I couldn't stop smiling as I stood in the middle of the clearing. The full moon was huge and bright overhead. My white dress felt soft against my skin and the flowers in my hair smelled sweet. This was it. The night I finally became Luna. My fated mate, Alpha Ryder, was going to claim me in front of the whole Silver Moon Pack.

My wolf was practically dancing inside me. He's ours. He's really ours tonight.

The drums started beating fast. Everyone watched as I walked up the stone steps to the platform. Ryder stood there tall and strong, his green eyes on me. I reached for his hand, excited sparks already jumping between us from the mate bond.

Elder Thorne cleared his throat. "Alpha Ryder, do you accept Ava as your fated mate and Luna?"

I held my breath.

"No," Ryder said loudly.

The word hit me like a slap. The whole pack went dead silent.

"What did you say?" I whispered. My smile dropped fast.

Ryder looked right at me, no warmth in his eyes. "I reject you, Ava. I choose Lena as my Luna instead."

Gasps and whispers exploded all around us. Lena stepped out from the side in a tight red dress, grinning like she had already won. My chest felt like it was cracking open. The mate bond that had been warm and golden inside me for three years suddenly twisted and snapped. Pain shot through my whole body. My wolf howled in agony.

"Why are you doing this?" I cried. Tears burned my eyes but I blinked hard. "You marked me! You said I was your everything!"

Ryder didn't even flinch. "The pack needs power and strong alliances. Lena gives us that. You were just a weak mistake the moon gave me. I'm fixing it."

Every word cut deeper. The entire pack was staring at me. Some looked shocked. Others had pity in their eyes. A few even smirked. Humiliation burned my face red. I wanted to disappear. I wanted to scream. But I forced my chin up.

"Then I reject you too, Ryder," I said, my voice shaking. "I'm done with you and this pack."

I turned and ran down the steps. No one tried to stop me. I pushed through the crowd, their whispers following me like knives. As soon as I hit the trees I ran faster. Branches scratched my arms and tore my pretty dress but I didn't care. I ran until my lungs burned and my legs felt like jelly.

Finally I collapsed beside a small stream, splashing cold water on my face. I cried so hard my stomach hurt. The bite mark on my neck from Ryder throbbed once, then went cold and numb as the bond died completely. How could he humiliate me like that? In front of everyone?

I sat there for a long time, shaking and alone. Then something strange happened. Heat bloomed on my left wrist. I pushed up my ripped sleeve and stared.

A glowing mark had appeared. A circle with moons and old-looking symbols twisting inside it. It pulsed with power. My wolf perked up, curious and alert.

"What is this?" I touched it. The mark flared brighter and a rush of energy shot through me. For the first time tonight I didn't feel completely broken.

But then I heard heavy footsteps coming through the woods. Fast. Getting closer. A deep, powerful voice echoed in my head.

*Ava...*

My heart raced. I jumped up, looking around wildly. The mark burned hotter. Whoever was coming felt huge. Stronger than Ryder. Stronger than any wolf I had ever met.

The trees shook. A massive figure stepped out of the shadows, silver eyes locking onto mine.

It was Alpha King Lucian. Ryder's father.

And the way he was looking at me... it felt like the mate bond was waking up again. But this time with him.

"Oh no," I whispered.

This couldn't be happening.

I stared at Alpha King Lucian like I was seeing a ghost. My wrist mark glowed so bright it lit up the space between us. Sparks kept jumping from it, pulling me toward him even though my brain was screaming to run the other way.

"You..." I backed up a step, my voice shaky. "You're Ryder's dad. The Alpha King. This can't be real."

Lucian didn't move at first. His silver eyes were locked on my glowing mark, then slowly moved up to my face. He looked shocked for a second, then something darker and hungrier took over. "The Goddess doesn't lie," he said, his deep voice rumbling. "You are my true mate, Ava. The second chance I never thought I'd get."

The new bond slammed into me all at once. It felt like warm fire spreading through my veins, way stronger than what I had with Ryder. My wolf pushed forward, wanting to get closer to him. I had to fight not to step toward him. "Stop it! I just got rejected and humiliated by your son tonight! In front of everyone! He picked Lena and called me a mistake. Now you show up and say I'm yours?"

Lucian took a slow step forward. He was huge, muscles rippling under his dark shirt. His power pressed down on me but it didn't feel mean. It felt... safe. "Ryder is a fool. He threw away the best thing the moon could give him. I won't. You belong with me now."

I shook my head fast, tears still wet on my cheeks. "This is wrong. Forbidden. People will go crazy when they find out. His father? The King? They'll call me a homewrecker or worse. The packs might even start a war over this!"

Before Lucian could answer, loud howls tore through the forest. Close. Too close. I smelled Ryder's scent on the wind - angry, confused, and getting stronger. The pack was coming for me.

Lucian growled low in his throat. He grabbed my hand. The second our skin touched, the mark flared and sent a wave of energy through both of us. It felt good. Too good. "We have to move. My territory borders this area. I can protect you there."

I hesitated. My legs still hurt from running earlier and my heart was a total mess. Part of me wanted to go back and scream at Ryder. Another part wanted to hide forever. But this new bond with Lucian kept tugging at me, telling me to trust him.

"Okay," I said quickly. "But if this explodes, it's your fault."

We started running through the dark trees. Lucian stayed right beside me, pushing branches out of the way and keeping pace even though his legs were longer. The bond made me faster somehow. I could feel his wolf reaching out to mine, like they were already connected and happy about it.

"Ryder will feel this new bond," Lucian said as we ran. "It will drive him mad. He rejected you but he won't want to lose you to me."

