Elara's POV

For three years, I lived in total darkness-the price I paid for taking a poisoned silver blade to the face to save my fated mate.

Today, my sight miraculously returned.

But when I rushed to his chamber to share the good news, the first thing I saw was my Alpha riding his Beta secretary on our marital bed.

I stood in the doorway, forcing my eyes to remain blank and unfocused.

He didn't know I could see.

And I intended to keep it that way.

Chapter 1

Elara's POV

The Moon Goddess, that divine weaver of our fates, had at last seen fit to grant a miracle. The dark curtain was drawn back from my eyes. For three years, I had inhabited a world of total blackness-the steep price for taking a poisoned silver blade across my face to save my mate.

But today, the work of the Mystic Coven healers had finally taken root. I could see the flickering dance of wax candles upon the stone walls. I could see the heavy oak doors of our gothic pile of a castle. Gathering my long skirts, I ran, the sound of my steps echoing down the cobblestone corridor.

I wanted to surprise Kaelen. He is the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, the unchallenged lord of our territory. He is also my fated mate, the other half of my soul, chosen by the Moon Goddess.

I reached the massive doors of the Luna's chamber. The Luna is the mother of the pack, a title that belongs to me. With a bright smile, I pushed the heavy doors open.

The smile died on my face.

The scent of pine and winter rain had always belonged to Kaelen. It was the scent that told my inner wolf she was safe. But now, that clean, wild scent was being smothered, choked by a cloying sweetness of black roses left to rot. It was the scent of Selena. His Beta secretary, who always knew precisely when to let a tear trace a path through the powder on her cheek.

Right now, she was not affecting weakness. She was riding my mate on my bed. The bed that symbolized the sacred bond of the Alpha and the Luna.

A chill, sharp and sudden, bloomed in my veins. My chest grew so tight I had to part my lips just to draw a breath. I stood in the shadows of the doorway, my feet seemingly taking root in the cold stone floor.

Selena ran her hands over Kaelen's muscular chest. "When will you break the mate bond with the blind girl?" she whispered, her voice thick with desire.

Kaelen kissed her neck, right over the spot where a mate's mark should be. "I need more time to prepare the ceremony," he murmured. His voice, the same voice that used the powerful Alpha's Command to make entire armies kneel, was now a soft murmur for another woman.

A backwards step was not a choice, but an instinct that pulled on my legs. The heavy door swung shut in my hand without a sound, sealing the scene away. I walked out of the castle, the freezing air a shock against my thin chemise, and did not stop until my bare feet were buried in the snow. I did not need to send a message; some deep, wounded part of me already knew its destination. I was going home.

I wiped the cold moisture from my face before turning back towards the castle walls.

I found them an hour later in the grand hall. They had moved from my bed to the thick animal skin rug in front of the roaring fireplace. They were holding each other tightly. I kept my eyes unfocused, my gaze fixed on a point on the far wall. I had to pretend I was still blind.

Selena saw me walking with my hands stretched out. She smirked and leaned closer to Kaelen's ear. She purposely released a heavy wave of her black rose scent. It was a direct challenge to my territory as the Luna. She looked at me and wrinkled her nose, as if noticing a piece of filth stuck to her boot.

"Alpha," Selena whispered loudly. "You are out of your suppressants." It was a deliberate mockery of his Heat-the uncontrollable biological urge he was supposedly suffering from. "Make the blind girl get them for you," she challenged with an evil smile.

Kaelen hesitated. He flinched, a sharp spike of guilt and possessive panic souring his scent. He wanted his cake and to eat it too-to keep me as his revered, helpless Luna while indulging his baser appetites. But then he sighed and looked at my blank, unseeing eyes.

"Elara," Kaelen said, forcing a weak cough. "I have caught a terrible cold." He pointed to the long wooden table across the room. "Could you fetch the fever herbs from the table for me?"

My inner wolf whimpered, a sound of pure agony. The pain of a mate's betrayal felt as though I had swallowed a fistful of ice shards, the cold spreading from my stomach to my very bones. I forced myself to stumble forward, pretending to trip on the edge of the rug.

I reached the table and picked up the glass vial. It was not a fever herb. It was the potion to cool his sexual urges for his mistress. I turned around and held it out to the empty air, acting like I could not see him.

