Chapter 1

My body was already a frozen shell, the cold seeping into my very bones. Hearing about Hallie's injuries had sent me rushing to her, with the warm pie I knew she loved.

Never in my wildest nightmares could I have imagined walking into that scene, my own boyfriend, Camilo White, the beta I loved, painting me as the villain in public. He stood amidst the pack members, his every gesture exaggerated. It was a carefully cooked up lie.

"Violet disappeared that night. Who knows how many rogues defiled her? She's impure. How could I ever consider marking her? Out of respect for her father, a beta himself, I might reluctantly allow her to be my mistress, a mere servant to Hallie."

His words were like poisoned darts, each one finding its way to my heart. To protect Hallie's precious reputation, he had ruthlessly cast me into the pit of disgrace. It was as if he had rehearsed this betrayal a thousand times.

"The person taken that night wasn't me," I choked out, "Camilo, are you sure you have the right person? Could you have mistaken Hallie for me?"

Hallie, who had been dabbing at her eyes, straightened up, her gaze hardening as she turned towards the crowd.

"Violet," she began, her voice trembling with what seemed like genuine distress, "I know it's hard to accept what those rogues did to you, but you can't try to pin this on me. I've been trying to help you keep this a secret, yet you stand here, insisting I was the one taken? It makes no sense! You're a liar, Violet, a truly immoral she-wolf!"

With Camilo's dramatic words and Hallie's tearful denial as their "proof," they swallowed every word. Even Hallie's parents, who had once welcomed me with open arms, calling me family, treating me as their own daughter, now turned on me.

"Violet, you are on your own in this," Hallie's mother, Marie, said.

"If you couldn't protect yourself, don't you dare try to blame Hallie."

Her gaze was stern. She rose and physically pushed me towards the door. "I pity Hallie for having a friend like you. Now, get out!"

I had loved Hallie's family, treated them as my own. I had been there for them through thick and thin, begging favors, enduring humiliation, all to ease their burdens. And now, instead of directing their anger at the monsters who had truly caused harm, they were eager to drag me through the mud.

The humiliation was a raw wound, and it wasn't long before Camilo came back into my life. The moment I opened my door, there he was, standing amidst my violet flower bed, his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze fixed on me. Once, that stance would have made my heart flutter. Now, it only fueled the bitter anger burning inside me.

"Why are you here, Camilo? You broke up with me, you humiliated me in front of the entire pack. What more could you possibly want?"

He hesitated for a fleeting moment, then let out a laugh.

"Don't be angry, Violet. It was all just for show, you know that. Hallie's family is… strict. If they found out what happened, they might do something drastic. I had to protect her. Besides," he continued, his tone shifting to a sickeningly sweet persuasion, "you're her good friend. Surely you'd be willing to help her with this small favor, right?"

My brow furrowed. He was afraid Hallie would face repercussions, so he decided I should become the scapegoat? He had turned the entire pack against me, forcing me to endure scorn and pain I didn't deserve. What did he think I was made of?

He sighed dramatically. "I know this has been hard on you, Violet, but we've been together for so long. I thought you knew me better than this. My bond with her is fake, a pretense. It's you I love, only you. I just wanted to shield her reputation, prevent her from facing severe punishment."

He continued, his words twisting the knife deeper. "If anyone else found out she had been assaulted, Hallie wouldn't be able to find happiness. I marked Hallie first so she could be my primary mate, and you would be my secondary. This way, we can still be together, Violet. The only mate I truly acknowledge in my heart is you."

His mouth was full of Hallie's name, her well-being, her future. What about mine? A true mate would always prioritize me, stand by me, protect me. How could he so casually cast me aside, offering me a pathetic consolation prize for someone else's sake?

His words were nauseating. A mate bond was supposed to be sacred, a connection forged by destiny, not some manipulative game he could play to his advantage. I didn't hesitate. I threw him out of my house, slamming the door shut on his lies and his callous heart.

But that was only the beginning of the nightmare. The entire pack turned against me. Every glance held judgment, every whisper carried scorn. I became an outcast in my own community.

I couldn't contain my father's fury. He lashed out with brutal force, his fists raining down on my arms, my stomach, every part of me. When his physical blows weren't enough to end his anger, the urge to shift into his wolf flickered in his eyes, promising even greater punishment. By the time I was too weak to even flinch, he dragged me to the freezing pool beneath the waterfall.

"Stay here," he snarled, "until the water washes away your filth. Only then can you even think about coming home."

Then, with a cruel flick of his wrist, he tossed a silver dagger at my feet. "Or you can take the easy way out. A disgraceful daughter like you is nothing but a stain on my name."

In that moment, standing shivering in the icy water, my heart froze over, colder than the surrounding pool. The father who had always proclaimed his unconditional love now cared only for his precious status. I didn't know if I would survive the night, if the cold would claim me before the dawn.

Then, a voice, warm, cut through my thought. "Violet, I'm so sorry. I should have come sooner."

I hadn't expected anyone to speak to me, let alone offer comfort. For a moment, I was too numb to react. Slowly, I lifted my head. The first thing I saw was a pair of the most striking sky-blue eyes I had ever encountered. Alex Skye, the Alpha's eldest son, the future leader of our pack, was looking down at me with genuine concern. His grip on my hand was firm and surprisingly warm. With his steady support, I managed to stand, although my limbs were still heavy and unresponsive.

"You must be freezing after being under the waterfall for so long," he commented.

My lips felt stiff and numb, making it impossible to form a reply. He carefully wrapped a thick, warm blanket around my shivering form, and the familiar scent that belonged only to him enveloped me. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, my inner wolf let out a slow sigh.

"I'm only doing this because I can't bear to see you suffer like this anymore. Please don't feel pressured, Violet. I'm not trying to force you to accept me. If you still don't want to say yes, that's perfectly alright. I'll find another way to help you—"

"I will. If the goddess permit. I will be yours."

Alex froze, his sky-blue eyes widening in shock. Suddenly, he gripped my shoulders, his touch surprisingly gentle. "Violet, did I hear that right?"

A blush crept up his neck and onto his ears, and I could see them flicker.

He leaned in closer, his gaze piercing mine. "I didn't hear you clearly. Say it again."

Clutching the warm blanket tightly around me, I took a deep, shuddering breath and allowed a small, genuine smile to touch my frozen lips.

"Don't doubt your ears, Alex," I said, meeting his intense gaze. "I said I'm willing to be your mate, the future Luna of this pack. As long as it is the will of the goddess.”