PROLOGUEMy legs trembled as I stood before him, the mate bond between us shrieking in agony at his next words.My heart stopped. In that single word, I heard my sentence being passed.“I reject you! I will never accept you as my Luna!”The force of his rejection slammed into me like a physical blow, shattering my soul. Just hours ago, these same lips had whispered sweet promises against my skin. These same hands had touched me with reverence. Now, Alpha Finn Foster looked at me as if I were something rotten, something despised. Something he hated with a passion.“Alaric Blackstone’s daughter,” he spat the words like venom. “You deceived me.”My mate, the man the Moon Goddess had destined for me, the man who had held me in his arms just a night before, now glared at me as if I were a curse upon his existence. All because I was the daughter of his enemy.I wanted to tell him I hadn’t known—hadn’t known he was my father’s enemy, hadn’t known anything beyond the overwhelming pull of our m
Scarlett’s POVIt was a day like any other, and I was buried in chores when the heavy door creaked open. My stepmother, Luna Elena, strode in, her eyes sharp and lips curved into that cruel smile she wore so well.“We’re going to the ball,” she declared with authority. “And you’re coming with us.”The words hit me like a slap. “What?” My voice barely escaped my lips. A ball? For people like me? It seemed impossible.“Are you deaf?” she hissed, taking a step closer. “Or should I carve it into that thick skull of yours?”“No, Luna— I mean, yes— I mean… why?” I stammered, my thoughts racing. A ball was for nobles and alliances—people who mattered. People like Nina, her perfect daughter. The werewolf kingdom didn’t even know I existed. I was just a secret kept behind closed doors, a stain hidden from the eyes of others.“You dare question me, b*tch?” Her glare burned into my skin.“I’m sorry,” I whispered, head bowed, hands trembling.Her voice turned icy. “You think I want to parade you
Scarlett’s POVHis husky voice made me tremble. “What is your name?”“Scarlett,” I replied softly, and to my surprise, a smile crept across my face. A sudden surge of warmth coursed through me, surprising in its intensity, as if I were reconnecting with a forgotten part of myself.“Finn,” he said, a matching smile lighting up his eyes. “Call me Finn.”“Finn,” I repeated, savoring the sound, letting it roll off my tongue as if it were a name I was meant to say.He stared at me, his deep blue eyes piercing through the walls I had built. They weren’t just beautiful; they were magnetic, drawing me in, making it impossible to look away. I felt my heart flutter, my breath catching as I tried to memorize every detail of his face. It was like he was trying to see beyond my brokenness, searching for the person I could be.“You look beautiful,” he whispered.I blushed. “Thank you. You look handsome as well.”Without saying a word, he reached for my hand, intertwining his fingers with mine. His
Scarlett’s POVThe morning sun pierced through my closed eyelids, awakening me with a pleasant ache in my muscles from last night’s passion. A smile crept onto my lips as I reached for his warmth on the silk sheets. I curled closer to him, feeling my heart race in the peaceful afterglow, his alpha presence making my omega instincts purr. The memory of his touch still lingered on my skin. The places he kissed and the fiery trails his touch left across every inch of me still made my wolf purr.It was real. I had finally found my mate. Someone who could love, cherish, and stand beside me. Someone who could save me from my agony and straighten my omega wolf. I had found that person.He was mine. My fated mate.The memory of meeting him last night was still vivid. The way he gazed at me across the ballroom, the instant connection that sparked between us. We didn’t even need formal introductions before our wolves recognized each other. Mate. The attraction was undeniable.His scent lingered
Scarlett’s povI felt overwhelming fear as I approached my father’s pack. I knew no one would miss me if I disappeared or died. I was unwanted and hated by everyone, even the man I called my father.I greeted a few people with a “Good morning” as I walked to the pack house, but they responded with a dead glare. I waved it off as I walked inside the pack house.I carefully opened the door, peeking inside to check if my stepmother was around. I prayed I wouldn’t run into her—if I did, I’d surely be punished. I had to hurry to my room, change, and clean the house before she realized I hadn’t been home last night.A small smile crept onto my face when I saw the place was empty. I tiptoed inside, making my way to the hellhole I was given as a room—a place with no bed, no pillow, nowhere to truly rest my head.Yes, I smiled. Just a little bit more, and I could enter my room. But my hope was shattered when I heard her voice—the voice that made my knees go weak. Cold sweat broke out on my for
ScarlettI used to think moonlight was beautiful. Stupid, really, how many nights I spent bathing in its glow, whispering prayers like some lovesick fool. Now, I can’t even look at it. I’ve draped black sheets over my windows, but still, that silver light finds ways to creep in, mocking me with its presence.I had spent so many nights gazing up at that same moon, praying to her. Praying for love. For a mate who would cherish me, who would finally make me feel whole. And yet, what had she given me? Rejection. Pain. Loneliness. The universe seemed to mock me, sending me more suffering when I had thought happiness was finally within reach.I was naïve to believe it could be different. I had wanted to trust her, the moon goddess. All those stories about her watching over us, guiding us toward our destined mates—lies. She hadn’t been watching over me. If she had, she would have seen the heartbreak I endured. The betrayal. She would have known how much I longed for acceptance and love.Inst
