The days blurred into a rhythm Lina was slowly growing used to—at least on the surface. Each morning started with formal duties as Luna: she greeted members of the Green Moon Pack, attended meetings with Dane and his advisors, sat through discussions about land borders and rogue threats, and managed household affairs with quiet efficiency. She spoke only when necessary, smiled only when expected, and carried herself with the grace and pride of Alpha Jackson’s daughter.But beneath the surface, something was shifting. Quietly. Slowly.And his name was Louis.She wasn’t sure when it began—when her eyes started searching for him in every room, or why her chest tightened every time he entered and avoided looking at her. Maybe it was the silence he carried, or the stillness that surrounded him like a cloak. Unlike the other warriors, he didn’t boast, didn’t mingle, didn’t try to please anyone. He was invisible in the most deliberate way—and that made her see him even more.It was late afte
Louis lay awake in his small room, the silence pressing in like a weight on his chest. He had tossed and turned for hours, pacing the floorboards that creaked with each step. This wasn’t unusual—he rarely slept without interruption—but tonight was different. Tonight, his thoughts weren’t haunted by memories of hunger, shame, or pain. They were haunted by her.Lina.Since the day he first saw her in confinement, something inside him had shifted. At first, it was easy to ignore—a flicker of interest, a strange sense of curiosity. But as the days passed, that flicker turned into a flame he couldn’t put out. He had watched her closely, telling himself it was just duty. That he needed to stay alert. That it meant nothing. But the truth clawed at him more with every sleepless night.He couldn’t stop thinking about her.Her silence. Her strength. The way she looked at the world like it had betrayed her, but she would never let it break her. The way she carried herself, like she’d been throug
After Lina watched Louis’s shadow disappear into the night, she lingered at the balcony for a few more seconds, the crisp evening air brushing against her skin. There was a strange emptiness in her chest—one she couldn’t explain, and didn’t dare name. Shaking the feeling off, she turned and began heading to her room. Her mind was scattered, and her heart… unsettled.Just as she reached for her door, she nearly bumped into Nisa, who stood there as if she’d been waiting. That ever-present smile curved her lips, polished and unreadable.“Alpha Dane needs you, my Luna,” Nisa said smoothly.Lina blinked, her hand pausing on the doorknob. A thousand thoughts rushed through her mind. Did Dane see her outside with Louis? Had someone told him? A part of her wanted to ask, but pride silenced her.“Must it be tonight?” she asked softly, voice weighed with exhaustion. “I’m really tired.”“I’m afraid so, my Luna. He needs you now,” Nisa replied with eyes glittering with something unreadable.Lina
The door closed behind her with a soft thud, but it echoed like thunder in her chest. Lina walked slowly down the corridor, arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her bare feet made no sound on the cold marble floor, but each step felt heavier than the last.She didn’t cry.She wouldn’t let herself cry—not tonight. The sting in her throat and the pressure behind her eyes begged for release, but she pressed it all down like she always did. There was no room for softness in a Luna’s heart, especially not one who felt so lost in her own home.Dane’s words echoed mercilessly in her mind.“Come join me on the bed. I’m your mate, your husband…”And then—“Lina, go back to your chambers.”She hadn’t known what hurt more—his need or his rejection.He doesn’t understand me. He never has.For a moment, she had thought maybe he would. That maybe, in that dark room with his voice trembling ever so slightly, there would be something real between them. But instead, they stood on opposite sides of a ch
The grand hall of the Green Moon Pack was alive with celebration, but Lina felt nothing but suffocation. The air was thick with the scent of roasted meat, burning wood, and the lingering musk of wolves in their human forms. Laughter and chatter filled the space, but to her, it was just noise—another reminder of the life she had no control over. Seated beside Dane at the long banquet table, she pushed her food around her plate, ignoring the affectionate glances he occasionally threw her way. Three months into their mating, and she still felt like a stranger in her own body. She had been raised to believe that mates were sacred, a gift from the Moon Goddess. But her union with Dane was nothing more than an alliance between her father, Alpha Jackson, and his lifelong friend, Alpha Zack. “Lina.” Dane’s voice was calm, yet commanding. She looked up, realizing too late that he had been speaking to her. The table had fallen silent, eyes now watching her expectantly. “You’re distracte
The first thing Louis noticed was the cold. It seeped into his skin, wrapping around his bones like an unshakable curse. The stone floor beneath him was damp, the air thick with the scent of mold and blood—some of it fresh, some of it old and forgotten. The dungeons of Alpha Zack’s pack were as unforgiving as the man himself. Louis sat against the wall, his wrists raw from the silver shackles that bound them. His body ached from the beating he had taken earlier, punishment for speaking out when he was sold off like livestock. He should have kept quiet, played his role like the others, but silence had never been his strong suit. A soft scuff of boots against the stone made him lift his head. A guard approached, his expression blank but his stance rigid with authority. "You’re awake," the guard muttered, crouching down to unlock Louis’s shackles. Louis said nothing. He had learned long ago that words were wasted on those who didn’t care to listen. The moment the cuffs were r
