Chapter 1

Zara’s POV

The scent of damp earth filled my lungs as I knelt in the forest, plucking herbs my father had demanded I gather for Aria and Ashen’s baby. My jaw tightened at the thought, bitterness pooling in my chest. Just a year ago, I would’ve carried out this task without question, trying to earn my father’s approval. But things were different now.

As I worked, memories of that night surged up, pulling me back.

I’d always been the outcast. Rejected by my mate, humiliated by my family, and cursed by the pack. My father despised me, and my sisters took every chance to remind me of my worthlessness. When my supposed mate, Ashen, chose my sister Aria over me, he didn’t just break our bond—he shattered my heart in front of the entire pack. I had died that night, in every way that mattered.

But that brutal betrayal had only strengthened my resolve. I’d been reborn with one clear goal: revenge. Now, on the night of the Mating Ball, I was no longer the weak Omega they remembered. I had returned with a fire that would consume them all.

Suddenly, I felt my ankle twist on a hidden root, pulling me back to the present. I fell hard, the pain grounding me in the forest’s dim light.

“Help!” I called, more from instinct than hope, knowing well enough no one would come.

But then, a deep voice sliced through the quiet. “Bad luck tonight, huh?”

A deep voice startled me. I looked down and saw a man standing beneath me. He wore faded jeans and a black vest, and his eyes were so blue, they felt like they pierced right through me. 

“How did you get stuck up there?” he asked, laughing. 

I didn’t respond. Was he the one who set this trap? 

“You would what?” another voice said, as if he’d heard my thoughts. I froze. How could he know what I was thinking? 

Then, two more men appeared. They all looked the same. Were they brothers? “Don’t make threats you can’t keep,” one of them said, his arms crossed. 

I was still in shock when the trap released, and I fell. But I didn’t hit the ground. Strong arms caught me. My heart raced as he held me close. 

“What’s your name?” one of them asked as another approached. All of them were identical. Four of them.

They smiled. “No one ever tells us apart,” one of them said. 

I haven't spoken. How were they reading my thoughts? 

“I’m Dax,” said the one holding me. “This is Ryker.” Ryker smiled, making my heart skip a beat. “Over there is Luca,” Dax continued. “And the big guy? That’s Kade, the oldest.” “What’s your name?” Luca asked. “It’s a nice one.” 

I was so starstruck that I remained speechless. I blinked in confusion. How could they know? “We’re the Lycan Kings of the Seventh Moon Pack,” Kade said. “And we can read the thoughts.” The Lycan Kings! What were they doing here? 

“You don’t have to worry,” Ryker said, smiling again. “We’ll get you home before whoever set this trap comes back.” 

My mind raced. They read my thoughts again. 

“Let’s get you home,” Kade said, still looking serious. 

They took me back to the pack. Once I reached the gate, I realized something terrible—I hadn’t given the baby her blood today. 

The guards were waiting. As soon as I entered, they grabbed me and dragged me inside. I screamed, but it didn’t matter. I was too weak. 

The guards threw me at Alpha Theron’s feet. His hand struck me hard across the face. “Where were you, Zara?!” he shouted. I tried to explain, but he wouldn’t listen. “Was this your plan all along? To let my granddaughter suffer?” 

“I’m sorry, I got carried away by…….” 

“Just shut it”, he shouted. 

Before he could say more, a midwife rushed in. 

“Alpha, Luna Aria… she lost the baby.” 

I gasped. Aria had been pregnant again, and now she’d miscarried. 

A scream tore through the house, itr was Aria. I froze as Alpha Theron’s gaze turned back to me, burning with blame.

“Aria wants you dead,” he growled, “but I’m not going to kill you. Rot in the dungeon instead.” The guards seized me, cold chains biting into my wrists, and dragged me away. Days bled together in the darkness—starved, blood drawn, my strength fading. Why me? What had I done to deserve this?

The creak of the door pulled me from my thoughts. Expecting the pack doctor, I stiffened as Ashen slipped inside. Shadows cloaked his face, but his eyes darted nervously, checking the hallway before settling on me.

“Zara,” he whispered, crouching beside me. There was an urgency, even a softness in his voice that was new. “We don’t have much time.”

I met his gaze, hurt and anger flaring up. “What are you doing here? After everything, you have the nerve to show up?”

Guilt flickered across his face. “You have every reason to hate me. I know that. But please, believe me just this once—I’m not letting them hurt you again.”

My jaw clenched. “Why should I believe you? You’ve betrayed me before. Chose my sister, rejected me.”

Ashen reached for my hand, hesitating when I pulled back. His shoulders slumped. “I didn’t have a choice before—Aria controls everything. But now, I’m choosing you. Please, Zara, you have to come with me before she realizes I’m gone.”

My heart was hammered. Could I trust him? “Why now, Ashen? What changed?”

He paused, struggling for words. “Because I can’t watch them hurt you anymore. I know I don’t deserve it, but… let me help you.”

I searched his eyes, finding only sincerity. Maybe this was my only chance. Slowly, I nodded.

Footsteps echoed, getting closer with every second. Ashen grabbed my hand, his grip strong and sure. “We don’t have time for this. If you stay, you’ll die. If you come with me… there’s a chance.”

I stared at him, my pulse racing. The footsteps grew louder, and without fully understanding why, I nodded. Ashen pulled me up, a flash of relief crossing his face. “Thank you,” he whispered.

We slipped out of the prison, disappearing into the shadows of the forest. Moonlight barely touched the ground beneath our feet as we ran. My mind was a mess—fear, hope, and something else, something I hadn’t felt in a long time. Could he really be saving me? Could I really trust him again?

We reached the cliff’s edge, and I stopped, my heart dropping. There, waiting for us, were my three sisters. Aria stood in the center, her hand resting on her stomach, with an evil smile all over her face.  

“You did well, Ashen,” Aria said, her voice cutting through the night like a knife.

“You did well, Ashen,” Aria said, her voice dripping with satisfaction

I felt the betrayal hit me, raw and painful.

 This was a trap. I looked at Ashen, searching his face, my heart breaking all over again. Had he played me—twice?

My heart sank. Ashen had tricked me. He shoved me forward, and I fell at Aria’s feet. “You killed my baby!” Aria screamed, grabbing my hair. “You disappeared to curse me, didn’t you?!” 

I struggled to lift my head, pain shooting through me as she yanked harder. "Ashen... how could you do this to me?" My voice shook, barely holding back the tears that has already gathered. 

Ashen laughed, the sound cold and merciless. “You really are a fool, Zara. Even after I rejected you, you still trusted me. Pathetic.” 

The three of them attacked me again, beating me until I could barely move. I reached out to Ashen, my hand trembling, silently begging for some kind of mercy. He only turned away, his eyes dead to my suffering. 

Just as I thought it was over, Aria raised a stone and brought it down on my head. I screamed as I fell over the edge of the cliff. But when I opened my eyes, I wasn’t falling anymore. 

Where am I?