And then the thing I feared the most before happened, just like what I overheard from Alpha Kael and Beta Lucas.

The crisp evening air was thick with the scent of pine and honeyed wine, the banquet hall alive with laughter and the clinking of goblets. Wolves from every corner of the realm gathered to celebrate. The Alpha King, in his benevolence, had invited all the packs, including ours—the Aurora Pack. It should have been a night of unity and joy. Instead, it was the night my world crumbled.

I had barely touched the glass of wine in my hand when I heard the sound of a spoon tapping against crystal. The room quieted. Alpha Kael Haynes, the man I had known since I was a pup—the man who had once saved me from a life of loneliness—stood at the center of the room, his sharp blue eyes scanning the crowd with confidence.

“I have an announcement,” Kael declared, his deep voice carrying easily over the hushed room.

I knew that voice too well—firm, commanding, yet smooth. It was a voice that could silence a battlefield, a voice that had once comforted me during sleepless nights at the organization that raised us. My chest tightened as I clutched my goblet, unable to look away.

Kael turned to Princess Rachelle, her golden hair glowing under the chandelier’s light. She smiled up at him, radiant and perfect in her lilac gown. My stepsister. The Alpha King’s daughter.

Kael dropped to one knee.

The air seemed to leave my lungs.

“Princess Rachelle,” he began, his gaze unwavering. “Will you honor me by becoming my mate, my Luna, and standing by my side as I lead the Aurora Pack?”

The room erupted into cheers and applause as Rachelle gasped, her hands flying to her mouth before she nodded eagerly. “Yes! I will!”

I froze. My grip on the goblet faltered, and the wine sloshed over the rim. My heart thudded painfully in my chest, the noise of the celebration fading to a dull roar in my ears.

It happened…

Eyes turned toward me. I could feel their pity—the silent glances, the murmurs. And they talked around me so freely because they were confident I could not hear.

“Poor girl,” I heard someone whisper.

“She’s been in love with him for years.”

“Bold of her to assume the Alpha will marry a mere deaf Omega.”

“Of course, the Alpha will choose someone like Princess Rachelle. Who is Meredith anyway? She’s nothing but a weak Omega. She’s not suited to be anyone’s Luna.”

I wanted to scream, tell them their words were nothing but lies, to lash out at their words, at the world, at Kael himself. But I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe.

I couldn’t take it anymore. My wolf stirred uneasily within me, her frustration mirroring my own. Leave, Meredith. We don’t belong here.

My legs moved on their own, carrying me toward the grand doors of the banquet hall. My mother—my biological mother, now the Queen Luna Vanessa—stood near the edge of the crowd, tears of joy streaming down her face. Her happiness was for Rachelle, for the daughter she had chosen to cherish.

Not for me.

She caught sight of me and started to speak, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t. My head was spinning, and my heart felt like it was shattering into a million pieces.

Years ago, when I turned eighteen, my mother suddenly appeared before me and told me the truth—I was her daughter. I could hardly believe it.

My mother was none other than Queen Luna of the Western Wolf Territory. And I had a stepsister—Rachelle.

Yet Rachelle knew nothing. The only ones aware of my existence were my mother and her current husband, Alpha King Theodore.

But why then?

Why not when I was still trapped in the organization? Why wait all these years?

She never gave me a real answer, only saying she wasn’t ready. One of the few things she told me was the fact that she and my biological father had split long ago.

As to why I was in the organization? She just told me my real father hid me there for years without her knowing. I had so many questions—doubts even, but she made me feel like it was a burden to ask.

“You can’t come with me at the palace, Meredith,” she told me one day. “My husband is the current Alpha King. What do you think the people or even Rachelle will think if they found out your real identity? Just pretend to be an omega for everyone’s peace.”

Since then, even Kael, the person I cared about the most, didn’t know who I really was.

The only thing my mother made sure to remind me of—again and again—was that my father was a monster. A tyrant. Evil incarnate. And if he ever tried to contact me, I was never to believe a word he said.

And then, just a month later, he did.

My father started reaching out—calling, messaging—claiming to be my blood.

The Alpha King of the Eastern Territory. The man everyone called a tyrant. A villain. A monster.

