Chapter 0002

~Grace~

I saw Liam’s face register shock briefly, and Sophia buried her face in his shoulder, crying. I watched them, unphased.

“As your Alpha, you will not refuse me,” Liam said, voice low and menacing.

I barely managed to conceal my scoff. No right to refuse him? Excuse me?

I scowled at him and repeated, "l said no."

I turned, prepared to leave the banquet that I had prepared for him.

“As Alpha King, I order you to accept Sophia into our home,” Liam commanded, and I froze, heart stopping. No, he wouldn’t… But I felt the force of the Alpha voice seize my very will, compelling me to obey him.

I really hope this was all just a bad dream. Using the Alpha voice on one’s own mate was strictly forbidden, and yet Liam was willing to risk being cursed by the Moon Goddess just to get me to allow Sophia into his life.

And what was Sophia to him? She abandoned him three years ago, but he was willing to risk it all for her right in this moment.

I whirled around, rage burning in my chest. I couldn’t understand why Liam would betray me, but I would not let him humiliate me. Perhaps Liam had forgotten during his power trip, but Alpha blood also coursed through my veins.

My wolf, Nola, fought back against his voice, and I locked eyes with Liam. I could tell he was surprised, but anger overwhelmed him. His power was immense, and I felt light-headed, almost dropping to my knees.

However, Nola was determined in protecting me, and I held my ground.

Every second was torture, beating down on my wolf, and I could feel her weakening. Apparently, the feeling was mutual, because by the time he released the command a minute later, Liam was panting.

“A Luna should always respect her Alpha,” he breathed, wiping a bead of sweat off of his forehead.

It felt like I couldn’t breathe. If anyone was being disrespectful, it was him!

It seems that any love Liam had for me was gone. He had never treated me this way before, and my heart shattered as I realized I had just lost my husband.

Sophia squeezed him tightly, her sobs getting louder. I pressed the urge to roll my eyes at her. She had laughed in Liam’s face three years ago when he asked for her hand, claiming that his pack was far too weak. Now that l helped Liam become Alpha King, she returned. It all felt too convenient.

Then Sophia let the crocodile tears fall. Here we go again.

“Luna Grace doesn’t want me here, so I’ll just go,” Sophia pouted as she looked up at Liam’s face.

“No, please don’t say that,” Liam said, soothing her. He wiped her tears, gently caressing her face. “You can stay.”

He effortlessly scooped her up in his arms and turned away from me. I caught Sophia’s gaze as they walked away. She grinned wickedly at me.

Weakened by Liam’s Alpha voice, this betrayal was almost too much to bear. My throat burned as I held back tears, and the only one who would comfort me right now was my wolf Nola.

"Nola, are you alright? "

I called out to my wolf Nola to check in on her.

"Don't cry, Grace”she whispered.

She was weak, but she still sent a soothing, pressing feeling through my body, and I knew it was her way of urging me to stay strong.

Setting my jaw, I held my composure long enough to get out through the front doors. I felt hot tears stream down my cheeks, which I promptly wiped away.

All of this shit didn't deserve my tears. There were still guests around, and I don't want the pack worry about me.

“I need to get out of here,” I thought to myself, my gaze falling on my black motorcycle. Perfect. l want my Nola to rest.

I hopped on, slipping the helmet on over my head, and immediately started up the engine. The tires squealed as I tore down the road.

It did not take me long to drive to the border, blowing past warning signs, and turned off the main road. I used to come here often to think; This was the only place where l could be alone. It was far enough from the packhouse. Just one pack away from here was the Lycan clan and it was rumoured that the mysterious Lycan King's residence was also somewhere close. He was a heartless beast and no one was foolish enough to enter these areas to check.

Trees surrounded me, and I hopped off my bike and turned off my engine. My heels had come off a long time ago, so my bare feet dug into the earth as I tried to run off all the despair and rage welling up inside me. Fresh air filled my lungs, sounds of nocturnal forest creatures echoed in my ears, and trees whipped past me with every accelerating step. Twigs snapped under my feet, but other than that, it was quiet.

I took a deep, shaky breath, taking in the cool, crisp air.

Then I heard it.

"Aaaargh!" A scream.

I whirled around, my keen eyes pinpointing the source of the noise. My body instinctively veered in that direction, following the high-pitched sound, and the sight of the source stole the air from my lungs.

A rogue, eyes crazed and snapping at the heels of a little boy pushing his legs as fast as they could go.

Immediately, I called forth Nola and had already broken out into a run before I fully shifted. Adrenaline coursed through my veins as soon as all my fluffy paws touched the ground, I lunged toward the rogue.

I slammed into the side of its body and it flew into a tree, falling to the ground in a heavy heap.

I didn’t give it a chance to recover. I pounced on it, teeth snapping at its throat and legs as it lashed out at me. Its claws fully extended into murderous blades as it attempted to fend me off, but I was stronger, empowered by my lineage, pack, and desperation to see the demise of a wolf rabid enough to target a kid.

I sank my teeth into its neck and then shake my head with all my might, to shake away all my anger. When the rogue finally stopped moving, I unlatched my jaws and backed away. I whipped around to look for the boy.

I grabbed the back of the child’s shirt and continued running, carrying him in my jaws until the rogue disappeared from view.

I stumbled, shifting back. But something was wrong.

"No! Please come back, Nola. please! " l screamed her name over and over but l couldn't sense her. I was so exhausted by Liam’s Alpha command, the forced shift on my already weakened wolf, and all the events of the evening - that I didn’t notice Nola slipping from my consciousness. l hit the ground and didn't hold back my tears this time. l tasted desperation...

Forcing myself to my knees, I took the child in my arms, panicking for a moment. His eyes were closed and his head rolled back.

I watched his chest and realized he was breathing. He must have fainted, poor thing.

I brushed his black hair out of his face, checking for any injuries, when I felt my arms get grabbed from behind, forcing me to my feet.

“What are you doing?” I cried out, turning my head to come face to face with two men in border patrol uniforms holding onto me tightly. I held my tongue. They likely saw me shift.

One of them bent down and picked up the child.

Neither of them responded as they dragged me along and eventually shoved me before a man whose looming presence immediately forced me to still.

One of the border patrol shouted, “Sir, we found the thief! She stole the child!”