CHAPTER 1

Chapter 1

Thalia’s POV

The crystal chandelier up above illuminated the ballroom, which held one of the grandest events of the year: my 4th-year marriage anniversary ceremony to Alpha Caden. I was supposed to be happy, to feel great knowing that I'd reached this milestone, but sadly, as I accepted congratulatory messages, raised wine glasses, and murmured well wishes, I felt empty. It's been a whole 2 hours into the ceremony, yet Caden wasn't here.

Where was he?

My husband, my Alpha, Caden Sinclair of the Bloodstone Pack, was supposed to have been here ages ago with me to entertain the guests. I mean, this was ‘our’ anniversary, and I had taken great lengths to ensure that it was a success. Yet, he disappeared this morning, leaving me alone in this embarrassing situation. How could I explain that I didn't know why the Alpha was missing from his own anniversary?

“Long live Luna Thalia.” A guest hailed, and I turned, my lips stretching into that fake smile I was constantly dishing out tonight.

“Where's the Alpha, Luna Thalia?” the guest leaned in and whispered. “I hope he hasn't abandoned his own party?”

I forced a smile, pretending their questions didn't feel like a dagger stabbing into my heart. “Oh, he’s attending to an urgent matter,” I said, the lie slipping effortlessly off my tongue. “You know how it is with pack business. He’ll join us soon, I promise.”

He nodded, but I could tell from the glint in his eyes that he knew I was lying. In fact, the entire ballroom started to feel suffocating as the side glances and whispered conversations about Caden's disappearance started to get to me.

Grabbing a glass of wine to calm myself, I offered a silent prayer to the Moon Goddess, hoping that he'd just walk through those doors any second. Just to make an appearance. Just…to even pretend that he was happy to be here.

Just as I lifted a glass of wine to my lips, the doors to the ballroom swung open. My eyes widened with delight as my husband, Alpha Caden Sinclair, strode into the ballroom, looking every bit the powerful Alpha with his black ceremonial suit.

Every guest knelt, bowing their heads to the Alpha. My heart was brimming with happiness, and I quickly made my way to him, my hand intertwining with his.

“Caden, where were you?” I whispered softly, but the glare in his cold amber eyes stopped me from saying another word.

“None of your business,” he replied curtly, not even caring that we were in public.

I swallowed the embarrassment, as I've always done, and gently led him toward the area where our portrait was to be painted, an artist waiting patiently with her brushes and palette, ready to capture this “perfect” moment in time.

As we stood, watching the artist's brush move swiftly across the canvas, Caden's deep voice rang out, even louder than before.

“Thalia.” He began, his gaze fixed straight ahead. “How long has it been?”

“I…I don't get you, my lord.” I tilted my head in confusion.

“I meant, how long have we been together, you fucking buffoon.” He spat out ruthlessly. Everyone in the ballroom heard him literally insult me, and I went red with embarrassment.

“Four years,” I answered, trying to keep my tone light. “Four years since we’ve been together.”

He nodded, as though considering my response, and his next words dropped like stones in my stomach.

“And in those four years,” he continued, even louder this time, “why is it that you’ve failed to give me an heir?”

Cold silence descended over the room. I felt every head turning our way, every set of eyes boring into me with a curiosity that made my skin crawl. They were listening, waiting to see my reaction.

My cheeks burned with humiliation, but I forced myself to hold my head high with a calm smile on my face.

“Caden. Perhaps we could discuss this privately?”

“Shut up, Thalia!” His voice was ice cold, louder now, drawing even more attention. All activities ceased as they watched their Alpha tear into his Luna.

“Please, Caden,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “This isn’t the time—”

“This is exactly the time,” he snapped, cutting me off. “I’m sick and tired of hiding this. Everyone here deserves to know that my own wife—my Luna—can’t fulfill the most basic duty expected of her.”

My hands trembled, and I could feel the sting of tears welling up.

“Four years, Thalia,” he continued, his voice dripping with disdain. “Four years, and you’ve failed me, time and time again. What good is a Luna who can’t even give her Alpha an heir?”

My composure shattered into pieces as he continued his relentless assault. I couldn't even hold back the tears any longer as they began to slide down my cheeks.