And when the incident three years ago happened, my mother became indifferent upon hearing that I had gone deaf. She had always been cold, but she grew even colder. I told myself it was merely because she was busy with her duties as the Queen Luna—I kept making excuses for her.

And yet, after Kael’s betrayal, it felt like everything had been a lie.

Meredith’s POV

I kept my head down as I walked through the dim corridors of the packhouse, my fingers tightening around the edges of my dress. I had learned long ago that walking silently, moving unnoticed, was safer. It was easier to pretend I was oblivious, easier to endure when they thought I couldn’t hear their words.

Princess Rachelle walked beside me, her steps graceful, her presence overbearing. Ever since Alpha Kael proposed to her, she had been living in the packhouse.

Then—a sudden force against my foot.

I barely had time to react before I stumbled, my balance thrown off. I caught myself just in time, but the sharp movement sent a dull ache through my stomach. My pulse spiked.

Rachelle, feigning innocence, gasped and quickly signed, "Oh, I’m so sorry!"

But her lips said something else entirely.

"Serves you right, deaf! I don’t even know why you’re still here when you’re just a nobody. A lowly omega."

I clenched my jaw, my nails digging into my palms.

"I know this deaf girl just wants to steal my man," she continued with a smirk, her voice a quiet sneer. "Thinking she can seduce the Alpha? Dream on. As if Kael would ever marry a pathetic, deaf Luna."

I lifted my head and looked at her. Just looked.

Her smirk deepened, and she chuckled before signing again. "Oh, nothing."

But her voice carried on with its venom. "How pitiful. You don’t even know that everyone has been cursing you right in front of your face for years. Even the maids of this pack laugh at you."

I swallowed the sharp sting in my throat and kept my expression carefully blank. Don’t react.

Her laughter trailed behind me as we entered the dining area.

I took my usual seat, forcing my hands to remain steady as I reached for my cup.

Then, Rachelle signed sweetly, "Meredith, could you pass me the soup?"

I hesitated but nodded, reaching for the steaming bowl. As soon as her fingers touched the edge—she shoved it forward, right into her own dress. The thick, hot soup spilled all over her pristine silk gown.

"Ahh!" she shrieked dramatically, pushing back from the table.

I stiffened in shock, my eyes widening. I hadn’t even touched her. But before I could move, before I could even process what had just happened, the doors burst open. A cold shiver ran down my spine.

Kael.

His presence filled the room instantly, his sharp blue eyes scanning the scene. His gaze landed on Rachelle first, then flickered to me—and darkened.

"What the hell is going on here?"

His voice sent a tremor through my bones. He signed to me, “What did you do?” And he had already assumed it was my fault—not even asking what happened first.

Rachelle whimpered, clutching the soiled fabric of her dress, looking every bit the fragile, innocent victim.

"Oh, Alpha," she sniffled. "Please don’t be angry. It’s not her fault. Maybe she’s just... jealous of me. I mean, I understand. After all, I get to marry you soon while she’s still just a lowly omega. Maybe she just couldn’t help herself."

The breath caught in my throat. She was playing the role perfectly. And he was buying it. Kael turned to me, his expression stern, his hands moving sharply as he signed—

"Why would you hurt royalty? Are you wishing for death?"

The words hit harder than any slap. My heart pounded painfully against my ribs. I wanted to scream. I wanted to shout the truth, to let him know what kind of woman he was about to make his Luna. But I knew it wouldn’t matter.

It never did.

Slowly, I lowered my hands. And nodded. Then, without another word, I turned and walked away. Each step felt heavier than the last, but I kept moving, kept my head high even as my vision blurred.

Then I heard it. Kael’s voice—gentle now, coaxing.

"I’ll reprimand Meredith for this," he murmured. "Don’t worry, Rachelle. I won’t let her get away with it."

A bitter laugh built in my chest, but I swallowed it down. Instead, I placed a trembling hand over my stomach, pressing lightly against the life growing inside me.

"How could your father do this to us?" I thought.

Meredith’s POV

I always told myself I’d hold on just a little longer. That maybe one day, Kael would look at me differently. That my mother might remember I was her daughter too. That things could change. But after hearing those words and learning the truth, all I wanted was to hurt them all back. To avenge my unborn child and to make him suffer the same amount I did.

