, weaving our lives together. Tonight was the start of it all.

'Please,' I whispered to the quiet hum of my own heart. 'Please let him look at me the way I look at him.'

Darius let out a low, appreciative whistle when I finally stepped out of the bathroom. I’d let my hair fall in loose curls over the shoulders of the red dress.

"You actually look like a girl for once," he teased, though he tilted his head, his expression shifting into a protective scowl. "Wait. On second thought, that hemline is definitely too high. Is it too short? I think it’s too short."

I slid into my sandals, hiding a secret smirk. If Darius—who usually didn't care about anything—thought it was scandalous, then Percival’s reaction would be exactly what I wanted.

"You’re the one who picked it out, you moron," I said, rolling my eyes. "I’m not changing. Besides, it’s easier to shift out of a dress if we need to. Now move."

Darius grabbed my hand, tugging me down the hallway and out into the bright afternoon sun of the front yard. The moment we stepped outside, I saw the truck.

My breath hitched.

Percival was climbing out of the driver’s side. He had changed. He was broader, his shoulders stretching the fabric of his shirt, his movements thick with a new, lethal kind of grace. The summer training had turned him from a boy into a warrior.

Then, the wind shifted.

A scent hit me so hard the world seemed to tilt. It was intoxicating—like cedarwood and rain after a storm—and it flooded my senses until I couldn't think. Inside, my wolf went absolutely feral, clawing at my mind and howling in a way I’d never felt before.

'Mate,' she growled. 'He is ours.'

My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird. Percival’s head snapped up, his gaze searching the crowd until those sky-blue eyes locked onto my green ones. The air between us practically sizzled.

His face went pale with shock, mirroring the chaos in my own chest. We had grown up together, shared meals, and spent our lives as family friends—how had we missed this? But the shock didn't last. A slow, dark smirk pulled at the corners of his lips, and I felt my own mouth curve upward in response. I had won. My secret longing wasn't a fantasy anymore; it was fate.

The noise of the pack, the chatter of the arriving warriors, the wind in the trees—it all faded into a dull hum. There was only him. I felt electric sparks dancing under my skin, a warm tide of pure euphoria pulling me toward him. He was going to be the perfect Alpha, and I was going to be right beside him.

SLAM.

The passenger door of the truck swung open, the heavy metal bang shattering the moment. A tall, slender blonde stepped out, her brown eyes darting nervously around the yard.

I watched as Percival’s smirk vanished instantly. The warmth in his eyes died, replaced by a look of sheer, cold terror.

I felt a chill settle in my bones. Something was wrong.

"Percival?" the girl said. She reached out, her fingers curling around his forearm—the arm that belonged to my mate. She gave a small, fragile shiver. "Are we going in yet? It's freezing out here."

She leaned into him, her voice dropping to a soft, manipulative plea. "It isn't good for the baby to be out in the cold, and I’m just so exhausted."

Edeline

I stood frozen, the world turning into a blurred mess of colors and hushed whispers. I had to have heard that wrong. Percival? With a pregnant she-wolf from another pack? It was a lie. It had to be.

The crowd began to murmur, the sound rising like a swarm of bees. They were wondering if she was the one—if she was his mate. I didn't wait to hear their theories. I stepped forward, closing the distance between us until his scent hit me like a physical blow. It was thick, intoxicating, and undeniably mine.

"Pe-Percival…" I breathed, my voice small and shaky. "I found you. Finally... my mate."

A surge of pure, unadulterated joy crashed through me. I searched his face, desperate for a sign. He smiled, and for a second, the world felt right again. He knew. He felt the pull just as strongly as I did. But then, the blonde girl shifted, her hand sliding possessively over his arm.

The smile died on his lips.

"Who is this woman?" she demanded, her voice sharp and arrogant.

Percival’s entire body went rigid. His jaw tightened so hard I thought it might snap, and his fists were clenched white at his sides. He wouldn't even look at me anymore; his blue eyes were fixed on the dirt, clouded with a misery that made my stomach churn.

"I need to speak with her," Percival ground out, taking a step toward me. The blonde woman blocked his path, her eyebrows arched in a silent, daring challenge. "I said, I have to—"

"Everyone, return to your homes immediately!"

The Alpha’s voice boomed across the yard, sharp as a blade. The crowd scattered instantly under his iron glare. He looked at Percival, his eyes burning with a fury that made the air feel heavy.

A sharp, cold ache bloomed in my chest. What was happening? Why was everyone acting like I was a problem to be solved?

Luna Annabel stepped forward, gently guiding the blonde girl toward the pack house. Before she disappeared, she caught my eye and gave me a look so full of pity and sadness that I felt like I’d been slapped.