"Here is your medicine, my love," I said, my voice shaking. "Please take care of your health."

Kaelen walked over and took the vial from my hand. He did not touch my skin. "I should sleep in the guest room tonight," he lied smoothly. "I do not want to infect you with my illness." He walked back, picked Selena up in his arms, and carried her out of the hall.

I stood alone by the fire. The flames warmed my skin, but my soul was freezing to death.

I closed my eyes and reached out with my mind. The Mind-Link is our silent, telepathic voice.

Elder Silas, I called out to my mentor in the hidden forest.

Elara, my child. Did the magic work? his ancient, warm voice echoed in my head.

Yes, I replied, letting the tears finally fall. I will return to the Coven in seven days. I am ready to inherit your legacy.

The countdown to my departure had officially begun.

Elara's POV

The morning sun, strained through the corridor's stained glass, threw colored patterns on the floor. I walked toward the washroom, my hands gripping the cold stone walls.

Kaelen had just returned to our chamber to change his clothes. The moment he walked past me, a wave of nausea hit my stomach. The scent of a mate is supposed to bring peace to a werewolf's soul. But Kaelen smelled entirely of Selena's sickly sweet black roses. The mingling of his pine scent and her cloying perfume was a violation, an offense against the natural order. My inner wolf scratched violently at the walls of my mind, rejecting the smell.

I rushed into the washroom and my legs gave out from under me. I dry-heaved over the wooden bucket, my body shaking with violent, uncontrollable tremors.

And then I smelled it. Beneath the wilted flowers and medicinal herbs in the discarded linen basket, a faint, almost imperceptible odor clung to a piece of cloth. As a healer, I recognized it instantly. The unique hormonal scent a female wolf emits only in the very early stages of pregnancy.

Selena was carrying my mate's pup.

My breath hitched. A cold sweat broke out on my forehead.

Footsteps echoed behind me. Kaelen rushed into the washroom, his face pale with panic. He lunged from behind me, his arms a cage, his chin digging into the hollow of my shoulder. "Elara! What is wrong?" he asked, his voice filled with genuine fear.

The moment his skin touched mine, a spark of electricity shot up my spine. It was the physical surge of the mate bond, a cruel biological reaction I could not stop. But the smell of the Beta on his skin made my stomach turn again. I pushed him away with all my strength.

"Do not touch me," I gasped, crawling backward on the cold tiles.

Kaelen looked hurt. He was an Alpha with a severe obsession with cleanliness. He hated dirt and mess, but he completely ignored the dirty bucket next to me. He reached out and pulled me tightly against his chest, his grip bruising and desperate. "I am so sorry, my sweet girl," he murmured into my hair. "I have neglected you. The Pack duties have been endless, and the border patrols have drained me."

I stared blindly over his shoulder, my face completely blank. He was lying to my face. His endless duties were just endless nights in another woman's bed.

He cupped my face in his large, warm hands, his thumbs gently wiping the sweat from my cheeks. "I promise to put down all my duties as Alpha tomorrow," he said softly. "Tomorrow is your birth festival. I will spend the entire day only with you."

He lifted me into his arms and carried me back to our massive bedroom. He set me down on the edge of the bed and walked to the oak wardrobe. He pulled out a stunning, deep red silk dress. "Let me help you dress," he offered, reaching for the ties of my nightgown.

I grabbed his wrists, stopping him. "I can do it myself," I said quietly. It was the first time I had ever refused his help since I lost my sight.

Kaelen frowned, a flash of confusion crossing his handsome face. But he stepped back and let me pull the silk dress over my head. I lay back against the pillows. Kaelen pulled the heavy velvet blanket over my body, tucking the edges in so I would not be cold. He looked at me with such deep, tender affection that a dry, mirthless laugh almost escaped my lips at the sheer theatricality of it all.

I closed my eyes, pretending to fall asleep.

The room was perfectly quiet. Because our souls were tied by the Moon Goddess, my senses could feel the shift in his energy-a faint, buzzing vibration in the air as he opened his Mind-Link. Because I was a White Wolf, a rare descendant of the Moon Goddess, my senses were sharper than any normal wolf's. I felt, rather than heard, the mental echo leaking from his consciousness.