The sun had barely begun to rise when Lina slipped out of bed. The large chamber she shared with Dane felt suffocating, despite the luxury draped over every surface. Silken sheets, carved wooden furniture, and gold-trimmed mirrors—everything screamed royalty, yet she had never felt more trapped. Dane stirred beside her, his breathing steady, oblivious to the turmoil inside her. She had perfected the art of pretending, smiling at him when required, nodding when spoken to. But beneath it all, she longed for an escape she could never take. She wrapped a cloak around her shoulders and padded toward the balcony. Outside, the Green Moon Pack stretched before her—strong, thriving, everything a pack was meant to be. Wolves trained in the courtyard below, their grunts and shouts echoing in the crisp morning air. She should feel pride. She should feel safe. Instead, all she felt was exhaustion. A knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. She turned just as it creaked open, revea
Louis had learned quickly—speak only when spoken to, keep his head down, and never, ever meet the eyes of his betters. The first time he had made that mistake, Dane’s fist had met his ribs. The second time, it had been worse. Now, he moved carefully through the halls of the Green Moon Pack’s estate, balancing a tray of food as he made his way to Dane’s chambers. His body still ached from the previous night’s punishment, but he had learned long ago that pain was just another part of survival. Omegas were the lowest rank, born to serve and obey. He had known that all his life, but here, under Alpha Zack’s rule, the lesson had been carved into his skin. His hands trembled slightly as he knocked on the door. A pause. Then—"Enter." Louis pushed the door open, stepping inside as quietly as possible. The room was large, extravagant, and suffocatingly perfect. A stark contrast to the omega quarters—small, windowless rooms barely big enough for a single bed. Dane lay sprawled acros
The door closed behind her with a soft thud, but it echoed like thunder in her chest. Lina walked slowly down the corridor, arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her bare feet made no sound on the cold marble floor, but each step felt heavier than the last.She didn’t cry.She wouldn’t let herself cry—not tonight. The sting in her throat and the pressure behind her eyes begged for release, but she pressed it all down like she always did. There was no room for softness in a Luna’s heart, especially not one who felt so lost in her own home.Dane’s words echoed mercilessly in her mind.“Come join me on the bed. I’m your mate, your husband…”And then—“Lina, go back to your chambers.”She hadn’t known what hurt more—his need or his rejection.He doesn’t understand me. He never has.For a moment, she had thought maybe he would. That maybe, in that dark room with his voice trembling ever so slightly, there would be something real between them. But instead, they stood on opposite sides of a ch
After Lina watched Louis’s shadow disappear into the night, she lingered at the balcony for a few more seconds, the crisp evening air brushing against her skin. There was a strange emptiness in her chest—one she couldn’t explain, and didn’t dare name. Shaking the feeling off, she turned and began heading to her room. Her mind was scattered, and her heart… unsettled.Just as she reached for her door, she nearly bumped into Nisa, who stood there as if she’d been waiting. That ever-present smile curved her lips, polished and unreadable.“Alpha Dane needs you, my Luna,” Nisa said smoothly.Lina blinked, her hand pausing on the doorknob. A thousand thoughts rushed through her mind. Did Dane see her outside with Louis? Had someone told him? A part of her wanted to ask, but pride silenced her.“Must it be tonight?” she asked softly, voice weighed with exhaustion. “I’m really tired.”“I’m afraid so, my Luna. He needs you now,” Nisa replied with eyes glittering with something unreadable.Lina
Louis lay awake in his small room, the silence pressing in like a weight on his chest. He had tossed and turned for hours, pacing the floorboards that creaked with each step. This wasn’t unusual—he rarely slept without interruption—but tonight was different. Tonight, his thoughts weren’t haunted by memories of hunger, shame, or pain. They were haunted by her.Lina.Since the day he first saw her in confinement, something inside him had shifted. At first, it was easy to ignore—a flicker of interest, a strange sense of curiosity. But as the days passed, that flicker turned into a flame he couldn’t put out. He had watched her closely, telling himself it was just duty. That he needed to stay alert. That it meant nothing. But the truth clawed at him more with every sleepless night.He couldn’t stop thinking about her.Her silence. Her strength. The way she looked at the world like it had betrayed her, but she would never let it break her. The way she carried herself, like she’d been throug