"Thanks, Alpha," Percival muttered, clapping his father on the shoulder.

Then, the Alpha was gone, and we were alone.

Percival’s eyes finally met mine, and the intensity of his gaze was a physical weight. He scanned my body, his pupils blown wide until the blue was nearly swallowed by black and a flicker of gold. His canines began to slide down, and his breath hitched. My scent was clearly unraveling his control, driving his wolf toward the singular goal of marking what belonged to him.

Without a word, he grabbed my hand. His grip was a firm, desperate anchor. We ran, the wind whipping past us as he led me deep into the forest, far away from the prying eyes of the pack.

We stopped in a secluded thicket where the moonlight struggled to pierce through the heavy canopy. He turned to me, the air between us thick with a hunger that made my heart race. He reached out, his thumb brushing over my cheek. Sparks erupted wherever he touched me.

"I’ve spent a lifetime waiting for this," he rasped, his voice sounding like gravel. "Waiting for you..."

I leaned into him, my pulse thrumming in my ears. "I'm right here, Percival," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "I'm yours."

He dipped his head, his hot breath ghosting over the sensitive skin of my neck. I felt the sharp graze of his teeth. I closed my eyes, tilting my head back to give him better access, my whole body trembling in anticipation.

Then, he stopped.

The heat vanished. He pulled back, his canines retracting as he stumbled a step away from me. "I ruined it, Edeline. We can't... I-I can't mark you. I'm so sorry."

The rejection hit me like a bucket of ice water. My smile fell, and the silence of the woods felt deafening. My wolf let out a pathetic, wounded whine in my mind.

"Percival, what are you saying?" I asked, my voice cracking. "Do-do you not want me? Just tell me the truth..."

I could feel his agony—it wasn't the telepathic bond of a mated pair yet, but our souls were screaming at each other, trying to bridge the gap.

He bit his lip so hard it nearly bled, shaking his head. "The Goddess knows I want you, Edeline. If I had only known sooner... we grew up side-by-side, and I wanted it to be you. You're perfect. You were born to be my Luna," he whispered, the words sounding like they were being torn out of his throat. He looked at me, his eyes warring with the urge to pull me back into his arms.

"But I did something... and now, knowing you're my mate is just destroying me. It’s going to break your heart, Edeline. It’s already breaking mine." He squeezed his eyes shut, turning his face away. "I am so, so sorry."

Panic flared in my throat, choking me. "Wh-why? What happened? Percival, please, just tell me!"

I already knew. Deep down, I knew it was because of that blonde bitch.

Percival looked back at me, his face a mask of pure, raw misery. "I ruined everything, Edeline," he rasped, his voice cracking. "I lost control of myself."

His scent drifted toward me, warm and inviting, begging me to bridge the small gap between us and throw my arms around him. I stayed rooted to the spot, my breath hitching as I waited for the rest.

"The girl from the truck... Tatiana." He squeezed his eyes shut, unable to meet my gaze. "I got her pregnant. She’s carrying my child, Edeline. I am so, so sorry."

The air was sucked right out of my lungs. A sharp, jagged pain sliced through my chest, and my legs simply gave out. I hit the dirt, my knees barking in protest, but I couldn't feel anything but the throbbing in my heart.

"No," I choked out, my lip trembling violently. "No... you're lying. Tell me you're lying!"

"I didn't know, Edeline," he whispered. His voice was a jagged wreck. I watched his hands shake at his sides, his knuckles turning a ghostly white as he balled them into fists. "I didn't know it would be you. I didn't think I’d find my mate so soon." He shoved a hand through his hair, a ragged breath escaping his lungs. "She was in heat... I was weak. I let the wolf take over. I’m sorry—"

"No! Please, Percival... don’t do this," I sobbed, reaching out for him blindly. "Is it something I did? Did I upset you? Whatever it is, I'll fix it, just please don't say this to me!"

"I am so damn sorry..."

He pulled me into him, holding me with a desperate, crushing force. I felt my wolf thrashing against my ribs, howling in agony, while I let him feel every ounce of the betrayal breaking me apart. I completely shattered. I slumped against the forest floor, rocking back and forth as I pressed my forehead into the cold dirt, screaming my grief toward the moon.

Percival dropped beside me, his own eyes drowning in despair. When he pulled me back into his chest, his touch was like fire—a cruel, beautiful reminder of the bond that was now a death sentence. The air between us crackled with a connection that begged me to claim him, to mark him and never let go.

I knew he hadn't planned this. I could feel his want for me in the way he shook. He wanted me to be his Luna. He wanted us.

