Kathie POV

The full moon was fast approaching—a time sacred for mating ceremonies in our pack. But my destined mate, Alpha Jason of the Shadowfang Pack, declared he wanted to mate with a she-wolf I had taken under my wing instead.

“She’s the daughter of a healer,” he explained, “and her mother, back in the Southern Woods, is gravely ill. Her final wish is to see her daughter mated before she dies.”

His words were hollow, a feeble justification for betrayal. It wasn’t the first time Jason used others’ plights to excuse his selfishness. But how could he forget? During his weakest years, I—Kathie Green, the Beta's daughter—had been his strength. I sacrificed everything to help him ascend to Alpha, believing I would stand by his side as Luna.

This ceremony was supposed to be mine.

When I confronted him, anger and heartbreak trembling in my voice, his emerald eyes bore into mine with cold disapproval.

“Kathie, don’t be selfish,” he snapped, his tone sharp. “You know Emma looks up to you like an older sister. How can you abandon her now? She’s vulnerable. She needs us both!”

My stomach churned at his audacity. His “need” for her was evident in every lingering glance and soft touch I’d witnessed.

“And what about me?” I demanded, my voice breaking. “I’ve been by your side through everything, Jason! I gave up my future, my family, for you!”

He sighed, exasperated, as though I were a child throwing a tantrum. “Kathie, don’t make this harder than it has to be. You’ve always been strong. Just give me a few years. I promise I’ll come back to you after this.”

Two years? Was he truly asking me to step aside while he bound himself to another wolf under the moon?

The final blow came days later when Jason officially announced his mating ceremony with Emma Gray.

I didn’t attend.

On the morning of their bonding, whispers filled the packhouse. Jason’s face darkened when one of his closest warriors informed him, “Kathie’s gone. Word is, she mated with a rogue Alpha last night and left with him at dawn.”

The rumors spread like wildfire.

That same morning, I stood at the edge of my family’s ancestral territory, the thick scent of pine and soil filling my lungs. The Green lands felt like home and exile all at once. I dialed my mother's number.

“Kathie?” Her voice was laced with surprise. “What’s wrong? Why aren’t you preparing for the ceremony?”

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “I’m coming home, Mother. I’m ready to help lead the pack.”

A pause. Then, suspicion crept into her voice. “What happened with Jason? Don’t tell me you—”

“I’m done with him,” I said firmly. “He made his choice, and I made mine. I won’t waste another moment on someone who doesn’t value me.”

The door to my old room creaked open before I could pack up my few belongings. Standing there was Emma, her wide, innocent eyes gleaming with triumph.

“Kathie!” she chirped. “Would you come with me to pick out my bonding dress? It would mean so much to me if you were there.”

Her feigned sweetness made my blood boil.

I turned slowly, raising an eyebrow. “Do you not know how to knock?”

Her expression crumpled into one of practiced hurt, her voice softening. “I’m sorry, Kathie. I didn’t mean to intrude. I was just too excited—”

“Don’t apologize,” I cut her off, my tone as icy as the northern winds. “You’re thrilled, aren’t you? After all, you’ve gotten exactly what you wanted.”

Before she could respond, a familiar deep voice cut through the tension.

“She’s the future Luna now, Kathie. She has every right to do as she pleases.”

Jason stepped into view, his towering frame and commanding aura filling the doorway. His hand rested possessively on Emma’s shoulder, a gesture that made my heart ache and burn with fury in equal measure.

Emma flushed, glancing up at him with faux modesty. “Brother Jason, don’t say that. Kathie might be upset and refuse to come with me.”

Jason’s lips curled into a cold smile. “She can come if she wants. It doesn’t matter. I’ll go with you myself.”

They left without another glance in my direction.

Months ago, I would’ve followed Jason to the ends of the earth. I had loved him since we were both young wolves, meeting during my training to become Beta of the Silverclaw Pack.

When Jason became Alpha of Shadowfang after a vicious power struggle, I stood by his side. Together, we navigated alliances, rivalries, and battles. For him, I left my family’s pack and worked tirelessly to solidify his position.

Those were hard years, filled with sleepless nights and endless challenges. But they were ours, and they had meaning.

Or so I thought.

When Emma first entered our lives, she was just a homeless girl u had decided to shelter and now she has become the worst mistake of my life.

She appeared on my doorstep with tears in her eyes. “My family has nothing. Please, Kathie, I don’t know where else to go.”

Jason, ever the protector, insisted we take her in.

At first, he seemed indifferent to her. “She’s a clumsy pup,” he’d mutter, annoyed by her endless questions and mistakes. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t even bother.”

But his irritation quickly turned into something more.

Kathie POV

I saw the signs—how he defended her against the pack’s ridicule and took her under his wing. The once cold Alpha became gentle and patient when she was around.