The days blurred into a rhythm Lina was slowly growing used to—at least on the surface. Each morning started with formal duties as Luna: she greeted members of the Green Moon Pack, attended meetings with Dane and his advisors, sat through discussions about land borders and rogue threats, and managed household affairs with quiet efficiency. She spoke only when necessary, smiled only when expected, and carried herself with the grace and pride of Alpha Jackson’s daughter.But beneath the surface, something was shifting. Quietly. Slowly.And his name was Louis.She wasn’t sure when it began—when her eyes started searching for him in every room, or why her chest tightened every time he entered and avoided looking at her. Maybe it was the silence he carried, or the stillness that surrounded him like a cloak. Unlike the other warriors, he didn’t boast, didn’t mingle, didn’t try to please anyone. He was invisible in the most deliberate way—and that made her see him even more.It was late afte
Lina had never felt more like an outsider.It had been days since she left confinement, yet the halls of the Green Moon Packhouse felt colder than the cell she had been locked in. She was Luna in title, but in reality, she was nothing more than an intruder in a life she hadn’t chosen.This morning, the tension in the air was unbearable. Alpha Zack sat at the dining table, a smug smile playing on his lips as he watched her. He had been observing her since she arrived, and Lina could feel it—the weight of his scrutiny, the way his presence seemed to command more attention than even Dane’s.“You’re settling in well, I hope,” Zack said casually, though his tone carried something deeper.Lina met his gaze without flinching. “As well as can be expected.”Zack chuckled. “Good. A Luna’s duty is never easy, but obedience makes the transition smoother.”Lina forced a polite smile, but her fingers curled into her lap. Another warning. Another reminder that her place was beneath Dane, beneath thi
Lina had barely settled into her new life in the Green Moon Pack when Dane summoned her to the great hall. She knew what this was—her first official meeting with the pack’s inner circle.She had barely slept the night before, her body aching from Dane’s claim, and the weight of her new role pressing on her shoulders. The packhouse felt unfamiliar, too large, too foreign, despite the fact that she had grown up knowing she would end up here.But nothing had prepared her for this.As she walked into the hall, a familiar presence made her stop.Seated at the head of the table, beside Dane, was Alpha Zack—Dane’s father and the true leader of the Green Moon Pack.She had met him before, of course. He and her father, Alpha Jackson, had been allies for years. But Zack had always been a looming figure, a name spoken with respect and a hint of wariness. Now, he was here, watching her with those sharp, assessing eyes.“Well,” Zack said, leaning back in his chair. “Look who finally arrived.”Lina
Lina woke to the weight of an arm draped across her waist, the warmth of Dane’s body pressed against her back. The realization struck her like a blow.Last night had happened.Her breath hitched as she stared at the wall, her body frozen beneath his. The events of the night before played on repeat in her mind—the way he had claimed her, the way she had responded despite herself. Heat crawled up her skin, but whether it was from shame or something else, she didn’t know.Carefully, she shifted, testing if she could slip away without waking him. But the moment she moved, Dane stirred. His grip tightened, pulling her flush against his chest.“Where do you think you’re going?” His voice was husky with sleep.Lina stiffened. “Let me go.”Dane didn’t. Instead, he buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply before exhaling a satisfied sigh. “You smell like me now,” he murmured against her skin, his voice edged with triumph. “Like you should.”Rage burned in her chest. She shoved at his arm,
Tonight, she had no choice.Lina lay beneath Dane, her body tense, her breath unsteady. The weight of his presence pressed down on her, a firm reminder of the bond that now tethered them together. It was suffocating, overwhelming. No matter how much she wanted to fight, to push him away, she knew it would be useless.Dane was never one to back down.His fingers trailed down her arm, slow and deliberate, as if testing the resistance in her body. She felt him watching her, waiting for her to flinch, waiting for her to fight. But she refused to give him the satisfaction. If he thought he could break her, he was wrong.His grip tightened on her waist as he pulled her closer, his breath hot against her ear.“You belong to me now, Lina,” he murmured, his voice deep and unwavering.She clenched her jaw, willing herself not to react.But her body betrayed her.A shiver ran through her at the heat of his breath, at the way his fingers pressed into her skin, tracing the curves of her body with
Lina sat in front of the mirror in the Luna’s chamber, her reflection bathed in the dim golden glow of the candlelight. The woman staring back at her was a stranger. Dressed in silks, adorned with jewels, she looked like a queen. But beneath the surface, she was a prisoner.Her fingers curled around the edges of the vanity, gripping tightly as she tried to steady herself. Her breathing was even, controlled—outwardly calm. But inside, a storm raged.This wasn’t her home. These weren’t her people.She didn’t belong here.A knock sounded at the door, sharp and commanding. She already knew who it was.Dane.The door creaked open, and the temperature in the room seemed to drop. The weight of his presence settled over her before he even spoke.He entered without hesitation, the authority he carried pressing down on her like an invisible chain. He was shirtless, his broad chest bare, and the flickering light cast deep shadows over the long scar slashing diagonally across his chest.Lina had