But the weight in my chest was too heavy to carry.

"What are you going to do?" I asked, looking up at him through a blurred veil of tears.

"I have to do the right thing, Edeline," he muttered. His eyes were dark with a hollow, desperate look.

The right thing. I knew what that meant. He was the future Alpha. He couldn't abandon his own blood. He was going to take responsibility for her.

"But I'm your mate..." I whispered, the words tasting like ash.

"I know. I'm sorry. I wish... I wish I could fix it. I’m trapped, Edeline. I’m so sorry." He tried to stroke my hair, his touch meant to soothe the very wound he had caused.

It was too late for comfort.

I let out a long, shaky breath, the fight draining out of me. "What choice is there? It’s done. You can't run away from a child." I looked away, my voice turning hollow. "Just... go to her."

I felt his hand freeze against my back. He pulled away slowly, and I could feel his shock radiating off him like heat. I couldn't look at him. I couldn't look at the face of the man I loved while he chose someone else.

"Edeline, I—"

"Just go, Percival!" I screamed, my voice breaking. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the agony.

"I'm sorry," he whispered one last time.

I listened to the sound of his footsteps fading into the distance, leaving me alone in the dark. My heart felt like it was bleeding out into the soil beneath me.

Edeline

Percival. My mate. He was supposed to be my entire world, the other half of my soul. Now, he was building a life with someone else before ours had even begun.

The sharp snap of fingers in front of my face jolted me back to the present. "Edeline! Talk to me. Are you okay?"

I tried to swallow the bile rising in my throat, my stomach twisting into a painful knot. "I’m... I’m fine. Really," I lied, my voice sounding thin and hollow even to my own ears. "I was just playing back what he said. He kept saying how sorry he was, but that he had to do what was right. That’s it." The last word faded into a broken whisper.

Inside, I felt like I was being shredded from the soul outward. I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep the walls from crumbling.

Darius turned his gaze toward the water, his jaw set in a hard line. A low, dangerous growl vibrated in his chest. "That complete bastard. I'm going to tear him apart," he muttered.

I wanted to hate Percival, I really did. But a male's instincts when a female is in heat... it’s a force of nature. He told me Tatiana had been relentless, tempting him until his wolf just broke. I found my fated match and lost him to a moment of weakness all in the same breath.

Darius looked back at me, his blue eyes intense and demanding. "You have to go to him, Edeline. Alone. Demand to know what his plan is. You’re his mate—it has to be you."

The ache in my chest flared, and I felt my face crumple. I shook my head, a small, wounded sound escaping my throat. "I can't. I-I can't even look at him, Darius," I choked out, my voice trembling.

He reached out, his fingers squeezing mine with a firm, steady heat. "Then I'm coming with you. We'll face him as a team. I’m not leaving your side."

I looked at him, seeing the fierce loyalty written in his expression. He would burn the world down for me, and I’d do the same for him. But this wasn't a burden he could help me carry. I didn't want him to loathe his own brother for a mistake of the blood, and I didn't want to hear whatever "plan" Percival had devised. Knowing would only twist the knife deeper. My wolf was still so new, so raw; just trying to breathe felt like a chore.

Darius held my hand tight as I fought back the tears. Suddenly, a roar of laughter and loud voices drifted across the lake. We both turned, and my heart stopped.

The canoe had drifted far too close to the shore. Hundreds of eyes—the entire pack gathered for a barbecue—were fixed right on us. We were a spectacle, out in the open, sitting hand-in-hand. But among all those gazes, there was only one that felt like a brand.

I saw him.

Percival was sitting there with her. His jaw was white with tension, his eyes narrowed into slits as they locked onto me. I immediately yanked my hand out of Darius’s grip. I knew what the pack was seeing. I knew the whispers were already starting.

"We need to get out of here. Now," Darius said, his voice urgent.

"Please, Darius, just go," I begged, ducking my head to hide my face behind my hair. I didn't need to look back to know Percival was seething. He looked furious, but he didn't have a single damn right to be.

...

The next morning, the room felt too heavy to leave. I stared at the ceiling, tracing the patterns in the plaster as my stomach churned with nausea. I couldn't face the pack. I couldn't face the pity or the rumors of being caught with the Alpha's younger son while the heir sat with his pregnant mistress.

A sharp knock at the door made me jump, my heart leaping into my throat.

"Edeline? It's me. Open up, please."

Darius.

I groaned, throwing the covers off and forcing my shaky legs to carry me to the door. I hadn't eaten a bite, and the world felt a little tilted. I turned the lock, and he practically fell inside.

My breath hitched as I looked at him. His knuckles were split and dripping, and blood was smeared across his arms and shirt.