Scarlett “Get off me,” he growled, kicking me away with a force that sent me sprawling. I couldn’t stop the tears. I didn’t cry from the pain of the fall—I had long since become numb to that—but from the unbearable weight of it all. “Please, just kill me,” I whispered, choking on the words. “I don’t belong here. None of you need me.” Nina’s voice interrupted my despair, sounding deceptively sweet. “What are you saying?” She approached me with a concerned expression on her face. “Why would Dad want to harm you?” Her words seemed insincere, the kindness in her tone concealing a hidden malice. She extended her hand as if to offer me assistance. I hesitated, glancing at her hand. “Let me help you, sister.” “Ah!” I cried as I lost my balance, falling back hard against the cold floor. Nina looked down at me, her face now twisted in annoyance. “What are you doing, sis?” she demanded. “Did you intentionally fall to spill your blood on my new dress?” Her gaze swept over the stained fabri
ScarlettI stared at the small stick in my trembling hands, my breath caught in my throat. Two lines.Two pink lines. That’s all it takes to shatter my world for the second time in as many months. I stared at the pregnancy test until my vision blurred, willing the lines to fade, to reveal this as just another cruel joke. But they remained, blunt and undeniable against the white plastic.My legs gave out, and I slid down the bathroom wall to the cold tile floor. His child. Our child. The thought sent a wave of nausea through me that had nothing to do with morning sickness. My hands instinctively moved to my still-flat stomach, and I was struck by the strange duality of the moment—how something so small could feel so impossibly heavy. There was life inside me. A piece of him, a piece of the one who had discarded me like trash.“What am I going to do?” I whispered to the empty bathroom. The words echoed off the tiles, coming back to me with no more answers than when they left my lips. A
FinnSince my wolf couldn’t help, I didn’t hesitate. I reached for her, wrapping my arms around her trembling form.The moment our skin touched, a shock of energy jolted through me, but I held on.“Scarlett,” I murmured, pressing my forehead to hers. “Come back to me, darling.”Her body convulsed once, twice, then she went completely still.The glow in her eyes flickered.Then, she collapsed.I caught her just in time.Her body was limp, her breathing shallow. I could feel her heart pounding too fast beneath my palm.Panic gripped me. She is dying.“Shit,” I muttered, scooping her into my arms. I ignored the pain in my ribs as I sprinted toward the pack healer’s house.“Luke!” I barked the moment I burst through the doors. “Help her!”Luke, the Crescent Pack’s head healer, rushed forward immediately. He took one look at Scarlett, and his eyes darkened.“Lay her down, Alpha,” he said.I did, placing her on the cot as Luke began working immediately. His hands hovered over her, his brows
FinnThe early morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine as I stood in the training grounds, watching my mate.Scarlett.She had come so far.When we first started training, she could barely hold her own against me. But now, she was a force to be reckoned with.Each strike she threw was sharper, her footwork more correct. She was pushing herself past exhaustion, beyond every limit her body screamed at her to stop at.And damn, if that didn’t make me proud.I watched her, my mate, the woman I loved, pour every ounce of herself into this fight.Her beautiful eyes shone with determination, and the sweat glistening on her skin only made her look fiercer.Oh my goddess, she is freaking hot right now.“Again,” I commanded, and she lunged at me.I sidestepped easily, my instincts kicking in before I even had to think. She was fast, but not fast enough. Not yet.“Faster, Scarlett.”She gritted her teeth, frustration clear in every fiber of her being. I could feel her an
ScarlettThe wind howled across the training grounds, carrying the scent of damp earth and sweat.My muscles screamed in protest, my breaths coming in desperate, ragged gasps, but I refused, refused, to stop.I had always been weak in the past, trapped, humiliated, cast aside. But not anymore. Never again.Finn’s voice filled the air as he shouted, “Again.”I swallowed down my exhaustion and lunged forward, aiming at him.He dodged with infuriating grace, but those deep blue eyes gleamed with something I craved more than air—approval.“Faster,” he commanded. “Faster.”I gritted my teeth and pushed harder. I threw another punch, pouring my rage and pain into it, but he easily caught my hand in his.In the blink of an eye, Finn flipped me, landing a crushing blow to my belly before throwing me to the merciless ground.A scream tore from my throat, raw and primal, as I clutched my middle.“Are you okay, love?” he asked as he hurried to my side. “Honey.”I clenched my teeth so hard I thou