Great. Just what I needed.

We kept going, jumping over logs and splashing through small streams. My ripped dress kept catching but I didn't stop. The howls behind us got louder and more frantic. Ryder's voice boomed out. "Ava! I know you're out there! Come back to your Alpha!"

I almost tripped. He wanted me back now? After everything?

Lucian's grip on my hand tightened. "Keep moving."

We burst into a small clearing and Lucian suddenly stopped. He pushed me behind his big body and snarled. Three big wolves stepped out from the other side. They weren't from Silver Moon. Their scents were unfamiliar and mean.

"Look what we have here," the biggest one growled, shifting into his half-human form. He had scars on his face and nasty yellow eyes. "The mighty Alpha King running with a rejected female. This is valuable information."

The other two wolves circled us, growling. My mark burned hotter, like it was warning me of danger. Lucian's claws came out and his eyes glowed brighter.

"Stay behind me, Ava," he ordered.

But the scarred wolf laughed. "Too late for that. Our Alpha has been looking for weaknesses in your kingdom. A forbidden mate bond with your own son's rejected girl? This changes everything."

One of the wolves lunged at us fast. Lucian roared and met him in the air, their bodies crashing together. I backed up, heart racing, claws out too even though I wasn't as strong as them.

The other two started moving toward me.

I was scared but the bond with Lucian gave me courage. I wasn't going to be weak anymore.

Then I heard more howls. Ryder and his pack were almost here.

We were surrounded.

Everything happened so fast. Lucian was still fighting the biggest scarred wolf, their bodies slamming together with loud growls and snaps of teeth. The other two wolves came straight at me, eyes glowing with hunger. I backed up quick, my heart pounding like a drum.

"Stay away!" I shouted. My claws were out and the mark on my wrist burned so hot it felt like fire. Power rushed through me. I didn't know where it came from but I used it.

The first wolf lunged. I dodged and slashed my claws across his side. He yelped in pain. The second one tried to bite my leg but I kicked hard, catching him in the jaw. My wolf was wide awake now, angry and strong because of the new bond.

Lucian roared and threw the scarred wolf into a tree. The tree cracked and the wolf didn't get up fast. Lucian turned to me, blood on his shirt but he looked okay. "Ava, behind me!"

He grabbed me and we ran again. The rival wolves howled behind us but we were faster. The bond between us made us move together like we had practiced this a hundred times. His power mixed with mine and it felt amazing. Scary, but amazing.

We ran for what felt like forever. My legs ached and my ripped dress was basically rags now. Finally Lucian pulled me into a hidden cave near the border of his territory. He pushed some rocks in front to block the entrance a little.

We both breathed hard in the dark. Only a little moonlight came in. I could see his silver eyes watching me.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, stepping closer. His hand touched my arm gently. Sparks flew again from the mark. It calmed me down even though I was still shaking.

"I'm okay," I said. "Thanks to you. But what the hell is going on? First Ryder rejects me, then this mark appears, and now I'm bonded to his father? The King? This is going to destroy everything."

Lucian nodded. He looked tired but his eyes were still intense. "The old stories talk about second chance bonds like this. Rare. Powerful. The mark chooses when the first bond breaks badly. Ryder's rejection opened the door for us. But yes... it's forbidden in many eyes. Father and son. Two Alphas fighting over one mate. It could start a war between packs."

I sat down on a rock, pulling my knees up. "I don't want to be the reason for a war. I just wanted to be happy. To have a mate who wanted me." My voice cracked a little. The pain from Ryder's words still hurt.

Lucian sat next to me. He was so big his shoulder touched mine. The bond warmed up again, pushing the hurt away. "I want you, Ava. Not just because of the bond. I felt it the second the mark called me. You're strong. You ran instead of begging him. That's a Luna. My Luna."

His words made my face warm. I looked at him. Up close he was handsome in a dangerous way. Older than Ryder but not old. Strong jaw, dark hair, and those eyes that made my wolf want to submit. I hated how much I liked it.

Before I could say anything, noises came from outside the cave. Howls. Snarls. Both Ryder's pack and those rival wolves. They were fighting each other now.

"They're here," I whispered. "What do we do?"

Lucian stood up fast and pulled me with him. "We fight our way to my main territory. Once we're there, my pack will protect us. But you have to trust me completely."

I nodded. The mark glowed brighter like it agreed. We moved out of the cave quietly at first, then ran when the fighting sounds got louder.

We burst into another clearing and there he was - Ryder. He shifted back to human form, shirtless and angry. His eyes went wide when he saw me next to Lucian. Then he saw our hands together and the glowing mark.

"What the fuck is this?" Ryder roared. "Ava! You're mine! I rejected you but I take it back. Come here now!"

Lucian pushed me behind him and growled loud. "She is not yours anymore, boy. The Goddess gave her to me. Touch her and I will end you."

Ryder looked shocked, then furious. "Father... you? With her? This is sick. Twisted. The packs will never accept this!"

Other wolves from both sides started circling. The rival scarred wolf was there too, watching with an evil smile. He was enjoying the chaos.

I stepped out a little, even though my knees felt weak. "I'm not going back, Ryder. You broke me in front of everyone. Now leave me alone."

The tension was so thick I could barely breathe. Any second someone was going to attack.

Then the scarred rival wolf howled a signal. More wolves poured out from the trees. Way more. An ambush.

Lucian cursed. "It's a trap!"

We were completely surrounded. Ryder looked ready to fight his own father. The rivals wanted blood. And my mark was pulsing like it was about to do something big.

I didn't know who to trust or how we were going to get out of this alive.