"What did you do?" I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth. He looked like he'd been through a meat grinder. The blood was fresh, bright red and flowing freely.

He kicked the door shut behind him and leaned against it, a bruised, triumphant smirk spreading across his face.

"I finally gave my brother a piece of my mind," he said, his voice thick with satisfaction. "I told him exactly where he could go."

I stood there in silence, my mouth hanging open as I stared at him. A part of me didn't even want to know the details of the carnage, but the sheer pride radiating off Darius was hard to ignore. He looked so incredibly pleased with himself that I felt I had to acknowledge it. I gave him a weak thumbs-up.

"Darius, you really shouldn't have done that," I said, shaking my head. His confident expression faltered for a split second, so I let a small, genuine smile reach my lips. "But... thank you. For standing up for me. You’re amazing, truly. I don’t know what I’d do without my best friend."

His grin returned, brighter than ever. He dashed over to my closet and started rummaging through my things, throwing clothes over his shoulder. A dress hit me square in the face before I could react.

"Ugh! Seriously? Stop doing that!" I complained, pulling the fabric off my head.

"Put it on. We’re going down for breakfast," he said, poking his head out from the wardrobe with a mischievous glint in his eye.

Even with the bruises and the blood, he looked good. I figured he must have won that fight if he was in such high spirits.

My heart did a nervous flutter against my ribs. I wasn't ready to walk into a room full of people. "Go on," he urged, stepping in front of me to block my escape. I looked up at him, my fear likely written all over my face. "And after my training, we’re going for a run. You need to get out there. Your wolf needs it."

He was right. I hadn't shifted since that first traumatic time, and I was terrified of what was happening inside me. My wolf felt stronger than me, a wild force of grief and fury that I could barely contain. Sometimes her emotions bled into mine so heavily I couldn't tell where I ended and she began. I had trained so hard to keep her under my thumb, but there was always that nagging fear that she might just snap.

"I don't know if this is a good idea, Darius..." I murmured, looking down.

He softened, placing his heavy, warm hands on my shoulders. "You'll be fine, Edeline. You're a lot tougher than you give yourself credit for."

I shook my head, not quite believing him.

Darius’s expression shifted, turning stern as he straightened his back. "Get changed. No more talking. You have to face the pack eventually, and it's better to do it now. Just fake it. If you hide, the gossip will only get meaner. Stay close to me—I’ll be your shield against the stares. Now, move."

Tears stung my eyes, but I gave him a small nod. I grabbed the first dress I could reach and ducked into the bathroom. As I pulled it on, I realized the hem barely reached mid-thigh. It was far too short. My first thought—my traitorous, instinctive thought—was that Percival would hate seeing me in this.

'Wait. Why do I care what he thinks?' I hissed to my reflection. 'Let him look. Let him see exactly what he threw away.'

I marched out of the bathroom. "Ready?" Darius asked, reaching for my hand. I nodded, and he led me down the hallway toward the dining hall. My stomach felt like it was tied in iron knots. I squeezed his hand so hard my knuckles turned white, and he squeezed back, offering a silent, worried glance.

"I’ve got you," he whispered as we approached the heavy doors. "Just breathe. If he’s near, take a deep breath and hold it."

We stepped into the hall. The air was thick with the scent of bacon, coffee, and the dull roar of a hundred conversations. Then, Percival’s scent hit me—cedar and rain. It was a wave of comfort that turned into a sharp ache of nostalgia.

The closer we got to the tables, the more intense the smell became. I could feel the heat of his presence. My skin began to tingle, every nerve ending screaming at me to look at him, but I kept my eyes locked on the back of Darius’s head.

My throat felt tight as we reached the buffet line. I didn't let go of Darius until we were standing right in front of the food.

Darius picked up a plate, his eyes searching mine. "What are you eating?" he asked.

I felt the weight of the room shifting. For a high-ranking male to fix a plate for a female—especially the Beta’s daughter—it sent a loud, clear message to the pack. It was fuel for the fire, and I knew Percival would be watching.

"Just the usual," I whispered, trying to make myself as small as possible.

Suddenly, a low, vibrating growl rumbled from somewhere right behind me. My blood turned to ice. I didn't need to turn around to know it was him. My mate didn't like his brother playing protector. I couldn't even bring myself to think his name, let alone speak it.

I felt his gaze crawling over me, scanning every inch of exposed skin in this too-short dress. Anxiety coiled in my gut, and I instinctively hugged my arms across my chest. My body was betraying me, aching for a touch I knew I couldn't have, while my wolf stirred in the back of my mind, trying to pull me toward him.