They threw me out to the forest outside our pack’s land. My body hasn’t recovered from childbirth yet, so I lay on the cold ground as the rain poured. Everything felt numb except for my heart which burned with resentment.

"I’ll take my son back," I cried silently. How could I lose everything on the day I should be happiest?

The sound of leaves crunching made me jolt. I tried to push myself up to look around. My eyes widened when I saw a wolf coming my way. He was huge, and being alone out here must mean he was a rogue. That made him dangerous.

I couldn't stand up to run, so I backed away until my back was pressed against a tree. The wolf stalked toward me, eyeing me like I was some prey.

"Please," I mumbled. I couldn't die here yet. I had to find my son. I had to make those people pay for stealing my title–my pack. 

"Get on my back unless you want to die here," I heard his voice in my head. How could he do that when we had no relation to each other? "Hurry before some other beast finds you and rips you apart."

I had no strength left and no other options. He was right, staying in this forest was a death sentence. I climbed on top of him, exhaustion creeping in as I straddled his back.

**

I regretted my decision when I realized he was bringing me to enemy territory. But it was too late. We were already inside his estate–by the looks of it, he was someone important. Their pack had a reputation for being vicious to their enemies and those who offended them. They were dangerous and feared. How would they treat outsiders like me? 

The maids brought me to a bedroom and treated me. They helped me into new clothes and even gave me something to drink and eat. It was far from what I expected from a pack that others called savages for their cruel ways. 

A man suddenly walked into the room. It took me a while to recognize him, but as soon as he was close, I knew I was damned. It was the Alpha of their pack. 

“I didn’t think I’d see you in that state, Bianca,” he said with a sly smirk. “Tell me, how did the Luna of the Silverclaw pack end up in that forest? 

Alpha Logan was the wolf in the forest? What was he doing so close to our pack? Why did he help me when he hated Enzo’s guts?

“I’m… no longer the Luna of that pack,” I said, looking away.

“Ah, I see,” he purred. “So, that’s what happened. Did your Alpha find his mate?”

My gaze whipped back at him. It wasn’t common knowledge that Enzo and I weren’t mates. We even wanted to keep it secret from other packs because it could be seen as a weakness. 

“H-How did you?” I wanted to ask how he knew, but there had been questions circling about me before. “Nevermind. You probably assume I don't have a mate because you were among those who thought I was wolfless. Yes, indeed. I ended up in that forest because I am wolfless."

Logan chuckled. “Oh, I don’t believe that rumor. I just know he’s not your mate. Besides, you’re not wolfless.”

My eyebrows furrowed as I silently listened to him.

“How could your worthless husband kick you out when you’re a better leader than him,” he pondered as he leaned against a wall. “You even have a stronger wolf. He wouldn’t win against you if you had proper training.”

“Why do you seem so confident about me having the ability to shift? I’d never been able to,” I said. “A-and why did you help me?”

“Right, you probably don’t know because you haven’t awakened your wolf yet.” He pushed himself away from the wall and walked toward me. “I know you have one. And I know he’s not your mate because you’re my mate.”

I couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that I was mated to the savage Alpha of the Bloodmoon pack. He rose to power by murdering his tyrannical father and older brother. Created a bloodbath out of the last pack that offended him. Now I had to live with the fact that the moon goddess chose him for me? She must really hate me.

Logan left me alone with my thoughts. He said I needed to rest and he’d come to talk to me again tomorrow. But I couldn’t sleep. I wondered what Logan would do to me. Would he reject me and treat me as a slave or prisoner in their pack?

But if he helped me… I might have a chance of getting my son back. If I play my cards right, I could even take back everything Marie and Enzo stole from me.

The next day, they brought me to Logan’s room as soon as night fell. Logan looked at me like a predator sizing up his prey.

“Now that you don’t look like you’ll pass out any moment, you should be able to make a decision.”

“A decision?”

“About accepting the mate bond.”

“Isn’t that a decision we should both make?”

“I’ve already decided what to do with you, Bianca. If you accept the bond, I’d let you be my luna… and if you don’t… let’s just say I’d rather have a dead mate than be rejected.”

My hands turned cold at the implication. I looked at him, searching his eyes for any sign that he wasn’t serious about what he said. But even though he looked amused, he wasn’t lying or playing around.

“So, you’re threatening me into accepting the bond?”

“I don’t have to threaten your life, Bianca. You’ll die out there if you don’t choose to be with me. And I have no intention of giving a banished luna shelter if she can’t make herself useful to me.”

He was right. He didn’t have to kill me, he could simply kick me out of his land and I’d be dead because I couldn’t shift. I clenched my fist at my sides. Accepting the mate bond… would tie my life to his. And the process of accepting meant I had to surrender myself to him… that we would start craving each other—needing each other.

I had never been with any man other than Logan. That should make this even more repulsive, but instead it made me want to do it. Because Logan shouldn’t be the only one who could sleep with someone else.

“You’re thinking about him.” Logan’s expression turned grim, he stared at me like he could read my mind… “Did you know that your puny Alpha has announced his wedding to his mate?”

“He did what?” It had only been a day since they threw me out… and they were already planning their wedding?

“I even received an invitation. They probably think I wouldn’t show up because I’d never gone to such events, but I’m actually curious about who he replaced you with. If you accept the bond, you can come as my luna.”

Logan stood behind me, the back of his hand tracing down my neck. “What’s it gonna be, Bianca? Do you want to end up in my bed tonight… or back in the dark woods?”