“Caden,” I whispered, “please… let’s talk about this when we’re alone.”

“Alone?” he scoffed, his voice mocking. “Oh, Thalia, that’s all you ever want, isn’t it? To sweep our failures under the rug, to keep hiding behind this pathetic facade of a marriage? Well, I’m done pretending.”

He leaned in closer. “I’m done pretending that you’re anything more than a disappointment to me.”

I closed my eyes, breathless at the humiliation I was going through. I could feel the judgmental stares of everyone in the room, and I wanted nothing more than to disappear from this place.

“Do you have any idea how worthless you make me feel?” he continued. “Every time I see you, I feel nothing but disgust. You’re weak. You’re useless. You’re… unworthy.”

He paused, taking a deep breath as if to calm his seething rage. “Luckily for the both of us, I’ve already found someone far more… worthy.”

He gestured towards the door. It opened slowly and then, a figure stepped forward, moving with magnetic grace. My heart leaped to my mouth when I recognized who this was. I was in complete denial because it wasn't even possible.

The woman who had stepped into the ballroom was Astrid. My sister.

She had disappeared four years ago. Her absence had shaken my family to their very core, especially after we searched everywhere and couldn't find a single clue. I'd cried, mourned, grieved, prayed for her for years, and yet here she was, wearing a gown that rivaled my own and completely ignoring my presence as if I were air.

The crowd stared on in stunned silence before erupting into cheers, chanting her name and welcoming her home.

I gritted my teeth in frustration. Sure, Astrid had always been the favorite, but to suddenly cheer for her when she'd literally gone missing for four bloody years was insane.

She walked past me, heading straight for Caden, and without hesitation, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him deeply. The tiny pieces of what was left of my heart further disintegrated into ashes.

“What…what does this mean?” I asked Caden with a trembling voice.

Caden turned to me, a cold smirk curling his lips. “You want to know what this means?” he sneered. “I’ll spell it out for you.” He raised his voice, ensuring the entire room could hear him.

“I, Alpha Caden Sinclair, reject Thalia Becker as my mate and my Luna.”

The words crashed into me, and a searing pain shot through my heart, making me double over. The pain of rejection was unbearable, making me gasp in agony. I could feel every fiber of the bond breaking, tearing into me with brutal finality.

My vision blurred as Caden’s voice thundered across the ballroom once more. “From this moment forward, Thalia is no longer the Luna of the Bloodstone Pack.” He gestured towards Astrid, who held his arm proudly, her smile triumphant. “Your new Luna is Astrid, and she’s carrying my heir.”

The crowd erupted into applause and cheers, their loyalty shifting with shocking ease. They chanted her name, praising their “new Luna” with enthusiasm that twisted the knife in my heart even further.

I fell to my knees, my vision swimming with tears. The ache in my chest was overwhelming, a hollow emptiness that swallowed every thought. Every hope. Every piece of me that once belonged to him.

But as the cheers grew louder, anger flared within me. I forced myself to my feet, and with a last, tear-stained glance at Caden, I turned and ran, pushing past the throngs of people as I fled the ballroom.

---

The cold air stung my cheeks as I stormed towards my parents' house in the dead of night. After a few minutes of running, I reached their door, and without hesitation, I banged on it with all my strength, not caring for manners at this point.

“Whoever it is, go away. We’re busy,” I heard my father’s voice through the door, dismissive and irritated.

Busy? I pushed the door open and stumbled inside, finding my parents in each other’s arms, laughing, whispering. Their laughter stopped when they saw me, disheveled and tear-stained. My father’s expression shifted, irritation hardening in his eyes, until he saw the pain in mine. Then he frowned.

“What happened? Why are you here looking like a scarecrow? In the dead of night, no less?” he asked with an irritable tone.

“He rejected me.” The tears spilled once more, my heart clenching in grief as I explained. “Caden…he rejected me in front of everyone as his Mate and Luna. Astrid… Astrid… she came back and…”

I paused, staring at my parents' expressions. They didn’t even flinch. Not a single spark of surprise crossed their faces. I searched their faces, hoping for even a hint of shock or anger on my behalf. Nothing. My heart sank even further, and realization dawned on me.