The breaking point came when I overheard Emma thanking Jason late one night.

“You’ve given me so much,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. “I’d be lost without you.”

Jason’s response was quiet, but his tone was intimate in a way it never was with me. “You deserve everything, Emma. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

I knew then that I had lost him.

As the moonlight filtered through the treetops that night, I vowed not to let Jason or Emma define my story.

Standing alone in the clearing, I stared at the moon, its light casting a silver glow over my skin.

As Jason's words hung in the air, I felt as though the floor beneath me had crumbled away. My heart screamed in protest, but I couldn’t find the strength to argue anymore. He had made up his mind, and my feelings no longer seemed to matter.

"Fine," I whispered hoarsely, barely able to hold back my tears. "Do whatever you want, Jason."

He looked at me, surprised by my lack of resistance. Perhaps he thought I’d fight harder for him, but why should I? His actions had already spoken.

That night, I locked myself in the bedroom, pacing the small space as memories of Jason and me flooded my mind. I wanted to hate him, but my heart stubbornly clung to the love we once shared. My phone buzzed on the nightstand, jolting me from my thoughts.

The screen lit up with a text from my mother:

"Kathie, come home. I have something important to tell you."

I stared at the message, my gut tightening. My mother rarely reached out unless it was urgent. Despite everything going on, her words felt like a thread pulling me toward something more solid than the chaos around me.

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of voices outside the door. Jason and Emma were talking in hushed tones, but I could hear every word.

"You think she’ll leave quietly?" Emma’s voice was soft, but there was a sharp edge to it that I hadn’t noticed before.

"She has to," Jason replied, sounding uneasy. "I’ve done everything I can to make this easier for her."

Easier? The sheer audacity of his words made me clench my fists.

"And if she doesn’t?" Emma’s tone turned icy.

"Then I’ll make her leave," Jason said firmly.

Something inside me snapped.

I swung open the door, startling them both. Their guilty expressions only fueled the fire burning within me.

"Don’t bother," I said coldly, my voice steadier than I expected. "I’ll leave."

Jason’s eyes widened, and for a brief moment, I saw a flicker of regret. But it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

"Kathie, I—"

"Save it," I cut him off, my gaze darting between him and Emma. "I hope you two enjoy your happily ever after."

Without another word, I turned and walked out of the house.

I didn’t stop walking until I reached a quiet café down the street. I needed a moment to collect myself before heading to my mother’s place. But as I sat there, nursing a cup of coffee, a man approached my table.

"Kathie Green?" he asked, his voice deep and calm.

I frowned, confused. "Yes, that’s me."

He slid a large envelope onto the table. "This is for you."

Before I could ask any questions, he walked away, disappearing into the bustling street.

With trembling hands, I opened the envelope. Inside were several documents and a handwritten note:

"Kathie,

I’ve been watching from the shadows, waiting for the right moment. You deserve to know the truth about Jason Taylor and Emma Gray. Meet me tonight at the Old Town Pier. You’ll finally understand everything.

—A Friend"

My breath hitched as I flipped through the documents. They contained financial records, photographs, and correspondence—all pointing to a twisted scheme involving Jason and Emma.

I didn’t know who this “friend” was or why they were helping me, but one thing was certain: the truth was far more sinister than I had imagined.

That evening, I stood at the edge of the pier, the cool breeze biting at my skin. A shadowy figure emerged from the darkness, their face obscured by the hood of their coat.

"You came," the stranger said, their voice familiar yet unplaceable.

"Who are you?" I demanded, clutching the envelope tightly.

They pulled back their hood, revealing a face I never expected to see.

"Hello, Kathie," they said with a wry smile. "It’s been a long time."

My jaw dropped. It was Raymond Stone , Jason’s former beta—the one who had mysteriously vanished after their falling out two years ago.

"Gabriel?" I whispered, shock rendering me speechless.

He stepped closer, his expression grim. "You have no idea what you’ve gotten caught up in."

Before I could respond, a loud splash echoed through the night. We both turned toward the sound, but the water was eerily still.

"Someone’s watching us," Gabriel muttered, his eyes scanning the shadows.

And then, in the dim light of the pier, I saw a figure lurking at the edge of the darkness.

The twist tightened like a noose around my chest. Who was it? And how much danger was I really in?

The answers would have to wait. Because at that moment, the shadowy figure lunged toward us, and everything went black.

Kathie POV

The wedding date was set, the dress chosen, and the invitations sent. Yet it wasn’t my wedding.

That evening, Emma waltzed into the room, carrying a tray with tea and a smug grin plastered on her face.

“Kathie, even if your family is wealthier than mine, what does it matter? Jason still chose me,” she said, her words dripping with malice.