ScarPain flared in my throat as I swallowed, every breath a reminder of his grip around my neck. My hands trembled, but I forced myself to keep eating.If I stopped now, he would see it as rebellion, and I wasn’t in the mood to suffer more of his wrath.Dickson watched me like a predator, his golden eyes gleaming with twisted satisfaction.Pathetic.Bile rose in my throat, and I set the bowl down, my stomach twisting violently. I needed to think, to find a way out of this.Running wasn’t an option, not yet. He was too strong, and with his rogue warriors surrounding the place, I wouldn’t make it past the gates.But I wouldn’t be his captive forever.I forced myself to meet his gaze. “Satisfied?” I asked, a smirk plastered on my face.His lips curled into a sneer before he spoke. “I think I prefer you like this, obedient.”I clenched my fists. Obedient? If he only knew how badly I wanted to rip him apart.“Get some rest,” he continued, rising to his feet.“Okay.”Dickson chuckled, brus
Dickson“Scar needed a luxurious life if I wanted her to stay beside me. She would truly love me if I could make her happy.” The thought consumed me.I stood up to my feet, about to leave, when someone called for my attention, pulling me back from my swirling thoughts.“King, we saw you coming in with a woman. Who is she?” Curiosity and something darker—hunger?—laced the question.“My mate, your queen, and she is off-limits.” My voice carried a warning that silenced the room, the threat in my tone obvious.With this, I left, their whispers fading behind me like smoke.I went back into the room where she was being kept, the room we would be sharing together as a couple.My heart raced with a mix of excitement and anxiety, causing my hands to tremble as I walked down the corridor.I could still hear her screams as I approached. My hand was on the door handle when I quickly mind-linked my beta.“Henry, bring some food for the queen.”“Understood, sir.”I opened the door to enter, and it
Dickson“Yes,” I replied again before grabbing her shoulder, desperation making my grip tighter than intended.“Please bear with me. After all this, I promise to build you a mansion, no, a palace. But for now, please stay with me.” My voice cracked with weakness I’d never shown anyone before.“No!” she screamed, yanking my hand away with such force it staggered me. “I will never stay in a place like this.”“Scar—” I tried again, reaching for her, fear clawing at my insides.“Do not call me that!” she scowled, her eyes flashing with rage and betrayal. “You should have let me stay in my pack when you knew you had no place to call home.”She paused, tears streaming down her face as she continued, each drop taunting my soul. “You brought me here to make me suffer. How selfish of you. I hate them, but I hate you more. I fucking hate you, Dickson.”Each of her words sent a sharp pain inside me. Why was she talking like this? A cold, sickening dread spread through me. Was she regretting acce
DicksonI could still taste blood in my mouth. The sting of the former Beta’s punches throbbed in my jaw, but it was nothing compared to the satisfaction burning inside me.I had won.Not in the way I expected, my hands weren’t drenched in Lucas’s blood, and I hadn’t torn apart the wolves who had ruined my mate, but I had still won.That bastard of an Acting Alpha was humiliated.The pack he longed to rule didn’t even acknowledge him. The former Beta had dismissed him like an annoying pup.Lucas’s rage had been almost tangible, thick in the air like a storm waiting to break, but he was powerless.His pride had been stepped on by his friend’s father, and his weakness was laid bare. And that, more than anything, made my wolf purr in satisfaction.Scar’s fingers tightened slightly around my arm as we left, her touch grounding me. She was still shaking, but her eyes gleamed with something I had never seen before, revenge.She had stood her ground, unleashed her fury, and made Lucas taste
LucasHe smirked. “Really?” The contempt in his voice was unmistakable.I nodded quickly, desperation clawing at my throat. “Yes.”He turned to face Scar, a cruel amusement dancing in his eyes. “Did you hear what he said? What do you think about that, mate?”Mate! That familiar term of endearment never used for me sent waves of bitterness through my body, jealousy burning in my veins.“This is the best arrangement, Alpha Dickson,” I pressed on, fighting to keep my voice steady despite the fear threatening to consume me. “Consider it carefully. Scar doesn’t have feelings for you; her heart belongs only to me. She loves me.”“What makes you believe I could ever love you?” Scar’s voice cut through the air like ice, dripping with venom. My gaze shifted from him to her, and what I witnessed shattered something within me.Her eyes burned with revulsion, raw hatred emanating from her like heat. She despised me. No, I couldn’t accept this. A desperate hope clung to me. She must be pretending
LucasBefore I could fully process the implications, he was already outside. As I reached the door, my eyes fell upon a scene of pure horror, a sight that would change everything.My Scar.Rage consumed me as I watched Alpha Dickson caressing Scar’s hand. The tenderness in his eyes as he claimed what was rightfully mine ignited a primal fury within my chest.“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Alpha Dickson!” I thundered, channeling my Alpha tone, but he remained unmoved.My authority meant nothing to him. His eyes glimmered with joy as he gazed at Scar.“I have been waiting forever,” he murmured, his thumb tracing circles on her palm, each movement stoking my anger. “I thought the goddess had abandoned me, forgotten to grant me my better half. Yet here you are, such breathtaking beauty.”His fingers drifted to her face, utterly entranced by her. Why him? I should be the one beside Scar, not him.She is mine alone. Even in death, she could only belong to me.“Let go of her now!”