“You knew,” I stuttered, taking a step back. “You knew she was back. You knew what he was planning. How could you?”

My father’s gaze hardened, and he waved his hand dismissively as if this was just a small matter. “It was time. Astrid was always meant to be his Luna. You were never right for him.”

I took another step back, my head reeling from the shock. “You forced me to marry him! You knew I loved Ronan, but you still made me… made me marry him. You even arranged for Ronan to be banished, just to—” I choked on the words as the memories flooded back like a torrent, heightening my pain. “All to keep me tied to Caden.”

My mother crossed her arms, her expression unapologetic. “Astrid disappeared, Thalia. Someone had to step in and secure our future and ties to the royal family. You were simply… necessary.”

“Necessary?” I whispered, the word breaking me in a way I hadn’t thought possible. “I was just… a placeholder to you.”

“You need to stop being so dramatic,” my father cut in. “You knew you were never fit for this role. You’re wolfless, Thalia. Weak. And now we know you’re barren as well. How could you ever hope to fulfill a Luna’s duties?”

The insult landed with brutal accuracy. If I hadn't known my place in my parents’ eyes before, I understood now. I was nothing to them, except a burden and a tool to be used.

“Just step down and let Astrid take her rightful place. She’s carrying his heir, after all. The pack will finally have a true Luna,” he continued, waving me off, clearly signaling that this conversation was over.

“I deserved this,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “After everything I’ve given… everything I’ve lost… I deserved this.”

My father laughed bitterly. “Stop being delusional. No one ever liked you, Thalia. You were tolerated, nothing more. You were never good enough, and now, you’re in the way.”

I couldn't take any more of his insults. Broken, defeated, and with no other way to fix this, I turned and ran out into the night, my feet pounding against the earth. I stumbled into the forest not far from the palace and slumped to my knees, staring up at the full moon.

“Why?” I shouted to the full moon, to the goddess who had abandoned me. “Why did you curse me with this fate?”

No response. Just as I expected. Why would the moon goddess even care for someone so insignificant and worthless? There was nothing I could do, nowhere I could run. I planted my head on the earth and did the only thing I could do.

I Cried until I couldn't anymore.

—

I stormed back into the palace after hours spent in the forest, crying until I had no tears left to shed. I barely noticed the stares and sneers as I passed, too consumed by anger and hurt. Reaching the door to my room—or rather, the room I used to share with Caden—I shoved it open, not even bothering to knock.

And there they were.

Caden and Astrid, nearly naked, sprawled across the bed, their bodies entwined as if I’d never existed at all. Pain sliced through my heart like a hot knife through butter. I clutched my chest, frozen, feeling the last pieces of my heart shatter. I couldn’t tear my eyes away, even as every breath felt like a fresh wound.

Finally, Caden noticed they weren’t alone. He lifted his head with an annoyed expression.

“Oh, it’s you,” he said, not even bothering to hide his irritation. “I already rejected you, Thalia. This room isn’t yours anymore. Go stay in the omega quarters.”

“The omega quarters?” I muttered, the humiliation settling heavily over me. This was how low he wanted to degrade me?

“I didn’t come here to stay,” I said, “I’m just here to pack my things. I’m leaving the pack.”

“And where do you think you’re going?” He smirked, a mocking glint in his eyes.

“That’s none of your business,” I retorted bitterly, glancing at Astrid, who wore a smug smile.

“Thank you,” I whispered with raw pain. “Thank you both, for betraying me. For showing me exactly what I meant to you.”

I turned away from them, tossing my few belongings into a bag with shaking hands, trying to ignore their whispers and snickers behind me. This was it. I was done. The humiliation, the betrayal… I was ready to walk away.

Just as I reached for the door, Caden stepped in front of me, blocking my exit. My heart stuttered, a small, stupid part of me hoping—begging—that he might finally realize what he was losing.

Instead, his eyes darkened dangerously. He leaned in close, his voice low and menacing. “Oh, I’m not letting you leave, Thalia. Not to run off and get yourself killed by some rogue. No,” he said, smirking cruelly, “I’ve finally found a use for you.”