I was already miserable, but tonight, the Goddess decided to cripple me emotionally.

Tonight, as I stood in the dimly lit kitchen, scrubbing the grease off my hands and listening to their laughter echoing from the dining hall, I realized something: I’d been a fool.

“Meredith, hurry up with the stew!” one of the omegas tapped me and signed, breaking my thoughts.

I clenched my jaw and nodded, keeping my expression neutral. I wasn’t above helping; I’d done it countless times before. But this? This was humiliation, plain and simple. I was no omega. I was no servant. But no one knew. For them, I was nothing but a useless she-wolf, a weak deaf omega who was only meant to serve the higher beings.

And here I was, stirring pots while my mother, her Alpha King husband dined like a picture-perfect family.

Meanwhile, Kael and Rachelle were on their way to dine with them. With that, they would be complete.

A family.

The word tasted bitter in my mouth as I peeked around the corner of the wall. They were seated at the long table, their faces glowing in the candlelight. My mother smiled warmly, proud and radiant beside her mate.

I stepped back, leaning against the cold wall to steady myself. My wolf stirred inside me, pacing and restless.

We don’t belong here. Her voice was quiet but firm, a truth I could no longer ignore.

I tried to shake off the ache in my chest and forced myself to focus on the task at hand. The stew bubbled in the pot, filling the air with its rich aroma. But the scent that once brought comfort now churned my stomach.

“Meredith!” My mother signed as soon as she saw me.

I wiped my hands on my apron and hurried towards them. She sat there, regal and poised, her eyes locking onto mine with a look that made me feel small. Then she signed again, “We’re running low on bread. Can you bring more to the table? Also, as soon as Kael is finished teaching Rachelle how to drive, tell them we are here.”

I nodded quickly. “Of course, Mother.”

She didn’t even thank me.

As I placed the breadbasket on the table, I caught snippets of their conversation. I walked away after placing the food they wanted and rested my back on the wall that separated the kitchen and the dining area. I sighed deeply and was about to leave the place and go back to my room when their conversation started to intrigue me.

“Alpha King Valentin has been quiet lately,” my mother said, her voice casual but calculating. “He hasn’t sent any new threats, has he?”

The Alpha King’s voice sounded. My mother immediately answered, “No. The man knows better than to provoke us while Meredith is here. As long as we have her, he won’t dare move against the kingdom. Once we let go of Meredith, it will cause feud between the territories.”

“Exactly,” the king said with a laugh. “It’s almost amusing. Valentin—the most feared tyrant—brought to his knees because his daughter is under our roof. He can just dream, but I will never surrender Meredith to him—not when we can still milk him knowing his weakness is here.”

The table erupted in laughter.

I froze, the breadbasket trembling in my hands.

I didn’t wait for them to talk more. I turned and walked back into the kitchen, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it might crack my ribs. The weight of their words pressed down on me like chains.

That’s all we’ve ever been to them, my wolf growled. A pawn.

She didn’t care about me. Not my mother. She didn’t love me—they used me. They used me to control my father, the man they claimed was a monster.

They made me believe that my father was an evil tyrant to stop me from coming with him. For what? To milk him dry? To use his weakness—me—against him?

But how monstrous could he be if he sent gifts and letters, if he reached out while the people who were supposed to love me treated me like a tool?

My hands trembled as I gripped the edge of the counter, struggling to steady my breathing. I’d been lied to. Manipulated.

I stumbled out of the packhouse, my breath coming in ragged gasps. The cool night air bit at my skin, but it did nothing to numb the fire burning in my chest.

They lied to me.

All these years, I thought my mother was protecting me. That she saw me as someone important. That I had a place here. But I was never more than a pawn—a tool to keep my father, Alpha King Valentin, at bay.

The laughter from the dining hall still rang in my ears. Once we let go of Meredith, it will cause a feud between the territories.

I was nothing to them. Nothing but leverage.

Tears blurred my vision as I wandered through the empty streets of Aurora Pack, my feet moving without direction. My wolf whimpered inside me, but I ignored her. She was just as lost as I was.

But I was pushed back to reality when I saw a car speeding to my direction.

At that moment, I knew, I was doomed. Again.