Before I could respond, she “accidentally” tipped the teacup, spilling the scalding liquid onto my leg. I hissed in pain, clutching the burnt skin.

Emma immediately shrieked, clutching her hand. “Ah! Kathie, why did you push me?”

The sound of rushing footsteps heralded Jason’s arrival. He stormed in, taking one look at Emma’s fake tears and my stunned expression before turning to her with concern.

“Emma, what happened?” he asked, his voice gentle.

“She burned me,” Emma whimpered, holding out her hand with a tiny red mark.

Jason didn’t even glance at me. Instead, he took her hand delicately, inspecting the mark like she was a fragile piece of glass.

“Kathie!” His voice was sharp, accusing. “How could you? She came to make peace with you, and you do this?”

I stared at him in disbelief. “She—”

But he wasn’t listening. He swept Emma out of the room, promising to tend to her “injury,” leaving me alone with my throbbing leg and a fresh wound in my heart.

Later that night, as I lay in bed nursing my leg, Emma’s laughter echoed down the hallway. It was accompanied by Jason’s deep chuckle, a sound that used to be reserved for me.

The next morning, Emma cornered me in the kitchen, holding her phone up with a triumphant smile. On the screen was a photo of her in my wedding dress, the one I’d carefully chosen months ago.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” she asked, twisting the phone so the light caught the sparkle of the diamond ring on her finger.

My diamond ring.

“Jason said there’s no point in wasting such a lovely dress,” she said, her tone syrupy sweet. “And this ring? It’s perfect, isn’t it? He picked it out just for me.”

The diamond caught the light, mocking me as it twinkled.

That was the last straw.

I tore off my engagement ring and threw it into the trash without hesitation. The sound of it hitting the metal bin felt like liberation.

Then, I packed my bags and left.

A week passed, and I began settling into my friend’s flat. Jason, of course, noticed my absence too late. He called incessantly, but I ignored him.

When I finally picked up, his voice was sharp with irritation.

“Where are you? Emma found the ring I gave you in the trash. What does that mean?”

“It means we’re over,” I said, my tone calm but firm.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Kathie,” he snapped. “It’s just a ring and a wedding! Once this is over, I’ll—”

I didn’t let him finish. I hung up, blocked his number, and began rebuilding my life.

A week later, my colleagues threw me a farewell dinner. It was supposed to be lighthearted, but as the drinks flowed, a male colleague—known for his inappropriate behavior—decided it was the perfect time to confess his feelings.

“You’re beautiful, Kathie,” he slurred. “Any man would be lucky to have you. Forget about Jason. He’s marrying someone else anyway. I’ll take you.”

I rejected him politely, but his face twisted in humiliation.

“Don’t act so high and mighty,” he sneered. “Everyone knows your rich fiancé dumped you for another woman. You should be grateful that someone like me even looks at you.”

Before I could respond, a fist collided with his face, sending him sprawling to the ground.

I turned, stunned, to see Jason standing there, his jaw clenched and his eyes blazing with fury.

“Do you think you’re worthy of her?” he snarled at the man on the ground.

For a brief moment, my heart wavered. But as soon as we stepped outside, his aura changed.

His hand dropped mine, and his expression hardened.

“Let’s stop this charade,” he muttered.

“What charade?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He smirked, pulling out a pristine white envelope. “Emma wanted me to personally invite you to our wedding. She says you’re her only good sister and wants your blessing.”

The audacity of his words hit me like a punch to the gut. But instead of crumbling, I forced a smile.

“Of course,” I said evenly. “I wish you both a happy wedding.”

Relief washed over his face, and he patted my shoulder like he’d just done me a favor.

“Good. I knew you’d understand,” he said smugly. “Don’t worry, once her mother’s wish is fulfilled, I’ll give you an even grander wedding.”

I said nothing, my mind already racing with plans.

That afternoon, I boarded a flight back to London.

Two days after landing, I received a call from an unknown number. Against my better judgment, I answered.

“Kathie,” Emma’s panicked voice rang through the line. “Something’s happened to Jason.”

Her words stirred something dark within me, but I kept my tone neutral. “What happened?”

“He’s missing,” she whispered. “The night you left, he started drinking heavily. Last night, he got into a fight at a pub and… Kathie, no one’s seen him since.”

I felt a strange sense of detachment. “What do you want me to do?”

“Help me find him!” she pleaded. “He still loves you—I know it. Please, Kathie, you’re the only one who can bring him back.”

I hung up without answering.

As I sat in my new apartment, staring out at the London skyline, a cold smile crept across my face.

Emma and Jason had destroyed my life, taken everything I held dear, and expected me to save them?

No. This time, I’d be the one pulling the strings.

And they wouldn’t see it coming.