Kaelen, you ruined my favorite dress last night, Selena's voice whined in his head. Come to the guest room and make it up to me.

Kaelen remained by my bed, as still as a statue. He leaned down and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to my forehead. He stroked my cheek one last time. Then, he turned around and walked out of the room without looking back. He left his blind mate alone to go satisfy his pregnant mistress.

I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling. Any love I had left for him had just turned to ash.

Elara's POV

The next morning, the smell of roasted meat filled our chamber. Kaelen had woken up before dawn to cook for me. He placed a silver tray on the table, loaded with roasted venison and sweet berry pastries. He cut the meat into tiny pieces, just the way he had done for the past three years.

He picked up a piece with his silver fork and brought it to my lips. "Open up, my love," Kaelen coaxed gently.

I sat still, staring into the darkness of my act. Across the table, Selena let out a loud, dramatic sigh. She crossed her arms and pouted, making sure Kaelen noticed her displeasure. She hated that the Alpha was serving a useless, blind woman.

Kaelen's eyes darted toward Selena. I felt the subtle shift in the air as his mind reached for hers. My White Wolf senses allowed me to feel the private current of their Mind-Link, a secret I had always kept from him.

Do not be angry, my beautiful Beta, I felt Kaelen's mental voice soothe her. I will give you the eastern hunting grounds as compensation.

Selena's pout turned into a triumphant smirk. She stood up from her chair, smoothing down her tight dress. As she walked past Kaelen, she deliberately drew her long, manicured fingernails slowly across his thigh. Kaelen's breath hitched, and his eyes darkened with lust.

I pretended I saw nothing. I turned my head away from the fork he was still holding. "I am not hungry for meat," I said flatly. I picked up my own silver fork and blindly poked at a pastry, eating it in silence.

By nightfall, Kaelen took me to the river that flowed through our territory. He had rented a massive royal ferry for my birth festival. The wooden deck was glowing with the light of blue magic crystals. Noble wolves from our pack were gathered, drinking wine and laughing.

Kaelen held my hand tightly, leading me to the front of the ship. "Do you remember this place, Elara?" he asked, his voice thick with emotion.

I looked down at the wooden planks. The entire deck was covered in thick layers of black rose petals. It was the flower I was allergic to, but it was Selena's absolute favorite.

"This is where I marked you," Kaelen whispered, pulling me against his chest. Marking was the ultimate claim, the moment he sealed our souls by sinking his fangs into my neck. Kaelen buried his face in my neck, right over the scar of his bite. I felt a warm tear drop onto my skin. He was actually crying, moved by his own romantic memories.

I felt nothing but disgust.

Suddenly, the crowd went quiet. Selena walked onto the deck, wearing a scandalous, high-end silk gown that left nothing to the imagination. She walked straight up to Kaelen and ignored everyone else. She grabbed his free hand and intertwined her fingers with his.

"It is time for the show, Alpha," she announced loudly. She started counting down from ten. When she reached one, a massive explosion echoed in the night sky. The magic crystals shot beams of light into the clouds. Fireworks exploded in brilliant shades of red and gold.

I looked up at the sky. Every single firework burst into the shape of a coiled snake. It was the family crest of Selena's bloodline. He was so utterly enthralled by her that he had allowed her to hijack my own birth festival right before my eyes.

The noble wolves gasped and began whispering among themselves. Kaelen looked at the sky, his face turning pale. A pack messenger suddenly ran up to him, bowing low. "Alpha, there is an emergency," the messenger lied, reciting a script Kaelen had clearly prepared. "The border defense needs your immediate command."

Kaelen turned to me, his face a mask of fake regret. "I am so sorry, Elara. The Pack needs me," he said quickly. He let go of my hand and called for a low-ranking Omega maid. "Take care of the Luna," he ordered the frightened girl. Without waiting for my answer, he turned and walked quickly toward the lower cabins. Selena followed right behind him, her hips swaying.

I stood under the exploding fireworks of my rival's family. I told the Omega maid I needed to rest and sent her away. Then I turned, and followed that cloying scent of black roses down the dark stairs, a scent that now seemed to cling to the wooden handrails like a greasy film.